Is a hub gear less bother than a derailleur?

[Pale Rider]

Have also seen this Avanti Alfine 11 spd disc brake bike.
http://www.avantibikes.com/nz/bikes/path/urban-road/inc-3/

Belt drive and a hub gear, a quiet, dry bike - nice.

I can't see how they've engineered the gap in the rear triangle to get the belt on.

I suspect the pics have been tampered with, there's no valves visible on the rims.

Bit cheeky if that's the case, the bike you get won't appear quite so stealthy.

 

[MacB]

Of the Mavic 719 rims then basically the A719 has a brake track and the TN719 doesn't, oh and I think the latter is slightly lighter. As far as I know SJS build excellent wheels and I have used them I was only being critical on their pricing, as in I can get a complete Rohloff wheel and fittings for less than they sell the hub on its own.

Front wheels I have a SonDelux and a couple of Hope Pro IIs I'd rate either of them.

I'm still steering clear of the Alfine 11 as I'm not yet seeing the love for it that you can find around the Alfine 8 or the rohloff. I'm also not smitten by the idea of belt drives but that's probably just my own natural resistance to change.

 

[mattsr]

I think the dodgy hub you're referring to is the Nexus 8.I had a Carrera Subway fitted with one and it
lasted just 12 months of easy commuting and then it literally fell apart.

I had exactly the same experience. It was absolutely hopeless.

After about a year of commuting, it fell apart, as you say. I had a new hub fitted, which cost over 200 quid. When that one went belly up, about 18 months later, I brought a new bike. With a derailleur.

 

[snorri]

Thanks for that MacB I will look up Kinetics and give them a ring.

I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole, broken promises re delivery, broken promises re fitting time, broken spokes after completion. I had to send my hub to SJS to get the wheel built properly, and no problems since.

 

[Cush]

Yuk, thanks for that Snorri you have saved me a trip to Glasgow but its left me in a bit of a quandary, I dont think the LBS that I got the Nomad off understands hub gears but I do want the bike serviced and ready for odd three and four day tours by the end of March and the Alfine gears will not stop in 2nd or 5th and I need both for touring.

 

[Crankarm]

Belt drive and a hub gear, a quiet, dry bike - nice.

I can't see how they've engineered the gap in the rear triangle to get the belt on.

I suspect the pics have been tampered with, there's no valves visible on the rims.

Bit cheeky if that's the case, the bike you get won't appear quite so stealthy.

The break is in the seat stay about half way up to get belt on and off. Belt has a centre track so cannot slip.

Kingsway Cycles in Cambridge does Avanti and I had a quick ride on an Inc 3. It was a tad too big for me as it was an XL frame but I got the feel for the bike. A very very light frame 7005 tubing, the Alfine 11 hub worked perfectly and disc brakes spot on. The ride was firm and manuevrability excellent given it was a big frame for me.The only think I didn't like about the bike was the front fork has no bosses for mounting a front rack and the fork is very oval/flat in profile so making brackets/clamps would be difficult. Also the eccentric BB as the drop outs are vertical. Frame colour is a flat matt black which looks awful IMHO. But apart from this the bike was good to ride. Very quiet and smooth transmission with the belt drive and Alfine 11 IHG. If the front fork had mounts for a front rack I'd buy one but it doesn't so this is why I consider building my own spec using Surly Troll frame.

 

[MacB]

I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole, broken promises re delivery, broken promises re fitting time, broken spokes after completion. I had to send my hub to SJS to get the wheel built properly, and no problems since.

wow, thanks for that, funnily enough I've only looked at Kinetics online and did once send an e-mail about something but no response so I never followed up.

I was about to suggest the Shimano Service Centre programme to find somebody but that's currently suspended pending a relaunch.

SJS do quality work as do Wheelcraft in Glasgow but I only went with hub gears as I had my LBS that knows the old ones well and I'd trust to have a go at an Alfine. Then a bit further away for a Rohloff service but still inside 20 miles. I would have found a long distance mechanics relationship a bit testing.

Maybe you could ring round local shops that stock alfines and see?

 

[snorri]

and did once send an e-mail about something but no response .

That was your lucky day
I'm not surprised, I really should have taken the hint earlier, but had travelled a long way and just didn't fancy the idea of starting from scratch again to look for a supplier who I knew would be even further away from my home.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I've read so many bad things about Ben it's unbelievable, but I've had nothing but excellent top quality service from him. I've currently got a hired bb chamfering tool and he did loads of work on my last brommie including fitting a schlumpf.

I wonder why I'm the only one who sings his praises....