>>1120141In addition to this none exist (as far as I know) that are compatible with the through axles of modern frames so riders couldn't use them even if they wanted to.
Whilst an IGH could easily handle the power a DH rider would produce I would imagine the biggest downside other than weight would be the fact that they don't shift under moderate to heavy load. For most other types of riding it doesn't matter much to let off the power for a fraction of a second to allow it to shift but DH riders like to mash and shift at the same time.
There are some frames out there that mount the IGH inside the frame (Zeroed for example) that that gets around the unsprung weight issue (and actually reduces unsprung weight compared to a derailer bike) as well as being able to use regular rear wheels with through axles. They're typically not designed for DH use though and have more range than a DH rider needs.
>>1120618Alfine 11 is 408% range or the same as 11-44 (or 10-40 if you'd prefer), enough for regular mountain bike riding. Unfortunately gearing it low enough for off road riding can result in the hub pulling itself out of the dropouts of some frames (speaking from experience here). A Speedhub is better in this regard (and has even more range) but unfortunately is even heavier and more expensive.
