3

Is this really such a novel piece of equipment?

2006 Bianchi Bergamo internal/hub derailleur

I commute with a lot of weight on the rack and pop spokes in my rear wheel at least a couple of times a year. I had it rebuilt and had a good six-month run until last week. I asked a local shop to spec a full replacement wheel so I'd have a spare that I could just drop in (so I can then get the other wheel fixed up when convenient, without losing the use of the bike in the meantime).

They came back saying that the hub alone would be $350 USD. The whole bike was something like $600 USD.

I can't find a source for this, and now I'm concerned that someday that thing is going to break and then where will I be? Any suggested courses of action?

Improve this question
  • You could just learn to replace a broken spoke. You'd need the right spokes, the right nipple wrench, and a freewheel tool. – Jay Bazuzi Jan 27 '11 at 6:41
  • @Jay What about truing? – Jay Jan 27 '11 at 6:43
  • You can true against a brake pad. Also, consider fatter tires with lower pressure - that would soften the blows on your wheel. Even when I was 290 lbs, I never broke a spoke (not that I biked a lot miles). – Jay Bazuzi Jan 27 '11 at 6:54
2

You could order your own replacement hub, for example Universal currently lists the 36h Dual Drive (Disc) for $187. These hubs are a relative rarity, and I don't doubt that your LBS price would be above $300. Bianchi presumably got them in bulk for a bargain when they specified this frame.

If you're carrying heavy loads upgrading to 36h is certainly a reasonable solution and will definitely help. You can also select a beefier rim - I personally like the Salsa Delgado, but rims such as the Velocity Dyad and Sun Rhyno Lite are perfectly fine as well. Lastly, get a professional wheel build. All told you're probably looking at at least $320, most of which is dominated by the price of your hub.

Depending on your riding conditions and preferences, another solution might be to replace your Dual Drive hub with a normal 9-speed derailleur hub. This will cost a bit more than usual in the near term (you'll need to replace the shifter and the derailleur), but you'll have more wheels at your disposal. Craigslist and eBay can be a treasure trove of relatively inexpensive handbuilt wheelsets, if you're patient.

Improve this answer
  • You can get away with just 9 speeds on the rear, and no derailleur on the front, even with heavy loads, especially if you choose to space the gears wide apart. I do this and pull a trailer with my twins in it, in a hilly part of the world. Total weight of bike + trailer + people = 450lbs. However, I don't ride long distances, my legs are strong, and I often talk myself out of doing it because it's hard. If you're somewhere flat, it's way easier. – Jay Bazuzi Jan 28 '11 at 1:15

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.