Building on the technology seen on their 14 Speed Internal Gear Hub, Norwegian component manufacturers Kindernay have released the all-new Kindernay VII 7 Speed Internal Gear Hub. Packing a gear range of 428% over 7 gears built around 10mm and 12mm thru-axles, the Kindernay VII is a viable and attractive option for riders looking to upgrade to an essentially maintenance-free drivetrain.
Kindernay VII 7 Speed Internal Gear Hub
The all-new Kindernay VII 7 Speed Internal Gear Hub shares much of its internals with the original Kindernay XIV. That’s very compact planetary gearing offering 7 speeds via a hydraulic shifting mechanism, packed away inside a sealed unit driven by a single visible cog. Despite offering half the number of gears of its 14-speed older sibling, the Kindernay VII still offers a proper gear range of 428%, with evenly spaced 28% steps in between.
The Kindernay VII is available with flexible switchable Matchcaps for 135mm x 10mm, 142mm x 12mm, and 148mm x 12mm through axles, and is thus workable with a wide range of modern bikes. The system has a maximum torque capacity of 160Nm, so is more than capable of dealing with the high torque outputs of e-bikes and eMTBs.
The Kindernay VII is already a standout IGH with its hydraulic shifting, MTB-worthy wide gear range, thru-axle design, and motor-pairing ability. Adding to that list of attractive features is the SWAP Cage concept that allows Kindernay owners to swap their rather expensive IGH between wheelsets. This is possible because the Kindernay VII IGH actually sits within a cage; it is the cage that laces to the wheel rim, not the IGH itself.
This is a great option for riders who want to make use of the maintenance-free IGH on different bikes; their touring bike and their mountain bike, for example. Kindernay offers the SWAP32 and SWAP36 hub shells for broader rim and usage choices, with 32 and 36 spoke holes, respectively. Finally, unlike the Kindernay XIV, the new 7-speed version is compatible with the IS 6-bolt disc brake standard, likely making it the preferred alternative for e-bike OEMs.
Kindernay Onesie Shifter
In addition to the new 7 Speed IGH, Kindernay have finally released a one-sided trigger to perform single or multiple shifts. This is a big improvement on the two-way HYSEQ hydraulic thumb shifters that come with the Kindernay XIV, whereby you place on shifter on either side of the bar; one to upshift and the other to downshift.
The operation of the HYSEQ Onesie right-handed hydraulic shifter a lot more similar to traditional cable-operated shifters for 1x drivetrains, and will thus be much more familiar to riders of modern bikes.
“The right-handed innovatively designed CNC machined operator provides space for accessories like a dropper post lever on the left handlebar side, and allows for shifting one shift at the time or multiple shifts by pushing the lever further. Operating the hydraulic sequential HYSEQ gear actuator, it provides a clean tactile shift feeling, works with any of the Kindernay hubs, and can be installed on any kind of bike, thanks to the switchable Matchcaps. Kindernay HYSEQ shifters are adjusted for life, they are calibrated in the factory, and never require readjustment” – Christian Antal, Founder & CEO of Kindernay.
Pricing & Availability
We don’t yet have any pricing information on the new Kindernay VII – watch this space. The 7 Speed Internal Gear Hub and HYSEQ Onesie Shifter will be available from fall 2021, with OEM deliveries starting early 2022.
