Why did racing cyclists generally reject the popularity of the hub gear until around 1930?
Answer
Racing cyclists rejected them due to added weight and difficult field repairs.
Hub gears were a popular, contained solution that packaged shifting components inside the rear hub, dominating the market for some time due to their ease of use compared to swapping entire mechanisms. However, competitive racers avoided them primarily because the enclosed packaging added significant weight to the bicycle, which is detrimental during climbing and acceleration. Additionally, if a problem occurred with the internal mechanism while racing away from support, performing necessary field repairs on the sealed unit proved exceedingly difficult, leading racers to favor simpler systems despite the hub gear's overall convenience.
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