Hub Gears

First.Aspect

Single speeds are for low maintenance and short repeated journeys. Preferably when carrying small parcels.

My commute is approx 30 miles around, with 650m of climbing. My ride in has two decents, where I hit 30+mph for sustained periods. The ride home has 400m climbing, with a 12-14% pitch of around 500m, and a 9-10% climb of around 1km.

I don't even think mine's a particularly extreme outside commute, outside of London or Norfolk. I defy anyone to do that 4-5 days a week in a single gear. I've passed a couple of guys trying. They looked tired.

ugo.santalucia

First Aspect wrote:

Single speeds are for low maintenance and short repeated journeys. Preferably when carrying small parcels.

My commute is approx 30 miles around, with 650m of climbing. My ride in has two decents, where I hit 30+mph for sustained periods. The ride home has 400m climbing, with a 12-14% pitch of around 500m, and a 9-10% climb of around 1km.

I don't even think mine's a particularly extreme outside commute, outside of London or Norfolk. I defy anyone to do that 4-5 days a week in a single gear. I've passed a couple of guys trying. They looked tired.

Aren't we talking about hub gears here?

father_jack

First Aspect wrote:

Single speeds are for low maintenance and short repeated journeys. Preferably when carrying small parcels.

My commute is approx 30 miles around, with 650m of climbing. My ride in has two decents, where I hit 30+mph for sustained periods. The ride home has 400m climbing, with a 12-14% pitch of around 500m, and a 9-10% climb of around 1km.

I don't even think mine's a particularly extreme outside commute, outside of London or Norfolk. I defy anyone to do that 4-5 days a week in a single gear. I've passed a couple of guys trying. They looked tired.

Stop being a wimp tackle the killer mile on this

http://assets.inhabitat.com/wp-content/ ... Bike-1.jpg

Hub gears may be great but several things letting it down

1) Cost- very expensive hub, and shifters
2) Not easy or impossible to repair yourself
3) Issues with shifting, you still have similar problems with cable stretch, moving wheel back, then re-adjusting the cable tension
4) Heavy

The 3 speed hub looks interesting though - it's cheaper, and probably lighter, perhaps more robust as don't have as many gears packed in, also 3 should be enough, if 2 is direct drive then one or two tooth difference for 1 & 3 will be ideal.

jedster

"If you then puncture, the procedure to remove the wheel and disengage the hub is quite tedious"

I've never had to disengage the hub even when changing tyres? Just take the wheel out of the drop outs and take the tyre off the other side?

Also don't understand someone else's comment about not being able to change gear when stationery - works perfectly for me.

Issue about not being serviceable at home - but see my comments above - hardly a problem if all they need is a oil change every few years by a bike shop.

The only thing I've found slightly fiddly is getting the chain tension right while still keeping the brake discs aligned correctly but I've got that dialled now - first tighten the drive side then play with the brake side.

I'm wondering whether some people have just had bikes when the hub was never installed properly or something. Just can't reconcile the experiences.

First.Aspect

ugo.santalucia wrote:

First Aspect wrote:

Single speeds are for low maintenance and short repeated journeys. Preferably when carrying small parcels.

My commute is approx 30 miles around, with 650m of climbing. My ride in has two decents, where I hit 30+mph for sustained periods. The ride home has 400m climbing, with a 12-14% pitch of around 500m, and a 9-10% climb of around 1km.

I don't even think mine's a particularly extreme outside commute, outside of London or Norfolk. I defy anyone to do that 4-5 days a week in a single gear. I've passed a couple of guys trying. They looked tired.

Aren't we talking about hub gears here?

ugo.santalucia wrote:

true, I use 2 gears on my commute (46 x18 and 46 x 16) and it's lumpier than most urban ones... could easily do with 46 x 16 only