Recommend an Alfine hubbed bike pls!

[Gtpulse]

Asking for a friend (honestly!)

My riding buddy is looking to buy a new bike and has an idea about something with hub gears. Alfine 11 speed has been mentioned. I’ve done a lot of googling and can’t really find much that fits the bill.
Spec he’s looking for is 29er, hardtail, Alfine 11speed, probably chain drive. Does this exist/who makes them? Everything I’ve seen seems to be more of an urban bike with rigid forks. While budget isn’t an issue, probably something more off the shelf if that exists. If it doesn’t are there builders who are the ones to go to for this?
Thanks in advance!

 

[klunkrider]

Shand spring to mind but they tend to use Rohloff, probably because they beat Alfine for reliability. They'll also be looking for the best park of £5k for a Rohloff Bahookie.

I don't think Shimano really recommend Alfine hubs for off road riding so won't be too many builders willing to put them on that kind of bike.

 

[Takingabreak]

A Kona Unit fitted with a hub gear and some suspension forks?

 

[Gtpulse]

Thanks folks. I’ve read the reviews about Alfine, I think the sort of use it would get is fine for this application. Bridleway a, forest tracks, single track. Nothing too extreme.

In my googling I’ve realised something with and eccentric bottom bracket could work. Dialled bikes love/hate looks possible but can’t find that on their site at the moment

 

[Betsy]

I used to have a Charge with Alfine and eccentric bb .. it was a heckuva lot of bike for not very much money but this was 10-15yrs ago.. might still be worth a look at their range.

edit- Hmm.. i've just had a look and they're all urban e-bikes nowadays.. that's a shame.

 

[bikeworkshop]

New owners are often disappointed by hub gears - get him to try one and then think about it for a little while.

I frequently talk people out of it - although I've got several alfine and a couple of rohloff bikes in the shop atm
(In fact we could probably put something together rohloff/steel/disc/front sus although it might get to 1500£)

If you read the Internet, you'd think hub gears are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Truth is the advantages are not as great as they claim, and the disadvantages are far more noticeable.

That's not to say that they are always wrong, but we usually find that after a test ride derailleurs often seem more attractive to the non-committed.

 

[novocaine]

New owners are often disappointed by hub gears - get him to try one and then think about it for a little while.

I frequently talk people out of it - although I've got several alfine and a couple of rohloff bikes in the shop atm
(In fact we could probably put something together rohloff/steel/disc/front sus although it might get to 1500£)

If you read the Internet, you'd think hub gears are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Truth is the advantages are not as great as they claim, and the disadvantages are far more noticeable.

That's not to say that they are always wrong, but we usually find that after a test ride derailleurs often seem more attractive to the non-committed.

be gone you evil spirit before I call down up thee the god of the hub @Imlach (whoops, I just did).

I shall hear non of this disappointment. Granted I haven't fitted the nexus 3 I've had sat in a wheel for the past 2 years to anything yet, but still.

 

[Gtpulse]

New owners are often disappointed by hub gears - get him to try one and then think about it for a little while.

I frequently talk people out of it - although I've got several alfine and a couple of rohloff bikes in the shop atm
(In fact we could probably put something together rohloff/steel/disc/front sus although it might get to 1500£)

If you read the Internet, you'd think hub gears are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Truth is the advantages are not as great as they claim, and the disadvantages are far more noticeable.

That's not to say that they are always wrong, but we usually find that after a test ride derailleurs often seem more attractive to the non-committed.

That’s kind of my thoughts too. I think he’s looking at it thinking all of the moving parts are enclosed, straight chain line so minimal wear/issues with mud and water. That said he’s owned the same bike for about 20 years, I’d guess done at least 20-30k miles on it. I’ve done the repairs over that period (he doesn’t really service stuff other than a liberal coating of 3in1 just uses it until it breaks!) think it’s had 2 sets of everything (hub bearings;bb;brake blocks;cables sets;chain;cassette) apart from the rear mech in that time. I don’t think that’s too bad and suspect a hub geared machine may not be as cost effective and the parts replaced wouldn’t be dissimilar. Money not an issue it’s more he doesn’t want something that costs so much you worry about leaving it outside a cafe/pub stop.

In my searches I found Pinion bikes with a central gearbox, they look good but very ££££

Also Allen Millyard’s solution with a fully enclosed drivetrain using an alfine hub at the bottom bracket end. Don’t think that would be a cheap option to replicate!

 

[bikeworkshop]

be gone you evil spirit before I call down up thee the god of the hub @Imlach (whoops, I just did).

I shall hear non of this disappointment. Granted I haven't fitted the nexus 3 I've had sat in a wheel for the past 2 years to anything yet, but still.

Get back to me when it's your only bike and you've ridden it a few thousand miles

(Spoiler alert: I'm not holding my breath)

 

[bikeworkshop]

That’s kind of my thoughts too. I think he’s looking at it thinking all of the moving parts are enclosed, straight chain line so minimal wear/issues with mud and water. That said he’s owned the same bike for about 20 years, I’d guess done at least 20-30k miles on it. I’ve done the repairs over that period (he doesn’t really service stuff other than a liberal coating of 3in1 just uses it until it breaks!) think it’s had 2 sets of everything (hub bearings;bb;brake blocks;cables sets;chain;cassette) apart from the rear mech in that time. I don’t think that’s too bad and suspect a hub geared machine may not be as cost effective and the parts replaced wouldn’t be dissimilar. Money not an issue it’s more he doesn’t want something that costs so much you worry about leaving it outside a cafe/pub stop.

In my searches I found Pinion bikes with a central gearbox, they look good but very ££££

Also Allen Millyard’s solution with a fully enclosed drivetrain using an alfine hub at the bottom bracket end. Don’t think that would be a cheap option to replicate!

Hub gears are heavy and expensive, higher Friction (despite what the manufacturers figures say) limited in their compatibility and although they technically offer lower maintenance, just check what anyone charges for the yearly alfine/rohloff oil dip.


We get quite a few through that haven't been serviced properly

If you want to send him off after the proper curved ball, get him stoked on the joys of Belt Drive