Originally Posted by
Txthroop
Now, however, you all have made me curious about internal gear hubs since they seems to be so common with this bike. Do you keep the 3x set up in the front or turn the bike into a 1x? Has anyone found they prefer a derailleur or is it pretty universal that an IGH is better. I'll be using the stock derailleur until it dies probably but I can always make plans for the future!
For me a huge part of the appeal of a gear hub is a simplified drivetrain, which means no chain tensioner, which means you have to run a 1x set-up. One reason I switched from the LHT to the Troll was that I felt like I didn't get the full benefits of the gear hub when I also had to use a tensioner. But I did run it as a 2x for a little while. I just decided having the extra chainring up front did not extend my range enough to be worth dealing with the front derrailer. I have considered a 2x set-up using an internally geared bottom bracket, but that route looks like a pain to set up and is a lot to pay for one more front gear. For the price, I could get an Alfine 11.
But really I don't know what your plans are for this bike that you think you'll kill your stock derrailer. I don't think that's a big point of failure, and, of course, the real issue is the wheel that will need to be replaced. A lot of people prefer derailers. I like the protected internals of the IGH for my all year, all weather commute. I like the easy shifting, even at a standstill. But especially for touring, many people prefer the derailer set up because it's more likely to be field repairable or quickly serviced/replaced at the next shop. My IGH fails on a tour, I might be building a whole, new wheel before I move forward. Hasn't happened, and I'm not really worried about it, but I understand the desire to Keep It Simple on your touring bike.