Shimano Alfine SG-S7001-11

[turnipman]

Hello,
I'm to replace my worn out SG-S700 11 speed hub , oil leaks like crazy now with a SG-S7001-11 which I gather is an imporvement. Looking at the documentation http://si.shimano.com/pdfs/dm/DM-SG0004-02-ENG.pdf page 7 I can pair a 39 tooth chain ring with a 21 tooth sprocket.
Can anyone confirm this is OK?
Thanks
Tom

[Brucey]

you either believe that there is a firm recommendation for a 2:1 ratio or you don't. Even if you do, what the hubs sees will vary with the wheel size the bike has, loading and how strong you are. IIRC shimano USA issued a statement saying that there was no such gearing restriction with the SG-S700 about six years ago.

BTW if you want oil not to come out of your hub, just

a) get some new seals
and/or
b) lube the hub with a suitable SFG rather than oil.

cheers

[meandros]

I don't really see how the Alfine11, be it 1st or 2nd gen, can work on the recommended shimano oil, at least for the long term. Brucey is absolutely on the money: send that hub to a proper IGH mechanic along with the shifter and cable and it'll be as good as new or better. The official recommended lubrication method for this hub is a joke, of course it leaks. Proper lubrication will make that hub good for at least 100.000km. If the ball bearings and races are not corroded and the hub spins freely without drag, there is no need to buy a new one, your existing hub is just a service away from spectacular.

Btw, forget about the 2:1 ratio and just make your own based on your own feet strength. Through trial and error, I found out ~1.8 works for me on the terrain I'm riding (flat up to ~300m elevation). I'm sure that ratio that works for you is a bit different, just don't restrict your choice following cooky guidelines that have nothing to do with real world usage of the hub. Remember the hub prefers spinning to torquing and you'll work your way from there.

Cheers!

[stegalloway]

you either believe that there is a firm recommendation for a 2:1 ratio or you don't. Even if you do, what the hubs sees will vary with the wheel size the bike has, loading and how strong you are. IIRC shimano USA issued a statement saying that there was no such gearing restriction with the SG-S700 about six years ago.

BTW if you want oil not to come out of your hub, just

a) get some new seals
and/or
b) lube the hub with a suitable SFG rather than oil.

cheers

Brucey

As you appear to be a fountain of knowledge when it comes to Shimano IGHs. Could I ask you a couple of questions firstly I have a very old nexus 8 which makes a clicking noise when freewheeling in gears 5 and upwards. Is this normal or caused by something else either inside the hub or cable related? Also I am about to take delivery of a new bike with a Alfine SG-S7001, 11-Speed and I've noticed on a few posts you mentioning the Shimano oil is not ideal as a lubricant. Is there anything off the shell which is more suitable or even do you sell your self made stuff which I've seen you mention??

Thank you in advance

[Brucey]

nexus 8 hubs are constructed quite differently inside depending on the model and yes some do click loudly when you freewheel. If they are better lubricated inside then the clicking is not so bad.

The shimano grease that is used in nexus hubs and alfine 8 hubs is not a good lubricant in the long term; it has insufficient anti corrosion additives and it isn't mobile inside the hub.

The oil that is used an A-11 hubs is OK as a lubricant provided it stays inside the hub. I'd suggest that it is usually prudent to stick with the shimano lube for the first two years because it keeps things straight with the warranty. If you hub leaks oil inside the first two years the seals ought to be replaced under warranty.

cheers

[stegalloway]

nexus 8 hubs are constructed quite differently inside depending on the model and yes some do click loudly when you freewheel. If they are better lubricated inside then the clicking is not so bad.

The shimano grease that is used in nexus hubs and alfine 8 hubs is not a good lubricant in the long term; it has insufficient anti corrosion additives and it isn't mobile inside the hub.

The oil that is used an A-11 hubs is OK as a lubricant provided it stays inside the hub. I'd suggest that it is usually prudent to stick with the shimano lube for the first two years because it keeps things straight with the warranty. If you hub leaks oil inside the first two years the seals ought to be replaced under warranty.

cheers

Thanks for the reply Brucey. Do offer servicing of the IGHs?

[Brucey]

Thanks for the reply Brucey. Do offer servicing of the IGHs?

not usually

cheers

[dobbo800]

"The official recommended lubrication method for this hub is a joke, of course it leaks".

Mine doesn't.

[rfryer]

"The official recommended lubrication method for this hub is a joke, of course it leaks".

Mine doesn't.

Does it "not leak" to the extent that you always extract a full 25ml when changing the oil? Mine doesn't drip, but the "angels share" is about 50%.

[Winfried]

Hello,

I notice a bit of play in my five year old Alfine 11:



Do you think I need to tighten some part, or the ball bearings need replacement?

Thank you.

[simonineaston]

BTW if you want oil not to come out of your hub, just:
a) get some new seals
and/or
b) lube the hub with a suitable SFG rather than oil.
cheers

Any guidance with respect to this ambition is welcome - in particular, volume and ingress. As will be understood, my Alfine, albeit the SG-S700, has an oil port - are we thinking that sfg could be injected into the hub via the existing orifice? Should I use the same volume of grease as I would have used oil?
PS, I learn from a Shimano corporate video that Alfine is pronounced Al - fee - nay. Why, I wonder, do they not spell it accordingly, ie with an acute accent above the last letter?

[Brucey]

with SFG you know when you have put in too much, because it starts to come out of the hub (persistently) when you don't want it to. The quantity inside the hub when this happens is 'variable' but it always more than the (tiny) amount of oil that is normally inside an oil-lubricated hub.

So if you want to find out what is 'right' for your hub, use measured volumes (eg using syringes) of SFG so that you can keep track of it. Start with ~50cc (inside a hub that had oil in it to start with, which has been drained) and ride the bike for a bit (50-100 miles). Then add 10cc more SFG, and ride the bike some more (another 50-100 miles). Repeat until you start seeing SFG coming out (which may cost you a set of disc pads if you are using a disc brake and it comes out on the left side). Depending on how good the seals are, temperatures of use and the exact consistency of the SFG then a clean internal may require 30-100ccs of SFG before it starts to come out.

cheers

[simonineaston]

Thanks Brucey - wot a brilliant answer.

[stegalloway]

This may be a silly question so forgive my ignorance. I have a alfine 11 igh and for the first time I've put it in a bike stand to clean it. Turning the pedals the back wheel spins for a while when I stop pedalling but stops spinning fairly quickly where as the front wheel spins for what seems like forever. Is this normal behaviour for a rear wheel with an igh?

[Brucey]

…. Is this normal behaviour for a rear wheel with an igh?

for one with full contact seals and roller clutches (eg Alfine 11), yes.

cheers