Interesting, but they don't say if anyone ever did a similar efficiency test on derailleur gears that could be compared.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
> Jerry wrote...
>
> >It has always seemed odd to me that internal-geared hubs seem never to
have
> >been popular with racers, or even with most owners of high-end
lightweight
> >touring bikes. The early racers seem to have distained derailleurs
because
> >of perceived friction losses in the tortuous chain path, but no such
> >objection exists to internal gear hubs. I suppose the objection may have
> >been the weight of a geared hub, although as discussed here before, the
> >weight of rotating components close to the axis of rotation is relatively
> >insignificant compared to those far from the axis, i.e. hub weight is
much
> >less important than rim weight. Maybe this is all just a matter of
image,
> >as racers, and even most of us on this list, have an image of quality
> >lightweigt bikes as having derailleurs, while we associate geared hubs
with
> >roadsters or utility bikes.
>
>
> There is also a well-debated issue concerning the loss of efficiency
> in epicyclic efficiency. Randy Gordon-Gilmore has a brief discussion
> of some test done in the 50's on the subject.
>
> Go to... http://www.rickadee.net/
>
> Warren Young
> Toronto