3 ms·

I think outside of niche applications like extreme weather, fleet delivery or public share e-bikes, internal gear hubs and belts aren’t worth it. The efficiency

I think outside of niche applications like extreme weather, fleet delivery or public share e-bikes, internal gear hubs and belts aren’t worth it. The efficiency is noticeable if you switch bikes or ride beside someone with a “normal” bike. Especially not worth it now that midrange bikes come with disc brakes and 1x10 or 1x12 derailleur drivetrains (no front derailleur) that are reliable, efficient, light and inexpensive. Without a front derailleur adjustment is a cinch and any difficulty or mental load for a casual rider to change gears goes away. Things going slightly out of adjustment and then over time some gear combinations causing your chain to skip or fall off is almost a thing of the past. And only the drivetrain is lower maintenance. Brakes are the same (unless you also decide you don’t really need effective brakes and go with roller/drum brakes over disc brakes). Maintenance of tires/punctures is much more time consuming.

adgjlsfhk1 3y ago
it depends what you mean by extreme weather. I use my bike for a daily commute in Boston and I love having a gearbox because even though the winter doesn't get that cold (only a few days below freezing this year), rain and salt and snow and dirt will absolutely get into your chain with a chain bike. The CVTs have a really noticable efficiency loss, but the geared ones (alfine or rohloff) are pretty close to a derailer efficiency. Also for city biking, the ability to shift without pedaling is really nice.
- johnwalkr 3y ago
  It definitely depends on your definition of extreme weather. I've been more of a "take the train unless the weather is nice" or "cycle unless the weather is bad" person at various stages/places. So I admit I am biased. In my defense I have been shopping for commuter bikes recently and I don't see any compelling options (actually no options from most brands) compared to 1x10 and 1x12 bikes this year. I've also seen noticeable efficiency loss in my old Nexus 7speed bike compared to others and never considered getting another IGH bike after that one.
ciupicri 3y ago
Changing gears using a front derailleur is a pain in the ass, but cleaning and lubricating the chain (+casette +chain rings) after every ride in the rain, is not?! When it's not raining, there's also the issue of dust. You don't need super duper brakes for casual riding, hydraulic disk brakes are good enough without much maintenance, maybe just once per year. Unless the tires are skinny, they shouldn't puncture very often and replacing them isn't that hard or expensive. You won't break any speed records with a belt and an internal gearhub, but they aren't that inefficient especially when you don't waste time or money cleaning the traditional drivetrain.
- johnwalkr 3y ago
  I guess it depends on your climate and habits. If you ride in the rain a lot, belt drive is a nice feature. But overall I think the benefits are not worth the extra cost/lack of choice in models, and other demerits.

adgjlsfhk1 3y ago

it depends what you mean by extreme weather. I use my bike for a daily commute in Boston and I love having a gearbox because even though the winter doesn't get that cold (only a few days below freezing this year), rain and salt and snow and dirt will absolutely get into your chain with a chain bike. The CVTs have a really noticable efficiency loss, but the geared ones (alfine or rohloff) are pretty close to a derailer efficiency. Also for city biking, the ability to shift without pedaling is really nice.

johnwalkr 3y ago
It definitely depends on your definition of extreme weather. I've been more of a "take the train unless the weather is nice" or "cycle unless the weather is bad" person at various stages/places. So I admit I am biased. In my defense I have been shopping for commuter bikes recently and I don't see any compelling options (actually no options from most brands) compared to 1x10 and 1x12 bikes this year. I've also seen noticeable efficiency loss in my old Nexus 7speed bike compared to others and never considered getting another IGH bike after that one.

ciupicri 3y ago

Changing gears using a front derailleur is a pain in the ass, but cleaning and lubricating the chain (+casette +chain rings) after every ride in the rain, is not?! When it's not raining, there's also the issue of dust. You don't need super duper brakes for casual riding, hydraulic disk brakes are good enough without much maintenance, maybe just once per year. Unless the tires are skinny, they shouldn't puncture very often and replacing them isn't that hard or expensive. You won't break any speed records with a belt and an internal gearhub, but they aren't that inefficient especially when you don't waste time or money cleaning the traditional drivetrain.

johnwalkr 3y ago
I guess it depends on your climate and habits. If you ride in the rain a lot, belt drive is a nice feature. But overall I think the benefits are not worth the extra cost/lack of choice in models, and other demerits.