Why internal hubs?
Look at any road or mountain bike. You can see a gear shifting component, called a derailleur, hanging off the right rear dropout. It is vulnerable and exposed and in the way. You can also see a set of 9 or 10 cogs, upon which the rear derailleur moves the chain up or down, to change the gears in the back. In the front you have another derailleur that moves the chain from chainring to chainring, on the crank. The shift levers, that move the derailleurs via the shifter cables, have to be moved a certain way and there are positions the chain cannot be in, on both the front chainrings and the rear cogs. Confused? Internal hubs negate the need for the front and rear derailleurs, one of the shift levers and all the rear cogs. Jump on the Otis, which is a 3-speed bike, and immediately you know how to shift it into the easier or harder gear. No instructions needed. It is that obvious and that easy. For most cities, a 3-speed is all you need. You have a low gear for hill climbing, a middle gea
