Kindernay burst onto the bicycle gearbox scene in 2016 when they showed off a prototype 14-speed internal gear hub that could replace the derailleur gears on your bike.
Like other planetary gear hubs, the Kindernay promised a long-lasting drivetrain with less maintenance, zero gear adjustment, instant shifts, and components that are less susceptible to wear and damage.
The hub shell and gearbox were separate components on a Kindernay hub. Image: Terrengsykkel.no
The Kindernay 7 and 14-speed hubs had a few defining features:
The gearboxes could be separated from the hub shell and you could move them between multiple wheelsets
They used hydraulic trigger shifters
They were designed specifically for 12mm thru-axles
They were lighter than the competition (and only 400 grams heavier than a Shimano Deore derailleur setup!).
They had a higher torque rating than other internal gear hubs
They had a wider gear range than other internal gear hubs
Unfortunately, I’ve just heard some bad news from Kindernay…
The Kindernay Bankruptcy
The company behind Kindernay, CA Technology Systems, recently filed for bankruptcy according to an article on Shifter.no.
The trustee of the company is currently considering selling the assets and rights to the gear hubs. A date for a possible auction has not yet been set.
At this stage, aftersales support for existing Kindernay users is unknown. Hopefully, a large array of spare parts will be made available to a bicycle shop or distributor.
The Kindernay Void
The same Kindernay gearbox could fit a fat bike hub shell or regular hub shell. Image: Terrengsykkel.no
It’s always sad to see a high-quality, niche cycling product disappear from the market. While not perfect, the Kindernay hubs had some appealing advantages over the competition.
Unlike most other internal gear hubs, these hubs were designed for mountain biking. The 7-speed hub added very little weight to a bike compared to a 1X drivetrain (300 grams extra unsprung mass), and the hydraulic trigger shifter was a welcome alternative to the grip shifters found with most internal gear hubs.
A defining feature was the Kindernay system’s modularity. This meant you could own one expensive gearbox that could be transferred between wheels. For example, you could leave the gearbox in your mountain bike year-round, but swap it into your fat bike in winter, or touring bike when you set out for your annual adventure.
These unique features will be missed.
What Are The Kindernay Hub Alternatives?
The closest internal gear hub currently is the Rohloff Speedhub. It has the same number of gears (14), a similar gear range (526% vs 543%), and almost identical gear steps (13.6% vs 13.9%).
After 25+ years of production, Rohloff hubs have an excellent track record for reliability and longevity. One owner has even cycled over 470,000km on one! These hubs have also been tested to have low frictional losses, which means the maximum amount of your pedal power will go toward driving you forward.
There are some other new internal gear hubs worth mentioning too.
The 3X3 Nine hub is one of the most promising alternatives to the Kindernday hub. Image: 3×3.bike
The 3X3 Nine is a 9-speed hub that’s made in Germany and offers a choice between an electronic shifter and a regular grip shifter.
This hub has a bigger gear range (554%) and fewer gears than a Kindernay. This results in rather large gear steps of 23.8%, almost twice that of the Kindernay or Rohloff hubs.
Large gear steps like this are indicative that 3×3 is targetting the electric bike market. As e-bikes accelerate faster, it’s not uncommon to find yourself changing two or three gears at once on a typical drivetrain. Larger gear steps ultimately mean less shifting is required on eBikes, however, it also makes the hub less suitable for standard bikes as you might find yourself ‘in between gears’ more frequently.
Another indication that the hub is designed around eBikes is that it will handle 250Nm of input torque from a mid-drive motor. This is significantly more than both Kindernay (160Nm) and Rohloff (130Nm).
Interestingly, the 3×3 hub is lubricated with grease instead of oil. This lubrication choice has allowed 3×3 to reduce the hub maintenance. The grease change interval is a lengthy 25,000km, a figure five times further than the oil-change interval of a Rohloff hub (5000km).
Another fascinating German-made gear hub that’s available for pre-order is the Revolute Hub1.
This six-speed hub has been primarily designed around eBike use, so it too can handle 250Nm input torque. This hub has a narrower gear range (400%) than most gearboxes, and larger gear steps too (30%+).
An interesting feature of the Revolute hub is that it doesn’t spin backward! This means that when you stop on a hill, you do not need to pull your brakes to prevent the bike from rolling backward. This will be especially handy with heavily laden cargo bikes but could be nice on a regular bike too.
These are notably quiet in operation, well-priced, and generally reliable. I really like the electronic shifting versions, which help to boost the reliability of the hub, and you can pair these hubs with the excellent Shimano Di2 drop bar shifters on a gravel or commuter bike.
Summary
The modular design of the Kindernay was nifty, the hubs were lightweight, and the hydraulic trigger shifter was a neat alternative to the usual grip shifter.
It’s sad to see Kindernay file for bankruptcy. I hope a sale of the assets and rights to the hub comes to fruition, and that the hubs can live on through another company.
Luckily for consumers, there are still a handful of other high-quality internal gear hubs available. For alternatives similar to Kindernay, I’d recommend looking into Rohloff, 3X3, Revolute, and Shimano Alfine hubs.
Internal gear bicycle hubs have been commercially available since 1898, and are typically found on bicycles used for transport, rather than high-performance sport.
They are a great alternative to derailleur gears, as they still offer multiple gear ratios, however, the critical drive components are all sealed away from the elements. This results in an incredibly low-maintenance drivetrain, that not only lasts longer but is less susceptible to damage.
Internal gear hubs normally use planetary gear sets to achieve different gear ratios, and you can get them with up to 14 different gears. These gears can be spread across a range even wider than a 1X MTB drivetrain.
You can also get continuously variable transmission hubs that have not just 14 gears, but an infinite number of gears between two set points.
In this article, we will examine the advantages and disadvantages of the Enviolo CVT hubs. We will later compare these hubs to the gold standard of planetary gear hubs (the Rohloff hub) as well as the closer-matched Shimano hubs. And lastly, I’ll explain exactly how this CVT hub works.
But first, what is a bicycle CVT?
What is a Bicycle CVT?
A bicycle CVT is a type of gearbox that eliminates the steps between each of your gears. Instead of shifting from your first gear to second, and second to third, the transition between gears is completely seamless, creating the smoothest shifting possible, and allowing you to ride at your perfect cadence – or crank rotation speed.
