Originally Posted by
TulsaJohn
I think the swap feature is nice. However, it doesn't "look" like the outer shell of the swap is very durable....
Neat concept, I would look at the finished product after a year or so it has actually been on the market.
Yes, durability is key. That's why I wouldn't postpone any purchasing decisions decisions until this is actually on the market and has been for a while. Personally, it's still a little dodgy as far as utility goes. Right now I have two rear wheels with Alfine-8s in them. The swap takes exactly as long as taking a wheel off and putting it back on. With this set up, there's an additional step of moving this hub between cages. Maybe it's simple and fast. Maybe it's not. Hopefully its durable and secure, but generally durable and secure doesn't go with simple and fast. We'll see.
Originally Posted by
Leebo
One could buy 3 really good hubs for whatever bike, axle and width you need, no tinkering needed.
Some people like hub gears, and they have some advantages. They also have some disadvantages, one of which being that they get pricey if you go over 8 gears. But I love hub gears, and for me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, even to the extent that I'd consider paying a premium price. Yes, I could get three really good hubs for the price, but they would be three really good hubs that I don't necessarily want to use, so I guess "good" is relative. I'm not advocating for this product. It is entirely unproven, but Rohloff has shown that there is a market for expensive, high range, gear hubs, and this has the potential to be a contender in that space. If you don't like hub gears, or don't think they're worth the price, then obviously this has no appeal to you. If you like hub gears, but the premium price for a hub that can only be used in one wheel is a problem, this could be a solution.