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the gearbox thread

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
@toodles

There is a trail like that where I was riding in Oregon the other weekend. Step down then scrub then boost...etc... etc...

I almost died and luckily my pedal dug into my shin and kept me from going over the bars. Even pre-walking a trail like that doesnt help much. If your hanging out with the homies sessioning jump to jump thats one thing but riding it as a line is impossible to hit everything safely and properly.
 

ianjenn

Turbo Monkey
Sep 12, 2006
2,998
702
SLO

So wait is he claiming the bike can jump all gears while not pedalling and has what the first Honda Boxes had in them an infinite range? Like no fixed teeth? Or is he doing the one UCI made Honda go to and slap a dearilure in a can?
 
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ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
From what I've seen on his IG, it is definitely not an infinite range setup. It uses a cassette, but isn't quite the same as the later Honda design. He states that "Their chainring actually moved and they had a derailleur. With this the cassette shifts and the chainring always stays straight". Pretty cool either way.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!

electric pinion
It's been also covered by Vital, without 64-letter words!
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
Pretty excited for the wrp. Had a chance to ride a city bike equipped with a pinion gearbox. What a disapointment...
 

troy

Turbo Monkey
Dec 3, 2008
1,006
739
Any details you're willing to share?
Super sluggish, kinda like nexus 8 hub, not even on alfine level. Shifting was so so, especially under load (but thats understandable considering the planetary gears and all this bs inside). Gripshift, don't even get me started. 2 cables, shitty grip, lots of drag, wtf is this? 2001 back again?
 

Happymtb.fr

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2016
1,907
1,252
SWE
Thanks @troy
The new pinion with integrated motor has electrical shifting which might (or might not?) solve the issues you mentioned above.
 

vivisectxi

Monkey
Jan 14, 2021
466
566
yeast van
i spent a good amount of time on a zerode. while it functioned *fine* as a bicycle, the list of nitpicks (weight, expense, drag, poor engagement, gripshift, inability to shift under minimum load) placed me firmly in the "not converted" camp.

the ebike integration addresses most of these issues, so seems like a step in the right direction - for ebikes.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
The new Gamux bike with pinion and electronic shifting supposedly addresses most of the complains (slow shifting, button shifter instead of gripshift, has a torque sensor to help with shifts under load, etc).


Time will tell.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
The new Gamux bike with pinion and electronic shifting supposedly addresses most of the complains (slow shifting, button shifter instead of gripshift, has a torque sensor to help with shifts under load, etc).


Time will tell.
That seems like a lot of cost/weight/complexity just to get rid of a derailleur.
 

jeremy_2640

Monkey
Oct 4, 2007
114
42
Melbourne
That seems like a lot of cost/weight/complexity just to get rid of a derailleur.
Really? All the fragile moving bits sitting inside a sealed box. Cost of Transmission $2.7KUSD, cost of Pinion with belt, sprockets, tensioner $2K USD. The weight difference is well under 1KG with the Zerode I built vs my previous enduro bike.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,536
5,470
UK
That seems like a lot of cost/weight/complexity just to get rid of a derailleur.
I don't really see an issue there. Considering it's aimed at clumsy fuckers who pedal their mechs straight into rocks going UPHILL and then blame the derailleur. And many of these same fuckwits aren't afraid to spend £10k+ on a bicycle and often don't even do work on their own bike themselves.
 

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,001
1,693
Northern California
Really? All the fragile moving bits sitting inside a sealed box. Cost of Transmission $2.7KUSD, cost of Pinion with belt, sprockets, tensioner $2K USD. The weight difference is well under 1KG with the Zerode I built vs my previous enduro bike.
It's all a matter perspective of course - if it makes sense for you go for it.

It's very very rare for me to destroy a derailleur unless it's on my DH bike, and even that doesn't happen often. If it does, I have a spare in my toolbox in the parking lot that cost me $60 USD. On the pedal bikes I carry a spare derailleur hanger in my tool wrap in case I ever need it, although I've never actually had to change out a hanger mid-ride, and it's been quite awhile since I've had to even straighten one.

I like the idea of a gearbox in theory, but the reality isn't practical to me - I can think of other things I'd rather throw $2k at.
 
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