CVTs are common in industrial and automotive applications but are uncommon on bicycles. However, there are significant advantages to a bicycle CVT including a very user-friendly design, gear changes while stationary, no gear skipping, and an eerily silent operation.
And when paired with electronic shifting, you can even achieve fully automated shifting that keeps your legs spinning at your preferred cadence, no matter the speed, and without you even having to think about it.
So, where did this CVT technology come from?
NuVinci to Enviolo
A hub called the NuVinci 171 was released in 2006 by Fallbrook Technologies. At the time, it was about four kilograms (8.8lb), which was more than twice as heavy as any other gear hub.
Over time, the hubs were refined, the weight was brought down by 40%, the gear range was increased, and the hubs were engineered for a broader range of applications.
NuVinci was later rebranded to Enviolo as part of a bankruptcy restructuring.
These days the company is thriving. Over two million bicycles now use their CVT hubs, including many in bike share fleets around the world. You can find Enviolo-equipped bikes from over 150 different bike brands and a third of those use electronic shifting.
I’ve already touched on some of the advantages of internal gear hubs and CVTs, but it wouldn’t be a CyclingAbout article without a deep-dive analysis.
Advantages of Enviolo CVT Hubs
The User-Friendly Design
The big drawcard of a CVT hub is its user-friendly design. There is just one rotary shifter, and it’s highly intuitive to use. If you feel like your legs are spinning too fast, you wind the shifter one way, and if your legs are struggling up a hill, you wind it the other. It’s really as simple as that.
In addition, the Enviolo hubs can be shifted at any time (including while stationary) so it doesn’t ever matter if you’ve forgotten to shift.
The Instant and Stepless Gearing
As soon as you rotate the shifter, the CVT is instantly engaged. You never have to wait for any gear changes, and there is no chance of your chain skipping between gears.
The step-less gearing also ensures you’re never stuck in between gear ratios. This means your cadence can always be exactly as you desire.
The Electronic Shifting
If you use an eBike with a mid-motor, both electronic shifting, and automatic gear changes are possible.
First, you set your desired cadence in RPM on your smartphone (or eBike display). Then the motor and shifter will work together to automatically keep you at your perfect RPM – no matter the cycling speed.
And when you stop at traffic lights, the shifter will also put you in the perfect gear for take-off.
In addition, this system allows for ‘manual’ gear shifting in 5% increments simply by pressing up and down on the thumb buttons. This is particularly useful for riders who still want gear control, but have hand or wrist impairments. It’s also a great upgrade over the manual shifter too, for reasons we’ll discuss in the disadvantages section.
It’s worth noting that an electronic shifting retrofit is also possible on some eBike and hub combinations.
The Smooth and Silent Operation
Most internal gear hubs generate noise as the planetary gears are whirring away inside the hub body. Some hubs have more internal noise and vibrations than others, and there are even hubs out there that constantly tick while you pedal.
The Enviolo is the most silent gear hub of the lot – you almost never hear it working underneath you.
The Reduced Susceptibility to Damage
As there is no derailleur to knock or get things caught in, the Enviolo drivetrains are much less susceptible to damage. This is one reason why they’re so popular for bike fleets.
The Suitability For All Weather Conditions
Compared to derailleur gears, the Enviolo gear components are all hidden away and sealed from the elements. This reduces both component wear and drivetrain maintenance significantly.
The hubs can also be used down to -20° Celsius as well as in the planet’s hottest conditions.
The Low Maintenance Design
Incredibly, the Enviolo hubs are sealed for the life of the bike they are operating on. That means zero oil changes and zero bearing changes too.
The hub comes with a guarantee for 20,000km of use, but some users have reported exceeding 80,000km, which is similar to some Shimano Alfine or Nexus hubs.
The only maintenance required is cable replacements for the rotary shifter and possibly a service of the freewheel mechanism too.
The Relative Affordability
Compared to other gear hub options, the Enviolo products are considered affordable. And when you factor in the reduced need to replace worn components – these hubs become even more reasonably priced.
There are currently six different Enviolo hubs with prices starting at US $199 and maxing out at US $499. There is even a gearbox with a sprocket on both sides that’s intended for three-wheel cargo bikes.
When you spend more money, you essentially get a wider gear range, and more premium hub shell and internal components. You also get a higher input torque rating and hubs that can be fitted to heavier bikes.
The best way to compare Enviolo hubs is to look at the spec sheets on the website.
The Reduction in Chain Hassle
Provided you keep up your chain tension, you will also never experience dropped chains, skipping chains or chain slapping on your frame. It’s all the benefits of a single-speed bike but with infinite gear ratios.
The Belt Drive Compatibility
Better yet, you can pair Enviolo hubs with smooth and silent belt drivetrains. You’ve probably already noticed that most Enviolo-equipped bikes come with belts.
That’s because belt drive works out to be lower maintenance than chain drive, as it doesn’t require any grease or lubrication. As a result, belts stay very clean – you’ll never get black muck on your hands or pants ever again.
Belts also don’t rust, don’t stretch, and are very long-lasting too. Most cyclists go years without needing to replace a belt or sprocket. I’ve recently put 35,000km (22,000mi) into a belt drivetrain, which is more than three times further than I’d expect from a well cared for chain.
But if you prefer a lower-cost chain drivetrain, remember that you can fit a chain case with an Enviolo hub. This keeps water and grit away from your chain, and will likely double its wear life.
The Stronger Rear Wheels
Enviolo hub flanges are both the same height and are spaced equally from the frame on both sides. Unlike a typical cassette hub, this results in even spoke tension, building the strongest wheel possible.
The High Input Torque Rating
High-torque eBike motors are a great way to damage internal gear hubs. The good news is that the Enviolo hubs are rated up to 100Nm input torque, which is higher than the Shimano Nexus 5-speed hub (85Nm).
Some manufacturers such as EVELO have found the Enviolo Trekking hub will comfortably handle a 600-watt, 120Nm motor. According to the company, Enviolo hubs are their most reliable gear system with less than a 1% warranty replacement rate. They have so much confidence in the hubs they even extend the warranty duration.
Right, after all that I probably sound like a spokesperson for Enviolo, so we need to look at the disadvantages too.
