REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

nexus internal tree speed hub on an MC29

1663 Views 15 Replies 13 Participants Last post by endure26, Jul 17, 2006

SS4life

Discussion Starter · Jul 14, 2006

I've kind of been thinking about this for a while. I'd like to put a cheap 3 or a 7 speed internal hub on a MC29 that I have ordered. I have friends who have up to 10000 miles on thier internally geared commuter bikes without any kind of maintenance what so ever. Also I work in a shop and I see alot of OLD cruisers in for tune ups and there is some internal hubs that come in in fine working order that are probably 25 years old or older. I know that they are going to be heavy and I know that they are not going to shift under pressure. This is not for a race bike I just want it to ride some trails on. Is this going hold up to heavy duty trail rides? (regular XC use but lots of it) I know that set up might be a bit tricky but I'm pretty McGiver-like. Is there any other issues out there that I should be aware of about these things?
P.S.
PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

long hazy daze

· #2 · Jul 14, 2006

SS4life said:
I've kind of been thinking about this for a while. I'd like to put a cheap 3 or a 7 speed internal hub on a MC29 that I have ordered. I have friends who have up to 10000 miles on thier internally geared commuter bikes without any kind of maintenance what so ever. Also I work in a shop and I see alot of OLD cruisers in for tune ups and there is some internal hubs that come in in fine working order that are probably 25 years old or older. I know that they are going to be heavy and I know that they are not going to shift under pressure. This is not for a race bike I just want it to ride some trails on. Is this going hold up to heavy duty trail rides? (regular XC use but lots of it) I know that set up might be a bit tricky but I'm pretty McGiver-like. Is there any other issues out there that I should be aware of about these things?
P.S.
PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

I don't know, but tree speed is damn slow.

Probably wouldn't hold up for too long, but I'd like to see it tried, cause I've wondered the same thing, but the general concensus is that those hubs won't hold up to off road riding.
Plus, you'd have to change yer handle:eekster:

SS4life

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 14, 2006

I have other SS bikes

DeeZee

· #4 · Jul 14, 2006

Internal hub

I had the some thought. Any idea of the cost on a hub like that?

My creation would be a three or seven speed fully rigid that I could use to pull a "hook-on-bike".

GlowBoy

· #5 · Jul 15, 2006

Give it a try! Don't let the naysayers stop you. I go offroad pretty regularly with my SRAM DualDrive Disc 3-speed hub, and have yet to have a problem. Old Sturmeys can be bought for next to nothing. Don't worry about the weight - most of them are 900-1000g, barely 1 lb more than a conventional hub, and your drivetrain will still weigh no more than a 1x9. I say lace one up and see how well she holds up.

Only real issue is hub spacing: most geared hubs are 110 or 118mm, and probably not easily re-spaced. Did Redline to go to 135mm spacing on the MC29? I know the earlier MC26s were spaced 110, and would be ideal candidates for this experiment.

Or if you're brave, you could just cold-set the MC29 to 110mm! :eekster:

ssk77077

· #6 · Jul 15, 2006

I've built a 4 speed on a standard Chris King SS hub using ulterga cogs and a 105 road derailleur. Worked great but the Al cassete body started getting eatten up. You could probably get 3sp using King SS cogs. Shifting wouldn't be real crisp, but it would work.

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DoktorNo

· #7 · Jul 15, 2006

I have wanted to try an internal geared hub for a while. Would be cool if Rohloff made a seven or five speed for less money.

Try it!!

bikerboy

· #8 · Jul 15, 2006

SS4life said:
I've kind of been thinking about this for a while. I'd like to put a cheap 3 or a 7 speed internal hub on a MC29 that I have ordered. I have friends who have up to 10000 miles on thier internally geared commuter bikes without any kind of maintenance what so ever. Also I work in a shop and I see alot of OLD cruisers in for tune ups and there is some internal hubs that come in in fine working order that are probably 25 years old or older. I know that they are going to be heavy and I know that they are not going to shift under pressure. This is not for a race bike I just want it to ride some trails on. Is this going hold up to heavy duty trail rides? (regular XC use but lots of it) I know that set up might be a bit tricky but I'm pretty McGiver-like. Is there any other issues out there that I should be aware of about these things?
P.S.
PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Go for it. The 3 speed Nexus hub has 120mm hub spacing, so its a little wider than the 110 number being tossed around. I believe the hub spacing on the 7 speed hubs are a tad wider, so that is perhaps a better option. Wasn't the GT gearbox DH bike using a Shimano 7 or 8 speed hub? I would think it would be plenty strong. I'd probably try using one if I were so inclined. Have fun!

