End of an era - SRAM stops production of internal gear hubs

[Mark McM]

http://www.bicycleretailer.com/international/2017/02/15/sram-ends-sales-internal-gear-hubs#.WKtQBKMo69I

When one talks about continuing old world tradition in bicycle component manufacturing, we often hear about Campagnolo's long involvement. But anyone who knows their bicycle history knows that Shimano actually started producing bicycle components about a decade before Campagno. Less well known is that SRAM's roots (or at least part of them) go back an additional 3 decades earlier. When SRAM bought the Sachs bicycle division, they acquired a company that had been in continuous production of bicycle components since 1895, and which had been producing gear hubs since 1904. Now that history has come to an end, after more than century.

[gemship]

This is interesting, never knew they made that. Seems like a really nifty way to go. Can you mate that to a double chain ring up front?

Interesting history of Sram owning Sachs and continuing the tradition. A whole lot of interesting bits about this...like they say they would like to continue production but parts vendors can't justify supplying the small batches of components needed. I find that kind of odd.

[bicycletricycle]

Sucks, oh well. External gears are pretty good these days

[Ken Robb]

My bikefriday has 3 spd.Sachs/SRAM hub and 7 speed cassette for a very wide range 21 speed drivetrain. This works great and allows a ring guard around the front crankring so riding in regular trousers is easy and safe.

Twist grip shifters on H-handlebars work well too.

[buddybikes]

Don't forget about those famous Raleigh/Denault 3 speed with http://www.sturmey-archer.com/en/about hubs, appears they are still around.

[choke]

SRAM is good about ending production of nice products. I still haven't forgiven them for killing off the Sachs-Aris freewheel. :mad:

[ultraman6970]

BTW Is regina still in business???

[oldpotatoe]

SRAM is good about ending production of nice products.

good start...:p

[El Chaba]

BTW Is regina still in business???

Yes, but they only make industrial products. Bicycle products were always just a fraction of their production.

[benb]

SRAM is good about ending production of nice products. I still haven't forgiven them for killing off the Sachs-Aris freewheel. :mad:

Hey but at least they keep making the bad ones!

I took some SRAM parts of my bike Sunday morning and threw them in the trash even though they weren't spent. No need to subject anyone to them on the used market. :crap:

The whole episode made me think of Old Spud and "Never again".

I have to admit I thought eTap looked interesting but I just can't stand the stuff, no way I'm spending that kind of coin on any more SRAM road stuff.

[oldpotatoe]

Hey but at least they keep making, the bad ones!

I took some SRAM parts of my bike Sunday morning and threw them in the trash. No need to subject anyone to them on the used market. :crap:

The whole episode made me think of Old Spud and "Never again".

tee hee...:o

[chiasticon]

A whole lot of interesting bits about this...like they say they would like to continue production but parts vendors can't justify supplying the small batches of components needed. I find that kind of odd.translation: when they request a small number of parts from these parts vendors, the price Sram is paying goes up. eventually that's unsustainable.

[jtbadge]

18 hours before unsolicited ****ting on SRAM - another new record!

[FlashUNC]

2 million down to less than 100,000 ain't sustainable. No matter how idyllic the past might seem.

[benb]

Article in the OP makes it sound like the Sachs hubs are perhaps just being outsold by Shimano and Sturmey-Archer.

You can't really tell but it makes me wonder whether the situation is declining sales for internally geared hubs in general or just SRAM/Sachs being outcompeted for internally geared hubs.

I've never had a bike with one of these, is Shimano a newcomer? Around here you see almost no SRAM in the store anymore except for some MTBs.. most places are 100% Shimano, and then you've got high end shops that add Campy, but generally don't seem to have any more SRAM. It seems like SRAM had a period they were getting some OEM sales but then it disappeared. If the big bike brands are almost all 100% shimano already it's easy to see why they'd have some financial motivation and/or pressure from Shimano to spec Shimano IGHs on their lineups.

[Mark McM]

I've never had a bike with one of these, is Shimano a newcomer?

It depends on what you mean by 'newcomer'. Shimano started making gear hubs in 1957. Sturmey Archer started in 1902 and Sachs started in 1904, So in that sense they are the newcomer. Shimano actually started making electronic shifting for internal gear hubs long before they had electronically shifted derailleurs.

[El Chaba]

SRAM is good about ending production of nice products. I still haven't forgiven them for killing off the Sachs-Aris freewheel. :mad:

...or killing off the entire line of New Success components. Sachs had the remnants of several old French makers (and Modolo) and had modernized their designs into a really nice groupset. At the time, I thought that their "bearing" components were exceptional....the hubs, which were an evolution of the last generation Maillard 700 hubs and the bottom bracket, which they had made by SKF with their exceptional bearings. They were very smart in creating an agreement with Campagnolo for ergopower levers and cranksets. I also thought that the front derailleur was the best functioning of any that have used then or since. There were quite a few fans of their mountain bike components, too. It was more profitable to have components made in the Far East at a fraction of the cost.