You CAN have the best of both worlds (low maintenance plus multiple gears) with a hub gear. Much longer chain life, too.
I built up my 1950 (?) Granby frameset with a Sturmey-Archer S5 hub, 46T chainring, and 27-1/14" Continentals. Nice, nickel-plated 1/8" BMX chains cost a helluva lot less than ultra-narrow 9/10-speed chains, too: I paid $12.95 at an LBS. I used an ancient S-A top tube shifter for the right-side cable, and a conventional S-A trigger mounted above the r/h brake lever (GB SuperHood, of course!) for the left-side cable.
The only reason (besides price, which isn't demonstrably different from a high-end 10-speed derailleur set-up) I've balked at a Rohloff is that a twistgrip shifter is all that is offered, which looks kind of dorky on a drop-gear bike.
BTW, Sheldon, a modified bright-finish 10p nail (only $1.40 per pound!) works like a charm, thanks.
My $.02
Chris _________________________________________________ Chris Beyer Volvo Cars of North America, LLC Customer Relations Rockleigh, NJ USA
Telephone: 800.550.5658
E-mail: CBeyer2@volvocars.com