johnnyb

· #9 · Jul 15, 2006

I did the three-speed to my 26" monocog

SS4life said:
I've kind of been thinking about this for a while. I'd like to put a cheap 3 or a 7 speed internal hub on a MC29 that I have ordered. I have friends who have up to 10000 miles on thier internally geared commuter bikes without any kind of maintenance what so ever. Also I work in a shop and I see alot of OLD cruisers in for tune ups and there is some internal hubs that come in in fine working order that are probably 25 years old or older. I know that they are going to be heavy and I know that they are not going to shift under pressure. This is not for a race bike I just want it to ride some trails on. Is this going hold up to heavy duty trail rides? (regular XC use but lots of it) I know that set up might be a bit tricky but I'm pretty McGiver-like. Is there any other issues out there that I should be aware of about these things?
P.S.
PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

Hey,

I have a nineties model Nexus 3-speed wheelset from Nashbar several years ago and put it on my 26er. The wheel set was closeout at $90 bucks so it was a great deal, but I think you can buy just the nexus hub from them too(not sure of the price) and build it up on a nice Delgado rim (36-hole?).

Issues I've had with the shifter for over the 500 miles of commuting and mountainbiking are;

A grinding noise initially in the lower gears but I fixed it by packing it full of grease. Keep an eye on maintaining it.

Can't disable the coaster brake. Its hard to corner on the trail with it. The oldtimers did it, but I can't.

Shifts great for commuting, but when climbing it sometimes won't go or will drop back into a higher gear.

I wouldn't recommend this type of hub for singletrack or cliimbing, maybe fireroads where you can be consistent with your shifting. I use it primarily for my beer bike. I think Sachs makes a shifter too.

Other than all the negatives, the high gear on the Nexus is pretty good, I can get to over 20 mph on it with this setup, gives the roadies a second look when I catch up.

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2

El Caballo

· #10 · Jul 15, 2006

Here is my experience so far with a Shimano Nexus 8 "Red Band" hub on a rigid 29er.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=203634

Cloxxki

· #11 · Jul 15, 2006

A local shop rep has a 26" Inbred with 8spd Nexus. His main complaint is the cog/hub interface which easily develops terminal play. Very little meat for the cogs to hang on to the hub under loads.
Shimano is working on a new internal hub for 2007, a friend is waiting fo that to make a bike around it. I bet they improve that cog interface.

I like the idea a lot, especially if the 1:1 frictionless gear is somewhere in the middle so it could be mated to a preferable chainring size so you'd be in that gear the most, and suffer from resistance at a minimum part of the ide.

miketually

· #12 · Jul 15, 2006

Kent Peterson just put a 3-speed hub on his bike: kentsbike.blogspot.com

I remember reading something about a guy fitting a Nexus to his On-One Pompino. On-One forum?

El Caballo

· #13 · Jul 15, 2006

Cloxxki said:
Shimano is working on a new internal hub for 2007, a friend is waiting fo that to make a bike around it. I bet they improve that cog interface.

The Alfine looks *exactly* like a Nexus 8 with a disc carrier (which was done aftermarket by Cannondale and some German CNC shop...see my thread for details). We won't know until someone can compare the two side by side.

More teeth on the cog would help a lot, too. Why didn't they just use standard BMX cassette cogs THAT THEY ALREADY MAKE IN 18T, instead of making special ones just for the Nexus? Grrr.

Mine is doing fine, but then again, now that I have gears I don't stand up and crank as much. I'll let everyone know how it holds up.

Cloxxki said:
I like the idea a lot, especially if the 1:1 frictionless gear is somewhere in the middle so it could be mated to a preferable chainring size so you'd be in that gear the most, and suffer from resistance at a minimum part of the ide.

5th gear is 1:1. If it's substantially more efficient, I haven't noticed. I've really been looking for drag, and if there is any, it's subtle enough that I can't decide how much there is or what gears it's worst in.

El Caballo

· #14 · Jul 15, 2006

The 8-speed is 130mm OLD and works with 135mm dropouts no problem: see my thread.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=203634

Also, word is that the 8-speed Shimano is a lot more efficient than the 3 or 7-speed, and the "Red Band" version is more efficient (and more durable) than the regular version.

ihatemybike

· #15 · Jul 17, 2006

I've done skatepark riding for about a year with a Nexus 7-speed before I got a single speed. Pull the trigger.

endure26

· #16 · Jul 17, 2006

http://www.sandsmachine.com/a_syc_r1.htm

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