I've owned a rohloff equipped HT for a while and last year I started an experiment with an Alfine 8 equipped Haro sonix dual suspension bike. Yesterday I called it game over with the Alfine 8. I had a persistent ghost shifting problem in 6th gear that I couldn't tune out. It wasn't pervasive but maybe 3 times per hr of ride time it'd slip, clack or shift to fifth instead. It was really at the point that it was as if not more annoying than a deraileur drive train during a ride and required far more constant tuning also which pretty much canceled out any benefits in running it.
The final nail in the coffin was when I swapped it out for my rolhoff. Firstly it hammered home the importance of comparing the two drive systems on the same bike. Because I'd been grabbing my dualie over the HT I thought it was because I preferred the more silent trigger shifting Alfine. No it was because I like the extra suspension. Within five minutes of riding the dualie with the rolhoff I realised how conservative in my efforts I was when riding the Alfine. Because the threat of a gear slippage or ghost shift was always there I wouldn't commit to full power efforts . In contrast the rolhoff is solid. If you are in a gear it's there 100%. Also engagement is not soft like the Alfine. All this inspires far more confidence in the ride and the rolhoff's noise in the bottom 7 was fine where I was getting annoyed with it on my HT. I also have a renewed appreciation for the speed of the rolhoff's shifting and the closer even spaced ratios. On top of that it was the firs time in a year since I have ridden the Haro and not stopped to adjust the shifter cable. So I'm done with the Alfine 8 for good. My HT is now a light weight single speed again and my heavy dualie is still a heavy dualie but with a more confidence inspiring drive train.
