8 speed Shimano Nexus hub gear repair in Dublin

ArchitectDublin

The thread title should say it all! Is there anyone in our nation's capital that can repair an 8 speed hub gear?

Not even Shimano's Irish engineer rep. is up to it apparently. 3 repair shops in south dublin (that will remain unnamed) have also turned this challenge down.

abcdggs

As i understand it internal gear hubs are the most complicated things on the planet, i've seen the guts of a sturmey archer 3 speed and i would dread having to repair that not to mention repairing an 8 speed

trad

Is this any use? http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus-mech.html

this is betterhttp://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus8/index.htm

fixyfiend

I just serviced my Alfine hub which as far as i know is basically the same as Nexus. The servicing was fairly straight forward. What is actually wrong with yours?

ArchitectDublin

Thanks trad, that manual will certainly come in useful. The information I had been getting to date (from the original bike seller) was that this was almost a specialist art and not worth bothering with. As I've now been told by the Dublin bike store mechanics that the easiest option (for them) is to order me an entirely new hub AND wheel, it may end up worth my while trying to get the spare parts myself.

Ta for the advice Fixy friend , one mechanic told me that the spring was banjaxed but as it is a replaceable part according to the manual there's hope for me yet!

BostonB

Perhaps try somewhere in the north or even postage to the UK? I've always wondered about these hubs on new bike. Who would service them.

Maybe
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055611674

trad

I think shops reluctance to have a look at it might have something to do with ordering spare parts if and when the fault is found.

Doctor Bob

trad wrote: »

I think shops reluctance to have a look at it might have something to do with ordering spare parts if and when the fault is found.

I suspect you're right- though not wanting to say "I haven't an effin' clue" might be part of it too!

@ArchitectDublin: I got my Nexus 8-equipped bike in Cycleways 4 years ago, and they've done most of the repairs on it, usually to a good standard. I've usually dealt with a chap called Konrad (sp?)- the shaven-headed fella who's not Mikael (sp?).

Joe Daly's was also recommended to me by another mechanic- he said one of the guys there was handy with the hub gears (don't recall a name, I'm afraid), but I don't have first-hand experience.

(If both of these are on your list of three south Dublin shops, then I gots nothin' else! )

EDIT: Of course, now that I think of it, Cycleways wouldn't be on a South Dublin list, would it? [/southsidebias]

ArchitectDublin

Well, the story ends with a fixed hub gear by a very polite Konrad at Cycleways. While the charge was very reasonable this was, in part, down to it taking 6 weeks for them to do it (Konrad was on holiday and I did not really chase them up). Overall I am happy with their service and would recommend them

I also hear that there is a great guy in a bike shop in Sandymount who is a dab hand at hub gears though the name escapes me...........

BostonB

Considering this saga. Are the advantages of a hub gear worth it, for all weather commuting around Dublin?

ArchitectDublin

Yeah, I still think so BostonB.....This is the first time in 4 years I've had to even touch the hub gear.

Now, I just need to find out the name of that Sandymount bike shop as a backup to Cycleways.........

BostonB

http://www.2wheels.ie/

Its on Sandymount green. Its like a archway with a sign over it. Shop is down a short alley. I've only ever bought brake pads in there.

trad

BostonB wrote: »

Considering this saga. Are the advantages of a hub gear worth it, for all weather commuting around Dublin?

Was in a bike shop in Dun Laoghaire this morning, girl comes in carrying her mtb with the rear mech tangled into the wheel, probably damaged the drop out as well. So yes, I would say the advantages are worth it.

Top of my wish list is a cannondale bad boy 8, just look at the clean lines on it.
http://www.cannondale.com/fra/fre/Products/Bikes/Recreation-Urban/Bad-Boy/Details/1481-0BR8-Bad-Boy-8

Bit pricey at the moment for me.

tomasrojo

BostonB wrote: »

Considering this saga. Are the advantages of a hub gear worth it, for all weather commuting around Dublin?

I like the three-speed hub gear on my Brompton, but I use the Brompton as a back-up bike and for special journeys (hiring a car, getting a train), so it hasn't seen very heavy use.

I think Brompton came up with an ingenious solution to getting more than three speeds out of a standard hub gear. They altered the pre-existing chain tensioner so it acted as a rudimentary two-speed derailleur, resulting in six speeds when combined with a three-speed hub gear. Very neat: two technologies that are well understood resulting in six speeds.

They're currently working on getting the control of the combo into one shifter; at the moment it requires two.

BostonB

I can't imagine people wrecking their derailleur's is that common though.

The Cannondale doesn't take mudguards though I assume?

tomasrojo

BostonB wrote: »

I can't imagine people wrecking their derailleur's is that common though.

The Cannondale doesn't take mudguards though I assume?

I think that there are a few ways in which hub gears are or can be preferable.
One is aesthetic: the straight chainline is rather nice.

Related to that is the fact that you can put a chainguard on a hub-geared bike because of the straight chainline, which means that the chain needs far less maintenance, and you're less likely to get oil on your trousers, meaning hub-geared bikes can be preferable for office workers.

Finall, as in the case of the Bromtpon, it's handy for a folding bike, as you can make the rear axle much shorter.