Comments on: Review: Versa 8 Speed Road Shifter for Shimano Internal Hub

By: MisterMo

MisterMo — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:12:29 +0000

Have you found the Alfine IGH setup to be an easier travel bike alternative to the usual geared setup? Does the Alfine wheel pack as easily as one with a cassette? Have post flight assembly times been reduced? And lastly, while a little off topic, how would you rate the ride and handling qualities of the Breakaway Cross frame? Can you tell I like your setup?

By: elliott

elliott — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:10:59 +0000

fergie348,

In a followup to your comment, Sussex did indeed produce a integrated Versa shifter for Alfine 11 speed. I don’t have any experience with this setup, but Alan at Ecovelo recently converted from 8 to 11 and will be writing up a review shorty: http://www.ecovelo.info/

I don’t think Alfine 11 is the Rohloff killer everyone was thinking. Shimano chose to keep the gear range similar to the 8 speed (with no improvement on the low end) so it is more of an upgrade in that the gear jumps are smaller. The Rohloff and also Nuvinci hub give you a much larger ranger than Alfine.

On 8 speeds, I’ve used Nexus and Alfine pretty extensively. Unless you need to run disk brakes, I’d save your money and go with the Nexus. I have not noticed any performance benefit to the more expensive 8 speed Alfine.

By: elliott

elliott — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:01:47 +0000

MisterMo,
Basically, I got lucky. The Breakaway chain stay length combined with the chain ring and rear cog I chose gave me a reasonable chain tension for riding. In general, you are going to want a derailleur hanger mount chain tensioner for mating internal hubs with vertical dropouts like the Surly Singleator. Another cleaner option is an eccentric bottom bracket, but you have to have a frame that has a bottom bracket shell specifically designed for eccentric, i.e. standard BB shells on most frames will not work.

Also, most of the time Nexus hubs come with anti-rotation washers designed for horizontal dropouts. Shimano makes some that are designed for vertical dropouts (the blue and green ones), but you will need to purchase these separately.

By: MisterMo

MisterMo — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:46:15 +0000

How did the original reviewer put the his internally geared hub (Nexus?) on his Ritchey BreakAway which has vertical dropouts? I didn’t know this could be done? Please elaborate ’cause that’s the setup I’ve been after. Google brought me to this. Thanks!

By: Patrick

Patrick — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:39:49 +0000

Traci,

If your husband is still having complaints/issues/whatever with the Versa shifters, feel free to call me. We are the US agent of the Versa shifters, and would be happy to try to answer any questions you have. Our number is 1-800-935-9553.

By: Treadmill Traci

Treadmill Traci — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:03:40 +0000

My husband just “upgraded” to the versa and he hates it! We have only gone riding one time in six weeks! I’m angry

By: fergie348

fergie348 — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:52:19 +0000

Just wait until the Alfine 11 comes out. It’s a Rohloff killer and I’m pretty sure that Versa will be producing a brifter for it. With a belt drive system? Bliss..

By: elliott

elliott — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:14:47 +0000

Eric,
I think as long as you had either a shorter stem or handlebars with less reach, they would be OK. They extend quiet a bit out, so those with both small hands and short arms would have their body extended out too much.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 04:42:57 +0000

How would those levers suit a rider with small hands?

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:17:05 +0000

STI for a Roholff will be a dream for a long time. The Roholff has over 9cm+ cable travel and the requires you to pull a cable to shift up as well as down.