Shimano Nexus 8 speed coaster brake hub

[xray]

I know from searching through old threads that, a while back, a number of members used Nexus 7 speed hubs on some bikes.

I did not see much about coaster brake internally geared hubs , so I thought I'd post some observations in case anyone else wants to try the 8 speed. It IS a bit pricey, especially if you buy the hub separately and have your LBS lace up a wheel for you. You could have another pretty nice bike for the price of the wheel and hub if you buy it all new and have someone else building it. But, it's NOTHING like Rohloff in price.

I could not find a source in the US for a ready made wheel with this hub. I think the only source I found was in Germany.

I recommend googling and reading existing reviews. You'll find that most of what is posted commonly in reviews is true. Even properly installed and adjusted, the Nexus 8 speeds commonly slip a bit in 4th gear. You will get that slip from 4th to 3rd from time to time. You might get a little growl or grind, particularly at top end, until you've broken it in.

You may get a little cable stretch after using for a while. (Or maybe a little slip in the cable where it is attached via a little tiny puck that is inserted into a hole in the shifting ring on the hub?) Try to get the initial install with as little slack in the cable, as little use of the adjuster barrel, so you'll have some adjustment left when the cable needs to be tightened up.

The attachment of the cable to the hub is a PITA until you get the hang of it. This is one thing I for which I have not seen a good instructional video. Once you've done it a few times it becomes much easier - but it will never be as easy as attaching the cable on a Sturmey or even Shimano 3 speed hub. I should make a video, but I hate to redo it again even ow that I know how.

Riding it is very cool. You've got a broad range of gears pretty evenly and closely spaced, so that you can ride at a nice even cadence and increase your speed with a fairly smooth transition and little exertion. I am loving having that many gears AND a coaster brake.

 

[RustySprockets]

Great write-up. The steepest IGH I've ridden was a 5-speed Sturmey, but I can imagine that the 8-speed is pretty sensitive to cable position and tension. Best to eliminate every bit of slack and use the shortest length of compression-less housing possible.

 

[Wildcat]

Thanks for the info. Does the occasional slip in 4th get better after it's broken in?

 

[sfgascott]

Thanks for the info. I just bought a bike for the nexus 8 speed that was on it. I planned to use the hub on another bike.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[horsefarmer]

A couple years ago there were some old cheap bikes with Nexus hubs on our craigslist. Don't see 'em anymore.

 

[xray]

I've only been riding this one a short while, it probably isn't even broken in yet. I had another bike with the non coaster version of the 8 speed. I found that it also slipped in 4th from time to time, especially if you do not have the hub tuned in exactly. There is a view port on the top of the hub with two yellow lines that are supposed to meet exactly to form a single, unbroken line. As you get a little cable stretch or slip, the lines move apart. You need to check that and use the adjuster barrel to bring them back to alignment - when you are IN 4th gear only.

If you have installed the hub properly, the view port is almost dead at 12 o'clock, straight up, when you are in 4th, and the yellow lines should meet.

Mine slipped the other day, and sure enough, the lines had drifted a little. I'm sure this is because I did not get the nut that holds the cable quite tight enough. Since I lined them back up again, it has not slipped. Worked exactly the same on my other bike.

I knew this going into this project, so I never stand on the pedals in 4th. And, I never, ever shift when standing on the pedals or immediately after shifting. I give it at least two good cranks before I stand on them.

I think that's one of the known dangers of internal hubs - standing on the pedals when shifting. You should not crank hard when shifting anyway, but particularly, you are risking falling on our face if you shift while standing in them and cranking.

I wold not recommend the Nexus 8 coaster unless you are building bike you are committed to owning and riding yourself. I don't think you'll ever get your money back out of it. You'd only do this if you want that combo of gears and coaster as a sort of luxury... or if you're a little nuts about having to try something different. I bought a factory bike with an Alfine 11 speed and liked that a lot. I've got a current rebuilt Schwinn with a new Nexus 3 speed coaster, and I've had a number of old Sturmey Archer hubs.

Shimano hubs have their critics and people who prefer something else. You should definitely read other reviews and triangulate opinions. I like the Shimano products enough that I have a definite bias of my own - and I do not mind watching and keeping things adjusted.

The very weirdest thing about the 8 speed is how the cable attaches to the hub itself. I wish I had watched this video before putting mine together - but I tend to make the mistakes first and THEN learn how to do it right.



(By the way - this video shows a different means of lining up yellow marks than what i describe)

 

[xray]

UPDATED: Having now put a few miles on this hub, I am finding that the slippage in 4th gear and very slight grind or growl in higher gears has entirely disappeared. As others have said in their reviews in several online sources, the performance of hub seems to have improved with a short break-in period. I did notice a very slight hiccup in shifting the other day and checked the indicator in the small window in the hub. The yellow lines had moved apart ever so slightly. A quarter turn to half turn on the adjuster barrel at the shifter immediately eliminated this. So - my observation after a break-in period is that this is a very, very smooth and dependable hub, but that it is good to check the indicator periodically. When i shows any misalignment, give it a quick tweak and it should be trouble free.

 

[squirreldh]

I do cringe a little when people bring those into the shop, mostly due to the cable attachment. Most general consumers are not even going to attempt to fix their own flat with that setup. It is a pain to install at first, but I have found some tricks. I usually install the button/cable clamp into the slot, then literally move that mechanism as if you were shifting the hub, and put the cable housing in its slot/holder. Not sure i that is how you accomplished it, but its the easiest way I have found to attach it.