nexus blues
BIGBADBEAR
Posts: 6
In 2006 I purchased a Carrera Subway 8 bike from Halfords at Bolton on the advice of the Salesmen and some reviews in the cycling press. I was looking for a low maintenance bike that I could use for a commute of 5 miles to work on the road. The bike came equipped with a Nexus 8 speed hub gear. This I was informed would need practically no service, However I took out a 3 year service contract with Halfords just as I have very little mechanical skill with bikes.
The bike performed perfectly in the first year, it being used for approximately 6 months only due to a medical condition. On the first Anniversary of its purchase I took it back to Halfords for Its first check up.
This was concluded in very little time, the bike mechanic taking a little under five minutes to complete. The bike then returned to me performed as well as before for some time, again there was a hiatus in riding it as my employers were working shifts.
Approaching the second anniversary, the gears on the bike started to slip occasionally and make some noise, often cured by selecting the through gear and starting again. A check of the two yellow gear position dots on the gear was made and very slight adjustments were made.
One occasion the gears stuck and the bike became in effect a fixed wheel bike, not a great problem to get me home but the grinding noise that was emitted from the gear was very worrying. I took it back to Halfords for a service and a cure for the grinding noise. I had to book it in several days in advance for them as it was on the run up to Christmas. They had it for a week after several phone calls, as I was using the car and incurring petrol money, they informed me it will be ready for collection later that day.
On arriving at Halfords the bike hut supervisor informed me that the mechanic had spent nearly a week on the hub gear but still had not been able to repair it ,so they
Had put a complete new wheel on the bike including new hub gear. I thought great as I was not charged for said wheel as I had it covered on the service contract.
I got the bike home put it in the shed until needed for work. When I did use it I found that it had been adjusted wrong and could only get the top 4 gears , rode with it like that for some time but developed a pain in a knee ,so I adjusted the gears properly with the gear select in No 4 and the two yellow dots aligned. Again I rode for sometime with no major issue.
Late summer I began to feel the gears slipping occasionally, and despite small adjustments the problem became worse. I took it back to Halfords as it was still on the warranty, again I was told that I had to book it in an waited several days ,the grinding and noise became much worse and I also got a puncture. If any one has changed a rear wheel. /inner tube on these bikes they can tell you what a night mare it is, so I thought
Let Halfords do it. They will have to look a back wheel in any case.
So on the appointed day, a Thursday. I delivered the bike into Halfords.Again I was informed it would be several days in being seen to, not before the mechanic had looked at the bike in terror and quickly adding "I don’t do them gears ***** will have to do it!" So I left it at Halfords.
During the next day I had one phone call from them informing me that the side wall in the tyre (continental top contact sport) had been gashed and could not be repaired.
No problem replace the tyre,
Oh and the gears have not been sorted yet will phone and let you know when, after the first time when they replaced a wheel didn't think much of it .I phoned on the Saturday ,yes still not finished will try for tomorrow. Phoned Sunday, asked to phone back later, phoned again told will be ready for 5pm.
So I arrived close to 5pm ready for my bike, the store was emptying and the staff
Preparing the store for closing. Several of the lads went to see where the bike was, one came back said it wouldn't be long. After twenty minutes he went to look again. It was several more minutes before he came back and a further delay before the Mechanic came back with my bike.
He had replaced the complete insides of the hub gear, and put a new tyre on (some cheap Taiwanese model) as they had no continentals. He also commented that he had worked on simpler motor bikes than this bike! The store was closing so I took the bike home.
That week rode Monday, Tuesday punctured, Wednesday, Thursday Friday punctured next week Monday Tuesday punctured. I could not believe it and by Friday the bike gears were slipping again , rode home on the Wednesday bike gears seized up again had to push bike home three miles and the pedal constantly banging into my calf’s.
I took the bike into Halfords after getting home and asked to speak to someone in charge, a floor supervisor appeared who new nothing about bikes, I told him my story and asked that they correct the bike. It would be referred to the store manager I would receive a phone call the next day. I did receive a phone call from the Store manager, explained what had happened and he said he would look into it. I phoned back the next day and the manager had had the tyre changed and the gears replaced could I come and collect the bike. This was the end of November 2008.
Used the bike sparingly over Christmas .Rode the second week of January to work and the week of all the snow, no problems as the roads had been gritted and we missed the worst of the weather. I was lulled back into a false sense of hope as the third week the gears on a journey home gave up the ghost once more , grinding ,sticking sometimes freewheeling but not working as they should. Pushed the bike home in disgust and fury.
