Not used an Alfine before, but I’m possibly buying a secondhand bike with one soon. If there anything I need to check for? Obviously I’ll ask about total miles travelled and service etc, but are there any tell tale signs it’s about to fall to bits? It’s an 8-speed.

Cheers,

Corrosion can kill them, overall condition may be a sign, but it may have been jetwashed – clean outside, full of rusty water inside.

All I can say is they are pretty bomb proof anyway, mine must have done 15 or 20k miles now, and is still due it’s first service. The bike is generally well looked after though, as cynic says, one go with a jet wash and it might be another story…

OK, will subtly ask about cleaning regime. It does look very clean in the pictures!

My understanding is that they’re pretty bombproof too – I have one for winter use.

Obvious thing is to check the bearings; because it’s Shimano it’s cup and cone.

It’s cup and cone, so the bearing race can get pitted if abused – see/feel if it’s rumbly or any play side to side, then check again.

Gear shifts should be almost instant and very smooth, a lot quicker than anything derailuer based, oh and able to do it without pedalling too.

If the shifting is slightly off, set the gears to forth and then adjust the barrel to match up the 2 yellow marks at the back, it’s more accurate on the underneath ones for some reason.

5th is direct drive and should be the easiest to push at set revs, but the system is more draggy than a perfect derailurer system.

That’s it really – check the axel nuts for cross threading and the cable to make sure it has a ferrule (or get one on there quick to stop it fraying), have a look at the holed lever for removing the cable and see what state it’s in. My 6 yo one is in bits (like the rest of the hub tbf).

I’ve the SG500 and a SG501 (uprated clutch) both are perfect inside but the jetwashed and ignored/abused SG500 on the mtb needs new cones and a new cable – you can get ball races from SJS cycles but the cups are part of the hub like all shimano – so that hub is due to be put in the spares bin for the mechanism. I think you’d be really unlucky to get an internally knackered hub – I’ve seen pictures of 1 on here somewhere of one that had fallen apart. You’d know 100 yards down the road as there is no-where for bits to move out of the way from in the hub.

pick back wheel up by saddle and spin pedals, if pedals keep spinning then theres a lot of drag which could mean its in need of tlc.

tbf both have mine have done that from new…

It’s the clutch surface that matters, if it gets corroded the hub is toast.

I don’t suppose it’s possible to check that externally though?

I actually bought the bike/hub yesterday so fingers crossed it’s ok. No play in the bearings, gear changes are quick and smooth. The two dots on the shift line up in 3, not 4, but all the gears work so not sure what’s going on there.

Might open it up and do the oil bath service just for peace of mind, but it feels fine from what I can tell.

Saccades – Member
tbf both have mine have done that from new…

Same with mine! 🙂

It’s the clutch surface that matters

I didn’t even know it had a clutch! I suppose it makes sense now you mention it. I’ve taken the shell off my Alfine before, is the clutch easy to spot?

it’s just the inner surface of the hub shell I think

Look for a barely ridden one! I removed mine from my Genesis ioid almost immediately. It’s sat in the replacement Hope wheel box because I converted it to singlespeed 😉

I’m not alone, there are plenty of used alfine wheels about.