Morimorimori

Hi, everybody.

I would like to achieve some relatively easy way to swap both wheels on my bike which has Shimano Alfine 8 speed internal gear hub installed. The problem is with the rear wheel, of course. In case of a regular hub with a cassette on it, you can just buy another relatively cheap hub and install it in the 2nd rear wheel, than you'll just need to swap your cassette and it's done.

With internal gear hub it's not possible (well, unless you can afford buying another Shimano 8 speed hub for the 2nd rear wheel, which is a bit of costy ). Yet, after watching some vidoes on the hub's disassembling procedures, I realized the external, bulky part of the hub, to which spines are directly attached, is just a hollow case of sort. Inside it goes what really constitutes a hub.

I'll illustrate with an example:

Here is the assembled hub: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....L._SL1000_.jpg
And here is what actually does the job, without the external protecting case: https://static.modernbike.com/Produc...1118051528.jpg

If I would be able to somehow buy that external case alone, I believe I could just install it in my second wheel, and simply swap the bowels of the hub from one case to another when needed.

Will this work? Where can I find such thing? Will any case do (like, from Nexus hub, or from other modules of Alfine hubs (there are few)), or I'll have to find a case intended for exactly the same model I poses?

Morimorimori

Or am I overthinking it and there is a simpler solution?

Rollfast

I don't really know, I changed out a 333 hub to single speed a few years ago but you are also now able to post pictures and obviously links at 10 posts now feel free to do so. Anything helps.

Dan Burkhart 

First off, the images you posted are of the 11 speed Alfine, not the 8 speed, but that really doesn't matter.
One set of internals can be swapped between two hub shells, provided they are compatible. While Nexus and Alfine hubs do share a common design, there are differences that make them non compatible.
If your hub is a 501 series, the shell you wish to swap your internals into would have to be either another 501 series or a 500B series,
While it's not a huge job to swap the internals, if you plan to swap the wheels frequently, for whatever purpose, it could be a pain.
If it is just to make the bike more versatile by setting up two wheels for different types of riding or terrain, it would probably be simpler to just switch tires.

AnkleWork

For what purpose would you swap wheels? That's not a rhetorical question.

Morimorimori

Dan Burkhart, yes I know it's 11 speed, it's still holds for 8 speed too. I'm glad my guess was correct. Are those external cases/shells sold separately somewhere in bike parts shops, or I'll have to find somebody selling their old broken hub of a compatible type for parts? No, I won't need to swap it too often.

AnkleWork, mostly to have 2 sets of 28" wheels for my hybrid bike: one for city, one for countryside riding.

zze86

Short of a new wheel, it would be much easier to just swap tires. Or you could get those tires that have a smooth inner tread and knobby outer tread. Keep pressures high for road use and lower pressures for looser stuff

fietsbob

snap ring cogs are simple to replace, on an IGH driver..
but the pitch range offered may not be as broad as a 3 speed
(there the 3 spline cog is common to S-A as well, 13 to 22t..
[13,14,15 flat, larger, dished.. ]


Alfine 11, I see there is only 2, an 18 & a 20t ..






...

squirtdad

+1 that was my question what are problem are you solving or what goal are your trying to achieve?

AnkleWork

OK, that's not much information but the answer is: just swap the tires as needed. That will be easiest, cheapest, and quickest. If you think it's not, then just practice swapping tires a little and it will be.

Asi

Time for a second bike.

One for city, one for race, one for DH, one for trail, one oddity for ****s and giggles, etc.

Roadies use different wheels altogether for training purposes not to damage the race wheels, and the training wheel may have some powertap hub.

For IGH it's a bit of fuss just removing the wheel. Go with the tyres of your choosing.. swap them from time to time and get a second or third bike to fulfill the need of perfect setting in various conditions. Simply having another bike gets a lot of versatility one can't get on the same frame by changing wheels.

mconlonx

Swapping tires is a much easier job than swapping IGH internals. But if I really, really wanted to have a spare wheel handy, it would be a whole other wheel with a full hub.

Morimorimori

Thanks, guys. May be I'm indeed over-complicating things. I'll try changing tires approach for some time then.