I've got a couple of 1960s Sturmey-Archer AW hubs (on modern rims) in the family fleet, and I like them a lot. They're virtually maintenance free. One was run c

I've got a couple of 1960s Sturmey-Archer AW hubs (on modern rims) in the family fleet, and I like them a lot. They're virtually maintenance free. One was run completely dry and filled with powdery rust when I got it. After cleaning and lubrication, it's given me thousands of trouble-free miles. I consider 3 speeds to be the sweet spot for capturing the advantages of an IGH without an exponential increase in cost. In technical terms, a 3x only needs a single planetary unit, and shifting is simplistic. But it's going to be a tough sell in the US. Derailleur systems have actually improved a lot since I've been riding bikes (50+ years). Indexed shifting really works. Even low-end Shimano systems last a long time with minimal maintenance. There are maybe a dozen bikes among my family members, and derailleur problems are quite rare.