Sturmey Archer S80 XRF8 8-Speed Hub

Pros

Huge range of gear options

Looks nice aesthetically

Seems durable and weather resistant

Cons

Heavy

Overdrive gears can get very loud (all gears except for first gear direct drive)

Shifting can be finicky if not calibrated perfectly

Included twist shifter is absolutely terrible

Other Thoughts

I added this hub to a 700c single speed bike for more flexibility commuting. The installation was simple enough, I just rebuilt my current wheel with this hub.

My first impression was that it was very loud when in 2nd gear or higher. And it is, but it doesn't bother me enough to switch hubs again.

I recommend purchasing a thumb shifter and using that instead of the included shifter here. The shifter from this kit fell apart almost immediately and was really mushy when shifting.

Also, I'd recommend a smaller chainring when using this hub. I have a 44t chainring, which makes the first gear near tolerable for steep climbs, but the top gear incredibly high.

I've been using it about a month, so only time will tell how durable it is, but overall it feels like a hub that will last a long time on a commuter with proper care.

Pros

This hub has been dependable for three years of nearly year round commuting. I commute partly in urban areas and partly on open roads. The gear ratios are pretty good, so that I never feel like I could use more options.

Cons

The yellow indicator for adjusting the indexing went away so it takes a bit of trial and error to get it shifting smoothly.