Cycling UK Forum

What shifter is controlling the front mech? Does it pull a pre-sent amount of cable or is friction?

blimey... i have to admit to being just slightly jealous, of your bike, your mechanical skills and your mileage...
And more proof, if one were to need it, that simply having lots of gears does not increase your annual mileage

(sometimes i like to write the words 'labyrinth seals' on post cards and send them to other hub gear manufacturers).
http://www.sandsmachine.com/a_syc_r1.htm

Apologies, I had hoped to have finished the bike build by now, so I could give you some initial impressions. Sadly, what with one thing and another, its going to be another week at least..
Like most people, I had been considering the Alfine 8 speed hub. It seemed more bullet proof than the 11. However there was a large gap between two of its gears, which meant on paper I couldn’t get all my favourite ratios. Robin from Saint John Street Cycles, suggested the NuVinci N 360 hub, but despite some
favourable reviews on the web, I still wasn’t sure. However Saint John Street Cycles were kind enough to lend me a NuVinci equipped Raven Tour. Sadly I didn’t allow myself enough time to get out on the local hills with it, but ended up riding around Bridgwater for quarter of an hour. The ride left me with the initial impressions;

When you pick the hub up, you can feel its weight. There are complete bicycles which weigh less. But, I didn’t notice the weight of the hub when I rode the bike, nor did notice the rear weight bias. Not doubt, attaching the hub to a robust frame like the Raven Tour helps. I guess the future market for the Nu-Vinci would be heavier framed bikes like tandems, load carriers and commuters. As I’m slotting my hub into an expedition rated frame with puncture proof tyres, I’m expecting the same ride characteristics.

There’s no official efficiency figures given for the hub. This has made a lot of people, including myself, very suspicious. However when I tested the bike, there didn’t appear to be any loss of efficiency compared with my other bike (admittedly also a hub). It could be that I couldn’t feel any loss of efficiency because I could perfectly match the gear to my cadence. I did try the complete range of gears in a car park, i didn’t notice any loss of efficiency at the extreme ends of the gear range, where its reported that the most losses are. Perhaps because I use a bottle dynamo and puncture proof tyres I’ve been de-sensitised .. Or perhaps my views will change once I get out on the hills properly, with my camping stuff, but for the moment I’m happy.

Not too sure about hub life, I’ll report back on it, when there’s something to report back on..

..And it looks like the opportunity is going to come sooner than expected. A friend is looking to pit his 24 speed derailleur 26” wheeled bike against my Nu-
Vinci N360 hub.. in a day ride that spans the largest hill ranges in Somerset (Exmoor, Quantocks, Mendips), both on road and off.. for charity.. yip..

Hadn’t really thought about belt drives.. could be something to try in the future.

Thanks for the park tool link.. not seen that tool before..

Nu-Vinci 360n web reviews (positive ones)
http://longwalktogreen.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... ow-up.html (which details the old recommended minimum ratio)
http://forums.mtbr.com/internal-gear-hu ... 75745.html
http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/2010/ ... 60-review/
http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageb ... hp?t=68678

Just to say thanks to the folks who wrote in... i'm guessing that these hubs aren't the most commonest of choices. The chain ring and sprocket (both from Surly) arrived today.. and i've gone for a 36 tooth chainring and a 20 tooth sprocket which means that i've now got a ratio of 1.8 (which apparently is the lowest recommended ratio)... with a 26 inch wheel, this gives me a low of 23.4 inches & a high of 84.24 inches.. which seems reasonable for a hub gear.. all i have to do is build it up, now...

So, after at test ride on a nu-vinci n360 hub equiped bike lent to me by Saint John Street cycles, i've decided to build my own, using a new hub and an awful lot of second hand stuff.... before the build gets underway, has anyone set up a nu-vinci hub? And if so, are there any tips to make it easier?

..Been thinking of doing an internal triangle of England. Travelling from Bristol to London, using both the Kennet & Avon canal and the Ridgeway track, then using the Birmingham to London canal to take me back westwards, but are there any routes from Birimingham back to Bristol ?

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