| "Internal gear hubs are more reliable than derailer | | | | Road" handlebars sitting on a shelf. Made from good, |
| systems, and require much less maintenance. Unlike | | | | old fashioned chromed steel, they fit the character of |
| derailers, they may be shifted even when the bicycle is | | | | the bicycle perfectly, and they were the right size as |
| stopped, a valuable feature for the cyclist who rides in | | | | well. |
| stop-and-go urban traffic." - Sheldon Brown, 1944 - | | | | The only other "hitch" in the assembly process was |
| 2008 | | | | due to the fact that the shifter cable and housing |
| There were three main reasons why I wanted to try | | | | provided by Shimano were a bit too short for my |
| an internally geared hub. First, it fit with the character of | | | | massive 67cm frame with its long top tube, long stem, |
| "the Plummer," a bike I have built up as a modern(ish) | | | | and upright bars. I could just get the cable and housing |
| version of an old English roadster. For those of you | | | | installed, and they actually worked, but I thought the |
| who need to know, it is named after a character who | | | | bend radius of the housing was too tight in places, and |
| rides a beautiful old Raleigh on a children's TV show. | | | | the cable housing kept pushing my wicker basket to |
| Secondly, I look very dorky when I ride with my pant | | | | one side. Absolutely unacceptable! The cable housing |
| legs rolled up, and I have a nice chain guard I have | | | | had printing that read "SEALED" on the side, so I was |
| been wanting to install on the Plummer, but it would not | | | | not sure what I should use for a replacement. Once |
| work with a multi-cog freewheel. Finally, Sheldon | | | | again, King came to the rescue, saying, |
| Brown said that internally geared hubs are better, and | | | | "There is nothing special about the derailer housing or |
| when Sheldon spoke, I generally listened. | | | | cable. I'm not sure what the 'sealed' on the housing is |
| I did a bit of research and chose the Shimano Nexus | | | | meant to refer to - perhaps the inner liner (which all |
| "Red Band" 8-speed internal hub. This is Shimano's | | | | good housing has) or that the housing is continuous. If |
| premium product in their Nexus line. It has a good | | | | you want to run split housing you can. In theory this |
| reputation for being sturdy and reliable, which is | | | | adds entry points for water, dirt, etc but in practice the |
| important to me because I am 250 pounds and I haul | | | | shifting will remain extremely low maintenance." |
| lots of extra weight (groceries, supplies and my | | | | Once everything was installed, adjustment was almost |
| children) up the very steep hills in my home town of | | | | trivial. I rotated the barrel adjuster on the shifter until the |
| Santa Clarita, California. I tend to "mash" the rubber | | | | system shifted properly, and off I rode. Over the first |
| block pedals on the Plummer. My pedal cadence is | | | | few days of riding, I gave the barrel adjuster very |
| generally low and I tend to stand up and push very | | | | minor tweaks as things settled into place, but I never |
| hard, a pedaling style that can destroy a wimpy | | | | had a major skip or any other sort of problem. To get |
| geared hub pretty darn quickly. Another nice feature of | | | | the official instructions, I asked King about proper |
| the Nexus Red Band hub was its wide gear range | | | | adjustment and routing maintenance. He responded, |
| which could come in quite handy in the hilly terrain | | | | "The only routine maintenance is to check if your |
| around my home. | | | | shifting is adjusted properly - just shift to gear four and |
| I chose master wheel-builder Anthony King, of | | | | make sure the two yellow lines on the hub are aligned. |
| Longleaf Bicycles, to build my wheel for me. King is | | | | If they aren't, use the barrel adjuster on your shifter to |
| well known for building strong wheels for use in the | | | | align them. Of course, cleaning your cog and chain |
| real world. He also has good expertise in setting up old | | | | periodically will extend the life of both, but they'll last a |
| bikes with new equipment, and he has lots of | | | | very long time even if you don't. Most people get an |
| experience with internally geared hubs. King described | | | | internal gear hub because they don't want any fuss, |
| the different 27" rim options I could use, focusing on | | | | and these hubs deliver." |
| the excellent selection of 27" rims offered by Velocity. | | | | On the road, the system works just about perfectly. It |
| I chose the double-walled Velocity "Synergy" rim to get | | | | is far easier to operate than any derailer setup I have |
| the most strength possible. King laced the 36-hole | | | | ever used. It shifts flawlessly whether the bike is in |
| wheel up with 14 gauge DT stainless spokes. Finally, | | | | motion or at rest (and I have to keep reminding myself |
| King listed the shifter options from Shimano, which | | | | that I can shift when I am stopped). I tend to "let off" a |
| include twist shifters and trigger shifters. I chose the | | | | bit on pedal pressure when I shift while pedaling. The |
| twist shifter without the integrated brake lever. Once | | | | shifts are smoother and more quiet when I do so, and I |
| King had all my requirements, he gave me a very fair | | | | have to believe that it is better for the internal |
| price on the parts and delivered them quickly. | | | | mechanics. The Nexus hub came with one 19 and one |
| Setting up the bicycle with the Nexus equipment was | | | | 21 tooth cog. I set my bicycle up with the 19 tooth cog |
| simple and easy, for the most part. Shimano's printed | | | | mated to a 42 tooth chainring. This seems to be a |
| instruction sheets are pretty good. Make sure to keep | | | | good compromise. Although I do spin out at lower |
| them and read them as you do the installation. | | | | speeds than I am used to, the easy gear on this setup |
| Unfortunately, when Shimano instructs the user to | | | | is just adequate for hauling fifty pounds worth of kids |
| "Install the retaining ring" that holds the cog to the hub, | | | | and groceries up the hill to my house. If this were a |
| they do not give any further details. That ring is | | | | bike set up for high-RPM spinning, I probably would |
| STOUT! I wrestled with it for thirty minutes or so, using | | | | have used the 21 tooth cog. If I lived in a flat area and |
| flathead screwdrivers, needle nose pliers, and anything | | | | was not using the bike as a cargo/passenger hauler, I |
| else I could get my hands on before I finally got it to | | | | probably would set it up with a 46X19 combination. |
| snap into place. Of course, I waited until I was finished | | | | In conclusion, I would recommend the Shimano Nexus |
| before I e-mailed King at Longleaf Cycles for advice. | | | | Red Band hub to people who: |
| He responded promptly and wisely, | | | | - Are not weight weenies; the hub is fairly heavy |
| "When installing or removing the snap ring, start at one | | | | - Don't need thirty gears; you will be limited in both |
| the end of the ring, not the middle, and work your way | | | | overall range and increments between gears versus a |
| around. I can usually install the ring with my hands and | | | | derailer system |
| removal should only take a small flat head screw | | | | - Don't want chain gunk on your legs or your pants |
| driver. If you start from the middle of the snap ring | | | | - Like things to be simple and functional |
| you'll have a very difficult time." | | | | Now, if you will excuse me, it is time for me to hook up |
| The twist shifter unit is designed for handlebars with an | | | | the cargo trailer, strap my baby boy into the child seat, |
| outside tube diameter of 22.2mm at the installation | | | | and head for Trader Joe's. And I shall enjoy the ride |
| point, so my upside-down Nashbar mustache bars | | | | immensely. I loved my bike before I put the Nexus hub |
| were too big. Luckily, I had a set of very groovy "North | | | | on it, but I love it even more now! |