ThisWreckage wrote: ↑13 Dec 2023, 10:20am
I'm looking to get a bike with less need for maintenance than my current one which has V-brakes and a derailleur, both of which I have always hated for their need for constant care and attention. That's partly my laziness but more that, no matter how I try, I am hopeless at it. I've looked at new bikes and maybe 98% of them have derailleurs. Why? Are hub gears and belt drives no better? I'd have thought by now they would be developed to be superior in most respects. The derailleur system of leaving the entire transmission to the mercies of the elements seems a very bad design. No motor vehicle has this, so why almost all bikes? There's a secret here, isn't there? Someone tell me!
As others have said, they're cheaper. And seem to be better supported by dealers than hub gear systems. At least in the UK. Hub gears and roller brakes are more common on utility bikes on the continent.
I was passing the hire centre at Loch Katrine earlier in the year and their fleet of Orb Zeppo bikes caught my eye. Belt drive, seven speed hub gears, hydraulic disc brakes. Fixtures for mudguards and a rack. 11kg. The people who ran the hire company said they liked them a lot. Orb are selling a few of the previous model on eBay for £725.
The Cube Travel and Hyde ranges are along similar lines. Various models, with different configurations. Available at discount, under £1000.
The Gazelle Esprit is a modern take on the classic Dutch style utility bike. Hub gear, chain drive but with full chain case, roller brakes, dynamo lights, rack, guards and a wheel lock. I think only 3 gears. Somewhat heavier at 16kg. A bit over £600.
Interesting that the utility market in the Netherlands is shifting towards e-bikes, which now account for over half all new bikes sold there. A small motor more than overcomes any weight penalty or theoretical hub gear efficiency losses.
In my experience V-brakes are fairly trouble free, maintenance wise. Deraileurs can be annoying, the problem usually seems to be to do with the indexing (friction shifting is an obvious solution) or failure to look after the chain, and so accelerated wear, and wear on the sprockets etc. Regular cleaning of rims and chain, and re-lubing of the chain, especially during bad weather, is a hassle I can do without. Chains and rim brakes seem to generate a lot of grime and dirt, especially in an all-seasons urban commuter setting, when you're more likely to be wearing clothes that you'd rather keep clean. If I were city commuting again I'd but a high premium on a bike that stays clean.