1,200 km Later: A Rider’s Take on the Nua Kensho Pinion Smart.Shift

This review reflects the experience of a Nua Kensho Pinion Smart.Shift owner after roughly 1,200 km of riding. It covers the full process from ordering and delivery through to long-term use, including fit, ride quality, weight distribution, climbing behaviour, and day-to-day impressions of the Pinion i.C1.12 Smart.Shift gearbox.

The feedback also touches on comparisons with other internally geared systems, battery life and maintenance, and how the bike performs on paved roads, gravel, and steep climbs. The text below is shared as written by the rider and published without modification.

Feedback

'From order to delivery took 21 weeks, but along the way Nua was always quick to respond to my questions with good answers. Over our many email exchanges I always felt confident that Nua would build the bike I wanted.  

When I first climbed onto the bike I knew that the custom build process had resulted in a perfect fit. The titanium frame, wheels and build quality combine beautifully. It has attracted compliments and interest. 

I had never riden a bike with a Pinion gearbox, so I was a little apprehensive about my choice. Within 200 metres of riding my fears were allayed. For five years I previously had a Rohloff equipped bike, and I now also own a city bike with Shimano Alfine 8-speed. The first thing I noticed on the Nua was how much more quickly the Pinion seemed to roll than other internally geared rear hubs. Maybe Pinion is faster because the rear hub is not turning a lot of gears as it spins?

I am a big fan of the smoothness and reliability of internally geared bikes with belt drives, even if they are slower than derailleur bikes. This Nua is smoother than any other internally geared bike I have ridden, and almost as fast as bikes with derailleurs.

The lower centre of gravity makes the bike relatively easy to lift and maneuver into storage spaces like the back of a car. The bike itself is fairly light, or at least as light as could be expected for a bike of this type. 

When climbing steep, gravelly hills the front wheel on my Rohloff bike would tend to wander, and I would sometimes need to climb off. The Nua Kensho tracks much better uphil, probably because the Pinion gearbox weight is centered and low. I think it would perform quite well on rough gravel. 

The titanium frame provides a compliant yet lively ride. I can ride or climb out of the saddle, which is something I generally find cumbersome on non-road bikes with flat handlebars. Power input feels like it is being  transmitted directly to the wheels. It doesn't climb quite as well as a good road bike because it is a little heavier, but it is definitely better in that respect than any other internally geared bike I have ridden.

One of the main reasons for my choice of Pinion, and Nua, was the chance to get Pinion's Smart Shift electronic shifting system. I would not have purchased this bike if it only came with twist shifting. SmartShift has so far lived up to my expectations with precise and quick shifts. 

At first I thought there was a problem with the SmartShift app, and maybe there was, because the charge after 700-800 km only went down by 1%. After a firmware update the charge readings became more realistic. In any case, the battery charge seems to be adequate for many hours of riding. I think I will be able to go at least 1000km between charges. 

One worry I have is the very small and delicate charging port, which is also a little difficult to access. And I  hope I never need to change the battery because the entire gearbox first needs to be removed. However, having the battery in the down tube allows for a sleek design.

Overall I am very pleased with my Nua Kensho Pinion and I look forward to each ride on it..'

Photo Gallery Of The Reviewed Nua Kensho Pinion Smart.Shift

Build specifications

Frame

Nua Kensho Pinion SMART.SHIFT

Custom Geometry

Titanium Grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V)

Tire clearance:– 57 mm with 650B / 27.5"– 44 mm with 700C / 28"

Belt port

Sliding dropouts for 142×12 mm hub

Post Mount brake mounts

27.2 mm seatpost diameter

Internal cable routing: rear brake and rear light (top tube), Pinion E-shifter cable and battery charging port wiring (down tube)

TR ID 44 mm head tube

Mounting points for mudguards, rear rack, and two bottle cages

NuaBikes logo engraved on head tube, anodized on down tube

Hand-brushed finish

Fork

Nua CF-FORK Commuter

Tire clearance: 42 mm (700C / 28")

Tapered carbon steerer: 1-1/8" to 1-1/2"Thru axle: 100×15 mm

Mounting points for mudguards

Internal cable routing for front brake (left blade)

Black painted finish

Headset

Acros 44 Tapered (Black)– Upper: Acros ZS44 / 28.6– Lower: Acros EC44 / 40

Gearbox & shifting

Pinion C1.12 Smart.Shift gearbox with electronic shifting motor

12 speeds

600% overall gear range

Shifter

Pinion E-Trigger

Brakes

Shimano XT BR-T8000 hydraulic disc brakes, 2-pistonLong lever version (set)

Rotors: Shimano RT-56, 160 mm (Centerlock)

Transmission

Gates CarbonDrive CDX belt drive (C-C = 439 mm)

Front sprocket: 32T stainless steel

Rear sprocket: 24T stainless steel

Belt: Gates CDX 108T Black

Cranks

Pinion forged cranks with Smart.Shift magnet Length: 170 mm (Black)

Wheelset

Campagnolo Zonda GT with Shimano HG body

Tires & tubes

Panaracer GravelKing TLC, 40 mm (700C / ETRTO 622), BlackSchwalbe SV17 presta tubes (x2)

Cockpit

Handlebar: NUA Ti-FLATBAR, Titanium Grade 9, 570 mm width, 6° sweep, hand-brushed

Stem: Procraft SL, 100 mm, -6°, Black

Stem spacers: NUA Ti-SPACER, Titanium CNC, brushed– 30 mm below stem– 10 mm above stem

Grips: Brooks Cambium Comfort 130 / 100 mm, Black

Seat area

Seatpost clamp: 3min19sec SC2, Ø31.8 mm

Conclusions

We would like to thank the rider for taking the time to document his experience in such detail and for allowing us to publish it in full.

Long-term feedback like this, including both positive impressions and open questions, is invaluable for us as a small, independent builder, and for anyone considering a Pinion-based drivetrain or a fully custom titanium frame.

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