The gear steps of the Shimano 8-speed hubs are actually thoughtfully designed, I think. Most people just look at the numbers and think uneven steps are bad, but you have to consider real-world usage. For my city riding in Los Angleles, where we have some fairly steep hills, a big drop at the bottom is a good thing. Once you climb your hill, you will WANT a large step to accelerate up the range. The other big step is between 5th and 6th, and again, I find this to be a transitional gear below my straight and level gear of 75 gear-inches, so again, I want to pass through it ASAP. To give this some numbers, if you configure your sprockets to put lowest gear at 30 gear-inches (good for hills), your highest comes in at 92 (30 x 3.07), which I hardly exceed in city riding. The steps in gear-inches are then: 30, 37, 43, 48, 57, 70, 81, 92. I LIKE the big step from 57 to 70 because these are transitional gears on my way to straight-and-level 75. Shimano probably had some design challenges to keep the hub reliable and inexpensive, which may have resulted in these uneven steps, but they did a good job of placing the large steps at the right place in the gear range.
0:43 can't you just use a winter lube? I found Muc off Wet lube or Wledtite Wet Extreme to make the chain safe. I too ride in those conditions but in Norway.
As much as it looks horribly, its really cosmetic. I just clean that somewhat, keep it lubed a watch for chain stretch. I finally binned the cassette from the picture a few weeks ago and the chain happily worked until june.
Maybe try the 11 speed Alfine. That 11 speed IGH has more evenly sepped gearstepps between 13 and 14% expect for the first gear. Or try the Kindernay XIV or Speedhub 500/14. And you are right, the first stage of that 8 speed IGH generates a high range underdrive so that the first four gears are underdrive. In the four upper gears the first stage provides direct drive. So it's a 2×4 system...
@Tony D. I would like to install a hub like this on a commuter bicycle. But I will sometimes be forced to climb quite steeply with it. I live in Greece and I have encountered 30 degree slopes on a regular basis. Roads designed for cars obviously ;) So I need a pretty hefty climbing gear. Do you think that either the 8 or 11 speed Alfine works well for this?
@@futurecaredesign no one can answer that for you. It depends on how trained you are. However the Shimano hubs are mainly for city use. And the primary input Ratio should not be to low. If you have a normal derailleur. Simply do the math. For example: Would be the sproket ratio of front To rear of 44/11 as the highest and 24/24 as lowest (which equals 400%. Overall) be enough?If so, the alfine 11 would suit you. If you need 22 at the front and 36 in the rear then maybe do something else...
You could've made your point in 5 minutes...Talk about rambling. The Alfine hubs are reliable... If treated right and if you're not too hard with your shifts. They need more maintenance than the Nexus hubs for sure, but they are also much easier to lube.
Jakieś 5 roków temu popełniłem mtb na alfine, potem na nexusie r z czerwonym paskiem, fajnie to chodziło ale strasznie dupa latała na boki podczas szybkiej jazdy
Myślę o kombinacji gravela z paskiem i alfine 8sp. Biorąc pod uwagę twoje doświadczenia, sądzisz, że to się sprawdzi? Czy teren i górki Trójmiejskiego Parku Krajobrazowego, to już za wiele do takiego zestawu?
@@arekmiszkiewicz7172 Ja mam Nexus 8 premium 8R25 z manetką Alfine S503, low normal. Początkowo używałem z korbą Acera z 3 wymiennymi blatami. Jednak z czasem pozostałem przy środkowym blacie, support zmieniłem na węższy, pozbyłem się przerzutki przedniej. Mam napinacz CT-S500, napięty pod 3/4 swoich możliwości, łańcuch nie spada na dziurach. Rower świetnie się sprawdza w mieście, lasach, podjazdach. Jednak przy mocnym obciążeniu/pedałowaniu nie można zmieniać biegów, z czasem zmiana biegów wykonywana jest automatycznie gdy pedał znajduje się w "martwym punkcie", to już kwestia wyczucia piasty, więc można zmieniać biegi w trakcie pedałowania z obciążeniem lekkim i średnim. Zmiana biegów działa bez zwłoki, po wciśnięciu cyngla manetki już jest zmieniony bieg, jak z włączeniem światła w domu. Polecam do jazdy w mieście, szutrach,lasach, błocie, śniegu, deszczu. Nie polecam do jazdy w ciężkim kamienistym stromym terenie, wszędzie tam gdzie wymagana jest zmiana biegów pod dużym obciążeniem z niską kadencją.
Ok maybe guy is not MKBHD on talking but let’s learn on his mistakes. Alfine 8 is good for Mountain bikes as a bubble gum for fighterJet. But for city /trekking / touring bikes is great.
I was not able to watch. Dude you mumble. I ride Nexus 8 bike for last 5 years. 150 miles a week 11 months a year. There is some good things and some not that good things but in general I love it and my next commuter will be internal hub again. Not yet sure shimano, pinion or rohloff but there is no better option for a commuter.