Disadvantages of Enviolo CVT Hubs
The Drive Efficiency
Image: FahrradZukunft.de
When you put pedal power into the Enviolo hub, some of that power is lost through the transmission.
Most internal gear hubs are somewhere between 3% and 7% less efficient than a perfectly clean and lubricated derailleur drivetrain (on average). In comparison, the Enviolo CVT hub is around 14% less efficient (on average).
Now, I know 14% sounds like a lot, but this is really not a big deal for many users, notably those who use their bikes for transport. And the benefit of always using the perfect cadence might even outweigh the drive efficiency loss.
When using a regular bike on a 5km flat trip along a bike path, I’ve calculated you might lose 20 seconds over 11 minutes compared to a Shimano internal gear hub (200W @ 100kg weight, gear 6). And if you were to use an eBike, you could expect slightly less range from your battery. But we’re talking a handful of kilometres here compared to other gearboxes – it’s nothing drastic.
This is obviously no big deal for short urban trips, but the battery range or time penalty might of course add up for long-distance use.
The Weight
These hubs are around 800 grams (1.8lbs) heavier than a Shimano Alfine internal gear hub with a similar gear range. And they are around 700 grams heavier than a Rohloff hub that offers a much wider gear range.
Now, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: bike weight affects cycling speed much less than you think. This is because 800 extra grams is likely just 1 or 2% extra weight to your overall system weight (body+bike+gear).
When we run the calculations, this weight difference will barely slow you down on the flat, and in the hills, it’s likely just a one or two-minute penalty per 100km of cycling.
Where weight becomes more important is if you frequently carry your bike up and down stairs.
The Heavy Shift Actuation
Some people find the Enviolo manual shifter to be quite stiff to rotate. And it’s even harder to change gears when the shifter gets wet.
If you have hand or wrist issues, the Shimano Alfine hubs with a trigger or Di2 shifter might be the better option. Or if you’re planning on using an eBike anyway, simply choose the Enviolo electronic shifter.
The Fast-Wearing Shift Cables
Image: Auren Bikes
The Enviolo hub when coupled with the manual shifter is notoriously tough on cables. However, the duration the cables stay in good working condition is usually based on how smoothly and carefully you shift.
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when shifting.
Firstly, make sure to back off on your pedal power for a split second to make your shifts. This takes a bit of time to master but becomes second nature in no time. Doing this allows the internal hub components to move with ease, putting less strain on your cables.
Secondly, you don’t want to force the shifting. You often cannot rotate the shifter across the full gear range when your bike is stationary, so only rotate it as much as the hub will allow. It’s also quite easy to strain the cables by rotating the shifter past the highest and lowest shift points, so try to be aware of these limits.
And lastly, maintain your cables! This involves keeping them clean and lubricated, making sure the cables have the appropriate tension, and checking for any sharp bends in the external housing.
If you keep these things in mind, your cables can last for years.
The Wheel Removal
Rear wheel removal is not quite as easy on an Enviolo bike.
With the electronic shifting, you just pull the connector cable and can remove your wheel with a spanner or Allen keys (depending on the hub model).
It’s a bit trickier with the manual shifter because two cables must be unhooked from the hub interface before dropping your wheel. Also, make sure to avoid bumping the hub interface as you can accidentally reduce the gear range of your hub.
If the hub interface is moved, the Enviolo channel has a video showing you how to reset it.
The Low Gear That’s Not That Low
The Enviolo hubs require a minimum front-to-rear sprocket ratio of 2:1. This results in a climbing speed of 8kph when you’re pedalling at 60RPM or a low gear of approximately 28 gear inches.
To put this into context, the climbing speed on many mountain bikes is often 30 to 40% lower. And even lightweight gravel bikes have a 10% lower climbing gear.
While this climbing gear is perfectly adequate for most urban uses, if you’re planning on cycling in hilly terrain without electric assistance (think 10% or steeper), the Enviolo climbing gear is likely not low enough.
The Gear Range
The gear range of the Enviolo hubs is between 256% and 380%. This simply means the top gear is 2.56 times (or 3.8x) bigger than the smallest gear.
To put these numbers into context, modern derailleur drivetrains exceed 500% gear range, and there are gearbox drivetrains that even exceed 600%.
Again, a smaller gear range works for most urban environments. That’s especially the case if you have electric assistance. Where it becomes a bit limited is if you want to climb both steep hills and have the gears for high-speed cruising too.
The Need To Send Away Enviolo Hubs For Repair
The Enviolo hubs are not a typical product found in bicycle stores outside of Europe, so you might need to send your hub to a service centre for repair. And yes, there is a big service centre in the United States.
In other regions, the bike companies that sell Enviolo-equipped bikes are usually able to help.
But it’s worth noting that problems with the hubs are quite uncommon, and most issues can usually be solved by changing the shifter or replacing the cables and/or freewheel mechanism.
Right, let’s find out what the extra US $1000 gets you if you were to upgrade to a Rohloff hub.
Enviolo Hub vs. Rohloff Hub
In short, buying a Rohloff ensures a longer-lasting hub, that’s lighter, much more efficient, and with both lower and higher gear ratios. It will also handle more torque from a mid-mount eBike motor.
Rohloff hubs are known for their long-term durability – there is even a Rohloff out there that has travelled 500,000km, which is five to ten times further than you can expect from an Enviolo.
When it comes to drive efficiency, the Rohloff has been tested to be over 94% efficient across its entire gear range compared to Enviolo’s 83% (average). With all things being equal, this results in around a 1.5kph difference in speed on the flat (200w, 100kg total weight) making the Rohloff undoubtedly the best option for long-distance use. It’s also the best way to get the maximum range from a battery.
The Rohloff also offers a 526% gear range compared to Enviolo’s 380%. This allows you to ride at both much lower and higher speeds.
The lowest permissible gear ratio can be set considerably lower on a Rohloff, making steeper hills much easier to conquer. In fact, the lowest permissible gear on the Enviolo is the equivalent of the sixth gear on a Rohloff!
The Rohloff is not only 700 grams lighter but it will handle up to 130Nm from a mid-drive eBike motor. In comparison, it’s 100Nm with some Enviolos.
There are more shifter options with the Rohloff too. If you want to use drop bars, you have the option between Cinq integrated shifters or even SRAM shifting using the Gebla Rohbox. And if you use an eBike, the Rohloff has electronic shifting too.
