OK to shift internal-gear hub while stopped?

[Chip C]

A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
"stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
experience may be part of his thinking.

His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?

Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

Chip C
Toronto

 

[Just A User]

Chip C wrote:
> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> experience may be part of his thinking.
>
> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.
>
> Chip C
> Toronto

From everything I have ever heard / read. It's okay to shift a
internally geared hub while stopped. Most of what I have read is that is
one of the major pros of that type of drivetrain.

 

[Clive George]

"Chip C" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:eacaa141-f89b-4112-86d6-84f02a51d941@g21g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
>A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> experience may be part of his thinking.
>
> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

Instructions with the Birdy nexus 8 say "shift to gear X when folding" (X is
1 or 8, can't remember which), which implies shifting when stopped.

I'd shift when stopped but consider backpedalling a bit while doing it.

cheers,
clive

 

[landotter]

On Nov 26, 8:59 am, Chip C <[email protected]> wrote:
> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom).

That LBS is no longer reputable.

 

[Hank Wirtz]

On Nov 26, 6:59 am, Chip C <[email protected]> wrote:
> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> experience may be part of his thinking.
>
> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.
>
> Chip C
> Toronto

Sturmey-Archer actually recommends that you shift when NOT pedaling on
their 8-speed internal.

 

[John Everett]

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0800 (PST), Chip C
<[email protected]> wrote:

>A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
>internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
>case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
>surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
>one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
>"stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
>experience may be part of his thinking.
>
>His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
>and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
>Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

Sounds like the "collective wisdom" we lived by when Sturmey-Archer
3-speed hubs were ubiquitous on "English racers" of the 50s. Perhaps
this was pure superstition, but we would never shift gears while
stopped.

--
jeverett3<AT>sbcglobal<DOT>net (John V. Everett)

 

[[email protected]]

On Nov 26, 10:18 am, Just A User <[email protected]> wrote:
> Chip C wrote:
> > A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> > internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> > case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> > surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> > one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> > "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> > experience may be part of his thinking.
>
> > His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> > and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
> > Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.
>
> > Chip C
> > Toronto
>
> From everything I have ever heard / read. It's okay to shift a
> internally geared hub while stopped. Most of what I have read is that is
> one of the major pros of that type of drivetrain.


Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
speed hubs this way.

I've heard that some Sturmey users would shift but keep the pedal
pressure on, knowing they'd get the desired auto-shift when they eased
off.

Mark

 

[Just A User]

[email protected] wrote:
> On Nov 26, 10:18 am, Just A User <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Chip C wrote:
>>> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
>>> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
>>> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
>>> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
>>> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
>>> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
>>> experience may be part of his thinking.
>>> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
>>> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>>> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.
>>> Chip C
>>> Toronto
>> From everything I have ever heard / read. It's okay to shift a
>> internally geared hub while stopped. Most of what I have read is that is
>> one of the major pros of that type of drivetrain.
>
>
> Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
> currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
> singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
> back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
> I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
> speed hubs this way.
>
> I've heard that some Sturmey users would shift but keep the pedal
> pressure on, knowing they'd get the desired auto-shift when they eased
> off.
>
> Mark
I have long considered switching to one of these hubs on my recumbent
that I ride mostly in town. It's not always possible to anticipate all
stops. And on a recumbent it's not as easy to start in a high gear as it
is to start in a high gear on a diamond frame bicycle.

 

[A Muzi]

Chip C wrote:
> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> experience may be part of his thinking.
>
> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

I think he was overly cautious.

If the clutch is impeded from sliding, touch the pedal backwards even a
very slight amount to free it when pulling the cable. Although your AW
_can_ hang up (rarely) I don't believe that's possible with the ramped
edges of a SRAM or even a Nexus.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

 

[_]

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0800 (PST), Chip C wrote:

> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> "stretches the cable"

Was he

a) spotty-faced;

b) pierced; and/or

c) implanted with earphones playing somehting closer to noise than
Schoenburg?

 

[Ted Bennett]

[email protected] wrote:

> Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
> currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
> singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
> back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
> I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
> speed hubs this way.



Did you really mean to say that you have a bike with an internally
geared hub which is a singlespeed? Does not compute, or else the hub is
broken.

Ted

--
Ted Bennett

 

[Clive George]

"Ted Bennett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:tedbennett-F9863C.12132826112007@earthlink.vsrv-sjc.supernews.net...
> [email protected] wrote:
>
>> Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
>> currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
>> singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
>> back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
>> I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
>> speed hubs this way.
>
> Did you really mean to say that you have a bike with an internally
> geared hub which is a singlespeed? Does not compute, or else the hub is
> broken.

Eh? He appears to be saying he's got 9 bikes - 5 with hub gears, 3
derailleurs, 1 singlespeed.

clive

 

[Ted Bennett]

"Clive George" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Ted Bennett" <[email protected]> wrote > > [email protected] wrote:
> >
> >> Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
> >> currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
> >> singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
> >> back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
> >> I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
> >> speed hubs this way.
> >
> > Did you really mean to say that you have a bike with an internally
> > geared hub which is a singlespeed? Does not compute, or else the hub is
> > broken.
>
> Eh? He appears to be saying he's got 9 bikes - 5 with hub gears, 3
> derailleurs, 1 singlespeed.
>
> clive

Argh. You are correct. A sharp rap on the knuckles for my lack of
attention.

--
Ted Bennett

 

[Werehatrack]

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0800 (PST), Chip C
<[email protected]> may have said:

>A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
>internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
>case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
>surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
>one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
>"stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
>experience may be part of his thinking.

I concur. One of the local shops uses the shift-while-stopped
capacity as a feature when selling the Nexus.

