I like these:

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bikes/cross/day-01/day-01-alfine/specs

This is the 8 speed, they do an 11 speed but its way more expensive.

EDIT: but just noticed it’s 853

But i’m a bit worried that the gearing may be to low for off road/cross type duties.

Has any one got one they could tell me about?

you can always fit a bigger sprocket or smaller chainring if you find it to high geared – would take a bit of ‘top end’ away but the 8 speed doesn’t have that much less actual gear range than the 11 I think?

Too low or too high?

The chap I know who has one finds the gearing is too low for road duties. On the flat hs is spinning very quickly in top gear. But he is quite quick anyway.

Sorry i meant too high for off road.

Anyone else have experience of this bike??

Its not that high for offroad I wouldn’t have thought ( from having ridden an alfine mtb in a range of gear ratios). You can change rear sprockets easily enough to alter gearing and they are cheaper than chainrings

no experience of that particular bike but i’ve run an alfine 8 on a HT offroad and run a crosscheck ss offroad too, geared 42/16. that gearing will be about right IMO. it’ll be close to granny at the bottom end so you can winch your way up stuff off road but usefully taller than ss at full chat. you’ll be spinning flat out on road for sure but doing a good speed.
the 11 has a wider range than the 8.

Stock gearing is low enough for all but really steep / muddy off-road IME.

flip, if you want to, drop me an email (in my profile) and I’ll send you a copy of my Alfine Gear Calculator. Should help you work out whether the gear ratios will suit or not.

As it is, with a 20T cog on, it’s the equivalent of having (roughly) a 12-38T cassette on the back, so with the 40T up front, you’ve got almost a 1:1 lowest ratio which is certainly lower than most cross bikes.

Rear cogs are cheap and easy to change, they come in a variety of sizes from 16T up to 23T, so if you find the 20T is not suitable, it’s an easy fix.