Kindernay
Kindernay was a brand of hub gears manufactured by the Norwegian start-up company CA Technology Systems.{{Cite web |title=Vil revolusjonere girsystem for elsykler |url=https://www.innovasjonnorge.no/no/tjenester/kundehistorier/2021/ca-technology-systems/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=no}} They used hydraulic gear levers and were manufactured in Oslo, Norway. Their system differed from their competitors by having a modular design called Swap Cage where the gear mechanism can be easily separated from the hub housing, so that the end-user can use the hub gear with several different wheel sets.{{Cite web |last=Denham |first=Alee |date=2021-08-24 |title=The New Kindernay VII Gearbox: Just 400 Grams Heavier Than A 1X Drivetrain |url=https://www.cyclingabout.com/kindernay-vii-gearbox-hub/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=en-US}} This could make it easier and more economical to change wheel sets to adapt the bike for different seasons or roads, or so that wheels can be easily changed between bikes.{{cite web|access-date=2023-06-16|date=2021-08-24|first=Alee|language=en-US|surname=Denham|title=The New Kindernay VII Gearbox: Just 400 Grams Heavier Than A 1X Drivetrain|url=https://www.cyclingabout.com/kindernay-vii-gearbox-hub/|work=CyclingAbout.}} The hubs are assembled at Kindernay's factory in Oslo by hand, but in the long term it was planned that production be automated and assembled by robots.{{Cite web |title=Annonsørinnhold: Investerte 100 millioner i norskutviklet sykkel. Opplever stor interesse |url=https://www.e24.no/annonsorinnhold/e/fundingpartner/opplever-stor-interesse-av-norskutviklet-sykkel/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=nb}}
History
In 2000, the entrepreneur Christian Antal was studying economics when he began to materialize his interest in developing a bicycle gear, and entered into a collaboration with the mechanical engineer Knut Tore Ljøsne, who had previously worked at Kongsberg Automotive.{{Cite web |date=2016-10-28 |title=Inne i dette skallet skjuler det seg en banebrytende norsk oppfinnelse |url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/inne-i-dette-skallet-skjuler-det-seg-en-banebrytende-norsk-oppfinnelse/363643 |access-date=2023-06-16}}
In 2010, CA Technology Systems was founded.{{Cite web |title=Nøkkelopplysninger fra Enhetsregisteret - Brønnøysundregistrene |url=https://w2.brreg.no/enhet/sok/detalj.jsp?orgnr=995494639 |access-date=2023-06-16}}{{Cite web |title=Vil revolusjonere girsystem for elsykler |url=https://www.innovasjonnorge.no/no/tjenester/kundehistorier/2021/ca-technology-systems/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=no}} A prototype of the 14-speed Kindernay XIV hub was presented in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Denham |first=Alee |date=2016-10-21 |title=The Kindernay XIV Hub: A 14 Speed Internally Geared Rohloff Competitor? |url=https://www.cyclingabout.com/kindernay-xiv-hub-14-speed-internally-geared-hub/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=en-US}}
In 2021 Kindernay was one of the winners of the prestigious Eurobike award for their 7-speed hub model Kundernay VII which is approved for 160 Nm,{{Cite web |last=TERRENGSYKKEL.NO |date=2021-09-14 |title=Norske Kindernay har vunnet Eurobike-pris |url=https://www.terrengsykkel.no/sykkelutstyr/sykkelgir/norske-kindernay-har-vunnet-eurobike-pris |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=no}}{{Cite web |date=2021-09-03 |title=Norske Kindernay satser på elsykler – får gjev pris før girsystemet er satt i produksjon |url=https://www.tu.no/artikler/norske-kindernay-stakk-av-med-gjev-utmerkelse-for-nytt-girsystem-til-elsykler/513111 |access-date=2023-06-16}} and is designed to withstand heavy loads that can occur on for example cargo bikes.{{Cite web |last=Nes |first=Knut |date=2022-01-23 |title=Test av Kindernay VII navgir |url=https://emtb.no/2022/01/23/test-av-kindernay-vii-navgir/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=en-US}} The efficiency of the XI hub has been tested by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and achieved an efficiency in the test rig between 94.4% for 1st gear and 99.5% for 11th gear.{{cite thesis|author=Jakob Deraas Grimsgaard|title=Efficiency Testing of The Kindernay XIV Gearhub|url=https://ntnuopen.ntnu.no/ntnu-xmlui/handle/11250/2781713|date=2020|lang=en|publisher=Norwegian University of Science and Technology}}
In late 2023 Kindernay went bankrupt,{{Cite web |last=Denham |first=Alee |date=2023-11-28 |title=The Kindernay 14-Speed Gear Hub is No Longer (They Went Bankrupt) |url=https://www.cyclingabout.com/kindernay-hub-no-longer-they-went-bankrupt/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=CYCLINGABOUT.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-25 |title=Someone save Kindernay! |url=https://www.emtbforums.com/ams/someone-save-kindernay.81/ |access-date=2024-11-09 |website=EMTB Forums |language=en-US}}.
Technical
Compared to their main competitor Rohloff who makes hub gears with 6 planetary series, Kindernay uses 3, which they claim simplifies the design and reduces weight. Kindernay claims to have patented the important innovations of their system, and that they have patents that last until 2032.{{Cite web |last=TERRENGSYKKEL.NO |date=2021-09-14 |title=Norske Kindernay har vunnet Eurobike-pris |url=https://www.terrengsykkel.no/sykkelutstyr/sykkelgir/norske-kindernay-har-vunnet-eurobike-pris |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=no}} The wheels have freehub with 24 points of engagement,{{Cite web |last=Winzenburg |first=Lucas |date=2022-05-25 |title=Introducing Kindernay: Internal-Gear Hubs from Norway |url=https://bikepacking.com/news/kindernay-internal-gear-hubs/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |language=en}} and Kindernay differs by having a 12 mm through-axle on all their models. Their hubs can be adapted to frames with standard widths of 135 mm, 142 mm and 148 mm.{{Cite web |title=Kindernay {{!}} Cycle Monkey |url=https://www.cyclemonkey.com/kindernay |access-date=2023-06-16}}{{cite web|access-date=2023-06-16|title=Review: Kindernay VII |url=https://www.cyclinguk.org/cycle-magazine/review-kindernay-vii|work=www.cyclinguk.org}}