Classified gear hub

Equipment
42

I use a 42t and found it fairly adequate for my needs so far (fairly comfortable climbing alpe d’huez, and leggs “bottom out” at about 60-65kph.

I am not using any sort of catcher or guide, and haven’t dropped the chain, except when manually handling the bike.

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43

Thanks for your reply
Do you mind sharing your complete build?
Which chain are you using? Sram Eagle? As I emailed them to understand which Sram chain they advice to use with their cassette and they say both the flattop and the eagle one are ok… but I’m planning on running a XTR or a YBN one….
Thanks

44

I use shimano. I didn’t want to buy the 11 speed GRX, so am using:
Derailleur: Ultegra 12s
Chainset: Rotor 1x
Levers: Shimano ultegra 12s (unmodified)
Chain: Shimano 12s
Wheels: FFWD Drift (classified)
Extra shifter button + splitter,

I’ve had no issues due to not using a clutch derailleur (as is recommended).

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45

I’ve had an updated from classified, which I think should make the experience exactly as I want:

One can use 2 shifter buttons with “set” mode, by connecting them to the bar end module with a stereo to mono splitter, e.g. this

2m is very long, so I am just going to modify a regular 2.5mm stereo splitter to be mono, to keep cable lengths reasonable (and making jamming it all in the bars easier).

46

Thanks for the update
I think you can find something similar on Amazon… what’s the length of the splitter do you think one needs? This one for example: Hosa Stereo Breakout 3.5 Mm Trs to Dual 3.5 Mm Tsf https://amzn.eu/d/9VRw3QG ?

Edit: why not a stereo splitter to a dual stereo splitter?
Could you please elaborate on how and which spacers one needs if experiencing the eager sleep?
Thanks

47

It’s 2.5mm

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48

Sorry my bad then in posting it… I though there wasn’t smaller ones than a mini jack

49

Now this is a crazy use of the hub, and being honest, the sort of madness I like to see!

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50

I ended up doing this, and love the setup. Much better than the original, at insignificant cost.

(Don’t forget to test every step)

Material involved:

  1. Classified module (comes with the system)
  2. 2 classified shifter buttons (one comes with the system, purchased an extra)
  3. 2.5mm jack stereo (male) to mono (females) splitter. Shortened one of the mono leads so that both can fit in-line in the bar.
  4. 2.5mm jack cable (enough to go through the handlebars, plus 5cm on each side. You do not want too much extra as it’s too hard to fit back though bars, and might cause problems when removing. Guess how I came to that conclusion. I shortened mine by cutting, soldering, shirink tubing to get something neat).
    The button cable length is not enough, and given the work involved in threading cable (especially a jack plug) through the bars, I’d rather do it once with the extender, so that if I have to replace the button, I won’t have to thread through the bars again.
  5. Shrink tubing, to secure the plugs (and in the likely case you shorten the extension cable)
  6. Bar tape (you’ll have to replace the right side, when adding the button)

Tools

  1. Cable routing tool, for the jack (I wasn’t able to thread it without)
  2. Shrink tube + heat gun (or hairdryer - much slower though)
  3. Soldering stuff (in the likely case you shorten the cable)

Rough steps

  1. Test: Plug everything and see which shifter drives the reduction gear, and which marks the direct drive, before installing the shifter button.
  2. Thread the extension table though.
  3. Insert shrink tube before plugging cables to splitter / extension / classified module.
  4. Plug everything .
  5. Test, making sure the buttons select the correct gears.
  6. Shrink the shrink tube around the plugs.
  7. Push everything into the handlebars.
  8. Test again that both buttons work.
  9. Close up.

Here is a diagram of what it looks like

IMG_0073
IMG_00732732×2048 515 KB

3 Likes
51

Super useful thanks!

Side note… not sure you’ve seen the friction loss drama that has spurred online recently… so far, based on your real life experience, what do you think? Do you mind give us an update?
Thanks

52

I have not seen anything - would you mind pointing me to it?

I’m not sure I would have noticed.

