Well, I must have missed the shared definition of what “elegant” means. Seems the implication is that elegant is equivalent to simple or paired down, e.g., devoid of the complications of derailleurs and gear clusters or simple to maintain and service in Bill’s examples of cartridge BBs and belt drive. Elegant, to me, is more an aesthetic quality than a mechanical one, but that’s just me.
Neal Lerner Brookline MA On Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:34:21 PM UTC-6 Eric White wrote: > The silence is very nice, most of the time, but when I ride my commuter > with IGH and belt in the rain, I get a bit of wet belt squeak. It's not > intolerable, but it's not silent either. > > On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 2:50 PM ian m <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Belt drive is extremely practical for people who don't *care *for >> drivetrain maintenance. I maintain all my (and wife's) bikes and am >> overjoyed with the IGH and belt drive on my Omnium cargo. >> Not to mention the beautiful silence that accompanies riding with it. >> >> On Friday, September 13, 2024 at 3:26:39 PM UTC-4 Ray Varella wrote: >> >>> Belts would likely be well received if more bikes were built to >>> accommodate them. >>> A belt with an IGH be extremely practical for people who don’t maintain >>> their bikes. >>> Children’s bikes, commuter bikes and occasional use bikes that get >>> stored outside would benefit. >>> >>> MHO >>> Ray >>> >>> On Friday, September 13, 2024 at 11:19:47 AM UTC-7 Bill Lindsay wrote: >>> >>>> "elegant IMO" >>>> >>>> Elegance certainly is in the eye of the beholder. Even if you think >>>> your derailleur-equipped bike(s) are inelegant, I think they are >>>> equivalently elegant to your IGH bike(s). I think they are all valid and >>>> equivalently elegant ways to realize a build. >>>> >>>> Pushing it to the limit of *Opinion*, in the IMO department, I'm >>>> becoming convinced that chains are primarily good for being derailed. >>>> Shiftability is the core attribute of contemporary chains. For me, if >>>> you've got a drive train with no derailleurs, the preferable setup, in the >>>> IMO elegance department is a BELT. A belt is a purpose built optimized >>>> object for a no-derailleur setup. So, for optimal elegance (IMO), an IGH >>>> build should be a belt build. IMO. >>>> >>>> Bill Lindsay >>>> El Cerrito, CA >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thursday, September 12, 2024 at 4:52:56 PM UTC-7 Patrick Moore wrote: >>>> >>>>> Yes to the IGH; far more elegant IMO than a FD and a chain tensioner >>>>> not to mention the multiple chainrings. But the defect of IGHs is the >>>>> choice of ratios, drag -- if you choose a wider-range, more-ratios hub >>>>> the >>>>> internal friction increases, and if you choose the lowest drag options >>>>> (several tests have shown that the basic SA 3 speed hubs have no more >>>>> drag, >>>>> or even a wee bit less drag, overall, than derailleur systems), you are >>>>> limited to the more basic 2 and 3 speed hubs which have very limited >>>>> range. >>>>> >>>>> But if you can get by with limited ratios, they're worth considering. >>>>> I've built very usable all-rounder beaters with the venerable, durable, >>>>> and >>>>> in fact ineradicable AW, and the nice thing is that the these are very >>>>> available, very cheap -- old units are about $50 on eBay and older ones, >>>>> even the 114 mm OL ones, will work fine with 120 mm frames. I've set mine >>>>> up with 3d/high/overdrive for pavement cruising with about a 72" gear, >>>>> 2nd/direct at about 54", and 1st/low/underdrive at about 41". >>>>> >>>>> Couple the AW with a double ring and you can split the gaps in the AW >>>>> for a very usable 6-speed -- my second complete bike build circa 1971 had >>>>> a >>>>> "half stepped" AW, tho' I used 2 cogs instead of 2 rings. >>>>> >>>>> But even more exotic SA IGH are available on eBay; the wonderful AM >>>>> medium ratio hub comes up from time to time at reasonable prices (I got >>>>> mine for well under $200 each -- $150? -- IIRC in runnable condition) and >>>>> again the 114 mm OL will fit 120 mm frames with only strategic >>>>> anti-rotation washer selection and placement. And, it uses the ubiquitous >>>>> AW trigger shifter. Direct, 15.5% overdrive, 0.8654% underdrive; mine are >>>>> geared75/65/56". And the AM is reputed to be, like the AW, one of SA's >>>>> most >>>>> durable hubs. >>>>> >>>>> And even the pure gold ASC close ratio fixed 3 speed. I got my 2 very >>>>> cheaply, $200 NOS and $150 used but VG. But these are much rarer; I was >>>>> lucky. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Sep 12, 2024 at 1:19 PM Mackenzy Albright < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> ... I think an internal real hub like a sturmey-archer 3 speed with a >>>>>> compact double crank and paul tensioner would be an incredible build.... >>>>>> Price aside the roaduno is the perfect candidate for some fun builds. >>>>>> >>>>> -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/709d070f-15fb-453a-a56b-4a03dc69115bn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/709d070f-15fb-453a-a56b-4a03dc69115bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. 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