Ah, the "640k ought to be enough for anybody" of the bicycling world. These days you can get 13 speed on the back derailleur alone -- not even taking into account the front derailleur.
> this is to be enjoyed and imagined, not taken for fact. Read with a speedy wartime radio advert voice.
It's not that hard to avoid shifting under heavy load (higher-end IGHs shift fine under some load). And on a commuter bike, being able to shift gears at a standstill is great.
Edit: you completely changed the content of your message and my reply doesn't make a lot of sense now.
Efficiency sucks for the continuous variable kind, like the Enviolo and other variations on that theme.
Apparently the Pinion and Rohloff fare better: https://bikeshed.johnhoogstrate.nl/bicycle/drivetrain/shiman...
Complexity is a weird thing. For the vast majority of owners the most you'll need to do is change the oil every 10k kilometers, but for the unlucky ones that do need it serviced, that requires shipping your hub across the world.
I'm hoping that their growing popularity improves the technology and makes them cheaper. I tour bikes as a hobby and make pretty okay money, but I still can't justify the price point of a Rohloff system.
On most bikes I don't really see the point.
Either you want the convenience of an internal gear hub and you have plenty of options that offer a pretty wide range. For instance the Nexus/Alfine 8 feels plenty enough for a commuter bike even if you live in a hilly place. If you're rich you can go with an Alfine 11, Rohloff, or Pinion.
Or you don't want the weight/cost/inefficiency, nowadays you can get affordable and reliable 1x10 or 1x11 groupsets. And of course on a proper road bike you'll still want a double chainring.
> And of course on a proper road bike you'll still want a double chainring.
why? the IGH replaces the front double chainring. weight and price might be a bit higher but it's probably more robust, less maintenance and you can shift under full load.
https://cyclingtips.com/2020/07/this-rear-hub-has-2x-wireles...
Still, I'll believe it when I see it at amateur cycling clubs. At pro-level I don't think anyone would take the performance hit (even though they claim it's compensated) just to avoid having a front derailleur.
For gravel, cyclocross or even casual road biking, if a double chainring really bothers you, then 1x12 groupsets exist.
Edit: https://www.rosebikes.com/rose-backroad-classified-2x11-2696...
Nice bike but the price bump compared to the other electric-shifting models is pretty steep!
Instead, they have a crazy custom thing that runs the chain through a little pivoting fork that shifts the chain left and right on the two speed freewhatever[0]. The six speed adds the three speed internally geared hub. You can also get one or the other alone.
I believe they developed that combination when the supply of 5 speed hubs that fit their highly non-standard read hub spacing dried up.
I have a two speed Brompton and love it, but their engineers are next-level crazy in the best possible way.
[0] I wouldn't even care to guess. Everything they do is insane.