[Closed] Shimano alfine hub?? Thoughts, anybody selling one

Hi there bengbong,

I recently bought a [url= http://www.bikesr4riding.com/2009/08/15/images-cannondale-bad-boy-8-2009-review/ ]Cannondale Bad Boy 8[/url] which has the Alfine hub, and in the 4 weeks I've been riding it to date I've had no problems and she's been running sweet.

It's a really nice system, smooth, quiet, quick gear changes. I had to get used to the range, which is absolutely fine for me, I'm running a 42-18 setup which is great commuting and copes well with hills, up and down. The Bad Boy 8 also runs larger 28 inch wheels.

Still getting used to the wider jump in ratios between gears 5 and 6, but am using this to my advantage as 5 is a good gear to accelerate into 6. Ideally it could do with a couple more gears but on the whole it works nicely.

Maintenance is easy. As long as the yellow dots are lined up, adjusted by cable tension, then no problem.

There are some different noises to get used to in comparison to traditional rear mech, but I like the new gearbox feel. I can feel the gears more so than with a rear mech, if that makes sense.

I've posted a whole load of [url= http://www.bikesr4riding.com/2009/08/15/images-cannondale-bad-boy-8-2009-review/ ]pictures of the bike and the Alfine[/url] if you wanted to have a look.

Were you thinking of using it off-road?

Good luck with it.

Had my alfine on a 456EBB since january in that time I've had the followin problems with the alfine.

slipped in 5 and 6 - turned out the EBB had slipped.

Slipped in 5,6,7 & 8 - turned out that the drive side nut had come undone where I had added a trailor hitch, and I didn't have a large enough spanner with me to do it up again, this affected the tension on the shifter.

Nothing actually physically wrong with the hub.

Washed the bike 3x (once properly beacuse it was staying in a mates bathroom over night), oiled the chain 2-4x at max. This is with going out at least once a week in ireland, which isn't particularly dry and non-muddy.

I like it so much I'm saving up (i got the last of the cheap ones) to get an alfine wheel built up for my pompino.

I run a 32:20 which means I spin out a bit at the top end when on the road, but it's low enough that I can get my fat arse up pretty much everything I could with a trad set up. If you go back through my post history you'll see quite a few threads/posts with it in.

go back through my posts too. i run an inbred with an alfine. they go together very well IMO, cable runs nice under the BB, but TBH now i'm using my bouncer more for those rides where i want gears, it's not getting much use.
i have had the hub nuts come loose a couple of times BTW - they need to be done up tight.

Thanks for the responses, lookin quite positive. Bikesr4riding love the bad boy! although lefty forks always freak me out a bit! Yes i want to use it off road, do you think it is up to it?

Del you selling yours?

Just put one on my P7, and have come back from it's first proper ride. My thoughts, given I am an inept monkey when it comes to mechanical things:

The shifter is quite chunky, limited positioning options with my Juicy 3 lever.
The lockring for the sprocket is a bastard to get on, but persistence is key. Don't plan on changing it often!
Cable routing is under the downtube and along the chainstay.
Pretty easy to fit, setting up the indexing is a doddle.
Running 34-20 based on what bits I had/could get. You get a slightly wider range than a middle/mech setup.
I think the rear slips away more on off camber stuff due to weight, could be mental though.
Feels a bit more stable going downhill, again could be mental though.

bengbong,
everything is always for sale, for the right price ( or nearly everything, anyway 🙂 ).
TBH though you're probably better off buying new. then you have warranty, the hub built onto a rim you spec, etc. etc.
FWIW mine is silver hub, built onto black, disc only, xm719, using triple butted dt swiss spokes. dt swiss centrelock - 6-bolt rotor adaptor ( but i'll keep the rotor ). just run in really. done a few rides on it - spinning nice and freely now. all in excellent condition as you would expect.
i don't know what they go for now, and i'd have to add up what mine cost to build.
think of a number and drop me a mail by all means, it'll have to be plus postage, and i'll warn you - i'm really not too bothered about selling. del underscore page at yahoodotcom.

i got one recently when CRC were doing them for 20% off. it was the time they were also giving an extra 10% discount on all parts so got 30% off in total. i ended up with a front and rear wheelset on 819 rims and hope II hubs for around £325. i even managed to build the wheels myself!

i have now had mine for 3 months, with 650miles from commuting to XC/AM and think its great. slick shifting, quiet and so far maintenance free. i run 33- 20 and it is the perfect range for around Reading.

i am in the process of getting a DB Alpine and will be moving the alfine over to that. i will then be taking it to trail centres and giving it lots of abuse which it can handle.

Thanks for the responses, lookin quite positive. Bikesr4riding love the bad boy! although lefty forks always freak me out a bit! Yes i want to use it off road, do you think it is up to it?

Hi bengbong, thanks, indeed the [url= http://www.bikesr4riding.com/2009/08/15/images-cannondale-bad-boy-8-2009-review/ ]Bad Boy[/url] is a fun beast to ride. Loving it, and will do a longer term review of the bike and the Alfine in a few months time once it's had more abuse, especially through the winter.

In terms of off road use, I understand that it has been spec'd on a couple of trail bikes, nothing too hardcore, but good for singletrack. Having looked around a little I remember it now featuring on a [url= http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/bike/io_id ]Genesis IO ID[/url], a nice looking bike.

I am myself looking to build a hardtail for the winter and am considering going down this route, rather than the traditional setup which in Epping Forest winter mud get extremely messy and claggy.

Let us know how you get on. Take care.

Forgot to mention this post I stumbled across that covers this specific area quite nicely, [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/genesis-io-id-alfine ]http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/genesis-io-id-alfine[/url]

Here's another post on the subject [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/genesis-io-id-anyone-got-one ]http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/genesis-io-id-anyone-got-one[/url]

Hi, just fitted one to my ti29er in an effort to winterproof it. Twas a bargain at £154 from JE James including shifter and fiting kit but not disc or cog. First proper off-road ride on it last might and initial impressions are that it is pretty good. Nice slick shifts both up and down the gears, and a pretty decent spread (I'm running 32x18) and can get up everything round here. It also seems to have evened up the weight distribution on the bike as it was a bit front heavy before with a sus fork.
The only downside I have seen so far is that the wheel is a bit fiddly to get in and out with the gear change unit arrangement and the shifter is low normal which will take a bit of getting used to when changing between my bikes. Reckon the SS will be up for sale soon.