Are internally-geared hubs UCI legal?

Asked by: Zakia Washington

How do internally geared hubs work?

An interlocking set of gears, called a planetary system, helps you ride up a hill—or go faster on a flat. Depending on the gear, the driver unit either first spins outer ring gears, or the planetary gears deeper in the hub, rotating around sun gears near the center.

What is the difference between hub and derailleur?

For commuting, they should be. While derailleurs need regular chain care and occasional adjustment, hub gears tend to run and run without any cossetting. Gear shifting goes on inside the hub shell, where small pinions mesh together to rotate the rear wheel at a different speed from the sprocket.

What is a derailleur hub?

A rear derailleur allows you to shift between the sprockets. Usually, the rear sprocket gears fall halfway between the gears in the hub. This allows for half-step gearing so the difference between gears isn’t so great. This setup usually requires a chain tensioner.

Are internally geared hubs better?

Internal-gear hubs are more reliable than derailer systems, and require much less maintenance. The step-up ratios of their top gears make oversize chainrings unnecessary on small-wheel bicycles. Unlike derailers, internal-gear hubs can shift at a stop, very nice in stop-and-go urban traffic.

Does Sturmey Archer still exist?

Sturmey-Archer’s most widely known product is the AW wide-ratio three-speed hub gear, introduced in 1938 (though patented in 1936) and still in production in a substantially modified form as of 2018.

Are hub gears any good?

Hub gears are great as they rarely need maintenance and last for years. Aside from feeding oil into the hub every few thousand km, not much can go wrong with them as they are protected from the rain, snow, salt etc – all the things that cause rust and wear on exposed gears.

Are Sturmey Archer hubs good?

The classic Sturmey-Archer AW hub is the most reliable gear-shifting mechanism ever made, and rarely needs anything more than a bit of medium-weight oil every so often. 95 percent of shifting problems on 3-speeds are related to the control cable or the shifter.

What is the difference between derailleur gear and hub gear?

While the technology of derailleur gears is eye-catching, hub gears hide the tech inside the rear wheel hub. The moving parts are therefore protected from rain, dust, salt and sand. High-performance hub gears can achieve similar gear ratios to that of derailleur gears. Better yet, you can shift while stationary!

Are 3 speed bikes good?

A 3-speed bike is a great option. It gives you more choices and more flexibility than a single-speed bicycle, but it doesn’t reach anywhere near the many options of seven, 21, or even higher-speed bikes. With a 3-speed bicycle, you can tackle riding uphill, downhill, and flat terrain.

How does Alfine hub work?

Quote from video: So power is transmitted to the ring gear at an increased speed. And the roller clutch drives the hub shell. The ratio between the gear carrier and the ring gear is one input revolution to one point

What is an internal geared bike?

Internal Gears



An internally-geared hub bike is a bike with multiple gears built into the hub of the rear wheel. The earlier ones had 2 or 3 gears all hidden away inside the hub. Modern ones might have 3, 5, 8 or more gears.

How do you lubricate a Sturmey Archer hub?

Lubrication. The ideal rule for lubrication should be ‘a little but often’. Two or three drops of oil every week will maintain the hub in first class running order.

When was the Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub invented?

1902

His engineers worked with patents from Henry Sturmey and James Archer resulting in the first Sturmey-Archer 3-speed bicycle gear hub in 1902.

How does a kick shift hub work?

The hub works via coaster-brake action: You push back with your feet lightly to shift gears (both to upshift and to downshift), and you push back harder to brake.

How do you adjust an internally geared hub?

Quote from video: Way keep turning until the stripes align. Now try shifting up and down a few times. And then back to the fourth gear to make sure the stripes remain aligned. Great well done.

How does Alfine hub work?

Quote from video: So power is transmitted to the ring gear at an increased speed. And the roller clutch drives the hub shell. The ratio between the gear carrier and the ring gear is one input revolution to one point

What is a geared hub?

by Sean Hacking September 14, 2020. Internally geared hubs are technological wizardry that conceal all of their complex bits inside a contained, convenient, oil bathed package in order to give the user gearing without the use of derailleurs.

Which is better Shimano Alfine vs Nexus?

The Alfine hub gear is the upgraded counterpart to Shimano’s successful Nexus hub. It’s smoother, has a higher-quality feel and looks to be robust enough to go for years.