Fellow Alfine Hub Owners – Advice Needed!

srp5555

Hi,

For those who commute on Alfine hub bikes, I’d appreciate some of your wisdom & experience…

Having commuted on my Genesis Day One Alfine for 3 years now, pretty much puncture free, I’ve had 3 in the past week, all on the back wheel…which is a faff to remove as those who ride them will know!

In fact I had two last night on my way home in the space of 2 miles, which pretty much left me stranded down a dark country lane 10 miles from home...spare tube used up & punctured, & I really couldn’t face the hassle of removing the back wheel again…had to call in the cavalry!

So what I want to ask fellow Alfine users is this:-
1. What measures do you take to avoid rear wheel punctures? I’m thinking Marathon Plus with a slime filled inner tube…it’ll weigh a ton I know but with my rear tyre (Conti GP4 Seasons) now obviously suffering I want to treat the air in my rear wheel like gold in Fort Knox…
2. What tools/techniques do you use when you need to remove the rear wheel whilst riding?

Thanks in advance for your comments!
Steve

rhext

Never tried this myself, but passed a chap the other day who didn't bother removing the wheel. He just popped the tire off, found and fixed the puncture (the old-fashioned way, with a patch) and then popped it back on.

If you've been 3 years puncture free, however, I'd just buy a new version of the tire you're already using and change it again after 2.5 years.

plet

An increase in the number of punctures is a sure sign it's time for a new tyre. I'm using marathon plus exactly because of pain of removing the wheel and I don't want to risk a puncture in the dark. Can't even remember the last time I had a puncture with a marathon plus so the slime might be overkill.

As for tools, I carry a small adjustable spanner with me. If needs be, standing on it can be enough to undo the nuts. With enough wiggling I can usually get the cable free so I don't bother carrying the pliers I'd use at home.

Aside from getting the wheel off (obviously awful), how do you find your alfine (8 or 11?)? I have a Nexus 8 which has a special place reserved in the ninth circle of Hell as far as I'm concerned. It just slips or doesn't change gear far too frequently. Am seriously considering binning it and going for an alfine though I don't hold out any hope for those being any better. Any opinions?

MichaelW

Whatever happened to those non circular inner tubes.
I use a bit of wire to rotate the cassette arm and some Leatherman pliers to rotate the bolt out of the arm.
I use Big Apple tyres and find them proof enough.

walkingbootweather

I've got a Rohloff hub which might make removing the rear wheel a little easier but I still run Marathon xr tyres which thankfully have only punctured once due to a long thorn. If you get a couple of punctures in a short space of time check for foreign bodies, but might be time for new tyres.

davis

I use Schwalbe Delta Cruisers on one Alfine bike, and Marathon Pluses on another. I wouldn't want to bother with slime, ever

I took the rear mudguard off one of them, as it's got a rack. Mudguard and hub was just too much like hard work.

dodgy

Use SKS secuclips (conventionally only used on the front wheel) on the rear wheel, then the rear mudguard essentially becomes quick release.

So far I haven't punctured (uh - oh...) but if I do, I'll just leave the wheel on and locate the puncture by taking the tube out on the non-drive side of the frame (slightly cleaner) and put a patch on.

If you've had a huge increase in punctures (you have), make sure there's nothing wrong with the wheel (spokes protruding, shards of metal etc), but more likely you've pushed your tyre too far.

I find it a pain to undo the gear cable by the way, been practising it but I still can't consistently unhook it quickly!

srp5555

Thanks for the replies, really appreciated.

Got a good idea what i'm going to do:-
- get some Marathon XR Extremes (I like the look of those beasties!), without the slime perhaps!
- I like the wire'n'pliers solution for the gear cable, definitely going to use that one!
- also like the look of those SKS secuclips, my rear wheel removal ritual involves unscrewing the allen bolts holding the mudguard to the frame, so these things look great.

plet wrote:

Aside from getting the wheel off (obviously awful), how do you find your alfine (8 or 11?)? I have a Nexus 8 which has a special place reserved in the ninth circle of Hell as far as I'm concerned. It just slips or doesn't change gear far too frequently. Am seriously considering binning it and going for an alfine though I don't hold out any hope for those being any better. Any opinions?

plet - I had a Nexus 8 many moons ago, on an old TrekSU500 I think it was, & the Alfine 8 I have now is much much better, it changes smoothly & has survived some fierce abuse over the last 3 years with only occasional minor tweaks required.

Many thanks again!

davis

Eh? Why the wire and pliers to remove the gear cable? Just grab the arm and turn it against the spring so the cable goes slack, then waggle the cable free. No pliers required, shirely?

Moodyman

No need for pliers - just wriggle gear cable.

Alfine is better sealed than Nexus and is supposed to have better bearings.

There's a very good video on You Tube that Howard of this forum did. Do some practice in the warm of your kitchen /garage so you're not caught out unawares on the road.

antonyfromoz

I haven't tried it myself but what about going tubeless and getting some latex in the tyre? if your wheel is not tubelss ready then you can always get some Stans tape to seal off the spokes. Schwalbe are making tubeless tyres now so you have some choices other than Hutchinson. The punctures will seal themselves and you have the option of adding a boot and inner tube if you do something really dramatic with the tyre...