Shimano Service Centres

beardybrewer

I'm looking for anyone's experience in sending off a Alfine IGH for service if living far from a SSC. I'm in Galway and have been told my IGH need servicing. It sticks badly when downshifting and I'm really starting to hate my bike as I can't downshift to attack a hill when I need it. I'm thinking it might cost a fortune to ship the entire rear wheel to Dublin or Cork to be looked at plus the cost of the servicing itself might add up to be worth more than the bike is really worth. Anyone else do this? I'm starting to think I won't make this mistake on my next bike and just stick to something more easily serviceable.

Alek

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Flaccus

I'd like to know this as well. I recently bought a Cannondale Bad Boy 1 which comes with an Alfine 8 IGH. LBS shop told me when it comes time to service it will need to be sent off. They don't know where either.

From what I can see on youtube, if you have the right tools it's just a case of removing the hub from the shell and degreasing and re-greasing both (the Alifne 11 uses oil though). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGks14goow0

Incidentally did you check that your gears are aligned. There are 2 yellow markers on the hub that should line up when you are in 4th. If not you just need to turn the gear adjuster barrel on your bars until they do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYUFfdPCjE0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2a5ep841eY

Also, if you have a belt instead of a chain you might need to look into adjusting your belt tension. Only takes 10 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QejZD_wT1Gc

beardybrewer

I took it to MBW in Moycullen and they serviced it recently so I'm fairly sure it's not anything simple. I think he opened up the hub and cleaned it up but there's the sealed core inside they said Shimano should service. I'm not 100% positive as it was a few months back and I hoped whatever servicing was done would do the job. It did seem to help a little at first but as the weather has become cold it's sticking more and more. Usually I'm halfway up the hill stuck in highest gear despite shifting all the way down and then suddenly it lets loose and surprises the hell out of me with much swearing under my breath.

I emailed Fitz in Dublin to see what the story is. Maybe they have a deal with a courier to make it worthwhile to ship the wheel to them to take a look. But he sounded pessimistic in the email.

Can you tell me how old the hub is, what mileage is on it and have you ever had the oil changed? The internal hubs are excellent systems but there is a myth that they don't need servicing, they do. Also they don't like the dirt so require regular cleaning. The oil should have been changed after the first 500-1000 km this is crucial to the life and warranty of the part.

We can service it for you but without seeing it I cant guarantee we can resolve the problem if it hasn't been serviced properly in the past. My concern would be if the bearings have been running without clean oil it can destroy the internal bearing cup inside the hub.

It's going on 8 years and at least 5K of local commuting without an official service at this point.

Alek

Dara in Bee Cycles (Dublin 8) services internal hubs.

saccades

beardybrewer wrote: »

I took it to MBW in Moycullen and they serviced it recently so I'm fairly sure it's not anything simple. I think he opened up the hub and cleaned it up but there's the sealed core inside they said Shimano should service. I'm not 100% positive as it was a few months back and I hoped whatever servicing was done would do the job. It did seem to help a little at first but as the weather has become cold it's sticking more and more. Usually I'm halfway up the hill stuck in highest gear despite shifting all the way down and then suddenly it lets loose and surprises the hell out of me with much swearing under my breath.

I emailed Fitz in Dublin to see what the story is. Maybe they have a deal with a courier to make it worthwhile to ship the wheel to them to take a look. But he sounded pessimistic in the email.



It's going on 8 years and at least 5K of local commuting without an official service at this point.

Open it up and dunk the central planetary gear section bit in a litre of ATF. Jiggle around a bit.

Refit.

Ignore for another 7 years or until the cup and cones die.

Do not keep using it when it's not shifting correctly as you will destroy the gears.

Revolve in Gorey are good with these as are expert in rathfarnham.

slow

Eoin Murphy from Galway is a freelance bike mechanic who works at major bike races, world championships, etc. Twitter @E_murphy93

If he can't sort it, nobody can.

beardybrewer

Flaccus wrote: »

Incidentally did you check that your gears are aligned. There are 2 yellow markers on the hub that should line up when you are in 4th. If not you just need to turn the gear adjuster barrel on your bars until they do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYUFfdPCjE0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2a5ep841eY

I just wanted to post back here with a special thanks for posting this. I know I brushed this off initially as I just had the bike serviced recently prompted by my downshifting problem. So I thought it unlikely anything obvious would be wrong.

Face-palm!

It was out of alignment! Also the cable was sticking. When? When feckin' downshifting! So I added a drop of lube and have it aligned now. Looking forward to giving it a good test next week.

PS: Fritz cycles in dublin wrote me and said don't bother servicing it due to its age and tried to pass me on to sales for a new bike. Pretty lame and I won't be going back to MBW for my next service either.

Alek

Fritz cycles in dublin wrote me and said don't bother servicing it due to its age

Fitz cycles I presume? Funny, when I was buying a bike from them a few years ago the manager was obsessed with his new Di Alfine 11 bike, even gave me a ride... I'm pretty sure "due to its age" should read "we have no idea how to work on them" as Alfines are still in production

(I have a handful other non-related rants about them, but I'd spare them here... for now )