NEW BIKE - Internal Hub Gearing and Lockable Front Suspension on flat bars

I was considering and tried a 14 speed Rohloff bike several years ago, but was unimpressed by the awkward twist gear shifter, fixed gear ratio steps, poor efficiency on slower gears and complicated cable use.  I haven't looked at other hub gear systems much, but expect gear step, gear range and other disadvantages with these.

Using wheels with non-stock hubs has disadvantages because you lose the ability to rapidly swap in another stock wheel (e.g. to swap a tire type, or after wheel wear) and may not get the better spokes and rims of some quality stock wheels, and will have the hassle of a wheel rebuild each time you wear out a rim or spokes, this will be more of an issue if you use rim brakes.

Most hub gear bicycles are significantly more expensive that an equivalent detailer bicycle, most have exposed chains and toothed gears which still need regular maintenance, and the hub may cause specialist maintenance issues.

Just not the clean look I was after. But this will work perfectly well.

@BikeJon

I've got a Kaffenback 2, which I've been toying with converting to an Alfine at some point. Useful to read your comments about the dropouts as compared to the Pompetamine, which was exactly my hunch. Just wondering why you didn't use a chain tension?

I'm fortuunate enough to own lots of bikes. One of them is an Alfine 11 disc equipped dropped bar bike on a Planet X Kaffenback 2 frameset. I previously had this setup running on a Pompetamine frameset. I found the Alfine to be a B1**h on the horizontal dropouts of the previous frame as it's really hard to get the rear wheel in the correct position, with the correct chain tension and then not have it rub on the rotors of the discs. I'd be fiddling around for ages getting it all right.

So you can imagine the pain it caused if I ever got a rear wheel puncture. I've switched to a vertical dropout frameset and this is much easier (I've used a half-link in the chain to get the chain tension right but also have an eccentric BB I can use when the chain stretches a bit).

The Alfine is also heavy and the gears can slip and splutter from time-to-time. My gear changes on my Versa levers have long travel and are a bit cheap, but I don't believe this is an issue with the proper Shimano flat-mount Afline shifters. There is a Di2 version of Alfine, which has very rapid shifting indeed but I think the hubs themselves are prone to oil leaks.

Despite all this, I do enjoy riding the bike. But mainly because it is different. I think it looks kinda cool (I've gone for a bit of a retro look with my personal build - yes I am mechanically proficient). But I wouldn't want this bike as my 'only' bike. I think it would be a mistake to call the Alfine 'maintenance free' and I find it harder to live with than standard gearing.

I think of suspension forks as being for pretty hardcore off-roading. If you are unlikely to be hitting trails this hard you could save yourself a load of weight by going for a rigid fork. I think you could open up more possibilities of fine bikes if you didn't look for something quite so specialist to begin with. You will end up with a heavy bike for that budget otherwise. I realise weight isn't everything but when it's really heavy it does mar the experience and enjoyment somewhat.

Scott Sub Speed 10? 8 speed hub, and not sure if the forks can be locked out , sorry.
Nice looks though.

Do you really need front suspension? More weight, more complication, possibly only of real benefit when hooning down rough singletrack at speed.

Genesis used to make a Day One Alfine but currently offer the Day One 20, a Nexus 8-speed drop bar bike for £800. Or perhaps buy the singlespeed Day One and have an Alfine 11 drivetrain added to it? For flat-barred models there is the Ridgeback Flight 4 (£950) or Focus Planet Pro (£850), which has Alfine gears and belt drive. Cube sell one with belt drive too IIRC. Halfords have the 13 Bikes Intuitive Gamma for £650 (RRP £900) which looks quite striking.

Perhaps a Cannondale Bad Boy 1?

http://www.cannondale.com/en/USA/Bike/ProductDetail?Id=1f2ca0fd-fd8e-445...

Sounds like a very sensible bike, the kind you see a lot of in Europe but not in the sport obsessed UK.

This one might fit the bill: 

http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Town-2016-Hybrid-Sports-Bike_84709.htm

But do check with the retailer whether or not the fork has remote lock out. It should do, but at the price £579, you could afford to buy a very good quality lightweight suspension fork with lockout and still have plenty of change out of £1000.

Good luck.

Hi Robin,

Interesting combination of items on your wish list, and not one that's readily available in many bikes I suspect.  It sounds like you are after something that can handle on/off road leisure rides in the countryside around your static, and hub gears for easy maintenance? 

Easiest way to achieve that may be to find a hard-tail MTB/hybrid that ticks most of your boxes then convert the drive train to hub gears - say the Shimano Alfine:

http://road.cc/content/review/27971-shimano-alfine-11-hub-and-shifter  

However it may be worth re-evaluating what it is you want from the bike (and yourself) and how you came to pick on those specific requirements.