Converting a bike to hub gears

knucklehead
knucklehead Posts: 243
edited December 1969 in Workshop
Looking at setting my bike up with a Sturmey Archer 8 speed or shimano nexes hub gear. Is there any advantage to one over the other? I would be converting my single speed bike. Apart from shifters a smaller chainring and cables are there any other items I will likely need to buy to convert the bike?
_______________________________________________________________________
Always wear a helmet when cycling. If this makes you uncomfortable, think of the helmet as a crown and yourself as King Dorko.

Comments

  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    A new rim and spokes maybe and if you don't build wheels yourself then about œ20 for a wheel build.

    The SRAM S7 is better than both the Sturmey and the Shimano offering IMO.
    More problems but still living.....
    More problems but still living....
  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Posts: 243
    Has anyone an idea what the equivilent range would be in shimano standard derailer type equipment to the mentioned sram, nexus and sturmy archer hub gears? Are they low end occasional equipment or would they be ok for 5000miles hilly commuting all weather per year, the latter being my intended use?
    _______________________________________________________________________
    Always wear a helmet when cycling. If this makes you uncomfortable, think of the helmet as a crown and yourself as King Dorko.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
    More problems but still living.....
    More problems but still living....
  • PHcp
    PHcp Posts: 2,748
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by knucklehead</i>

    Has anyone an idea what the equivilent range would be in shimano standard derailer type equipment to the mentioned sram, nexus and sturmy archer hub gears?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    The range is usually refered to as a percentage, giving an indication of how much higher the top gear is compared to the bottom one. It's easy enough to set the range to cope with your needs on the hills, whether that involves compromising the top gear depends on your needs and abilities and the bike.
    Typical road bike double - 240%
    typical MTB or touring triple - 550%
    Rohloff 14 speed hub - 530%
    SRAM 9 - 350%
    Shimano 8, SRAM 7, SA 8 - 300%
    SRAM 5 - 250%

    The figures are aproximate and from memory, easy enough to look up. or use one of the many gear calculators on the internet, Sheldon Browns has all the hubs.
    http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.html
  • knucklehead
    knucklehead Posts: 243
    Thanks for the link.

    I mean more if they where compared to Shimano mountain bike equipment for quality of mechanics what point in the range (deore, lx, xt, xtr etc) would they be equivalent to or indeed are they of a lower standard.
    I realize they are not designed for off road use but its hard to gage if they are for everyday fitness cycling (lx, xt) or for weekend use only by looking on the sites.

    Sheldon's section on hub gears doesn't really review the working quality of the equipment compared to the standard derailleur alternative.
    _______________________________________________________________________
    Always wear a helmet when cycling. If this makes you uncomfortable, think of the helmet as a crown and yourself as King Dorko.
  • PHcp
    PHcp Posts: 2,748
    It's a different thing so doesn't really have an equivalent, the Shimano hubs are part of the Nexus range, similar prices to Deore, maybe a little cheaper. The hubs are in different grades, standard, premium and a new one Alfine? You'll hear different things about their quality, I've only had the 4 speed which was trouble free for several years.
    The SRAM hubs have a decent reputation. If you can make do with the range the 5 speed beats everything except the Rohloff for reliability.
    SA isn't the company it used to be and I think all the present hubs are pretty new.
    I'm having a SRAM 5 put into a hybrid for town use, total cost including new wheel œ170. I'm hoping it'll go on for many tens of thousands of miles, but if the œ95 hub needed changing every couple of years it'd still be good value.
  • hubgearfreak
    hubgearfreak Posts: 480
    where are you in the UK?
    you're welcome to come and try my sram 7 in an old 531 frame, in lincoln
    you also nee to consider the width of the rear hub. the sram7 is 135mm, and your singlespeed will be less at a guess. SB gives details of coldsetting if the frame is steel. but if it's an inferior material, you can forget it
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Surely cheaper to go out and buy a complete 2nd hand Carrera Subway 8 or similar? I recently sold an 8 on here for 90 quid - less than the price of the hub! Even a new one not much more than buying all the parts!

    d.j.
    "Not much to see,
    Not much left to lose"

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