Internal geared hubs?

This is surprisingly easy to do, it’s more about getting the actual oil for the hubs which might be in short supply.

I use Automatic Transmission Fluid which does seem a bit runny.

Thnx for encouragement.

The advice from the CTC forum's resident IGH guru (I think there's megathreads for both Alfine and Nexus maintenance) is that for UK year-round use the factory lubrication of oil bath innards and grease in the bearings doesn't keep the weather out. His advice is to oil bath it (IIRC ATF seems to work ok), and then add ~30ccs of gear oil into the assembled hub via the NDS bearing. If this weeps out over the next month or so, that suggests there's no dried out grease in the innards that's soaked up the oil. At this point you can add ~30ccs of a semi-fluid grease with suitable EP additives and corrosion inhibitors (Land Rover swivel grease is apparently a decent off-the-shelf option), and then just add SFG yearly or so. I've not actually tried this myself, as I was planning on doing this with the OH's commuter last spring...

I bathed in ATF didn’t drain too much and reassembled as recommended by Sheldon.
Then I had a panic attack that the oil was too thin to lubricate properly and that the hub was a bit noisy so sprayed some light lithium grease in.
After a year the gear change is a bit slow so I’m going to do it again but use a light moly grease.

Alfine 8 hub
Had some issues getting the chain tensioned previously. Whilst doing this I stripped the thread off the drive side axle bolt whilst tightening. Hadn't overtightened to my knowledge. I replaced it with a track nut.
Chain looked slack today, when adjusting I noticed the track nut was pretty loose, tightened and it had strippwd the thread??

Can't see any damage to the axle thread. Seems odd. I'm going to run a tensioner as recommended on here. Is there any issue not using the OEM nuts?

I replaced both of mine with track nuts, but beware! It's an odd thread size, which might be why your nut got stripped. SJS cycling sell the replacements.

Have you spoken to BikeFix? It's the sort of thing I'd expect them to be set up for. Not been in there for years mind...

However, if you want to give it a go, I'd be willing to do yours and mine together?
I mean what could go wrong right?

Good thought - bikefix is no more. Was on a wee ride with Stuart who ran it a while back, I even tried to flog it to him ;)

They use a thread which is common for bmx, rather than regular track nuts.
I even replaced mine with aluminium halo bmx nuts with no issue.
My work bike has hexlox alfine nuts on, also with no issue.

@Alex_B @Black_Rainbow_Project apologies forgot to say thanks for the replies

No problems and am planning to do the ATF bath and light grease trick myself soon.
I killed one of the old straight cut Alfine 8 speeds through internal gear teeth failure and noticed you can buy the replacement assembly from SJS for about £60. I'm sort of tempted as it would be good to be able to build an 8 speed hub into a bike for my daughter.

I think @Jay242 has a Aldine 8 built on a open pro for sale if I recall correctly

I have broken my 7 speed nexus shifter, can I replace when any 7 speed thumbshift or does it need to be a nexus one due to differnt pull or something?

Is the model on Sheldon's crib sheet?

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-IG-cable-pull.html

IIRC the higher-speed nexus hubs (definitely the N8s, and I think the N7s) have a slightly longer pull in the middle of the range (cause that's where they switch the second gear train over), so unfortunately you need a specialist shifter.

I'm looking for an internal geared hub with the following:

• two, three or five speeds (preferably two or three)
  
• close ratio (25% steps or less, 12-15% is ideal)
  
• lower weight, i.e. under 1kg
  
  

Any ideas?

You seem to be describing a Sturmey AM - three speed, approx 13% up, 12% down.

Admittedly, the weight is about 1 kilo, so it does just fail there, but I don't think you're likely to find anything significantly lighter.

I've done quite a few miles with an AM and I've found it pretty good, although it's not really suitable for touring with luggage, or anywhere with steep gradients (unless you personally combine strength and lightness!).

Hi I have a more modern 3speed sturmey hub SF or SR which might possibly fit your requirements

I think you will fid the SR-F hubs have exactly the same unsatisfactory gear ratios as the old AW - that is 25% down 33% up.

If only it could be the other way round ! However, as I understand it, the hub has only one train of gears which it uses the opposite way round to obtain both indirect gears, so the laws of maths make this relationship inevitable.

If anyone wants a lovely shiny Japan-made 90s Nexus 7 hub with roller brake I've got one I want to get rid of, built into a strong touring rim. Also a matchy front with Roller brake. Needs new grip shifter, I still have it but it's damaged and I couldn't get it to work well.

£beer

Whats the go to 'most reliable' 3 speed IGH hub just now? Have a customer who is on his FOURTH shimano nexus 3 speed in under a year. Yeah he does deliveroo, but he weigh's all of 65kg. Each time they fail on the drive side, either the main bearing, or the drive support bearing starts pitting and disintegrating. No more warranty from retailer (not me) as they are done with it. Oh, its also his second bike, as the 1st one broke within a month of it being new, so they just swapped the whole bike. I'm not sure if shimano have moved production of this hub to a cheaper line, as I remember these hubs doing mega miles in the past and being basically zero issue. The guy doesn't wash the thing so no excess water is ever getting inside, stored indoors when not in use, so it leads a much better life than my own bikes, yet failure rate is ridiculous. Seen a few dawes city bikes and other low end bikes with these hubs since 2019/20 that have also developed massive play in them with only leisure use.

My similarly ridden SRAM i3 hub (I weigh more) has now done about 15k over 5 years, lives outside its whole life, gets a quick whip apart and greased maybe once a year, probably less. Had one change of ball bearings, thats it. Can't get em anymore though.

Sturmey 3 speed disc (6 bolt) any good, or is that also destined to failure?

Sturmey 3 is the only Sturmey that I’d buy, seems to work but will need servicing now and again

I have persuaded my friend to buy a Petit Porteur because I think it'd be perfect for him. It's available with either Nexus 8s hub or with a derailleur (probably Alivio). I've read some good things about the Nexus 8s, so I'm tempted to suggest that build rather than the derailleur.

What do you lot think?

i have had nexus 8 couple of times, its solid