I hope you can now see where the value lies in a Rohloff hub. But the advantages of the Enviolo should not be taken lightly. The hub is quieter, more user-friendly, has automatic shifting, requires zero oil changes, and is offered at a fantastic price.
A fairer comparison might be to the Shimano hubs…
Enviolo Hub vs. Shimano Hubs
When we compare the Enviolo to the Shimano hubs, we get a much closer match-up in terms of price (US $200-500), gear range (409% vs 380%), lowest permissible gear ratio, and long-term durability (both around 80,000km).
It could be said that the Shimano feels snappier and sportier with its distinct gear changes, and the 800-gram weight saving helps in this regard too.
The drive efficiency difference is around 7%, which results in a 1kph faster cycling speed on the flat for the Alfine hub (200w, 100kg total weight, flat road).
The Alfine also uses a trigger shifter, which is often preferred over the Enviolo’s rotary shifter. And you don’t need an eBike to use the electronic shifting options for Shimano hubs too.
That said, the Shimano hubs are a bit noisier, the gears can skip if you don’t maintain the cables well, the auto shifting is not as seamless, the input torque rating is lower (85Nm), and the hubs require regular grease or oil changes.
And finally, let’s go inside the Enviolo hubs to see how they work.
We are looking at the hub from the back of the bike, so the sprocket is on the right side, and the disc rotor is on the left.
Here you can see the main shift components: there are two rings and a set of large metal spheres that sit on an idler. The input ring on the right side is connected to the rear sprocket, which is driven by your legs. And the output ring on the left side is what propels your bike forward.
Power from your pedals moves from your rear sprocket to the first ring, then into the spheres, and then from the spheres to the second ring, and finally to the wheel.
One reason why Enviolo hubs are somewhat inefficient is due to the metal spheres that are moving in a slightly different direction (and at slightly different speeds) to the two rings. This is known as “contact spin”.
Interestingly, these components are not directly touching. Instead, a specially-designed oil passes through microscopic spaces between the components, solidifying momentarily under pressure, and transferring the pedal power. This is why there is such little wear inside Enviolo hubs, and why you don’t need to service them.
To understand how this hub achieves its infinite gear ratios, we need to take a closer look at the spheres.
When you twist the shifter at the handlebar, the idler on the axle tilts the spheres. This changes the contact patch size on the spheres that the rings interact with.
When the contact patch is large on the right side and small on the left side, the wheel will spin slower than the rear sprocket (underdrive). When the contact patch is small on the right side and large on the left side, the wheel will spin faster than the rear sprocket (overdrive). And when the contact patches are identical on both sides, the wheel and sprocket will move at the same speed (1:1).
Summary
Congratulations, you now know virtually everything about Enviolo hubs, including how they work!
I think these hubs are super cool. They are intuitive to use, require little maintenance, are super silent, and the fact that they’re priced well only makes them more appealing. Even as a very experienced cyclist, the Automatiq gear shifting was an absolute delight to use.
Yes, the hubs are a bit heavy and inefficient. But for many user groups, I’m not really sure that matters.
If you’re after the best-performing and longest-lasting hub, you will still be best served with a Rohloff. And for a sportier ride experience, as well as more shifter options, I think the Shimano hubs are the way to go.
New bicycle gearboxes are coming onto the market quicker than at any time in history.
Until recently, Rohloff was the only gear hub option that you needed to know about. Some Rohloff customers have ridden more than 430,000km on their hubs, which is a testament to the excellent engineering behind the product.
The next wave of gearboxes is currently being developed around e-Bike use, and what you’ll see today is only the tip of the iceberg.
Mid-drive e-Bike motors put a lot of strain on derailleur drivetrains, resulting in faster component wear. As a result, you can expect to see many more low-maintenance, hassle-free, and robust gearboxes coming soon.
Let’s take a closer look at the latest offerings.
3×3 Nine Hub
The 3×3 Nine internal gear hub is a neat new option for eBikes. Image: 3×3.bike
3×3 is a new brand by engineering company HB-Hightech, and their first bike product is a nine-speed internal gear hub.
Alright, here are the numbers on this German-built gearbox. It offers a 554% gear range, which is wider than both the Rohloff (526%) and Kindernay hubs (543%). This means that when we peg the lowest gears of all of these hubs, you’ll have the ability to ride at a slightly higher speed with the 3×3 hub.
However, there are fewer gears across this gear range, resulting in gear steps of a rather large 23.76%. This is almost twice as much as Rohloff (13.6%) or Kindernay (13.9%), so it’s clear that 3×3 is targetting the electric bike market with their hub. As e-Bikes accelerate faster, it’s not uncommon to find yourself changing 2 or 3 gears at once. The larger gear steps solve this problem but make the hub less suitable for regular bikes.
The 3×3 hub is around 2kg/4.4lb, which is a touch heavier than both Rohloff and Kindernay. But the hub is also rated for 250Nm input torque, which is significantly higher than both of those (130 and 160Nm, respectively). That means you can run a very powerful mid-drive motor if you like.
The 3×3 Nine hub on display at Eurobike 2022.
Interestingly, the hub is lubricated with grease instead of oil.
Why did 3×3 choose grease? They are hoping their hub doesn’t need any maintenance for 25,000km. That’s five times further than Rohloff recommended for their routine oil changes. I should note that greasing the 3×3 hub will be more labour-intensive than the simple oil changes of the Rohloff, but it’s nice that it doesn’t need to be tinkered with as often.
Those who have read my Alfine hub resource know that if internal gear hubs are not grease-packed appropriately for wet environments, water can and will work its way into the hub shell. This is one of the downsides of grease lubrication, so let’s hope the 3×3 hubs are well-sealed from the factory.
Additionally, grease is a bit less fluid than oil in the sub-zero temperature parts of the world, which can result in gears sticking and a reduced drive efficiency too. Hopefully, 3×3 chooses suitable grease for the coldest regions.
The 3×3 Nine electronic shifter.
There is an electronic shifter available that’s wirelessly controlled. This can connect to an internal battery in the frame or directly to an e-Bike’s power supply. Alternatively, a twist shifter can be used, which looks to fit on both drop bars and flat bars.
