Chipps spent Friday afternoon in the Midlands for this breaking news…
Completely revamped SHIMANO ALFINE 11-speed internal geared hub. Sporty and fashionable cycling will be brought to a whole new dimension with SHIMANO’s new ALFINE 11-speed internal geared hub. This hub gear will offer three more gears at a lighter weight than the current 8-speed version (SG-S501)! The components are simple, yet beautiful and highly reliable.
This upgrade will further enhance the use of internal hub gear bicycles into the sports market.
Besides more gears and smaller steps in between the gears, the new ALFINE SG-S700 offers also a wider gear ratio of 409 % (compared to 306% for the 8-speed version). This hub gear will run super smooth thanks to the use of a completely new helical gear system. Helical gears feature an angled teeth profile that engage more gradually compared to spur (or straight-cut) profiles, resulting in a more smooth and quiet shift. This hub gear also features an improved durability by the use of an oil lubricant instead of grease.
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Besides this new internal geared hub, Shimano will also offer a new ALFINE RAPIDFIRE PLUS shifter SL-S700 that operates in exactly the same direction as the top-level SHIMANO MTB groups. It has been designed using the latest shifter technologies: Instant Release technology: super fast and direct gear changing. Multi Release technology: allows multiple shifts with one lever stroke. Two-Way Release: Allows the index finger lever to be operated in two directions resulting in the same shift action (push-pull and push-push). SG-S700 and SL-S700 will be available in silver only.
These new products can be combined with the current ALFINE components such as disc brake calipers and disc brake levers, cranksets, chain tensioner and hub dynamo.
These stylish components will offer many new possibilities in the development of sporty and fashionable bikes for quality and design-minded consumers.
Availability in the market: September 2010
Chipps had a car-park test of the new Alfine and reckons “More gears, a wider range (409% vs 306% (vs 524% for Rohloff) and a shifter that works the other way round. The gear change is very smooth – though you do still need to ease off a tiny amount if you’re really stomping on the pedals) and the rest of the components work well too. They’ve changed the old greased, straight cut gear internals to a more synchomesh style gearbox, running in oil. I have high hopes for this new Alfine. Start looking for it on bikes from about September onwards…”
Was considering an Alfine conversion on one of my bikes. Glad I waited, now.
This will be seriously tempting when its available. And in black!
Sounds exciting, should be perfect for the hardtail.
Still need to carry around a 15mm spanner tho’ 🙁
Why only in silver?
If it’s an oil lubricant is it a flush through service like a Rohloff?
Seriously impressive bit of kit. I can see me owning one next year 🙂
Will be looking at one for the hardtail hack myself
if the range is 409% from 306% and you now have 11 gears instead of eight
409/11= 37.18 % between gears
306/8=38.25 % between gears i suppose it is a smaller step between gears just
but saying that i’ll be buying one as i love my 8 speed preston so an 11 speed one must be 30% better
Hi Guys, the press release wasn’t fully updated for the priduct presentation – there will be a black option too.
MTB shifters are encouraging as they are obviously going after that market. Helical gears are quieter and can transmit more torque than straight cut ones, but are less efficient (more friction). Not sure what their motivation for changing this would be: to feel smoother; or more robust for off-road use? Maybe changing to oil from grease will offset some of the disadvantage.
Still I’d like to see a good quality 3-speed hub with disk mount and large range…
I just want to know-is it tough and easy to service!
Ade – your maths is up the chuff
Think compound interest….
11 gears means 10 “gaps” = 15.13% increase from one gear to the next
8 gears means 7 gaps = 17.32% increase from one gear to the next
That’s assuming the gaps are equal which they won’t be.
That means the new system has gaps that are 12.6% smaller than the current one.
Annoying as I’m still to complete building my current Alfine bike, but as it was free I won’t mind buying the new one when it is available in black (if ever).
Why no STI lever??????
Our Shimano contact could ‘neither confirm, nor deny’ that there was a drop bar STi lever in the works…
A year or so back I read that 8 speed Alfines run smoother with the grease washed out and replaced with gear oil. I’m sure the article was on hubstripping.com but I can’t find it this morning.
Shimano product codes:
Deore = M525, M530 etc etc
XT = M760, M770 etc etc
XTR = M960, M970 etc etc
8 speed Alfine = SG500
11 speed Alfine = SG700
SG900 should be interesting when it arrives…………..
And expensive.
So, without talking percentages, what kind of gear spread are we talking assuming a 32t chainring? Ideally in ‘a highest gear is like 32x** , lowest is like 22x**’ (assuming it goes that low).
Interested in a hub gear for my cargo bike, so one of these could be great for that.