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Reliability/durability of internal gear hub?



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 30th 03, 08:05 AM
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Default Reliability/durability of internal gear hub?

....or any other internal gear hub? I've been using a Sturmey Archer AW
for ages and have been finally considering a Spectro P5 (or S7) for
wider range. Interstingly, their website faq recommends against "off
road" use because "The delicate insides of the hub and the fact that
shifting under load is not recommended would preclude the internal
hubs from being good off-road components".

Now, this is a little bit of a surprise to me, since I've been using
the AW off road for ages. Granted, I'm not pumping up Halfdome or
jumping off the Grand Canyon, but I've never babied my bikes. I don't
shift under heavy load, but I have pulled 100 lb trailers quite a bit
(on more or less flat roads). Up until recently, this bike went
everywhere. One reason I've considered a internal gear hub is because
I've never had much worry about "The delicate insides of the hub".

So what's the verdict? How about the Shimano hubs? Surely, SRAM or
Shimano hubs can't be more delicate than the old Sturmey Archer. ???
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  #2  
Old September 30th 03, 05:36 PM
Sheldon Brown
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Default Reliability/durability of internal gear hub?

A shy person wrote:
...or any other internal gear hub? I've been using a Sturmey Archer AW
for ages and have been finally considering a Spectro P5 (or S7) for
wider range. Interstingly, their website faq recommends against "off
road" use because "The delicate insides of the hub and the fact that
shifting under load is not recommended would preclude the internal
hubs from being good off-road components".


That's lawyer talk. These are quite sturdy, reliable products.

Now, this is a little bit of a surprise to me, since I've been using
the AW off road for ages. Granted, I'm not pumping up Halfdome or
jumping off the Grand Canyon, but I've never babied my bikes. I don't
shift under heavy load, but I have pulled 100 lb trailers quite a bit
(on more or less flat roads). Up until recently, this bike went
everywhere. One reason I've considered a internal gear hub is because
I've never had much worry about "The delicate insides of the hub".

So what's the verdict? How about the Shimano hubs?


The Shimano hubs are also excellent, and Shimano has taken special pains
to make them tolerate shifting under load. Supposedly the
soon-to-be-released 8-speed model is like this.

Surely, SRAM or Shimano hubs can't be more delicate than the old Sturmey Archer. ???


EVERY bicycle gear system ever made is more delicate than the
Sturmey-Archer AW!

Sheldon "Eagerly Awaiting My Nexus 8" Brown
+------------------------------------+
| A witty saying proves nothing. |
| --Voltaire |
+------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

  #4  
Old October 1st 03, 12:13 AM
(Pete Cresswell)
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Default Reliability/durability of internal gear hub?

RE/
So what's the verdict? How about the Shimano hubs? Surely, SRAM or
Shimano hubs can't be more delicate than the old Sturmey Archer. ???


Can't speak to those brands, but I've been riding a Rohloff hub for a couple of
years now.

"Delicate" to me is a der that stops working just because it has a handful of
weeds wrapped around the cog or gets a little bent hitting a rock or stump.

I'm not that hard a rider, but I'm heavy (#210+) and I've broken both a frame, a
crankset, and two rear wheels while riding the Rohloff hub - but haven't had any
problems with the hub except for a self-induced oil leak that's been cured with
a little Form-A-Gasket.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell
 




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