The short version: a derailleur is lighter, cheaper, and has a wider gear range, but its gears are out in the weather and need regular care. An internal gear hub seals everything inside the rear wheel — low-maintenance, weatherproof, shifts at a standstill — at the cost of weight, price, and range.
What each one is
A derailleur is the familiar setup: a stack of sprockets at the back wheel and a spring-loaded arm that lifts the chain from one to the next. It’s what most bikes use.
An internal gear hub (IGH) hides all the gears inside a sealed rear hub. From outside you see one sprocket and a clean chain line — the shifting happens out of sight and out of the weather.
Hub versus derailleur
Internal gear hub
Set-and-forget, all-weather- Very low maintenance, sealed away from grit and rain
- Shrugs off rain, salt, and grime
- Change gear while stopped at a light
- Pairs with a belt drive: no oil, no rust, long life
- Narrower range; a basic hub struggles on steep hills
- Heavier and pricier up front
- Repairs usually mean a specialist
Derailleur
Range, low weight, easy fixes- Wider gear spread, better for big climbs
- Lighter and cheaper
- Any shop can service it, often a quick fix
- Pairs with a standard chain
- Gears exposed to weather, wearing faster in wet and winter
- Regular cleaning, oiling, and occasional adjustment
- No shifting at a standstill; you must be pedalling
Which suits your riding
The choice comes down to your week: how wet it gets, how steep it gets, and how much upkeep you’ll happily do. Weather and low fuss push toward a hub, which is why so many city and Dutch-style bikes run one (often with a belt). Hills, distance, and a tight budget push toward a derailleur, kept clean.
Before you decide
The transmission is one detail on a whole bike — pick the bike first, then the gearing follows the terrain and how much maintenance you want to do. If you’re still choosing the bike itself, start with which bike is right for you.
This guide covers durable, mechanical differences between the two systems, not specific models — the right answer follows your terrain and your appetite for upkeep, both of which you can read off your own week.
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