Following on from Kim's question and the post he linked to, I was wondering if there were any mass market male-oriented bikes with hub gears? eg the equivalent of the bikes that bike shops sell zillions of, for people who just want ' a bike' to get to work on, but with hub gears? All the ones I have seen have tended to be European style and/or aimed at women riders.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
mass market macho bike with hub gears?
(36 posts)-
Posted 13 years ago #
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EBC had one of their courier range with hub gears, apart from that i've not seen any, though i don't really look.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I (think) it was a Cooper, so not sure if you would call it "mass market", but there was a "3 speed fixie" reviewed in Cycling Plus a few months back. Certainly seemed aimed at a male-and-or-macho demographic (although how macho one appears on a 3-speed bike pretending it's one speed, I don't know...)
Revolution Pathfinder from EBC is a sort of hybrid-thing with hub gears, but it weighs a rather hefty 16kg and wouldn't say it looks particularly "macho".
Posted 13 years ago # -
"Mini Cooper Bicycle Reviewed instead of car in Grauniad Motoring Page" -
Posted 13 years ago # -
One of the male people in the work bike snob club spent several forum inches last year inviting praise on his purchase of a hub-geared version Charge Mixer. The marketing and reviews referred to during this unpleasant period appeared to draw attention to the perceived (projected) abilities of the bike to nip quickly through traffic and generally make commuting
EXTREME!fun and exciting. Perhaps the bike was sold with a handbook advising the rider to pretend that cars were boulders and that they were riding down a mountain through an avalanche.Posted 13 years ago # -
hmmm....the EBC bike sounds promising but I can't find it. the pathfinder (which I had been riding) is usually derailleured (and heavy!).
but i was thinking of just a 'normal' bike for a 'normal' cycling bloke who would rather not faff with derailleurs.
Posted 13 years ago # -
The Cooper I was thinking of was this one, the Z100 Zandvoort. Not cheap at £675 and it does smack a bit of looks over practicality (narrow sawn-off flat bars, no guard / rack / cage brazeons). However those things don't seem to be the "urban" criteria that Cycling plus seem to be reviewing against. Also not really a lightweight at 11kg - you could get something cheaper and more practical and lighter by commuterifying a mid-range road bike.
@SRD - I get the feeling that EBC are sellign off all the 2010 Revolution models and that the 2011 ones will be a long shortly. There was a pathfinder nexus 10 on the website, but only in 22" frame.
Posted 13 years ago # -
How hard would it be to convert a single speed to hub gears. The EBC Courier single is fairly cheap I'm sure you could get TBW to build up a rear wheel and do the fiddling for not a huge amount of money.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I have a Pathfinder Nexus, and it is heavy, but OK for commuting. Doesn't tick the Macho box so how about the Cannondale Bad Boy? Should do the trick....
Posted 13 years ago # -
Pathfinder Nexus looks macho enough for me. Will definitely encourage him to check that out when we're in a position to replace the current one. And or the others suggested. Thanks everyone!
Posted 13 years ago # -
The Carrera Subway 8 was a nice attempt at a hybrid-mountain-commuting sort of bike. I seem to remember it used the 8spd Shimano Nexus hub, along with roller cam hub brakes. It was in the same macho gunmetally grey vein as EBC's Revolution Courier bike.
Posted 13 years ago # -
You might get a problem trying to add hub gears to a SS as none of the mass-market frames seem to come with any cabling braze-ons.
Posted 13 years ago # -
EBC at one point stocked the Genesis Day One (with Alfine 8 speed hub).
EBC link
It wasn't in the last time I checked because they had all their sales bike out, but I imagine it will be back on display.They are popular because they're priced inside the Bike To work scheme limit (999 quid). I was thinking of getting that one, or the Pompetamine with the alfine hub, if my wife agrees, which she won't because i have 2 bikes already. I heard the Alfine 11 speed hub is meant to be much better, so might wait until that's on general sale.
I would say it was macho, but then again I quite enjoy watching the Eurovision song contest.
