Pro-Connect 1st Review

[c_elder]

I have posted this in the Reviews sections but have included here because I want to ask 2 questions...

Air Horns These have an air bottle. Are these easily detachable (without having to re-pump)?

Gears I can see WH-8R25. Is this the premium or standard 8 hub?

--------------------------------------------------------

Reviewer: c_elder

Purchased From: 50Cycles

Purchase Price: GBP 1,395

Time Owned: 3 days

Local Terrain: Moderate Hills


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengths:

Build quality. Battery removal extremely easy. Comfortable riding position. Smooth gears. Low roll resistance. Brakes are awesome!


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Weaknesses:

Bell is useless, err that's it!


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary:

First ride report: 12 mile ride around Richmond Park, Surrey (steepest hill is 1 in 8).

The bike feels very stable but rolls very smoothly. I have ridden around Richmond Park on a MTB before and even without the motor, it takes noticeably less effort to get the bike going. The bike however is under-geared (for me at least on this route) as I went up the steepest hill in 5th gear! I will be changing to 1 rear 16 tooth sprocket.

The bikes hill climbing ability turns a tiresome commute into a pleasurable journey.

More to come later...


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall Rating (out of 10) : 10

 

[stokepa31_mk2]

Ill answer the air horn bit. Thr bottle sits in the bottle rack and a thin plastic tube goes up to the trigger on the bars wrapping round the handlebar stem in my case. there is a red trigger on the airzound which if you lift up reveals a normal shreader valve (car valve) which is where the air goes in. It would be fairly easy to detatch it all but there is no need in operation.

Hope this helps

 

[HarryB]

Gears I can see WH-8R25. Is this the premium or standard 8 hub?

I don't think so - I think it should start with SR rather than WH. This is the premium version Shimano SG 8R35 Nexus 8 Speed Hub for £98.99 | Shimano Hubs - Road | Cycle | Wiggle

 

[c_elder]

Easy To Steal

...Thr bottle sits in the bottle rack and a thin plastic tube goes up to the trigger on the bars wrapping round the handlebar stem in my case. there is a red trigger on the airzound which if you lift up reveals a normal shreader valve (car valve) which is where the air goes in. It would be fairly easy to detatch it all but there is no need in operation.

I was more concerned with how easy it is to steal the bottle (hence question on detachment).

I have the leave the bike in a public place during the day so my question is - how easy is it for an opportunist thief to just swipe the bottle whilst walking by?

Thanx!

 

[HarryB]

The horn and bottle are easily removed to stop the stealing. That is a right pain so I would cable tie everything down, then somebody would have to go some to steal it. Then again they might steal your wheels, seat, gears etc. Not much on a bicycle is stealproof!

 

[c_elder]

I don't think so - I think it should start with SR rather than WH. This is the premium version Shimano SG 8R35 Nexus 8 Speed Hub for £98.99 | Shimano Hubs - Road | Cycle | Wiggle

That's odd! Giant are calling the WH-8R25 top of the line on their CRX City Pro 2008 bike

 

[HarryB]

That's odd! Giant are calling the WH-8R25 top of the line on their CRX City Pro 2008 bike

Difficult to tell then as I cannot find a ref for the standard version. Why don't you have a hunt on the shimano website?

 

[Larkspur]

Hi,

From what I can make out on the Shimano website the WH-8R25 is a complete wheel unit incorporating an 8 speed Nexus hub. The fact that the premium hub unit SGHR25 incorporates the characters 'R25', while the standard version SG8C20 does not, tends to suggest that the WH-8R25 wheel unit does use the premium unit, but it is not clear that this is the case from the Shimano website, so one can't be sure.

My best guess is that SGHR25 stands for Shimano Gear Hub R25, i.e. R25 is the significant code. WH-8R25 probably means Wheel Hub, incorporating 8 speed R25 gear hub.

Hope this is some help - as a prospective Pro Connect owner myself - I guess I'm hoping it's the premium unit too!

Chris

 

[burncycle]

Thanks for the review.
Just read it in the review section.
Mine will be quite a hilly commute.
There and back 9.8miles. 22 hills and a near 1000 feet climb in Sheffield.
Max hill will be a 1 in 10.

 

[echowind]

The premium edition nexus 8 used to have a thin red line around the hub. the earlier edition was dropped because it was heaver, less well sealed and didn't have roller/needle type bearings.

