Hub Gears & Back Pedal Brake

[simonpalframan]

Hi all!

I'm after a set of hub gears with a back pedal brake as I can't operate conventional brakes. So basically a hub with the most gears possible including a back pedal brake.

At the mo I have a Sachs 7 speed hub which has served me well on and off road; it's got coaster break and a thumb shift but it's on it's last legs.

The 2 models I have come across that may be suitable replacements are:

Sram 7 speed hub + back pedal brake & Shimano Nexus 7 speed hub + back pedal break

What do you reckon on these? !! Which is most robust for mountain biking?

ALso, ideally I would like to have a thumb shift as I find it hard to use the grip shifts.

Thanks,

Simon

P.s. I Have seen a Rohloff hub with an amazing number of gears but no back pedal brake - is that correct?

 

[alfeng]

Hi all!

I'm after a set of hub gears with a back pedal brake as I can't operate conventional brakes. So basically a hub with the most gears possible including a back pedal brake.

At the mo I have a Sachs 7 speed hub which has served me well on and off road; it's got coaster break and a thumb shift but it's on it's last legs.

The 2 models I have come across that may be suitable replacements are:

Sram 7 speed hub + back pedal brake & Shimano Nexus 7 speed hub + back pedal break

What do you reckon on these? !! Which is most robust for mountain biking?

ALso, ideally I would like to have a thumb shift as I find it hard to use the grip shifts.

Thanks,

Simon

P.s. I Have seen a Rohloff hub with an amazing number of gears but no back pedal brake - is that correct?

FIRST, I believe you are correct with regard to the ROHLOFF hub.

FWIW. This may not be directly applicable, but I have always had great service from Shimano's CUSTOMER SERVICE (Irvine, CA) ...

SRAM (whose 7-speed is probably EXACTLY like you SACHS since SRAM took over SACHS a few years ago) has been all-but-worthless in providing a connector for a 3-speed SACHS rear hub ... Europe passed it on to NA (after NA failed to respond to my initial query) ... and again, NA has failed to yield the component other than to indicate that the don't import it even though it is listed on the website ... and, apparently have ZERO INTENTION of supporting the product. How's that for building confidence in their OTHER products?

BTW. I can "make" a suitable substitute for the part I need, but I just haven't gotten around to it ... a tedious situation, to say the least.

So, between the two brands, I'd definitely get the Shimano hub.

IN THAT VEIN, the new SRAM road components may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it wouldn't surprise me that as soon as they make ANY modifications to any of the components (this is probably true of the MTB components, already), I suspect the support will only last for another six months, or less ... whichever is easier for their people to manage EVEN THOUGH support is supposed to be maintained (by consumer law, AFAIK) for seven years. I suspect that SRAM will probably just say that they aren't importing the part at the moment OR that it isn't serviceable.

 

[kdelong]

IN THAT VEIN, the new SRAM road components may be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it wouldn't surprise me that as soon as they make ANY modifications to any of the components (this is probably true of the MTB components, already), I suspect the support will only last for another six months, or less ... whichever is easier for their people to manage EVEN THOUGH support is supposed to be maintained (by consumer law, AFAIK) for seven years. I suspect that SRAM will probably just say that they aren't importing the part at the moment OR that it isn't serviceable.

Darn, and I just bought some SRAM components too.

 

[simonpalframan]

OK - Thanks for your advice. The Shimano looks cool - think I'll go for that.