this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2024
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Bicycles

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I doubt these will take off. They do look cool Af while shifting imo

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Belt drive with a gearbox is basically superior to chain and derailleur in every way

Unless you ignore cost, maintenance, dealer network/service centres, added weight, efficiency loss, special frames, worse gear ratios, and fewer upgrade paths.

But the advantages can often outweigh these negatives, depending on use and user.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You may have meant ~~Unless~~ If you ignore cost,...

If so, I heartily agree. That said, I'm contemplating a Rohloff ebike build... and would choose that for an around the world tourer...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You may have meant Unless If you ignore cost,…

Yes, I should have wrote something like "True, unless you ignore...". But you got the point :)

Rohloffs are amazing. Just be warned that if you do run into trouble, you're likely going to have to send the gearbox to Germany and wait for a replacement/repair. If you're on tour, this may not be ideal.

I guess that's the thing with internal gearboxes and pinion gearboxes. They are incredibly reliable and very low maintenance. However, if you do run into a problem, you won't be able to fix it yourself.

That's one of the reasons why world cycle tourists still like old-school 3x setups with readily available parts sold anywhere in the world.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Damn Sir, solid and valid arguments.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

To my knowledge they only require an oil change every year or so and the belt doesn't require any maintenance. Chain and a derailleur need that constantly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I meant that these internal hubs or pinion gearboxes are often so complex that you'd have no chance of servicing it yourself.

But yes, in the context of regular maintenance, there's very little to worry about.