Has anybody bought a bike with the Nuvinci 360 hub.

[Kudoscycles]

Am interested if anyone has used a bike with the latest Nuvinci hub. I tried one some while ago and didn't like it but many people tried the KTM 650 with Panasonic and Nuvinci gears at Redbridge and were very impressed.
Has anyone experience with this hub gear in the longer term?
KudosDave

 

[ghouluk]

not with an ebike, but i've been using a nuvinci on my downhill bike for around 18 months....and its amazingly good once you get used to it. That said, i don't think i'd get the same benefit from an ebike (maybe if my foot was more crank drive friendly) as the beauty of finding the right gear doesn't have the same speed benefit for me when coupled with the electric motor. I did try it on the moustache ebike, but for me the drive wasn't right, and i always seemed to be fighting the gear max up or max down....

I also think the nuvinci works much better when partnered with higher quality components, the bike i have it on is a santa cruz nomad with XTR everything and it harmonizes really nicely. Wonderfully reliable and takes a proper beating offroad.

 

[JimB]

Not much use to you yet Dave (as usual) but I've got a couple (Nuvinci Harmony) on order from Kalkhoff and have just been told I (we!) should have them within 7 days or so and weather permitting I then hope to engage in some serious testing.

Having the benefit of having two batteries should allow me the luxury of being able to test range in various conditions without having to risk cycling up Peak District Alps without power - at least until the other half discovers she's got a new bike in the garage!

Jim

 

[vhfman]

No Dave, I did not buy a bike with a Nuvinci hub; but I nave fitted the N360 drivetrain kit, I bought in autumn 2010.I built into a full suspension bike frame, and I have used it with a mid drive cyclone, and now with the GNG motor kit.

The N360 has worked well for me, and I find it useful, especially when used in conjunction with a crank /mid drive system. No problems with the chain jumping and breakages that I experienced with derailleur gears. The N360 has a wide ratio range and no maintenance compared to gears.

Efficiency is often cited as a criticism re the Nuvinci hubs; but I like the smooth operation you get with the hub compared to gears. And as I use power much of the time I am unaware of the “riding through treacle” that some complain about with an unpowered bicycle. The rolling resistance is the same as my derailleur geared bikes as far as I can tell. My typical power usage measured with the Cycle Analyst is 21-23Wh/M. This may seem high, but it is comparable with my hub powered bikes being around the same value, mainly because it includes a lot of steep 15-20% grade hill climbs.

There is the weight, and @2.5Kg it is heavy compared to gears, but on the road I am not realy aware of the extra mass. The only issue I have with the N360 is you have to reduce power to change the ratio, but that would be even more evident with derailleur gears.

I use my bike in extremely hilly locations, on and off road; the underdrive ratio of 0.5 is great for rough uphill tracks enabling me to pedal down to a walking pace. At the other end of the scale the 1.8 overdrive gives a reasonable top end pedalling speed up slight inclines, on the level or downhill.

And a short clip with some steep bits towards the end.

[video=youtube;2s-G3IE9NiE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s-G3IE9NiE[/video]

Motor noise not as prominent to my ears as it appears on camera, it must be picking up through the frame.

Chris

 

[Kudoscycles]

Thanks guys...there is no hurry to this....JimB,I look forward to your full report once you have settled down with the Kalkhoffs.
KudosDave

 

[RobF]

Thanks guys...there is no hurry to this....JimB,I look forward to your full report once you have settled down with the Kalkhoffs.
KudosDave

I reckon Dave's got hold of a couple of pallets of these hubs on the cheap and is wondering how to knock them out.

 

[ghouluk]

I reckon Dave's got hold of a couple of pallets of these hubs on the cheap and is wondering how to knock them out.

I'll have one if so - n360 is a great bit of kit though even after an hour on the phone with nuvinci, I'm unconvinced of the harmony - will be happy to be proved wrong though...i think my idea of an automatic gear for a bike is like a cross between the dsg system and a psychic - it knows what gear i want and puts it there (rather than the gear i *should* have )

 

[JimB]

Thanks guys...there is no hurry to this....JimB,I look forward to your full report once you have settled down with the Kalkhoffs.
KudosDave

Only a few days to go now I'm told.

Jim