Rear Geared Commuter Non-Internal Hub Options (eg Metrea)

[Mobe1969]

Is anyone aware of any non internal hub rear geared commuter bikes availale here? I've been commuting for decades, and after a long time on front rear I moved to an alfine 11 back in 2011, and frankly am annoyed with it and the difficulty it is for parts and actually fixing stuff (like seals). They are honestly too complicated. I'm on my second hub - was cheaper to replace than get fixed...)

Anyhow I'm interested in simpler rear gear setups - or even single speed rear, multi speed front but that doesn't seen to exist anywhere.

I did find one bike overseas that seemed to fit the boll, nice and light, 11 rear, no front derailuer, Shimano Metrea gear. The Vitus Mach 3 VRX Metrea. No available here, and the 2019 model all sold out. Nothing here though, and not such others overseas. I like the weight on it too, and the simplicity of the drive train. 11 gears is more than sufficient for me.

[Thoglette]

Dozens and dozens. Exhibit A: the Reid Cycles website has at least four.

Converting your existing bike to a 7 or 8 speed derailleur should be verging on the trivial as Sheldon reports that the cable pull is similar

[eldavo]

CyclingAbout has some good efficiency specs on 1x11 drivetrain efficiency if you are interested.

8 speed Alfine is more robust than 11speed it seems.
Price of replacement is also less than life of 1x11 mid range options.

Many ways to replace the cat, bicyclesonline have some cheap disc Nexus commuters if you want a new bike excuse.

[Mobe1969]

Dozens and dozens. Exhibit A: the Reid Cycles website has at least four.

Converting your existing bike to a 7 or 8 speed derailleur should be verging on the trivial as Sheldon reports that the cable pull is similar

FYI, I am done with any internal hub.

Hmm, yes Reid do have a couple of low end steel frame ones. Maybe I should have been more specific, other than mentioning nice and light. So something with a good alloy frame, disc brakes.

But yeah I guess I could get standard and replace the front chainring and rip off the front derailuer and shifter. Hmm.

That light Vitus looked pretty good though. Nevers heard of the Shimano Matrea before. But I've been wanting something like that for a while

[eldavo]

Www.giyf.com

[Thoglette]

FYI, I am done with any internal hub.

Got that, what Sheldon suggests is that your existing shifter hauls the right amount of cable for a conventional 8sp Shimano setup. So no change in the cockpit - just a wheel and derailleur.

Does that make sense?

(but don't let me stop you buying a new bike )

[Mobe1969]

FYI, I am done with any internal hub.

Got that, what Sheldon suggests is that your existing shifter hauls the right amount of cable for a conventional 8sp Shimano setup. So no change in the cockpit - just a wheel and derailleur.

Does that make sense?

(but don't let me stop you buying a new bike )

Unfortunately I'm on an alfine 11 so a drop frame no mount points for derailuer or discs. I'm not even sure how I'd put brakes on it that weren't part of the rear wheel adjustment mess. I'm not willing to go rim brakes ever again.

Www.giyf.com

Oh you are so wise. Golf clap. I never thought of using Google. Which I guess is why I have started so many threads and posts here with me asking dumb questions in the 9 years I've been a member, because this is the first port of call when I'm trying to figure something out.

I've spent all my spare time for days looking. I humbly apologize for giving up and daring to post here. I am glad that I gave you a cause for either existence in an outrage/troll culture, or some form of humor from laughing at the expense of myself.

If you actually are aware of any good commuter bikes with a 1x11 non hub setup available here, please share. Or any bikes available here with the thread title Medea groupset. Otherwise...

[eldavo]

I'm more curious now what chain oil should you use

Re: blah blah troll blah blah humour blah bah
Did you check out Cycling About? It struck me odd that you asked for a particular drivetrain while ruling out the equivalent of India in the category population you're seeking. It sound like you're prejudiced from a single data anecdote in a world of data that for spending days of research you may not see the wood from the trees... but we're all human and not made to handle this complex world, so don't take it to heart if asked "are you really, really sure?"

IG cable pull. Alfine is not linear.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet- ... -pull.html

RD cable pull
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/drivetrain-mixing.shtml

[Mobe1969]

I'm more curious now what chain oil should you use

Re: blah blah troll blah blah humour blah bah
Did you check out Cycling About? It struck me odd that you asked for a particular drivetrain while ruling out the equivalent of India in the category population you're seeking. It sound like you're prejudiced from a single data anecdote in a world of data that for spending days of research you may not see the wood from the trees... but we're all human and not made to handle this complex world, so don't take it to heart if asked "are you really, really sure?"

IG cable pull. Alfine is not linear.
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet- ... -pull.html

RD cable pull
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/drivetrain-mixing.shtml

Thank you once again for your helpful insights. It took real insight into determining that my query on a bikevwith a gear train setup actually is related to gear pulling.


???

This seems like a really great place.

[bychosis]

I think you are getting annoyed because most bikes are fitted with derailleur gears and internal hubs are hard to find. Sure, it seems that your specific search isn’t working, but there are plenty of mountain, gravel and cyclocross bikes that use 1x11. I guess it’s not really a thing for commuter bikes yet, which is your problem. Maybe don’t look for metrea and focus on 1x11. I can imagine that most commuter bikes with derailleur gears have a front derailleur because the market is skewed to having the biggest range of gears possible, rather than the simplest drivetrain - not that a derailleur setup isn’t simple.

Failing that, buying a suitable bike and dropping the front derailleur isn’t that difficult, but it will increase the cost.

[eldavo]

Re: cable pull Thoglette suggested using your cockpit, changing wheel. Check the Alfine 11 pull chart to intended RD pull chart.

Re: helpfulness, best to visit your LBS during opening hours. Rose Bikes online in Germany has had in-house Metrea equipped bikes, but I'm worried if I told you I found it via Google, you may be triggered. Call it friendly advice.

[Thoglette]

Unfortunately I'm on an alfine 11 so a drop frame no mount points for derailuer or discs. I'm not even sure how I'd put brakes on it that weren't part of the rear wheel adjustment mess. I'm not willing to go rim brakes ever again.

All things are possible. Shimano make a whole range of derailleurs which don't need a frame mount (just an anti rotation screw) such as the Tourney


Similarly there's ways of mounting disks on frames which are not intended to have them. E.g. the A2Z Adaptor .


There's a whole pinterest page on adding discs to non disc bikes

Or you could use an alfine style rear drum with a free hub
(more info here )
(I've a hub at home with freewheel threads on both sides - and a matching drum/band brake for the LHS. Available new in Vietnam)


While this speculation is fun, it's now starting to sound like actual work. New bike time?