Coming from 10+ years with a Rohloff Speedhub (MTB and City useage) and an Alfine 8 in my Kalkhoff pedelec: I can see both sides. The Speedhub is the gold standard for travelbikes and relieable citybikes. The even spacing is just perfect. BUT: my CC DB (exbox) unit from 2010 has this old gasket leak problem where oil leaks out through the axle. Which sucks. But it does this since almost 10 years now and still runs fine... 😁😁 Alfine 8: single cable spring loaded. There's your problem right there. The setting of the shifter has to be perfect. And forget winter usage, below 0°C the shifting becomes irratic due to the stiff oil in the shifting cable. Also gear spacing is quite odd. Since I ride in every weather the whole year long I can't recommend Alfine for that... Btw: I still haven't tried Pinion but that's a VERY expensive option.
So your issues with the Alfine 8 are basically: -you haven’t learned how to shift (easy as derailleur - just stop pedaling a moment, and you an shift when stopped!) -You don’t know how to set up your gear range (there are different cog/chainring combinations you can use to get the exact range you like) -you have t learned how to adjust (there are little dots to help you do it once and forget about it!) -you don’t know how to maintain it (again, MAYBE a once a year job) Useless rant buddy I have an Alfine 8 on a Surly Ogre that has been solid for 10 year of touring, commuting and mountain bike use. It is geared on the low side and has never even slipped on me.
ty for info. Lord Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day. If we repent and believe + trust in Lord Jesus, we will be saved, from hell and lake of fire, to everlasting life.
@@playonkorg according to the bible, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, used a 56-13t fixed gear for climbing and riding over bodies of water, as gears wasn't available at the time.
The gear steps of the Shimano 8-speed hubs are actually thoughtfully designed, I think. Most people just look at the numbers and think uneven steps are bad, but you have to consider real-world usage. For my city riding in Los Angleles, where we have some fairly steep hills, a big drop at the bottom is a good thing. Once you climb your hill, you will WANT a large step to accelerate up the range. The other big step is between 5th and 6th, and again, I find this to be a transitional gear below my straight and level gear of 75 gear-inches, so again, I want to pass through it ASAP. To give this some numbers, if you configure your sprockets to put lowest gear at 30 gear-inches (good for hills), your highest comes in at 92 (30 x 3.07), which I hardly exceed in city riding. The steps in gear-inches are then: 30, 37, 43, 48, 57, 70, 81, 92. I LIKE the big step from 57 to 70 because these are transitional gears on my way to straight-and-level 75. Shimano probably had some design challenges to keep the hub reliable and inexpensive, which may have resulted in these uneven steps, but they did a good job of placing the large steps at the right place in the gear range.
The king of not getting to the point.
You're right about the 'king' part :)
20.000 kilometers, riding all year trough,... no MAINTENANCE AND NO PROBLEMS AT ALL....
0:43 can't you just use a winter lube? I found Muc off Wet lube or Wledtite Wet Extreme to make the chain safe.
I too ride in those conditions but in Norway.
As much as it looks horribly, its really cosmetic. I just clean that somewhat, keep it lubed a watch for chain stretch. I finally binned the cassette from the picture a few weeks ago and the chain happily worked until june.
Increased unsprung mass is a challenge with these hubs. Not the best choice for a full suspension mountain bike.
Maybe try the 11 speed Alfine. That 11 speed IGH has more evenly sepped gearstepps between 13 and 14% expect for the first gear. Or try the Kindernay XIV or Speedhub 500/14.
And you are right, the first stage of that 8 speed IGH generates a high range underdrive so that the first four gears are underdrive. In the four upper gears the first stage provides direct drive. So it's a 2×4 system...
@Tony D.
I would like to install a hub like this on a commuter bicycle. But I will sometimes be forced to climb quite steeply with it. I live in Greece and I have encountered 30 degree slopes on a regular basis. Roads designed for cars obviously ;)
So I need a pretty hefty climbing gear. Do you think that either the 8 or 11 speed Alfine works well for this?
@@futurecaredesign no one can answer that for you. It depends on how trained you are. However the Shimano hubs are mainly for city use. And the primary input Ratio should not be to low. If you have a normal derailleur. Simply do the math. For example: Would be the sproket ratio of front To rear of 44/11 as the highest and 24/24 as lowest (which equals 400%. Overall) be enough?If so, the alfine 11 would suit you. If you need 22 at the front and 36 in the rear then maybe do something else...
You could've made your point in 5 minutes...Talk about rambling.
The Alfine hubs are reliable... If treated right and if you're not too hard with your shifts. They need more maintenance than the Nexus hubs for sure, but they are also much easier to lube.
I don't believe IGH are for mountain biking anyway. They are made for city riding commuting.
they are used in bikepacking, specially far from the city, precisely because of durability
Enviolo says hi
They are "made" for all bicycling but you have to respect it and understand how to use it as with all machinery.
