Riding the Hub

starchild · Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

I would like to start by thanking Fallbrook Technologies for letting me borrow a bicycle equipped with one of their NuVinci continuously variable transmission hubs. I had read about a bicycle with this hub in an issue of Wired magazine and was thoroughly intrigued. Then I came across a couple of tester bikes at a Fat Fest in Austin and got to take one for a spin. I was definitely impressed, but it is hard to make a critical evaluation based on a few minutes of riding so I left it as a dream to be continued. Then I got the chance to use a loaner for a month which brings me here.

The bicycle Fallbrook lent me is a Batavus Ouverture. This bicycle is top of the line as far as commuter bicycles go. It has all the bells and whistles, one of which is the NuVinci hub. The others are front shocks, seat shock, quick release adjustable handlebars, internal hub generator for lights, fenders, fully encapsulated chain, premium rear rack with custom straps, and 28” wheels. This bike was built for comfort, not for speed and comfort it provided well. But this review is not about the bicycle, it is about the hub so I will keep my focus on the hub.

When I first started riding the bicycle it took a little time transitioning to a new shifting system and getting the feel for the range this new hub has. I normally ride an older Specialized Stumpjumper that I have slightly modified to be more street compatible. The gear range is still set up for mountain trail riding so I am used to a wide range of options when riding around hilly Austin. The first thing I noticed was that when I stopped at a light or stop sign I was able to roll the shifter forward to make my start as easy as I wanted. There was no need to remember to down shift when approaching an intersection, which I usually forget to do anyway. As I began to pedal I continuously rotated the shifter back to keep up with my acceleration or a little forward to match my deceleration. I did noticed that I was always changing the setting for optimum comfort. For those who do not know, there are no gears in this hub so you do not shift your way from gear one to gear two and onward. The smallest amount of change with the shifter is matched by an equally small amount of change in the drive ratio. This meant no missed gears, no slips, no double jumps, and no chain derailments.

It was exciting. I have been riding bicycles all my life, admittedly I started on a tricycle, and rarely do you get to try something really new. After a week the honeymoon was over and this NuVinci hub is what took me to work and back every day. What evolved was a technique. Whenever I stopped I just naturally rotated the shifter forward to the point on the indicator that I knew I wanted. As I began to accelerate I kept pressure from my hand on the shifter and it would move the direction I wanted it to. I shifted it the way you move a foosball handle, by rotating it under the palm of your mostly open hand. It is more difficult to shift when there is a lot of pressure on the cranks, but at every downstroke the shifter moved enough to keep up with my needs. It did what I wanted it to do.

The gearing ratio, as I was told, spans approximately 18 gears on a standard mountain bike. I cannot explain this to you technically. Look elsewhere for that. On the street, how it panned out for me is that I was able to comfortably go up every hill that central Austin has to offer. The easiest gear was just that, easy. Going down hill I rarely ever adjusted it to the most difficult and I like going fast downhill! The range seems more than adequate for our central Texas needs.

The downside to the hub is that it has a lot of weight and it is expensive. I know these two things will change some if not a lot as this hub gains popularity. They have built what appears to be a very sturdy, dependable hub which requires some beefiness to hold up to torque mixed with potholes or whatever else suddenly comes at you while riding on a street designed for cars. I salute them on their achievement and hope to see them do well. I am also watching for new models that might have lost some weight even if it is at the cost of the gearing range. Keep up the good work and thanks again!