The hub will fit both quick-release frames and those with 142/148mm thru-axles. You’ll find the 3×3 hubs fitted to a range of bikes next year and will later be able to order one separately.
Revolute Hub1
A prototype Revolute Hub1 was built into a wheel for testing. Image: Revolute.de
Another cool German-made gear hub that’s coming soon is the Revolute Hub1. This is a six-speed hub with a gear range of 400%, resulting in gear steps of over 30%, making it best suited to e-Bikes.
This hub has a few unique features.
Revolute says that the Hub1 is the only gear hub that allows you to shift properly under a load. It’s also the only hub that uses helical gears, although the Shimano Alfine 11-speed uses a mix of helical and spur gears.
Helical gears have angled teeth that engage more smoothly and silently. Image: Revolute.de
The advantage of helical gears is that they are especially quiet. This is because angled gears distribute pressure gradually along the whole tooth, and this gradual engagement allows them to engage much more smoothly and silently. In comparison, spur gear teeth contact straight away and hold together for a longer period of time.
So, why don’t all gear hubs use smooth and silent helical gears?
It’s mostly because they are a bit less efficient. As the gears mesh, they also push apart from each other (axial thrust), which generates an increase in friction (heat). The difference in efficiency isn’t huge, but internal gear hubs are already less efficient than derailleurs, so every little bit counts…
The Revolute Hub1 looks nice all anodised in blue. Image: Revolute.de
…. until now. With batteries and motors, we can easily mask the slight efficiency loss here. That’s why noticeably less efficient CVT hubs like the Enviolo are popular on e-Bikes, but a bit of a drag on regular bikes.
Another interesting feature of the Revolute hub is that it doesn’t spin backwards! This means that when you stop on a hill, you do not need to pull your brakes to prevent the bike from rolling backwards. This will be especially handy with heavily-laden cargo bikes but would be nice on a regular bike too.
The Revolute Hub1 comes with a neutral gear to help manoeuvre your bike. Image: Revolute.de
In terms of bike manoeuvrability, you’d think a one-direction hub is impractical. Well, Revolute has gone and added a neutral gear. You can access neutral by pushing the safety button on the shifter and downshifting beyond the first gear.
As the rear hub doesn’t spin backwards, it’s a requirement to have a freewheel at the crankset to move your pedals backwards – that’s whether you use an e-Bike or not.
Like the 3×3 hub, the Revolute will handle a monstrous 250Nm of torque, making it ideal for almost any mid-drive e-Bike. The hub is around 2kg as a result, which is on the heavy side for a 6-speed. Consider that the Kindernay 7-speed is 40% lighter in comparison.
Unlike the 3×3 hub, the Revolute runs on a more common oil lubrication system. The oil change intervals are 5000km like most similar hub designs.
The Revolute uses standard six-bolt rotors and even the 9-spline cogs from a HG cassette body. The straight pull spoke design looks cool but makes spoke replacement a bit easier too. It’s available for quick release or thru-axles, and the price will be around 1200 Euros.
Pinion Smart Shift Gearboxes
The Pinion Smart Shift gearbox is all-new for 2023. Image: Pinion.eu
Pinion has been producing 6, 9, 12 and 18 speed gearboxes for over a decade now, but has only just got around to introducing electronic shifting. This new electronic trigger shifter is unfortunately not backwards-compatible for current Pinion gearbox owners and is only available for e-Bikes.
The Smart Shift gearboxes are actually an all-new product for Pinion. They are internally different to the existing P and C-line gearboxes as they require a different shifting mechanism and various sensors. But they are based on the lighter and narrower C-line gearboxes. There will be 6, 9 and 12-speed versions.
The Pinion TE1 is the first trigger shifter from Pinion. Image: Pinion.eu
The new shifter offers lightning-fast shifting speeds and a lighter shifting action too. It has a grippy rubberised button surface for your thumb and haptic buttons so you know precisely when you’ve made your shift. Additionally, you can customise the buttons to shift how you like. The inbuilt gearbox sensors then allow you to know your gear indication on the LED display.
There is an automatic start gear feature that allows you to choose a desired gear that is automatically engaged when the bike is stationary. This means that you’ll always have the perfect take-off gear.
With this level of tech, I think we can assume that automatic gear shifting is likely in the works.
Intradrive Gearbox Powertrain
A prototype Intradrive 8-speed gearbox and motor. Image: Intra-Drive.com
Intradrive is a Scottish company that has been working for six years full-time on an integrated gearbox and motor unit.
Their prototype gearbox offers eight gears across a 430% gear range, resulting in gear steps of around 23%. This is essentially the same gear range and gear steps as a SRAM Ex1 derailleur drivetrain, however, the main difference is that the large spur gears are protected from the elements inside a sealed oil bath enclosure.
One of the coolest things about this British-built drive unit is that it can be attached to any bike built for Shimano EP8 motors. Even the 630Wh Intradrive battery will be developed to fit the Shimano battery mounting points. This means that bike manufacturers can fit the full powertrain to existing bike models, and current Shimano EP8 users can easily make the switch too.
Intradrive integrates a motor and gearbox into the same volume as a Shimano EP8 motor. Rather impressive. Image: Intra-Drive.com
One of the biggest advantages of this system is that it will wear through fewer drivetrain components. It will also reduce the unsprung mass at the rear wheel of full suspension bikes, improving the weight distribution and suspension performance compared to derailleurs, but even more so when compared to the internal gear hubs I’ve previously discussed.
The motor will offer upwards of 75Nm of torque, which is lower than similar integrated motor/gearbox systems but keep in mind that this gearbox is pitched towards mountain bikes, rather than cargo bikes.
The shifting will be electronic, with the potential to run the gearbox and motor using automatic shifting.
With Intradrive showing that an integrated gearbox and motor can fit onto standard frame mounts – I’d like to predict that we will see something similar from Pinion in the coming years. After all, Valeo and Effigear have been testing their motor for a few years now.
Classified Powershift Gear Hubs
An exploded view of the Classified Powershift hub. Image: Classified-Cycling.cc
I’ve been looking for an excuse to talk about Classified hubs for a little while, and I think now is my time.
These planetary hubs are a two-speed design and offer the same functionality as a front derailleur. If you fit a 48-tooth chainring up front, you get an effective 33-tooth chainring when using the reduction gear in the hub.
