Discussion of internal geared hubs for touring bikes?

[[email protected]]

David <[email protected]> wrote:

>They are both reliable. I used the earlier version of the SRAM Dual
>which went by the name of Sach internal hub. Got me through 8000
>miles on the Bike Friday through rain and **** without a hitch or
>even service. Actually, that's not true. After that trip, I had to
>overhaul the hub and eventhough there were tons of **** inside, the
>gears were still in good condition.

That's good to know above

Which Bike Friday model did you have?

>Many Europeans I met use Rohloffs and they swore by their reliability.
>My advise is to get something inexpensive. Unless you're travelling
>months at a time like the Europeans do, there's no need to spend more
>than the SRAM.

Well I will only be touring say once or twice a
year.... but commuting on it every day.

 

[Nigel Cliffe]

[email protected] wrote:
> David <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> They are both reliable. I used the earlier version of the SRAM Dual
>> which went by the name of Sach internal hub. Got me through 8000
>> miles on the Bike Friday through rain and **** without a hitch or
>> even service. Actually, that's not true. After that trip, I had to
>> overhaul the hub and eventhough there were tons of **** inside, the
>> gears were still in good condition.
>
> That's good to know above
>
> Which Bike Friday model did you have?
>
>> Many Europeans I met use Rohloffs and they swore by their
>> reliability. My advise is to get something inexpensive. Unless
>> you're travelling months at a time like the Europeans do, there's no
>> need to spend more than the SRAM.
>
> Well I will only be touring say once or twice a
> year.... but commuting on it every day.

The cheaper than Rohloff option may be one of the Shimano, SRAM or Sturmey
multiple geared hubs. They offer hubs with 3,5,7, and 8 gears. The range
isn't as wide as the Rohloff, but that wide range might not be needed in all
applications. I think you're looking at $200 rather than the $1000 for the
Rohloff.

The Rohloff is around 525%, meaning it can be geared at 20in bottom and over
100in top.
I think the Shimano 8 speed is around 300%, meaning it can be geared at a
30in bottom and 90in top. (Or whatever other ratios you choose based on
the chainring and rear sprocket sizes).

I guess Sheldon Brown's site or Harris Cyclery will have information on hub
gears in the USA.


Whilst the SRAM dual-drive is reasonably well built, my view is that it
combines many of the worst aspects of both types of gearing into a single
box. The drag and weight of a hub and the cleaning and chainline issues of a
derraileur. I have had a bike with a 3x7 dual drive, had I kept the bike, I
would have changed the gear system.



- Nigel


--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

 

[[email protected]]

"Nigel Cliffe" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Whilst the SRAM dual-drive is reasonably well built, my view is that it
>combines many of the worst aspects of both types of gearing into a single
>box.

Good points

However this would be used on a folding Bike
Friday...so would eliminate the triple up front and
resultant chain drop when folding it? Also make it pack
into suitcase easier.

 

[Nigel Cliffe]

[email protected] wrote:
> "Nigel Cliffe" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Whilst the SRAM dual-drive is reasonably well built, my view is that
>> it combines many of the worst aspects of both types of gearing into
>> a single box.
>
> Good points
>
> However this would be used on a folding Bike
> Friday...so would eliminate the triple up front and
> resultant chain drop when folding it? Also make it pack
> into suitcase easier.


In the case of a folding bike, the disadvantages of the Dual Drive, might be
outweighed by the advantages you quote.




- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

 

[Johnny Sunset]

[email protected] wrote:
> "Nigel Cliffe" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Whilst the SRAM dual-drive is reasonably well built, my view is that it
> >combines many of the worst aspects of both types of gearing into a single
> >box.
>
> Good points
>
> However this would be used on a folding Bike
> Friday...so would eliminate the triple up front and
> resultant chain drop when folding it? Also make it pack
> into suitcase easier.

