GrantleighSmall
Squid
Any advice on the down sides of these gear hub come gearbox combinations ?
If you're talking about an Alfine 8sp in a Zerode.. then they're damn heavy as a hub on their own. They're pretty reliable though especially if you look after it and service it. Parts a bitch though if something breaks. I had to 3D print a clutch bearing cage for my old Alfine which worked out great.. but if you don't have a 3D printer.. then what?Any advice on the down sides of these gear hub come gearbox combinations ?
You building your own? If loking for cheap, Nuvici 360s go for under $350 on Ebay. Same with Alfine 8s I think(not checked for some time). If money is no option and you're building, check out the Pinion gearboxes(or Effigear).Any advice on the down sides of these gear hub come gearbox combinations ?
Yeah heavy as a hub, but in the bike the weight is centered so there's no swingarm leverage and you do subtract mech, cassette and chain guide, although you add half a chain and a tensioner.If you're talking about an Alfine 8sp in a Zerode.. then they're damn heavy as a hub on their own. They're pretty reliable though especially if you look after it and service it. Parts a bitch though if something breaks. I had to 3D print a clutch bearing cage for my old Alfine which worked out great.. but if you don't have a 3D printer.. then what?
So downsides for me would be:
- Heavy
- Spare parts (and servicing if you don't know what you're doing)
Yes you need to try run a high engagement rear hub to speed up engagement time. As for inefficient, not sure how much worse they are than most old used abused mechs and the bennfit of being able to shift any time without pedalling puts you in a more efficient gear more often and you dont have to pedal it through. So in fareness I think you'll find you don't waste any energy really. The whole picture needs to be painted.The other downside is they don't feel as direct as a cassette geared bike. They are not as efficient either.
Got to compare apples to apples though. That's comparing two new drivetrains no doubt. Gearboxes get more efficient with age, mechs get bent and dirty. and as I mentioned, the being able to be in a more efficient gear a lot more often and quicker. How much energy is lost coming around a blind corner and finding a hill and having to muscle up in harder gear than you'd ideally choose because there's no room to pedal through a gear change, or there's rocks, or corners etc or it's just not that big a deal to bother changing? Most gearboxes have more equal spacing between gears too. So also more efficiency to be agined there.I was curious to the efficiency of these hubs. For the technically minded...
http://www.ihpva.org/HParchive/PDF/hp52-2001.pdf
Based on those test would seem derailleur still around 2-3% more efficient power transmission.
My real world evaluation based on a life time (uk and rest of world) of using cassette gear systems is my alfine hub doesn't feel as direct or as efficient plus it feels heavyI was curious to the efficiency of these hubs. For the technically minded...
http://www.ihpva.org/HParchive/PDF/hp52-2001.pdf
Based on those test would seem derailleur still around 2-3% more efficient power transmission.
The bearing cage in my Zerodes Alfine failed as well. I actually contacted Ideate and got him to 3D print me 2 bearing cages, one replacement and one spare (thanks again mate). And recently it experienced another problem with a loss of drive in 1st and 5th gears. It was actually last night that I got around to investigating it. I found that a little return spring had come loose from another clutch bearing.Ideates is a one off case that I know off with the bearing shell failing. Apart from that there's only been a few never serviced Alfines fail in Zerodes in five years here in Oz, and they lasted a couple of years at least(they were the pre oil port ones).
Oh. How long did the bearing cage last? Was the hub serviced or did you have the newer version with oil port? and did you add oil ever? Just curious so I know what's what.The bearing cage in my Zerodes Alfine failed as well. I actually contacted Ideate and got him to 3D print me 2 bearing cages, one replacement and one spare (thanks again mate). And recently it experienced another problem with a loss of drive in 1st and 5th gears. It was actually last night that I got around to investigating it. I found that a little return spring had come loose from another clutch bearing.
Ideates bearing cage is still going strong. I was trying to upload a couple pics that show the one he printed and the one that affected 1st and 5th gears but my phone doesn't want to play. (Will try again shortly)Oh. How long did the bearing cage last? Was the hub serviced or did you have the newer version with oil port? and did you add oil ever? Just curious so I know what's what.