Selecting IGH hubs?
From another topic:
I've been riding my XRK8 on a bike with 650 wheels since the fall of 2009. Great hub. It's relatively simple inside and relatively easy to take apart and re-grease, unlike the Nexus/Alfine 8 (Take an SG-S7001-8 apart? Are you mad? Just dunk it in oil and let it leak.
Since the success of the Sturmey 8, Shimano has introduced a couple of IGH models with direct drive on the lowest gear, also intended for bikes of any wheel size.
I am planning this winter's project to be a bike converted to be an IGH. Originally I was thinking Shimano Alfine or Nexus, 7 or 8 speeds, I am not all that picky on # of gears or range (well, I'd like more that 3 gears...) Was not aware of the RK8 so that's interesting. But reading about a bit, some IGH's have the 1:1 gear in 1st (lowest) gear, some have 1:1 in a much higher gear. Do I understand correctly that friction losses on IGH's are on the 1:1 gear, and losses increase in others? I think it would drive me nuts if I was riding most often in gears with high losses. I have not had a bike with an IGH since 1971.
I tend to ride in one gear a lot, and reserve the others for climbs or the occasional descent. Then again, the ease of shifting with an IGH might be utilizing the choice more often. So I was thinking set up the gearing with my "flat and level" gear at 1:1, leaving 1 or 2 gears higher, and the others reserved as climbing gears. Is there a fundamental flaw in that plan?
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Larry:1958 Drysdale, 1961 Gitane Gran Sport, 1974 Zeus track, 1988 Masi Gran Corsa, 1974 Falcon, 1980 Palo Alto, 1973 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1974 Legnano. Susan: 1976 Windsor Profesional.