Charge Tap / Shimano Nexus 8 speed rear hub

william79
william79 Posts: 42
edited December 2007 in Commuting chat
I'm considering a Charge Tap for commuting (10 miles / day) & leisure.

I like the idea of the rear hub for reduced maintenance, simplicity & the clean overall looks of the bike.

I have no idea what the rear hub is like to live with; smoothness of shifts, reliability, etc.

Has anyone experienced any Charge products or the Shimano Nexus 8 speed rear hub?

(I've always had traditional cassettes & derailleurs)

Thanks.

Comments

  • thesmellyone
    thesmellyone Posts: 44
    I ride a specialized globe elite with a nexus 8 speed hub. It's simply perfect for my 10 mile commute. there is a little resistance compared to a traditional rear mech setup but nothing that i'll notice now.

    Changing gears while not peddling is more useful than one would initially think. 8 gears is also more than enough for my commute where i encounter 2 hills that usually requires me to make an effort going up (usually 6-8 mph).

    Only problem is that I've had a look at some diagrams inside them:
    http://sheldonbrown.com/nexus-mech.html
    http://sheldonbrown.com/nexus8/pages/02.htm

    and i think maintenance might be a problem. My LBS said they would not touch it with a very long pole. SO i might have to take it back to Evans for a service. That's the only drawback i can see.

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