Internal hub gears on a MTB

[Martyn-123]

Hi,

Wondering about the pro/cons of a rear hub gear system as opposed to a derailleur on a MTB ?

I recently acquired a Kona Hoss Deluxe frame to build up a new bike and the frame has good reviews for it's strength, my existing bike a cycle cross Specialized fully laiden with panniers was 6 stone for my touring trip last year hence the need for a strong frame but i just prefer riding a MTB.

I like the idea of a bike without a low hanging derailluer and potentially less maintenance but unsure about how many gears they have and how well they fit with disc brakes and the cost of them compared to normal gearing systems, I need quite a low gear for when i am crawling up those hills in sunny Scotland but high enough to cruise along on the flat.

Any advice gratefully recieved,


Martyn

[P-Jay]

My mate has an MTB with an 8 speed Alfine rear hub, it's really good, it's not really meant for really agro mtb riding, but I've seen him hitting table tops and drops on it all day without complaint, they make an 11 speed version now, I'm not sure if it offers a greater range of gears or just more gears in between.

They work perfectly with discs, although they're that silly spline attachment shimano push, converters are cheap, the actual gearing will be as high or low as the front cog, but the 8 speed at least doesn't have a huge range.

I'm not sure how well they'd work with a full-suspension, they do offer a tensioner, but it looks a bit weak.

when I last looked, if you consider everything, and are looking to replace an entire drivetrain there isn't much, if any weight or price penalty.

Edited by P-Jay on Wednesday 5th March 16:18

[Rob_T]

another 'my mate' response:

my mate had one on his santa cruz and it made an awful lot of sense. didn't stop him being the fastest and most capable out of all of us. go for it i say. he had a hard tail - not sure how it would work with full sus as stated above.

[Martyn-123]

Thanks for replies, the frame is a hard tail


Martyn

[P-Jay]

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/HUSHALF13511/shimano-a...

Pretty much half-price, you'll need a shifter and a either a Shimano disc brake or a converter plate. expect to pay a LBS a tenner to build it into an existing rim - plus new spokes 50p for silver £1 for black (per spoke) last time I had a wheel built. You'll likely need a single speed cog for the front and a single speed chain, the good news is they're much tougher than 9-10 speed chains.

I have a feeling they don't work with front derailleurs.

I'd do it in a heartbeat if I was in the market, but I like leftfield stuff.

They're meant to be a tiny bit more 'draggy' than a traditional set-up, BUT that's a perfectly running trad set-up, which in Britain translates as about the first 20 metres from starting - whereas this will run the same pretty much up to the point any mud stops the back wheel turning.

[gazza285]

P-Jay said:

cog

It's a sprocket, or a chainwheel, not a cog.

[P-Jay]

gazza285 said:

P-Jay said:

cog

It's a sprocket, or a chainwheel, not a cog.

I guess everyone else is lucky you're about to translate for them.

[gazza285]

P-Jay said:

I guess everyone else is lucky you're about to translate for them.

Not everyone, only those who don't know better.

[Mr Gear]

Martyn-123 said:

Hi,

Wondering about the pro/cons of a rear hub gear system as opposed to a derailleur on a MTB ?

I recently acquired a Kona Hoss Deluxe frame to build up a new bike and the frame has good reviews for it's strength, my existing bike a cycle cross Specialized fully laiden with panniers was 6 stone for my touring trip last year hence the need for a strong frame but i just prefer riding a MTB.

I like the idea of a bike without a low hanging derailluer and potentially less maintenance but unsure about how many gears they have and how well they fit with disc brakes and the cost of them compared to normal gearing systems, I need quite a low gear for when i am crawling up those hills in sunny Scotland but high enough to cruise along on the flat.

Any advice gratefully recieved,


Martyn

Scotland you say? I rented an 8 speed Alfine-equipped hardtail in Aviemore from this place: http://www.bothybikes.co.uk/

I think it was a Genesis

Anyway, it was very good. I found having no front derailleur very liberating! I'm not sure it had a huge range of gears, but it had enough low range to allow reasonable climbing.

[ndg]

I built an 11 speed alfine up for my father in law. Nice hub, but yes a bit more drag than gears. Discs are easy to sort and gear range can be decided with front ring and sprocket.

[shouldbworking]

I've seen them used effectively, and would like one myself to try, but I better mention the perceived downsides -

Faff in the event of a puncture. it's more complicated (not that bad but absolutely a job to practice at home first) to get the wheel off than a standard setup.

Weight distribution. It puts it a bit more rearwards. I've only done road pootling using one so can't comment on how big an issue.

Gear range - the alfine 8 has a quite low top end, expect to spin out if using it on road a lot. similarly there is a bigger gap in ratios than a deraileur setup.

And a positive as noones mentioned this one yet - you can change gears whilst stopped.

[ysnnim]

Mate has a Cannondale Rush (Carbon) with a Rohloff 14 speed.... reliable, good spread of ratios, great customer service (when it started making a strange noise), pretty much maintenance free.

Expensive though.

Riding it, it puts a more weight on the back wheel, but with no cassette, or derailleurs etc, probably not a great deal more weight overall...

I have borrowed it, and it's dead easy to use. Takes a wee while to get used to the twist grip shifter.

[Barbarossa]

I've got an Endorfin with a Rolhof hub. Really hassle free: chain never comes off and doesn't rattle, no RD to snag, can change gear when stood still.

A little bit heavier, but only a few hundred grams.