Classified hubs were originally released with complete gravel bikes a year ago, then as complete carbon wheelsets from the company itself. Now, Classified has partnered with Enve, DT Swiss, Mavic and more wheel brands to make their hub more accessible.
A closer look at the Classified Powershift Hub’s planetary gears. Image: Classified-Cycling.cc
The hub uses a thru-axle design and it’s the axle that receives the wireless signal to shift. Classified says that the efficiency in the reduction gear is very high (99%), you can make shifts at 1000-watts power output, and the shifts are almost instantaneous – faster than any front derailleur.
The reason these hubs are great is that you get the simplicity and range of a 1X drivetrain but without the large gear steps of a wide-range cassette. This means you can stay closer to your preferred pedal cadence at a broad range of speeds.
Classified drivetrains also ditch the incredibly inefficient 9 and 10 tooth cogs that are typically found on 1X cassettes, and are designed around larger and more efficient front chainrings too.
I’m actually excited most about the soon-to-be-released MTB version, allowing off-road riders who ride on flatter terrain to fit smaller cassettes (ie. 11-40t) instead of the ubiquitous 10-52t models currently on offer.
Summary
3×3 Nine hubs will be available on Nicolai full-suspension and gravel bikes in 2023. Image: 3×3.bike
I hope these new gearboxes got you a little bit more excited about this quickly evolving drivetrain tech.
Let me know in the comments if you come across any prototype gearbox drivetrains in development, as it would be great to analyse their designs in future articles.
I’ve analysed many of the top-tier bicycle gearboxes on this website, but have spent little time discussing the Shimano Alfine internal gear hubs that offer almost unbelievable value for money.
So, how good is a $199 Shimano hub? And should you switch from your derailleur gear system to an internal gear hub?
I will answer all of this and much more in this in-depth Shimano Alfine resource.
By the way, according to Shimano, it’s not pronounced Al-fine or Al-feen. It’s Al-fee-nay.
I’ve actually spent many years using and abusing Alfine hubs, including on a mountain bike that I built specifically for wet and muddy conditions. But over the last decade, I’ve been riding around the world on expensive Rohloff hubs. With a good handle on both gear systems, I’ll be drawing comparisons between these hubs throughout this presentation.
Advantages of Internal Gear Hubs
Internal gear hubs replace the derailleur gears on a bicycle, and you can actually remove your derailleur drivetrain from your bike and fit one up right now.
Internal gear hubs usually offer between 3 and 14 different gear ratios that are hidden inside a weather-sealed hub shell. As a result, you get a significant reduction in drivetrain maintenance, and with fewer components exposed to the elements, a reduction in running costs too.
For example, I’ve known Shimano hubs ($199) to have worked well for around 90,000km (56,000mi). Add in the nine chains ($63), six rear sprockets ($18) and three front sprockets ($33) that your drivetrain will wear through over 90,000km, and you’re looking at US $313 to ride more than twice the circumference of Earth!
Additionally, should you crash or drop your bike, there is no rear derailleur (or hanger) to put out of alignment, or worse, destroy.
Other nice features include the ability to shift gears while stationary, and the rear wheel can also be built stronger thanks to the shorter spokes and even spoke tension.
To cut down on drivetrain maintenance further, you can pair gear hubs with belt drivetrains. These drivetrains are cleaner, quieter and longer-lasting. In fact, they can last upwards of 30,000km. I’ve been riding belt drivetrains across multiple continents for over a decade, and have worn through just four belts in that time.
In terms of gear hub manufacturers, Rohloff and Kinderney make very expensive hubs that, in many circumstances, can outperform derailleurs. Sturmey Archer has manufactured IGH hubs for over a century, and Shimano is easily the biggest manufacturer of gear hubs on the planet.
The Shimano Alfine IGH
Shimano released their first internal gear hub in 1957 and has slowly built on their multi-speed hub designs ever since.
The Alfine series components come under the “urban” umbrella in Shimano’s product range, and they’re the highest-quality internal gear hubs that Shimano manufactures. You can get Alfine hubs with either 8 or 11 gears, and they are only compatible with regular 135mm dropouts (sorry, thru-axle frame owners).
These hubs offer unparalleled value for money. You can find the 8-speed hubs for less than US $200 and the 11-speed hubs under US $400. That’s significantly cheaper than a Rohloff 14-speed hub (US $1500).
The low cost of the Alfine products also translates into complete bikes that are very well priced. For about US $1000 or €1000 you can get an 8-speed bike with a belt drivetrain that’s fully decked out and ready to go.
Keep an eye out for bikes with Shimano Nexus 8-speed hubs too, as these hubs are virtually identical to the Alfine 8-speed with the exception of the brake types available.
So, what’s the difference between the 8-speed and 11-speed Alfine hubs?
Shimano Alfine 8 vs. Shimano Alfine 11
Gear Range
The gear range of the 8-speed hub is 306% and the 11-speed hub is 409%.
This simply means that the biggest gear ratio is 3.06x times bigger than the smallest ratio on the Alfine 8, and it’s 4.09x bigger on the Alfine 11.
With bigger gear ranges, we can pedal our bikes across a broader range of speeds, which is especially handy for pedalling downhill or with a stiff tailwind.
To understand this concept a bit better, let’s set the lowest Alfine gears so that they have you spinning the cranks at 60RPM at 8.4 km/h. The wider gear range of the 11-speed hub will allow you to pedal up to 57 km/h (100RPM) in the top gear, while the 8-speed hub will only take you up to 43 km/h.
Gear Steps
The numbers in the red box are the percentage difference in gear ratio when you change your gears.
Gear steps are the percentage difference in gear ratio when you change your gears.
A bike with smaller gear steps is particularly nice at higher speeds, as you can better fine-tune your gears to achieve the cadence (crank revolutions per minute) you’re most comfortable riding.
The Shimano Alfine 8 averages 17% gear steps across its gear range. To give you a sense of how this compares to a derailleur drivetrain, it’s a bit higher than a 1×12 mountain bike drivetrain (SRAM 10-52t, 15% gear steps).
In comparison, with the exception of the first gear (which is an unusually large gear step of 29%), the Alfine 11 averages a much smaller 13.5%. This is more like a 1×11 gravel bike cassette with 11-42 tooth sprockets (13% gear steps).
