Shimano’s New 11-Speed Alfine Hub: A Rohloff Challenger?
Shimano is stirring up the market for internal hub gears with the launch of its new 11-speed Alfine model. Could this be a new challenge for the German-engineered Rohloff hub, by far the favourite of touring cyclists to date?
The Shimano option is certainly less expensive. With an expected retail price of just $419 U.S. or about €300, it costs a fraction of the Rohloff and will be infinitely more accessible to cycle tourists who love the convenience of internal hub gearing but aren’t prepared to spend thousands of dollars on a top-notch expedition touring bike.
The Shimano Alfine also has a weight advantage, at 1,600 grams versus 1,847 grams for the Rohloff.
And while the Shimano doesn’t have quite the gear range that Rohloff does, at 11 speeds to Rohloff’s 14 speeds, or a ratio of 409% compared with 526% for the Rohloff, it’s getting close. Some cyclists may be more than willing to compromise.
If you’re wondering what those numbers mean, a 409% gear ratio means the highest gear is 4.09 times greater than the lowest gear. The increments between the gears are 17% in 2 cases and 13% for the remaining 8.
The first models of the new 11 speed Shimano Alfine are due out in September 2010.
Read more on Bike Europe and on the German site Aktiv Radfahren.
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Finally. I was waiting for this. Hopefully with a belt drive, too.
I’m not sure about this. To me, it’s pricey but isn’t backed by a great reputation like the Rohloff.
Does it require a special frame size, like the Rohloff?
There aren’t a lot of details yet, so I’m not sure on the frame size. As for durability and performance, you’re right. A lot remains to be proven.
Shimano made the alfine as an upgrade from the nexus hub. I bought the nexus as i was able to get a whole new bike with it for &100! It is an 8speed hub and as I have made do with SA 3speeds for years it was a revalation. If you are worried about reliability I can only say that I was suprised that an upgrade came so soon, I have not heard of any serious problems with the nexus and when problems do occur they seem to be to do with set up – something that is quite easy if you can read and use a spanner. Frankly I am waiting for the Alfine 11speed hub to come out in September 2010 and will immediatley use it as the basis for my next build.
The german article linked below explains that it’s compatible with the rest of the alfine group (read: cranks, meaning same chainline), suggesting that it’s designed with standards and interoperability in mind.
But what the heck do you mean by “frame size.” When people say frame size, they’re talking about fit. Do you mean the rear dropout spacing? 135 is hardly “special.” Or are you talking about the torque arm? That only means a little clamp or special dropouts (or long horizantal dropouts – the oem hub will make a friction connection with long horizantal dropouts.)
http://www.radfahren.de/news/detailansicht-news/artikel/die-sensation-shimano-bringt-11-gang-nabe.html
You’re right, poor choice of wording there with ‘frame size’. Yes, I meant (and assume James meant as well) the special dropouts that Rohloff Hubs require. I won’t claim to be an expert on Rohloffs, so I’ll refer to Sheldon Brown for the details
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/rohloff/axle-caps.html
No special dropouts are required for any nexus 7/8 or alfine 8 hubs. I have built 6 projects on 80’s steel japanese bikes with semi horizontal dropouts and all worked great. You do need special non turn washers. Belt drive only requires the rear cog instead of a toothed one for a chain. I think this 11 speed is going to be the cat’s meow. I can’t wait for one.
Great to know. Thanks for sharing! I still struggle to come to terms with the cost of a Rohloff but at about 1/3 of the price, I think the Shimano Alfine is really tempting.
I agree. I would bet Shimano would make it compatible with
their other non turn washers. Same with the cogs. I can’t wait either.
I am glad that Shimano are coming out with this new hub as i have been toying with the idea of buying a rollhoff but the price has made me think carefully i cannot wait for the test results on this new shimano 11 speed as i am a great fan of shimano gear and find it very reliable.
PS i do a lot of extended touring and will use this hub to tour with hopefully it will meet my expectations as most shimano products have
The perfect marraige-or threesome-would be this hub, belt drive, and the rivendell reverse diagonal dropouts. The Riv dropouts allow you to change the front chainrings by up to 8 teeth and use the same chain while keeping the same brake pad/rim alignment! No on the fly shifting but perfect for someone who rides on rolling to flat during the week but heads for the mountains or bike camps on weekends. Oh, and a 120mm width version too please to make a track frame truly versatile!
I believe all the Alfine gear is designed with disc brakes in mind. They’ll never get all that gear in a 120mm package, so you can keep dreaming of your 11 speed track bike. When this comes out I’m getting one for commuting with a belt. Fully weatherproof commuting. Finally!
I’d expect the 11-speed to eventually come in the same versions as the other Shimano hub gears:
Disc brake, roller brake, coaster brake and free wheel (for rim brakes).
As for weatherproofing:
I sincerely hope they have NOT copied the gearshifting mechanism from the Nexus 7, which is known to seize up, as soon as temperatures are as much as nearing freezing.
For me, the things that makes this 11-speed Alfine appealing are:
1. Oil bath lubrication, vs. grease on other Shimano IGHs.
2. Helical gears.
3. Triple roller clutches
4. Needle bearings.
If all these are true, then this should be MUCH smoother running and smoother shifting than a Rohloff. Too bad Shimano is silent about date of availability in North America.
I am in the process of building a frame! Should I go with 135mm or 130mm spacing. I want the option of using a internal hub and or single speed cog belt of chain! Any suggestions?
James
James, I’m afraid I’m not such an expert on frame building. Maybe track down a mechanic at your bike shop and ask?
Go for 135. It’s not a problem to add additional 5MM of washers to a 130 hub. I run Deore hubs (135) on my urban and touring bikes. They are built to take more abuse.
Vin Cox just went roudn the world on the old 8-speed verison, an 18000 mile test drive with no problems. You can adapt to belt drive but this would require abreak in the frame to fit as you cant break the belt like you can a chain.
Removing the rear wheel is easy enough (although not quite as easy as Rohloff) as there is a cable joint to reconnect. I believe the new 11 speed has the two way cable like the Rohloff