One advantage of the DualDrive hub on a folding bicycle is that it will
provide a wider range of gearing, since overdrive will always be 1.36:1
and underdrive 0.73:1. Front chainring differences are limited by
derailer capacity, so for example, 52/42/30 chainrings with an ISO
622-mm wheel will provide a wider gearing range than 62/52/40
chainrings with an ISO 451-mm wheel.

--
Tom Sherman - Post Free or Die!

 

[Steve Watkin]

Another way of approaching this may be with a bike like a 6 speed Brompton
and a Schlumpf Mountain drive www.schlumpf.ch/md_engl.htm . With this
combination you can get 19-90 inches and its reliable. Defiantly cheaper
than a Rohloff. But is it better? That's for others to decide!

SW

>
>>I'm actually looking at a folding Bike Friday with a
>>dual drive... or at least some kind of internal gearing
>>I think. <g>
>

 

[David]

On Sun, 12 Nov 2006 14:14:58 -0600, [email protected] wrote:

>David <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>They are both reliable. I used the earlier version of the SRAM Dual
>>which went by the name of Sach internal hub. Got me through 8000
>>miles on the Bike Friday through rain and **** without a hitch or
>>even service. Actually, that's not true. After that trip, I had to
>>overhaul the hub and eventhough there were tons of **** inside, the
>>gears were still in good condition.
>
>That's good to know above
>
>Which Bike Friday model did you have?

It's a New World Tourist.

>
>>Many Europeans I met use Rohloffs and they swore by their reliability.
>>My advise is to get something inexpensive. Unless you're travelling
>>months at a time like the Europeans do, there's no need to spend more
>>than the SRAM.
>
>Well I will only be touring say once or twice a
>year.... but commuting on it every day.

SRAM works just fine.

David.

 

[Tosspot]

Johnny Sunset wrote:
> Tosspot wrote:
>
>>Johnny Sunset wrote:
>>
>>>Ryan Cousineau wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>...
>>>>Regarding the OP's original question, Shimano makes 7- and 8-speed hubs.
>>>>The nicest one is about a quarter the cost of the Rohloff. Whether the
>>>>Nexus-8 has enough range for your touring needs may depend on how strong
>>>>you are or how much you are willing to compromise your top speed
>>>>potential....
>>>
>>>
>>>Readers of rec.bicycles.tech:
>>>
>>>A Schlumpf High-Speed-Drive [1] combined with a SRAM Spectro 7 hub will
>>>provide a gearing range of 761%. That should be enough range for
>>>anyone.
>>>
>>>[1] <http://www.schlumpf.ch/hsd_engl.htm>.
>>
>>But the Schlumpf is 2/3 the cost of a Rohloff! Add the SRAM hub and you
>>might as well get the German bling and be damned. Also the Schlumpf
>>needs a bit of reaming on the BB to fit. Oh, and the Swiss make Cuckoo
>>Clocks. Enough said.
>
>
> Readers of rec.bicycles.tech:
>
> I know of several trikes that have BOTH the Schlumpf 2-speed BB and
> Rohloff hub.

Yep, I have one. If the Trike is heavy its a ged-send. But a *very*
expensive solution.

The problem is Trikes are very fast down hill, so you need a tall gear,
then you can't get it up a steep hill and getting off and pushing is not
an option. So, 600 dollars later....

 

[Zoot Katz]

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:22:37 -0500, Snortley <[email protected]>
wrote:

>>I'm actually looking at a folding Bike Friday with a
>>dual drive... or at least some kind of internal gearing
>>I think. <g>
>
>Yup, Bike Friday has a few models with the Dual Drive, and their
>online catalog even lists one with STI's. This hub seems to be popular
>with the folding and 'bent crowd. Most of these bikes deal with the
>chain hop problem with a backing plate and ring guard, which probably
>works alright.

I've been running a SRAM 3X7 with triple chain rings for the past few
months on my Xtracycle. Chain skipping hasn't been a problem. Perhaps
due to the extra length of the chain?
--
zk