Posted 13 years ago # -
My polo beater has a Shimano nexus 3 speed hub. No brazeons required as there is outer cabling all the way from shifter to hub. I just use unsightly cable ties to hold the cable to the frame and it all works fine. It also has a coaster brake so I can pretend skid stop.......all the macho prowess of a fixed gear street warrior with the feminine braking agility of a pashley princess...... :-) ;-)
Posted 13 years ago # -
I have spotted two Cannondale bad boys (my favorite macho urban bike) with Alfine hubs now.
A little checking and yes its a production model, the Bad Boy 8.
Posted 13 years ago # -
You'd look the business on this one:
Posted 13 years ago # -
John Anderson of the Bicycle Works has got a single speed one (as he's the Guvnor!*). Just looking for photographic proof.
* Jointly with Andrew D
Posted 13 years ago # -
Aldine better than nexus 8. Hubs are heavier. eBC did a courier with only 7 gears on the back and single ring on front. This wa lighter, faster, easier to fix. If I could turn back time I would gonfor that over the nexus8
CherGembo
Posted 13 years ago # -
One of the male people in the work bike snob club spent several forum inches last year inviting praise on his purchase of a hub-geared version Charge Mixer. The marketing and reviews referred to during this unpleasant period appeared to draw attention to the perceived (projected) abilities of the bike to nip quickly through traffic and generally make commuting EXTREME! fun and exciting. Perhaps the bike was sold with a handbook advising the rider to pretend that cars were boulders and that they were riding down a mountain through an avalanche.
That post is epic!! :D
I'm ostensibly male and I ride a Pashley Princess Sovereign. Does that count? :D
It's a shame that the frame has to be "macho" rather than ergonomic or otherwise practical in order to be considered by the majority of people. :(
Posted 13 years ago # -
I think this is quite macho.
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/seek.0/4864/38991/It's got an Alfine hub and you can look at it in EBC.
As for actual commuting, it's not got mudguards or a rack, so it's more about form than function
Posted 13 years ago # -
When I think of "macho" frame design I think full-suspension downhill MTBs with people in body armour and full face helmets calling eachother "dude" and using words like "gnarly" and "extreme". But then that's just a figment of my over-active imagination at work and I really don't know what I'm talking about. The macho-est bikes are the old gents in their 60s and 70s still powering along on antique hub-geared Flying Scots.
Posted 13 years ago # -
Okay, I should've put macho in 'scare quotes' to denote a little irony. I'm just thinking of people who want non-trendy bikes, just something that doesn't stand out. I quite like the retro men's bikes, but they're not my guy's style....
Posted 13 years ago # -
non-trendy is the new trendy!
Posted 13 years ago # -
I'm still not sure what it is you're after, but stealthy matt-black Cube Hydes and Hoopers look "masculine" enough.
Posted 13 years ago # -
there was a contradiction in SRD's original request in that hub gears cannot be macho, not even the Rohloff 14
now amended to not standing out. Again any hub gear will stand out.
I still think my suggestion of the fast EBC courier that looks like a run of the mill hybrid but has semi-slick tyres and only 7 gears is the one (if they still do it, not been in the catalogue for a while). Mr SRD would not stand out in that but also lower maintenance and faster speed,
Posted 13 years ago # -
EBC launched their revolution 2011 line today. They now carry nothing with a hub gear.
Posted 13 years ago # -
I use a Dawes Haarlem Gents, got it in Leith Cycles. Have commuted from Leith to Newington on it every day since Jan 2010, only maintenance has been a new chain and brake pads. I love it!
Posted 12 years ago # -
I've been looking for something like a WorkCycles Secret Service with optional aluminium frame, but nobody in Scotland seems to sell them and I quail at the thought of buying a bike in Amsterdam and shipping it over. One day maybe.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm guessing my Trek Soho fails the macho test, what with the guards and all... (although to man myself up - did get it after cracking the frame clean through on my MTB)
Posted 12 years ago # -
What's not macho about mudguards? :)
Posted 12 years ago #
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