Nuvinci N360 hub

[recumbent]

*** snip *** Conclusion: A geared hub can be very reliable. if you need one, do not buy the Nuvinci, but a non-CVT like the Shimano Nexus (or Alfine), which is:
1) Smaller (and lighter), thus is suitable for building a strong X3 lacing wheel.
2) Very easy to take out the rear wheel for repair, and needs one cable instead of two.

Internally geared hubs definately rock, the Sram 9speed I use is a few years old now and put about 8 thousand kms (5000 mi) and works perfectly with zero maintenance. However I do not have epower going through it like others have done, but pedal often and shift continually.

Another nice thing about these hubs is we don't have to dish the rear wheel which is a huge strength factor for those of use packing panniers like I do. My avatar is an old pic.

 

[Kai]

Does anyone else such a problem with N360 that there's a huge inactive shifting area near underdrive ?
I mean that I need to turn the shifter more than three times before it changes the gear ratio.
I still have to same top end speed but somehow my n360 lost the ability to react to turns of the shifter in underdrive. It's like the whole gear range is condensed into upper end of the twist shifter's movement range.
Please help.
KAI

 

[amberwolf]

Is the shifter actually moving hte cable properly? Meaning, is the cable perhaps slipping inside the mechanism?

Or...if you manually turn the shifting rod itself at the hub, does it properly shift it along it's entire range?

If yes to the latter and no to the former, then you probably just need a new shifter. If it doesn't work evne dirctly at the hub, there's probably an issue inside the hub itself.

 

[Kai]

Is the shifter actually moving hte cable properly? Meaning, is the cable perhaps slipping inside the mechanism?
Or...if you manually turn the shifting rod itself at the hub, does it properly shift it along it's entire range?
If yes to the latter and no to the former, then you probably just need a new shifter. If it doesn't work evne dirctly at the hub, there's probably an issue inside the hub itself.

I found out the cause of my problem when I changed 18 teeth sprocket to 20 teeth. First I noticed that plastic interface part had opened up. I snapped the pieces back together and then I saw the main problem.
Under the plastic interface is a knurled metal nut that rotates with shifting interface. It had loosened itself a bit and therefore it only transmitted my shifting to the hub ONLY when I shifted all the way to overdrive (then the nut tightens). I thightened this nut carefully using piece of rubber between pliers. Now it's not loose and transmits whole shifting range to the hub.
I guess this nut unscrewed itself when my hub was not "reseted" and I must have used too much force downshifting over the hub's interface's movement range, forcing the nut to unscrew.

 

[beazee]

Using the NuVinci for 9 months total (1800km), 4 months with the motor installed (750km). Only recently noticed the hub is leaking (dark residue on hub flange but no other symptoms). Contacted the Customer Service and was told the issue will be dealt with under warranty. Supplied them with LBS details and now waiting for their move.

And it was all grand (yeah! replaced! under warranty!) until this morning where I lost my faith in the product following some disturbing experience. Starting from the lights heard 3 loud bangs from the rear wheel and the feeling like the chain slipping, then higher than usual resistance moving the wheel peddling. Got onto the sidewalk and shot the photo of the hub - all the drive side (flange and axle) spit with traction oil. After a while it all went back to normal so I could complete my commute but the lost of traction (bangs!) is worrying.

I am only hoping it's a defect of the single unit and not the whole line of product. If the replacement is giving the same issues I have to look into other systems.

 

[iperov]

Using the NuVinci for 9 months total (1800km), 4 months with the motor installed (750km). Only recently noticed the hub is leaking

yeah its too bad
I riding without motor 3000km per year include winter, I cannot change hub twice per year LOL.
But nuvinci good for grandma bike.

But I believe fallbrooktech can make something revolutionary.

May be let user do easy changing oil and seals?

 

[Rollodo]

Any update on the N360 with a motor?

 

[Kai]

I have used my N360 with GNG mid-drive fo three years now. Hub is doing fine, but the motor needs constant tinkering.
One thing that irritates me is the hub interface and the difficulty of resetting it. Sometimes a small of the small gnurled nut on the axle gets loose, the one that connects to plastic interface. If that happens and I twist to overdrive, it is not transmitted to the hub because the nut is loose and I have to drive home with too low gearing... I use thread locking compound to fix that problem

Since the paint markings have worn out, I have to reset it manually, but the How-To videos doesn't work with my hub. I clamp the axle to a vice and rotate the wheel or sprocket and simultaneusly try to turn the interface, but it doesn't move a bit. I can only move the little lever (shifter cables lock to his lever). If this lever doesn't move all the way to either over-drive or under-drive I take it off the axle turn the lever back, re-install the interface and continue turning until the lever reaches tat end of range. Then I check that it moves all the way between under- and over-drive (while rotating the wheel). This is my way of getting full shifter twist range. But I am NOT sure it gives me full GEAR range. I often feel that when shifting in under drive I cannot feel any difference in cadence, I recall that when pedaling without motor I could feel the gear changes in underdrive. Maybe the shifting curve is NOT LINEAR with small gear changes in underdrive and bigger changes in overdrive.

 

[geckocycles]

My rotten luck. My hub is leaking after only 80 miles. I love the smooth shifting. FUll throttle and just vary the gear seams to work well at keeping amps down after you get going. There is not the range I need though and have a hard time keeping the Amps down on the trail and open road in high gear pedaling like a mad man at 31 mph. 46x18. Changing out rear cog today and will once again sacrifice top speed.
3 cross does put a slight bend in the spokes at the nipple. Had the local BS build the second one as they said they were knowledgeable and I was busy. I went in the next day and reminded them that I wanted 2X. I got the wheel back with 4X! WTF!!! Not only that they reamed me good on a small bottle of brake fluid at $23 and $90 for a hoop. That will teach me to go to local BS's and order what I need.


Building a new battery so not needing to deal with the torn battery bag yet. It was just not the right bag for this frame as I couldn't use the rear straps.

 

[geckocycles]

Not really leaking but but more just seeping. This is the oil it uses just for a note. http://www.nuvinci.com/valvoline_THreadable.pdf
Haven't looked at taking it apart as it just isn't leaking enough to look at it. Just riding the hell out of it with a big grin.

 

[Rollodo]

What gets me the most is that this model is not user-serviceable. You don't know if/when it will go, and, once it does, it has to go back to the manufacturer because 'they know best'.

 

[geckocycles]

And by the way there is no warrantee if powered by more than 250w for the 360 so I guess I need an exploded view so I can fix a leaky seal. There has to be a way into it.

 

[geckocycles]

350 miles of mostly dirt trail. I hit 1340w frequently.
The hub is not seeping anymore.
I have a proper chain tensioner on it now which was never an issue, the derailleur was just temp.
I use Mavic rear cogs so there is lots of choices for rear gearing. Keeping the steel 46t chainring and running a wide chain. I have the 23t on the rear.
I don't like the LH twist throttle. May go back to thumb as I just can't get used to twisting with the left hand.
The gear range is not enough for trail and rd without a double chainring. Being most all my riding is on dirt trails and roads, this gearing is working out so far. I can hit 30mph and pedal for as long as I want and can go up fairly steep grades. The problem with steep climbs is keeping the front wheel down while in the saddle trying to spin. It is better to stand but I can't help out at that point. Needs a longer rear end for in saddle traction on climbs.