It’s worth noting that the 11-speed hubs offer consistent gear steps throughout their range. In comparison, the 8-speed hub has 14% to 22% steps between the gears, which means that gear changes won’t feel quite as predictable.
Lubrication System
When Shimano launched the 11-speed hub, they showed off the new oil bath lubrication system using a clear plastic hub shell.
The Alfine 11-speed hub operates inside an oil bath. The big advantage of this design is that it is hard for water and debris to make their way inside the hub shell.
The downside is that oil slowly leaks out of the side, so you will need to wipe everything down regularly.
In comparison, the Alfine 8-speed rolls on thicker greases and oils. This is a pretty fuss-free design, although if it’s not grease-packed appropriately for wet environments, water can and will work its way into the hub.
Drive Efficiency
This chart shows the drive efficiency of different internal gear hubs. The percentage on the y-axis shows hubs can be as low as 78% efficient and as high as 97%. Image: FahrradZukunft
Both Shimano Alfine hubs achieve around 90% drive efficiency on average.
This is approximately 5-7% less efficient than a clean and well-lubricated derailleur drivetrain. But note that this doesn’t mean you’ll be 5-7% slower on an Alfine bike – when you do the maths, it’s close to 2%, or a minute per hour when compared to a well-lubricated derailleur drivetrain.
That said, in poor weather conditions, the Alfine hubs can work out more efficiently, as there are fewer places in the drivetrain for mud and debris to get caught.
Shimano Alfine Hub Weight
This English Cycles Alfine build is under 8kg.
The Alfine gear hubs both weigh around 1700 grams (3.75lb) while regular rear bike hubs are often under 500 grams (1.1lb).
It might sound like an Alfine hub will add a significant amount of weight to a bike, but when we peg Alfine bikes against derailleur bikes at similar price points, we often end up with a weight penalty of less than half a kilogram (<1.1lb).
The lightest Alfine bike I’ve ever seen was just 7.6kg (16.7lb) – it’s pictured above.
Shimano Alfine vs. Rohloff Speedhub
The Rohloff hub is considered the gold standard of internal gear hubs – literally, in the case of this one-of-two 24 Karat gold hub.
Rohloff hubs are generally considered the gold standard of internal gear hubs as they are built incredibly well and experience very few failures.
They also offer 14 gears across a 526% gear range, which is about the same as a modern mountain bike drivetrain (1X drivetrain with a 10-52T cassette). In addition, they’ve been tested to be around 4% more efficient than the Alfine hubs across the gear range.
There is even a guy out there who has cycled 430,000km on a Rohloff hub, which is about five times the life expectancy of an Alfine hub.
Rob English’s custom Alfine commuter bike.
These are all great characteristics, but the Shimano Alfine hubs are actually better in a number of ways. In fact, on balance, I think the Alfine is the best hub for most people.
So, what’s better about the Alfine hubs?
The biggest reason for me is that they run significantly quieter, especially in the lower gear ratios. The Rohloff hub is particularly noisy in gears 5, 6 and 7.
The price is more than US $1000 less than a Rohloff setup, resulting in a great price-to-performance ratio.
Alfine hubs are built around a trigger shifter, which many people prefer over Rohloff’s twist shifter design.
You can use some Alfine hubs with electronic shifters that will complete perfect shifts every time as there is no cable housing that can be affected by grime or grit.
Alfine hubs also tend to be better for drop-bar bikes as they’re compatible with various aftermarket shifters or the Shimano Di2 electronic shift levers.
Shimano Alfine Electronic Shifting
Ok, I’ve just mentioned that Alfine hubs are excellent thanks to their electronic shifting, so let’s take a closer look at these components.
You might be thinking that Di2 electronic shifting is a bit of a gimmick, but when you understand how Alfine hubs shift, it can definitely be worthwhile.
This is because it’s the shifter that controls the alignment of the planetary gears in an Alfine hub. That means that improper cable adjustment and dirty or damaged cables can prevent the hub’s internal components from engaging properly, which can result in gear slipping, grinding, or worse – internal components breaking inside the hub and making a mess of things.
Electronic shifters make perfect shifts every time, ensuring you do not damage anything inside the hub from improper cable maintenance. Out of the two Alfine hubs, electronic shifters make the most sense on the 11-speed model, as the cable adjustment is especially sensitive.
It’s worth noting that you cannot upgrade Alfine hubs from a mechanical shifter to an electronic shifter. The Di2 hub design is different.
Electronic shifters are also nice on drop-bar bikes, as you can easily pair them with Shimano hydraulic brakes for an ultra-low-maintenance brake setup too. Additionally, the Di2 drop bar levers can be programmed in a number of ways. You can change the buttons so that your left-hand shifts down and your right-hand shifts up. And you can hold the buttons and shift multiple gears at once.
How Do Shimano Alfine Hubs Feel In Comparison To Rohloff Hubs?
I’ve used and abused a number of Alfine and Rohloff hubs, including on this ride through Peru.
In terms of ride feel, the Alfine hubs are ‘spongy’ compared to Rohloff hubs due to the use of roller clutches inside the hub.
You can actually see how much forward movement there is in the hub when you step on the pedals from a stationary position. When riding, this is only noticeable if you mash your pedals at a slow cadence. It’s not at all noticeable at higher cadences.
The gear steps are quite similar between the Rohloff and Alfine 11 for the most part (13.6%). The thing you might miss is the extra-wide gear range of the Rohloff (526%).
The shifting on Alfine hubs is incredibly fast when the shift cable and cassette joint are running perfectly. But when either of these components gets muddy or gritty, shifting is not as instantaneous as a Rohloff hub. The Rohloff holds the advantage here as the gear indexing is inside the hub, rather than from the shifter.
Are Shimano Alfine Hubs Suitable For Touring & Bikepacking?
Specialized once built a touring bike called the AWOL Transcontinental. These days, there are few touring bikes with Shimano Alfine hubs.
You will find lots of people who have successfully completed bike trips on Shimano Alfine hubs. In fact, the around the world record was once set on a Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub!
But there are two things that prevent me from recommending Alfine hubs to all bike travellers. Please note that these ‘issues’ do not apply to everybody in every situation.