>His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
>and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
>
>Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

As you said; his showroom, his rules, but there are doubtless a few
stifling a snicker about it at the moment.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[[email protected]]

Hank Wirtz writes:

>> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
>> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
>> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
>> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop
>> was one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
>> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
>> experience may be part of his thinking.

>> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at
>> stops and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables
>> are for?

>> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.

> Sturmey-Archer actually recommends that you shift when NOT pedaling
> on their 8-speed internal.

I haven't seen those instructions but what you cite needs further
qualification. As far as I know this is intended to be done when the
wheel is turning because the driver "clutch" has positions in which it
cannot mesh with the interposers it must enter.

My experience is that such hubs have gear changes that should NOT be
performed under load although they should always be done when the
wheel is turning and even with the pedals rotating, but not under
load. Typically, an SA three-speed won't shift into top gear under
continuous pedaling load, but will do so as soon as drive torque
approaches zero. That ought to be a clue to what occurs.

Jobst Brandt

 

[Michael Press]

In article
<[email protected]>,
_ <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0800 (PST), Chip C wrote:
>
> > A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> > internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> > case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> > surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> > one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> > "stretches the cable"
>
> Was he
>
> a) spotty-faced;
>
> b) pierced; and/or
>
> c) implanted with earphones playing somehting closer to noise than
> Schoenburg?

Schoenberg has an undeserved reputation. Fair is fair:
call Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis incoherent, or
listen to Schoenberg's Bach Orchestrations.

Now Berg on the other hand ...

--
Michael Press

 

[David L. Johnson]

_ wrote:

> c) implanted with earphones playing somehting closer to noise than
> Schoenburg?

What could be closer?

--

David L. Johnson

Let's be straight here. If we find something we can't understand we
like to call it something you can't understand, or indeed even
pronounce.
-- Douglas Adams

 

[[email protected]]

On Nov 26, 8:27 pm, "David L. Johnson" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
> _ wrote:
> > c) implanted with earphones playing somehting closer to noise than
> > Schoenburg?
>
> What could be closer?

Well, Schoenberg, for one.

- Frank Krygowski

 

[[email protected]]

On Nov 26, 12:49 pm, Just A User <[email protected]> wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > On Nov 26, 10:18 am, Just A User <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> Chip C wrote:
> >>> A bike mechanic at a reputable LBS suggested against shifting an
> >>> internal-gear hub (in this case, a Nexus 7) when stopped (in this
> >>> case, when sitting on the bike in his showroom). This took me by
> >>> surprise as I thought that the ability to downshift after a stop was
> >>> one of the big plusses of such hubs. When pressed he said it
> >>> "stretches the cable" but allowed that his ingrained derailleur
> >>> experience may be part of his thinking.
> >>> His showroom, his rules, but I routinely downshift my S-A AW at stops
> >>> and I routinely adjust the cable too; isn't that what cables are for?
> >>> Am seeking rbt's collective wisdom on this one.
> >>> Chip C
> >>> Toronto
> >> From everything I have ever heard / read. It's okay to shift a
> >> internally geared hub while stopped. Most of what I have read is that is
> >> one of the major pros of that type of drivetrain.
>
> > Indeed, that is one of the main benefits of an internal gear hub! I
> > currently have five bikes with such hubs (plus 3 with derailers and 1
> > singlespeed), and this feature is quite handy. One does not need to
> > back-pedal, but just ease up on pedal pressure for a second at most.
> > I've used Sturmey, Shimano (old and Nexus) as well as Sachs 5 and 7
> > speed hubs this way.
>
> > I've heard that some Sturmey users would shift but keep the pedal
> > pressure on, knowing they'd get the desired auto-shift when they eased
> > off.
>
> > Mark
>
> I have long considered switching to one of these hubs on my recumbent
> that I ride mostly in town. It's not always possible to anticipate all
> stops. And on a recumbent it's not as easy to start in a high gear as it
> is to start in a high gear on a diamond frame bicycle.

I have done that with my EZ-1, had a rear wheel built around a 3 * 7
hub. When I top out the other gears, I try the overdrive, and the
loss would increase to where I would slow down, so I was almost always
in the middle gear. It was real handy when I forgot to downshift
before stopping and changed the hub, a lot easier getting going, and
up hills when I hit granny granny. 3 * 3 * 7 = 63 gears.

The Rollof (sp?) 14 gear hub you have to take off most pedal pressure
to shift from 7 to 8 because it is changing the big planetary gear.

 

[Tom Sherman]

[email protected] aka Mike Schwab wrote:
>
>> I have long considered switching to one of these hubs on my recumbent
>> that I ride mostly in town. It's not always possible to anticipate all
>> stops. And on a recumbent it's not as easy to start in a high gear as it
>> is to start in a high gear on a diamond frame bicycle.
>
> I have done that with my EZ-1, had a rear wheel built around a 3 * 7
> hub. When I top out the other gears, I try the overdrive, and the
> loss would increase to where I would slow down, so I was almost always
> in the middle gear. It was real handy when I forgot to downshift
> before stopping and changed the hub, a lot easier getting going, and
> up hills when I hit granny granny. 3 * 3 * 7 = 63 gears.

Only weirdos would combine a 3x7 hub and a triple crank: see
<http://www.ransbikes.com/Gallery/Archive/Sherman.htm>.

Carry a spare indicator chain for the 3x7 hub, lest you get stuck in
1.36:1 overdrive.

> The Rollof (sp?) 14 gear hub you have to take off most pedal pressure
> to shift from 7 to 8 because it is changing the big planetary gear.

Rohloff: <http://www.rohloff.de/en/home/index.html>. Facetiously known
as the "Rolex hub".

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter