I had been curious about Nuvinci hubs for quite a while. I finally got a chance to ride one, and it is everything I hoped for. No more derailleurs. No more indexed shifting, just a smooth twist for infinitely variable speed drive train. It works amazingly well, and is reliable.

The first version (model N170) was bulky and heavy. The new version (model N360) is smaller and 30% lighter. Given that it eliminates two derailleurs and multiple sprockets, the minor weight difference from standard components is totally worth it. They also widened the ratio to 360%.

It’s plenty strong, and completely maintenance-free. Go with a belt drive setup for silent operation and you’ll never have to lube a chain again.