Shimano Alfine hub gears can be fitted to a Brompton, using my custom rear triangles – you can have an 8-speed or 11-speed with an optional disc brake. I also make the rear triangles with an optional integral rack.
The Alfine is a good intermediate step between the Sturmey 8-speed and the ultimate Rohloff.
The kit includes a complete new rear wheel, new rear frame* in a colour of your choice, new chain tensioner, gear shifter, and fittings. Depending on your Brompton, you might need a new chainset and/or chain, I can supply these if needed.
Because my new rear frame is disc-ready, you can upgrade the brakes easily later – the hubs have a centrelock fitting to take a brake rotor. I offer two disc options, the mechanical BB7 (reasonably powerful, simple to service) and the hydraulic Hope Race X2 (very light, very low maintenance, very powerful).
Alfine 8-speed Kit – £725
Alfine 8-speed Kit, integral rack – £815
Alfine 11-speed Kit – £795
Alfine 11-speed Kit, integral rack – £885
Cable Disc Brake Add-on (TRP Spyre) – £110
Hydraulic Disc Brake Add-on (Hope Race Evo X2) – £195
The 8-speed kits now come with a Sturmey thumb shifter as standard, which is much better on the Brompton bars than the usual Shimano Rapidfire shifters. For the 11-speed kits, I strongly recommend the Jtek shifter:
Add Jtek 8-speed shifter – £50
Add Jtek 11-speed shifter – £70
Or you can have the Di2 electronic shifting, with a very neat little switch and handlebar display.
Add Di2 – £500
Am interested in the Alfine. Please could you tell me the gear ratios for the 8 and 11 speed.
I normally fit a 50t chainset and 18t rear cog which gives:
Alfine 8: 24″ to 74″
Alfine 11: 24″ to 99″
The rear cog has to be 18t, but the chainset can be 44t or 54t to move the ratios up or down.
In comparison, the normal Brompton 3-speed has ratios from 44″ to 79″, and the BWR 6-speed has ratios from 33″ to 99″.
I bought an Alfine 11 Brompton which is mervelous.
Here’s a complete topic (in French) about this fabulous bike
http://www.bromptonforum.net/t8191-green-lime-alfine-brompton-by-kinetics
Really interesting article, many thanks for posting this.
Ian
Several improvements are planned soon: fork, Disc brake, chain tensioner, DI2…..
So check the link each month.
hi~
can i change to alfine di2 11 speed?
Hello Kang,
You need to make the choice Alfine Di2 or Alfine with Rapidfire shifter when you purchase the bike.
It’s not possible to improve the Alfine with Rapidfire shifter to Di2 because it’s not the same hub.
The Alfine version with Rapidfire shifter use the SG-S700 hub which contains an internal spring to tight the cable.
The Di2 version use the SG-S705 hub which doesn’t contain this spring (otherwise the spring will oppose to the electric motor). You can recognise it with it’s blue strip.
It’s the same thing when you purchase a new car: you need to make the choice between a mechanical or an automatic gearbox.
Macadam
Hi Ben,
i am interested in the Alfine 11 kit with integral rack for my Brompton.
Will the additional width of the rear triangle affect the fitment on my B&W hard case?
Thanks.
It depends what else you have – on its own, there’s not much difference. If you get disc brakes as well, then you might need to cut away a bit of the padding to cope with the extra width. It also depends which shifters you get – the JTek ones take up less space especially on the M-type bars.
hello,
May I know what is the Di2 Kit come with for GBP500?
It’s the motor, battery, holder, charger, cables, handlebar control, display, modified tensioner etc – basically everything you need.
How about the S705 hub and the rim?are those included?
If I order the Alfine 11sp kit and Di2?
Yes, all the Alfine kits come with the hub built into a rim, the rear triangle, cog and fitting kit.
What is the weight penalty converting from 6 speed to alfine 11 (no change of stock breaks)
Thanks
It adds around 750g.
Tried to comment on the NuVinci page but couldn’t since the comment box was missing – how much weight does the NuVinci setup add over a stock 6 speed and how does it compare to the Alfine 8? Given that they’re the same price and the NuVinci has superior range and granularity (and doesn’t need oil) I’m wondering if there’s any reason to go with the Alfine over it.
The NuVinci is about 1kg heavier than the Alfine, about 2kg heavier than the 6-speed.
Hi, I have a 2017 Brompton Black edition with M type handle bars. Will the Di2 shifter fit well on these? or am I better of with Jtek for the alfine 11? Also, if I were to order an Alfine 11 with integral rack would I be able to get the black wheel to match the black edition? Thanks!
I don’t think I’ve ever tried the Di2 on M-type bars, but it’s a pretty small shifter, should be okay. Alternatively, I know the JTek works well on the M-type bars.
I can do a black hub, black rim and black spokes, yes.
Hi,
Is it possible to make the rear frame in a Raw Lacquer?
Regards
Benny
Yes, that’s no problem.
What is type of shifter that good for p-type handlebar?
The normal shifter does work, but I recommend the Jtek shifter – it’s neater and takes up a lot less bar space, plus it’s chunky aluminium not plastic.
Does this 11 speed kit include with cog?what about front wheel, can you modify so we can put disc brake to?
The kit comes with an 18t cog as standard. I do make front disc kits too: http://www.kinetics-online.co.uk/folding-bikes/brompton/brompton-disc-brakes/
Does the 11 speed retain the Brompton crank/chainset and use their chainrings?
Thanks.
Is there a price for a bare metal option and a price for already painted?
(Need to paint an entire frame, would like it to match).
Thanks
If you want it as it comes out of the jig, then that saves £20 – but it will need to be blasted before painting. Or I can do what I usually do to the brushed stainless ones which would make it ready for painting, but that wouldn’t save any money.
Will the custom-built rear triangle be able to fit a 406 rim and tyre?
I’m afraid not – 349 and smaller only.
Can you mimic/recreate the raw laquer black edition on your triangles/ forks?
I.e. a darker laquer than the standard version.
Thanks
Not yet, we’re looking into it.