Low Climbing Gears
Low climbing gears are important for bicycle touring as they allow you to ride up hills at a sustainable effort with all of your luggage. When your climbing gear is too high, you’ll be working much harder than necessary, which results in more muscle fatigue, and frankly, makes hills much less enjoyable.
Ultimately, the Alfine hubs are optimised for urban use, which usually means getting around town on flatter terrain.
Shimano’s lowest recommended gear ratio on the Alfine hubs is 1.8:1 (11-speed) and 2:1 (8-speed). When we calculate the climbing gear that this yields in “gear inches”, it’s simply not low enough for most bike travel. And it’s not by a little bit either; the first gear on the Alfine is about the same as my fifth gear on my Rohloff bike (27 to 30 gear inches).
Riding up steep hills with an Alfine either requires more power output or a lower pedalling cadence, both of which will tire you out faster.
Reliability, Spare Parts & Repairs
For touring, another thing an internal gear hub needs to be is reliable. This is absolutely paramount. Getting an Alfine hub fixed can waste a lot of time, potentially ruining a trip.
Now, Alfine hubs are often very reliable, especially the 8-speed model. But it’s still not uncommon to hear of people having problems with them.
I wouldn’t be too concerned about servicing and spare parts in the UK or Europe, as internal gear hubs are common, and you are often close to a bike shop that can help. In the US, it’s probably ok too, as long as you’re happy to ship your wheel to a gear hub specialist. But in the more remote parts of the world, you should be prepared to ship your wheel internationally for a repair.
You could say the same thing about a Rohloff hub, but with their track record for reliability, it’s a very safe bet.
How To Increase Shimano Alfine Hub Reliability
Ok, let’s now talk about maintenance and damage prevention.
Shimano Alfine hubs are low maintenance, but they are not zero maintenance. Here are three things you can do to keep your Alfine hub reliable for many years to come.
Shift Cable Maintenance
If you learn how to tune the Alfine gears and maintain your cables, you will likely have no problems with your hub.
In the electronic shifting section, I discussed in detail why cable maintenance can prevent gear slipping, grinding, or internal components from breaking inside the hub and making a mess of things.
As the 11-speed hubs are much more sensitive to cable adjustment than the 8-speed hubs, you will need to keep a closer eye on its shift components.
Make Careful Gear Shifts
Regarding gear shifting, it’s best practice to ease your pedal power momentarily when you change gears. I’m talking just a fraction of a second! This is because you can damage your hub by putting high loads into the internal components before the shift is 100% complete.
Check lubrication
As the oil slowly seeps out of the Alfine 11-speed hubs, you will need to conduct regular oil changes. The first oil change is the most important one, and it’s after just 500km. After that, it’s every two years or 5,000km.
If you’re using the 8-speed hub in wet and gritty conditions, make sure to get the hub re-greased every year. The grease helps to keep water and grit out of the hub and will vastly improve the life of the hub.
Lowering The Recommended Gear Ratio
A Genesis Fortitude Alfine fitted with a 30/22 gear ratio (21 gear inches). Image: Andy Cox
I discussed the issue of low gear ratios and Alfine hubs previously. But some users have reported using ultra-low gear ratios (eg. 24t front, 20t rear) to achieve a similar climbing gear to my touring bike – and with no problems at all.
But I’d be careful here, especially if you’re a heavier and more powerful rider.
With an ultra-low gear ratio (1.2:1), a 100kg/220lb rider can stand on the pedals and put 143Nm into an Alfine hub, which is more than the maximum input torque that Rohloff allows (130Nm) – and that’s a hub rated for tandem use.
A table showing the minimum gear ratios you could use with a Shimano Alfine hub (and still keep the input torque under 100Nm).
Rider weight is critical for maintaining a low input torque. With a 1.2:1 gear ratio, a 50kg/110lb rider only puts 72Nm into the hub when standing on the pedals. But if an 80kg/176lb rider did the same thing, they would put 115Nm into the hub, increasing the chance of internal damage.
Here’s a table I made that shows the minimum gear ratios one could use without exceeding 100Nm of torque. But use it at your own risk, and please don’t tell Shimano.
Are Shimano Alfine Hubs Reliable?
The name Alfine is derived from the phrase “Always Fine”, but a quick search online reveals endless forums with examples of Alfine hubs that didn’t do their job.
The main culprit is the Alfine S700 11-speed hub that was in production between 2010 and 2017. Oil leaks were a-plenty, the cassette joint sometimes had manufacturing defects, and if the shift cable was not adjusted correctly, internal damage was much more probable.
The latest S7001 11-speed hubs employ six new internal components that were re-designed to prevent damage, but these hubs do still leak some oil that periodically needs to be wiped off the hub.
The Alfine 8-speed hub is considered to be the most durable option of the two.
Shimano Alfine & Electric Bikes
The S7001-series Alfine hubs are rated for eBike use, but be careful, as the maximum torque of the motor will need to be on the low side.
While there is no official torque rating for the Alfine hubs, the STEPS E6000 internal gear drivetrain comes with a 50Nm motor, so we can assume it’s about that.
Speaking of the STEPS internal gear drivetrains, they’re super cool! The Alfine 8 Di2 (or Nexus 5E Di2) hub will automatically change gears for you based on your speed, cadence and torque.
Summary
Shimano Alfine hubs are excellent, and for many people out there, I think they’re actually a better option than a Rohloff hub. This is because they’re cheaper, quieter and employ trigger or neat drop bar shifters. I especially like the drop bar electronic shifters.
With an Alfine-equipped bike, you will enjoy just how easy, cheap and low-maintenance an internal gear drivetrain is. Better yet, pair an Alfine hub with belt drive and enjoy a grease-free and long-lasting drivetrain for years to come.
I recommend the 8-speed version for a simple grocery-getter or for someone who simply just wants a bike that works. For someone who rides a bit more seriously, the 11-speed version offers smaller and more predictable gear steps, along with a wider gear range.
I don’t usually recommend Alfine hubs for touring and bikepacking due to the climbing gear ratio that’s too high, and the fact that mechanical failures are not unheard of. This is where a long-lasting and robust Rohloff drivetrain clearly wins out.
But if you ride flatter trips and keep on top of the shift cable maintenance, Alfine hubs work out great.
