I ride a c-line 12 speed and a G-line. Both are a total pain when it comes to removing the rear wheel for tire repairs. I believe I am over bikes with an internal gearing and complex design. Now days I prefer my Moulton with 9 speed sram and quick release axels. I was actually planning a big bike trip soon with the G-Line but rethinking it .
by randywhorton
5 Comments
I don’t remove the rear wheel. Instead, I pull the tire off one bead, pull the tube out (with wheel remaining in place), and use a glueless patch to cover the hole (Park Tools makes great ones). They hold for as long as a year. When a tube has more than a few patches, I’ll replace it if I am already doing maintenance and the bike is on a stand.
The finicky gearing and disastrous wheel removal is just crazy to me.
Alfine G-line is simpler: shift to 8 and rotate the cassette joint with a 2mm hex key so you can detach the anchor cable, the rest is lossen the lock nut and remove the wheel out.
SA hub a bit more small parts, 12 speed or (the older 6 speed / 3 speed) should using the same anchor rod to the hub.
with a bit of practice in home to know how it goes should not be a big issue on road side repairs.
Tannus inserts.
Having to mess around with a dirty frequently out of alignment (requiring a derailleur hanger alignment tool) external derailleur, I’ll pass on that.
I love my Brompton C-line’s Sturmey Archer IGH.
I avoid flats with 1) always paying attention to the road 2) Continental Contact Urban 3) Schwalbe AV4 tubes (the metal stem makes a big difference) and 4) Stans sealant which works with tubes as well.
I find the IGH shifting way smoother, lower profile, and very low maintenance, I’ll never return to an external derailleur.
Put Stans in your tubes, and thank me later!