 

[HarryB]

The premium edition nexus 8 used to have a thin red line around the hub. the earlier edition was dropped because it was heaver, less well sealed and didn't have roller/needle type bearings.

There is still the cheaper version for sale with for example on Wiggle.co.uk. The premium edition is still called the 'red band' version so I expect if the Pro-Connect has a red band then it must be the premium version. Can somebody with a Pro-Connect have a look? Silly numbering system but I suppose it makes sense to Shimano.

 

[hivez]

Red Band

My pro connect has a red band on the chain side of the hub

Dave

 

[HarryB]

My pro connect has a red band on the chain side of the hub

Dave

Mystery solved then - it is the premium version. Good news and well done Kalkhoff for not skimping.

 

[the_killjoy]

The other important question is whether the PRO is worth £180 more than the Agattu, has anyone here ridden both ?

 

[flecc]

Mystery solved then - it is the premium version. Good news and well done Kalkhoff for not skimping.

I think the standard version will be discontinued anyway, and manufacture might already have been. The Alfine 8 speed hub also uses the premium components, so there would be no sense in triplicating with an inferior one that had given trouble when it was introduced. Shimano can be odd, but they aren't usually daft.
.

 

[HarryB]

I think the standard version will be discontinued anyway, and manufacture might already have been. The Alfine 8 speed hub also uses the premium components, so there would be no sense in triplicating with an inferior one that had given trouble when it was introduced. Shimano can be odd, but they aren't usually daft.
.

So is the Alfine 8 now the premium version? Is there much difference between the Alfine and the 'red band' or are they more or less the same?

 

[flecc]

So is the Alfine 8 now the premium version? Is there much difference between the Alfine and the 'red band' or are they more or less the same?

I saw a rumour that the Alfine used a stronger spindle, but I think that unlikely since it uses the identical components on the spindle. The Alfine is promoted as a system, as much to do with style and facilities as anything. The high quality is necessary as well for that image of course, and it includes very smooth operating slick gear shifter choices and disc brake capability.

Probably a bit much for manufacturers to use routinely.
.

 

[HarryB]

I notice the Pro-connect uses the alfine quick fire shifter - I am getting envious after the rather ponderous shift change on the Agattu. I'll have to save up for the upgrade. One thing I do notice is that the Agattu still feels rather stiff to pedal without power - more so than my Trek hybrid. Is any of that down to the less efficient hub do you think?

 

[flecc]

I notice the Pro-connect uses the alfine quick fire shifter - I am getting envious after the rather ponderous shift change on the Agattu. I'll have to save up for the upgrade. One thing I do notice is that the Agattu still feels rather stiff to pedal without power - more so than my Trek hybrid. Is any of that down to the less efficient hub do you think?

I don't think so Hal, despite a marginally lower efficiency in middle gear. It may be just a matter of time for the whole bike to loosen up. My Lafree got constantly better as it aged in the first year, so hopefully yours will improve as everything loosens up. It seems that current batch of Nexus 7s have been very tight toleranced, judging by the incidence of the refusal to engage the upper gears on some, so a bit of wear will do them good.
.

 

[Larkspur]

The other important question is whether the PRO is worth £180 more than the Agattu, has anyone here ridden both ?

I haven't ridden either of the bikes. I would be surprised if there is a significant difference between them - they are manufactured to a similar standard and although the Pro Connect has some ever so slightly better quality cycle parts, the most expensive and defining component is common. The Pro Connect is a little lighter (but lets be honest it's still a heavy bike by normal standards) and because of its wider gearing offers greater scope for gearing up (by reducing the rear sprocket size). This last point could be quite important if you want the flexibility to be able to ride the bike a bit faster than normal, both assisted and manually, by spinning fast when you feel like it (as on a normal bike) - without compromising the ability of the motor and gears to help you climb hills. To me, one of the main limitations of these bikes in standard form, is that in order to comply with legislation they are undergeared. Most customers will not be bothered too much by that but some (like me) will want their cake and eat it.

The Agattu has been praised to the skies by some very knowledgeable people and most people who have ordered Pro Connects, bought them on the strength of the Agattu reviews. Shallow as I am, the image of the Pro Connect alone was worth the few extra quid to me. It's slicker looking, is a little bit more of a road bike and I'll feel better riding it than I would the Agattu. But the aesthetics of the Agattu are just as strong in a different way and you only have to read the posts on this forum to see how much their owners love them.