I took the bike to the LBS around the corner, they took one look at it and said they wouldn't touch the Nexus gears, not any knowlege, experience or tools and they couldn't source the replacement .So no option but to take the bike back to Halfords after I had purchased a hybrid and had it kitted out for my commute.From the LBS
So this Carrera Subway 8 bike has within three years been through 4 sets of nexus hub gears, I researched various forums and there is a love hate relationship with these gears, mostly hate I would say (80/20) there is an inherent reliability problem with the gears it seems that if they are not sealed properly the water gets in and ruins them. I live in Manchester Not called rainy city for nothing. So are Halfords mechanics trained to the proper standards, comments on various bike forums Seem to suggest not, and Also my own feelings in this.
I have returned the bike to Halfords; I have asked them to consider three options,
1 replace the nexus gears with Alfine, Sram, and Sturmley Archer anything that’s reliable
2 replace the bike for one of a similar cost
3 refund my money (my favourite as I have had to replace the bike)
I am presently awaiting an answer from them; I will post the outcome once known
The bike performed perfectly in the first year, it being used for approximately 6 months only due to a medical condition. On the first Anniversary of its purchase I took it back to Halfords for Its first check up.
This was concluded in very little time, the bike mechanic taking a little under five minutes to complete. The bike then returned to me performed as well as before for some time, again there was a hiatus in riding it as my employers were working shifts.
Approaching the second anniversary, the gears on the bike started to slip occasionally and make some noise, often cured by selecting the through gear and starting again. A check of the two yellow gear position dots on the gear was made and very slight adjustments were made.
One occasion the gears stuck and the bike became in effect a fixed wheel bike, not a great problem to get me home but the grinding noise that was emitted from the gear was very worrying. I took it back to Halfords for a service and a cure for the grinding noise. I had to book it in several days in advance for them as it was on the run up to Christmas. They had it for a week after several phone calls, as I was using the car and incurring petrol money, they informed me it will be ready for collection later that day.
On arriving at Halfords the bike hut supervisor informed me that the mechanic had spent nearly a week on the hub gear but still had not been able to repair it ,so they
Had put a complete new wheel on the bike including new hub gear. I thought great as I was not charged for said wheel as I had it covered on the service contract.
I got the bike home put it in the shed until needed for work. When I did use it I found that it had been adjusted wrong and could only get the top 4 gears , rode with it like that for some time but developed a pain in a knee ,so I adjusted the gears properly with the gear select in No 4 and the two yellow dots aligned. Again I rode for sometime with no major issue.
Late summer I began to feel the gears slipping occasionally, and despite small adjustments the problem became worse. I took it back to Halfords as it was still on the warranty, again I was told that I had to book it in an waited several days ,the grinding and noise became much worse and I also got a puncture. If any one has changed a rear wheel. /inner tube on these bikes they can tell you what a night mare it is, so I thought
Let Halfords do it. They will have to look a back wheel in any case.
So on the appointed day, a Thursday. I delivered the bike into Halfords.Again I was informed it would be several days in being seen to, not before the mechanic had looked at the bike in terror and quickly adding "I don’t do them gears ***** will have to do it!" So I left it at Halfords.
During the next day I had one phone call from them informing me that the side wall in the tyre (continental top contact sport) had been gashed and could not be repaired.
No problem replace the tyre,
Oh and the gears have not been sorted yet will phone and let you know when, after the first time when they replaced a wheel didn't think much of it .I phoned on the Saturday ,yes still not finished will try for tomorrow. Phoned Sunday, asked to phone back later, phoned again told will be ready for 5pm.
So I arrived close to 5pm ready for my bike, the store was emptying and the staff
Preparing the store for closing. Several of the lads went to see where the bike was, one came back said it wouldn't be long. After twenty minutes he went to look again. It was several more minutes before he came back and a further delay before the Mechanic came back with my bike.
He had replaced the complete insides of the hub gear, and put a new tyre on (some cheap Taiwanese model) as they had no continentals. He also commented that he had worked on simpler motor bikes than this bike! The store was closing so I took the bike home.
That week rode Monday, Tuesday punctured, Wednesday, Thursday Friday punctured next week Monday Tuesday punctured. I could not believe it and by Friday the bike gears were slipping again , rode home on the Wednesday bike gears seized up again had to push bike home three miles and the pedal constantly banging into my calf’s.
