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So, let me be the first to admit that I am no expert on internal hub gears...
The wife has a bike equipped with an 8 speed nexus hub, rollerbrake model. I had never really tried the bike before today, and I must say that it was an unpleasant surprise.
When pedaling, it feels "notchy"... Like the chain is stiff, which it is not. When coasting, it feels like someone has thrown a handful of gravel into the hub. Is this normal? The bike is 9 months old, has gone about 2000 kilometers and has been to all the service checks at my LBS. As I said, I am no expert so I thought I would ask for some advise from the STW hive before I go kick up a stink at the LBS.
I had an Alfine 8 and it certainly wasn't smooth, in fact I remember it being so bad when I first got it that I also thought about taking it back. It took a pretty long time but it definitely got a lot smoother!! 🙂
The nexus and alfine do rumble in some gears, especially when back pedaling
I used to call 5th gear 'the coffee grinder' lol erg
it might grind and whirr - straight cut cogs but shouldn't feel notchy. Service on them is annual oil dunk for the gear cluster - dunno about the roller brake. check the cable alignment which they are very sensitive to. sounds to me like it might just be a tiny bit out of adjustment or the roller brake needs fettling. Roller brakes are counter intuitive - they need to be loaded with grease IIRC so could be a dry roller brake?
Needs to go to someone who understands them - your LBS might not have dealt much with them - roller brake nexus hubs are not common.
Anything of use here? http://sheldonbrown.com/sutherland.html
Or here? https://hubstripping.wordpress.com/
Thanks for the replies!
I already took a look at the suggested webpages, but I found them a bit hard to navigate, and there wasn't much information related to the 8 speed hubs. And I know that the STW knowledge base is vast and filled with real world experience!
I live in Denmark, where at least half of the bikes sold are 5, 7, or 8 speed internals, so the LBS should know what they are doing... Perhaps they have a new mechanic?
Anyway, I have delivered the bike to them this morning. It is still under warranty, so they deserve to take a shot at it before I attempt to do some spannering myself.
Is the chain too tight? My Alfine grumbles (more than usual) if the chain is tight.
If anything, the chain is too slack.
It's a bit worn after 2000 kilometers, so I have asked them to put a new chain on anyway.
It's probably the roller brake.
I've knackered several alfine hubs in a variety of interesting ways. None felt "notchy" (except the one that threw a tooth on a gear, that was notchy for about 2m then lunched itself)
elwoodblues
I live in Denmark, where at least half of the bikes sold are 5, 7, or 8 speed internals, so the LBS should know what they are doing… Perhaps they have a new mechanic?
You'd be amazed at the amount of bike mechanics who twiddle the adjustment on a hubgear rather than adjusting to the marks.
But a newish bike? Probably the gear cable needs adjusting after settling in.
denmark? they really should know how to set them up. I thought it was UK where these hubs confuse some shops