Maybe try Enviolo hubs. They work like CVT in cars.
Be friendly to an 8-gear-Alfine while shifting and it will be friendly to you and last forever..... (get some feeling while shifting this diva....)
Do you think the hub could handle a tandem bike with two athletic bike guys??
I’ve seen somewhere that the maximum torque allowed is 120 Nm, but The manufacturer still recommends it for tandem bikes as well weird
@@tinypurplefishesrunlaughin8052 Yep as long as you shift properly whilst letting go of the power between gears.
I think you were trying to find the word synchronization?
Jakieś 5 roków temu popełniłem mtb na alfine, potem na nexusie r z czerwonym paskiem, fajnie to chodziło ale strasznie dupa latała na boki podczas szybkiej jazdy
Myślę o kombinacji gravela z paskiem i alfine 8sp. Biorąc pod uwagę twoje doświadczenia, sądzisz, że to się sprawdzi? Czy teren i górki Trójmiejskiego Parku Krajobrazowego, to już za wiele do takiego zestawu?
@@arekmiszkiewicz7172 Ja mam Nexus 8 premium 8R25 z manetką Alfine S503, low normal. Początkowo używałem z korbą Acera z 3 wymiennymi blatami. Jednak z czasem pozostałem przy środkowym blacie, support zmieniłem na węższy, pozbyłem się przerzutki przedniej. Mam napinacz CT-S500, napięty pod 3/4 swoich możliwości, łańcuch nie spada na dziurach. Rower świetnie się sprawdza w mieście, lasach, podjazdach. Jednak przy mocnym obciążeniu/pedałowaniu nie można zmieniać biegów, z czasem zmiana biegów wykonywana jest automatycznie gdy pedał znajduje się w "martwym punkcie", to już kwestia wyczucia piasty, więc można zmieniać biegi w trakcie pedałowania z obciążeniem lekkim i średnim. Zmiana biegów działa bez zwłoki, po wciśnięciu cyngla manetki już jest zmieniony bieg, jak z włączeniem światła w domu. Polecam do jazdy w mieście, szutrach,lasach, błocie, śniegu, deszczu. Nie polecam do jazdy w ciężkim kamienistym stromym terenie, wszędzie tam gdzie wymagana jest zmiana biegów pod dużym obciążeniem z niską kadencją.
Ok maybe guy is not MKBHD on talking but let’s learn on his mistakes. Alfine 8 is good for Mountain bikes as a bubble gum for fighterJet. But for city /trekking / touring bikes is great.
I was not able to watch. Dude you mumble. I ride Nexus 8 bike for last 5 years. 150 miles a week 11 months a year. There is some good things and some not that good things but in general I love it and my next commuter will be internal hub again. Not yet sure shimano, pinion or rohloff but there is no better option for a commuter.
pinion gear works on other principle than planetary gear, afaik similarly to car gearbox.
Coming from 10+ years with a Rohloff Speedhub (MTB and City useage) and an Alfine 8 in my Kalkhoff pedelec: I can see both sides. The Speedhub is the gold standard for travelbikes and relieable citybikes. The even spacing is just perfect. BUT: my CC DB (exbox) unit from 2010 has this old gasket leak problem where oil leaks out through the axle. Which sucks. But it does this since almost 10 years now and still runs fine... 😁😁
Alfine 8: single cable spring loaded. There's your problem right there. The setting of the shifter has to be perfect. And forget winter usage, below 0°C the shifting becomes irratic due to the stiff oil in the shifting cable. Also gear spacing is quite odd. Since I ride in every weather the whole year long I can't recommend Alfine for that...
Btw: I still haven't tried Pinion but that's a VERY expensive option.
So your issues with the Alfine 8 are basically:
-you haven’t learned how to shift (easy as derailleur - just stop pedaling a moment, and you an shift when stopped!)
-You don’t know how to set up your gear range (there are different cog/chainring combinations you can use to get the exact range you like)
-you have t learned how to adjust (there are little dots to help you do it once and forget about it!)
-you don’t know how to maintain it (again, MAYBE a once a year job)
Useless rant buddy
I have an Alfine 8 on a Surly Ogre that has been solid for 10 year of touring, commuting and mountain bike use. It is geared on the low side and has never even slipped on me.
pls don't watch... a waste of your time
I have watched video and he correct on every point nevertheless the alfine 8 is great value for money, I have two been using for years.
ty for info. Lord Jesus died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead on the third day. If we repent and believe + trust in Lord Jesus, we will be saved, from hell and lake of fire, to everlasting life.
FYI, Jesus was never a fan of cycling because his sandals kept slipping off the pedals.
Did he used a Alfine 11 or 8 gear?
@@playonkorg according to the bible, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, used a 56-13t fixed gear for climbing and riding over bodies of water, as gears wasn't available at the time.