53

You can find the most interesting ones on the weightweenies forum Real world Classified powershift experiences - Weight Weenies
And On the Escape Collective discord channel
On the Hambini YouTube channel there are 2 videos on it; the gravel cyclist just uploaded a long term view of it on his YouTube channel.
And on Reddit as well, but I can’t find it now.
It is clear that one should not buy into Classified marketing claims of 1 or less % of loss, as they haven’t backed it up so far with independent testing, at the same time i’d take Hambini’s negativity with caution as he’s well know for criticism for the sake of it.
On the first 2 places I mentioned great discussions have spurred from genuine interest in the system and understating how it compares to a 1x and a 2x.
For me it’s a better choice compared to a 1x system (barred the price), but as I haven’t had the chance to try it I’m on the fence vs a 2x for gravel
I’m aware I’m not a pro, but I really like to optimize everything and geek stuff out, that’s why I haven’t decided yet on jumping the fence and getting myself one.
That’s why I asked you for detailed opinions and feelings…
In particular if you feel it draggy in the small ring and if you could feel more weight on the rear wheel.
At the moment a 2x with a 33-36 gives me a gear practically similar to a 40-44 (2.08 meters of development vs 2.06) but better spacing which I like in my gravel terrain.
Nevertheless, I’d like to ditch the FD and go lower, while keeping my power meter and the only way is a Classified hub with a 44t and a 11-34 cassette (2.00 meters) or with a 42t (1.90 meters)

54

Whatever efficiency loss there is hasn’t bothered me so far. Testing the loss of the reduction gear in a controlled environment / on a bench (I think that’s the only real unknown) shouldn’t be too hard, but requires tools which I don’t have. If someone in the area around London has such tools, I’m on sabbatical and happy to try!

I guess I could do a test on the rollers and run it though the DCR analyser, but I’m away for 2weeks, and recovering from a torn hamstring, so it might be a while.

55

https://www.classified-cycling.cc/products/mtb

MTB is here. The ring shifter looks nice!

2 Likes
56

Thanks for your reply!

Do you feel anything while riding in the small ‘virtual’ ring? Do you feel a ‘heavier’ rear wheel?

Dave Rome teased on Instagram a while back it had it and he was going to review it, but then the all Cyclingtips thing come up… now on the discord channel Ronan said he’s going to receive a test unit to try it out through Parcour wheels, but there’s no eta on it… at the same time GPLama talked to them at the Taipei Show and should receive a hub as well… he hasn’t revealed anything though on the chat he did with them there…

Thanks for the link… I saw yesterday on Instagram they were going to reveal it today…

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57

Not really, that’s the reason why I wanted to have 2 shifters on “set” mode rather than 1 with “toggle”, as with the latter I wouldn’t often know what gear I was one.

But it’s also conceivable that I might just not be sensitive to the extra drag.

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59

sram needs to buy classified

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60

Thanks both for your reply!
@Noegros Do you think it is easy to swap cassette as in a ‘normal’ setting?
The other day I saw there was a 11-31 cassette for gravel… but it has disappeared now

@gpl can’t wait for your take! Hopefully very soon :grin: I understand they are keen and being busy, but such question has been floating around for some time and they haven’t addressed it so far… imho this lingering is hurting their sales…
Thanks for all the great work you are doing for the community… I’m sharing all your channels here in Italy :it:

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61

I haven’t tried, but would think it is given the construction.

I see these under gravel / road (I believe the setup is the same for both), so I think a 11-31 is very unlikely:

image

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62

Is anyone riding a classified gear hub on their gravel bike or is considering it? If so, could you share your thoughts on the new 11-40t casette from classified? I know this is marketed for MTB but to me this seems more appropriate on a GRoadbike.

My Gravel frame and most frames I just looked up max out at 44t for a single ring. With the 0.68 ratio you essentially have a 44,30 with 11-XX casette giving you thighter steps and a climbing gear close to or greater than 1:1 with the traditional road casettes. On my bike I have the SRAM XPLR drivetrain with a 42t chainring giving me a faster gear with the 10t cog and a lower gear with the 44t cog (compared to their road casettes).

Now enter the classified MTB 11-40t casette. To me this seems more road/gravel/bikepacking oriented as closer spacing is not really that important on a MTB imho. Pair this casette with a 52t frontring and the 11-40 casette and you have a really fast road bike with a 0.875 granny gear. Apart from bigger steps in the spacing this casettes should have been available from the start imho as it makes far more sense for the classified system than the current offerings.

The big problem to me seems to be that not many gravel frames can use such a big frontring and with a 44t up front and all this proprietary tech in the back not giving you more than closer spacing compared to XPLR I don’t know what to make of this system.

What are your thoughts and why did you go or didn’t go for the classified hub?