One frame with configurations for both single speed and IGH set up

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John_S

Über Member
Hi All,

I’m in the process of saving up for a new bike and its main use will be on my daily all weathers, all year around 25 mile round trip commute.

Some of the bikes that I’ve been considering include the Shimano Alfine 8 Internal Gear Hub. I apologise because I appreciate that this is the fixed / single speed forum but I do have a question about running a bike as a single speed.

One bike that I’ve considered is the Genesis Day One Alfine 8 which includes a Shimano 8 speed IGH. However having read a some feedback about it I have some doubts about the Alfine IGH’s ability to survive a UK winter what with all the salty water that will get thrown at it. Because of my worries about the Alfine 8’s durability this has made me think that it’s perhaps not a suitable bike for my daily commute over winter.

Despite this I have ridden a bike with an Alfine 8 and I quite liked it. This has got me wondering if I could buy this bike and run it in two different configurations at different times of the year depending on the weather. For the months when it’s cold and the roads are covered in salt I’d run it as a single speed and then when it’s warmed up and the salt has had a chance to wash away I’d revert to using the Alfine 8.

I’m not sure whether this is the most logical or straightforward thought process to be thinking about when considering a new bike and maybe lots of people would think that this is a nonsense idea. However aside from whether it’s a nonsense idea or whether it makes financial sense is it technically possible to do without too much hassle?

My thought would be to have two sets of wheels. One being the standard wheels that the bike comes with and that takes care of the Alfine 8 set up.

Then when winter comes my idea (and this is where I need help/advice to see if my though process is feasible or utter rubbish) is to put on new wheels with a single speed hub.

For example could you get wheels built up using a White Industries Standard ENO hub and a White Industries ENO Freewheel?

My plan would be to leave everything else the same chainset, bottom bracket etc.. Also although I appreciate that this wouldn’t be an elegant solution for a single speed but I’d plan on leaving the barend shifter in place so that it’s ready for when the Alfine 8 goes back on in summer so as to save having to remove the bar tape. This also left me thinking that I’d have a gear cable not connected to anything along the chainstay and so I’d need to think of some way in which you could secure this in place and protect it from the elements over winter.

I understand that the Genesis Day One Alfine 8 already has horizontal dropouts and so this is why I’d hoped that the above might in some way be possible?

This is separate from the single speed issue but when getting the wheels built I’d plan on getting a dynamo hub on the front wheel so that I could run dynamo lights over the winter.

I appreciate that this might seem a bit of a crazy idea & maybe people would say it’s ridiculous and don’t do it but I’d be really grateful for any thoughts on whether it’s technically possible or not.

Also if it is possible but people have alternative suggestions of other single speed hubs and freewheels that I could use that will be great.

Thanks for any help & advice.

John
 
Alfine 8 can take a British winter in it's stride. Mine has survived 6 so far.
Recommend you use an annual oil bath. They operate more smoothly and down to lower temperatures

It would be useful having an alt wheelset for studded ice tyres.
Alfine has 135mm OLD (axle), so you would need an MTB style singlespeed hub.
 
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John_S

Über Member
Hi MichaelW2,

Many thanks for the advice.

Also thanks for the info about that bike having a 135mm OLD (axle) because I wouldn't have known that and I guess that if I did go with this plan I'd have to look at a different hub.

Cheers,

John
 
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John_S

Über Member
Hi fossyant,

Thanks for the feedback and advice. I appreciate the tip about fixed and I know that loads of people love them and would highly recommend them.

The reason for me thinking about gears is the fact that I'm not getting any younger and age has caught up with my knees to the point whereby they are pretty dodgy. Therfore the option of gears for some rides is appealing and for the horrible wet and cold weather of the winter I'd like to give single speed a try.

Re: my original post I'd also meant to include links but forgot so they are below just incase they're of any use/interest however reading the advice from MichaelW2 I'd need to rethink the White Industries hub because it wouldn't fit this frame.

Cheers, John

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/urban/urban-cross/day-one-alfine-8

http://www.whiteind.com/eno

http://www.whiteind.com/new-page
 
Location
North West
Cotic roadrat, takes Alfine, singlespeed, sora, mudguards, road tyres, off road tyres, pretty much anything. Try it, change it if you don't like. The frame is steel and built ready for any configuration. Once I get home from pocky Italy I'm ordering mine
Merry Xmas to me .... Merry Xmas to me
 

Smurfy

Naturist Smurf
Alfine 8 should be fine as long as you service occasionally, and don't do anything silly like riding through a flood.

However, unless the route is really hilly I'd advocate trying single-speed or fixed in the first instance for low maintenance convenience. Even better if you can get a belt drive to remove the chain maintenance aspect.

Edit: I should add that on the Alfine 8, I think it is 5th gear that is direct drive, so should be as efficient as single speed. Arguably this makes the 8 a better choice than the 11 for two reasons:
1. The 11 has no direct drive, so you can't set it up for efficient cruising
2. The 11 is reportedly much more fussy over gear adjustment than the 8
 
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John_S

Über Member
Hi rideswithmoobs,

Thanks for the tip about a Cotic Roadrat and I'll take a look because that sounds like a very versatile bike. Also enjoy your Xmas present to yourself when you get it!

Hi YellowTim,

Thanks for the advice in respect of the Alfine 8 vs. Alfine 11 and also for the tip re: servicing. At the moment I don't know how to build wheels and so I guess I'd have to learn how to do that if I wanted to service an IGH. I could be wrong but the reason that I've said that is because whereas now on my derailleur geared bike with a freewheel I've done things like replace broken rear axles and I've serviced the hubs myself I've been able to do that with the hub in situ without have to take the wheel apart and rebuild it. Again I could be wrong but I'm guessing that it's difficult to service an IGH with it in the wheel without taking it apart.

Also thanks for the tip in respect of a belt drive and yes I wouldn't mind one but the number of bikes available that have one is a bit limited but that's not to say I couldn't find the right one. I'm not certain it would be my number one bike choice but the other day somebody one this forum managed to find a really nice secondhand Trek District single speed bike with belt drive but I don't think that I've found too many options out there and I don't think that the Trek District is sold in the UK anymore as the website seems to suggest that it's US only.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/city/urban_utility/district/district_ssb/#

Thanks again for the advice and if anyone has any thoughts/advice as to whether it would be possible to buy a Genesis Day One Alfine 8 and also run it as a single speed without too many problems/issues in modifying/changing it that would be great.

Cheers,

John
 
The innards of Alfine can be removed as a complete unit, from the spoked shell. No need to rebuild the wheel.
Removal is a bit fiddly, requiring one special wrench and some vodoo with a snap ring and 2 small screwdrivers.
There is no need to dissassemble the innards further.

Any frame for alfine can be run as a singlespeed. You can't use a fixed gear if your chain is tensioned by a spring tensioner, but you can with horizontal or sliding dropouts or eccentric bottom bracket.
 
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John_S

Über Member
Hi MichaelW2,

Thanks again for the advice! It's handy to know that the innards of the Alfine can be removed for servicing without having to disassemble the wheel and that sounds a better option than having to disassemble the whole wheel in order to service so thanks for letting me know that it's possible albeit with a bit of a knack required.

Also thanks for the tips and advice about being able to run it as a singlespeed and for letting me know about the spring tensioner and the impact it has in respect of fixed.

Cheers,

John
 
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