I took the bike into Halfords after getting home and asked to speak to someone in charge, a floor supervisor appeared who new nothing about bikes, I told him my story and asked that they correct the bike. It would be referred to the store manager I would receive a phone call the next day. I did receive a phone call from the Store manager, explained what had happened and he said he would look into it. I phoned back the next day and the manager had had the tyre changed and the gears replaced could I come and collect the bike. This was the end of November 2008.
Used the bike sparingly over Christmas .Rode the second week of January to work and the week of all the snow, no problems as the roads had been gritted and we missed the worst of the weather. I was lulled back into a false sense of hope as the third week the gears on a journey home gave up the ghost once more , grinding ,sticking sometimes freewheeling but not working as they should. Pushed the bike home in disgust and fury.
I took the bike to the LBS around the corner, they took one look at it and said they wouldn't touch the Nexus gears, not any knowlege, experience or tools and they couldn't source the replacement .So no option but to take the bike back to Halfords after I had purchased a hybrid and had it kitted out for my commute.From the LBS
So this Carrera Subway 8 bike has within three years been through 4 sets of nexus hub gears, I researched various forums and there is a love hate relationship with these gears, mostly hate I would say (80/20) there is an inherent reliability problem with the gears it seems that if they are not sealed properly the water gets in and ruins them. I live in Manchester Not called rainy city for nothing. So are Halfords mechanics trained to the proper standards, comments on various bike forums Seem to suggest not, and Also my own feelings in this.
I have returned the bike to Halfords; I have asked them to consider three options,
1 replace the nexus gears with Alfine, Sram, and Sturmley Archer anything that’s reliable
2 replace the bike for one of a similar cost
3 refund my money (my favourite as I have had to replace the bike)
I am presently awaiting an answer from them; I will post the outcome once known
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Comments
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That's terrible. I'm surprised you can remember it all. Do keep us posted.
I have a Subway 1. Let not entities multiply , as the man said !
'Follow Me' the wise man said, but he walked behind!0 -
I don't rate the Nexus either.
I bought a Saracen Pylon 2 (with a Nexus 3 hub) and within 1,500 miles the hub was totally shot. Did I say shot? I meant to say s**t.
I found some bearings missing! I kid you not, I looked at the hub, the dust cap had popped off, the bearing race had largely disintegrated and some bearings had fallen out. I didn't thank that would be possible.
I downloaded the service manual from Shimano, and it looks horrendous to service.
Anyway, I just fixed the Nexus as best as I could and transferred it to my DIY chopper (that's a different story).
I found an old wheel (the Saracen takes 120mm rear hubs, not 135mm) and threw on a single speed adapter.
I only paid £200 for the Saracen, so I'm not too fussed. The SS hub is just about perfect for my commute anyway.
Bad luck with your hub, though. They don't seem to be very well sealed against the elements.0 -
Wait a mo - I wonder if this advice will help:
When I first had the bike, I had terrible trouble getting the gears to shift properly. I took the gear selector box off (you know the little silver box which houses the mechanism that slides the gear pin in and out).
Turns out they hadn't trimmed the cable properly at the factory, and there were loose strands of gear cable getting stuck in the selector mechanism.
It might be worth your while looking inside this housing and trimming the gear cable. It worked for me. For a while. Then my hub turned to mush.0 -
Hi there,
I've got a specialzed globe with the Hexus 8 gear. So far it's not been to bad it's about 18 months old and serviced just before Christmas.
The LBS said they'll do what they can with the service looking rather apprehensively at the hub. Luckily only a minor adjustment was made (align the yellow dots), but i'm getting the feeling that there isn't anyone in the UK that would feel really confident servicing the hub even with the manual (which I've downloaded).
think it's a brilliant invention, just too complicated to fix and is essentially a disposable part as you've gone through 3 already! I think maybe a fixie conversion is required.0 -
Hi just heard from Halfords , advice from their customer service expert on Nexus they will fit a service kit yet to be ordered from Shimano , so still waiting
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BIGBADBEAR wrote:Hi just heard from Halfords , advice from their customer service expert on Nexus they will fit a service kit yet to be ordered from Shimano , so still waiting
I don't want to get you down, but if it's the same kit I've seen, the service kit is basically a bath for the hub inner. It saves totally dismantling the hub by immersing the hub inner in the lube. This sort of thing: http://www.petracycles.co.uk/internal-g ... -4884.html
I've already looked into this.
But maybe their kit is a proper service centre kit with spares.
Here's the service guide if you want a laugh.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus8/0
