Rohloff speedhub, yes or no

[1duck]

They really are some awesome engineering. When you think that it's a 'first attempt', to make what must be the most complicated bicycle component ever made So reliable is an amazing achievement.
I'd kinda love one, but always feel that £800 could be better spent elsewhere, that sort of money gets a helluva frame upgrade for instance. I don't know if I fancy all that weight at the back either, it's got to mess the handling up a bit hasn't it? The main thing for me though is that I'm always swapping wheels, for fuss-free tyre changes, - it's one of the joys of using canti's! ..and I've just never really suffered the 'inadequacies' of the humble derailleur - there's a lot to be said for the lowest-tech solution I reckon. :?

But..... 'love one really!

Havent we had hub gears since the 1900s? its hardly a first attempt a sturmey archer gear lasted for nigh on forever.

It does seem crazy that we have stuck with derailleurs almost religiously for as long as we have though.

 

[ferrus]

just edited to say 'their' meaning Rohloffs first...

not sure I agree about the derailleur, it may be crude in principle but it's been refined to work pretty well really.

 

[1duck]

just edited to say 'their' meaning Rohloffs first...

not sure I agree about the derailleur, it may be crude in principle but it's been refined to work pretty well really.

my bad, yeah they really have but it just seems like such an obvious weak point especially on a mountain bike.

 

[yo-eddy]

Gives you some time to think about what you want

See above!

Gives Rody some time to grow a beard

 

[Neil G]

I'm a Rolhoff fan despite never owning one, the concept and engineeing just seems so good, I just wish I had the money to buy one.

I've got a RM Blizzard and along with the rack mounts a speedhub would finish it off nicely as a real go anywhere, 'touring' MTB.

One day

 

[stewlewis]

I want one

Maybe with a belt drive

Probably a 29er

Titanium, of course

Made in a shed

By a man with a beard

with hydraulic gear shift.
Hydraulic disc brakes.

Me too.

 

[Giel]

Here's your chance to try one on the (relatively) cheap.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1428474#1428474

Having had one of these (in bright orange) for over a year now I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I prefer it over my dogsbolx and dekerf, in particular during this time of year.

 

[erolorhun]

No, and a firm no at that. I`ve tried a friends SH several times and everytime I think that it is neat to have that many gear options without any chainslack but that it feels like a bunch of your wattage is lost in translation between all those syncromesh gears. You are reduced to an engine and no more a cyclist.

 

[trail_head]

No, and a firm no at that. I`ve tried a friends SH several times and everytime I think that it is neat to have that many gear options without any chainslack but that it feels like a bunch of your wattage is lost in translation between all those syncromesh gears. You are reduced to an engine and no more a cyclist.

I feel that resistance sometimes to; For an occasional user, Rohloff's can be tricky. They Have 14 gear paths, some are better(shorter) than others;
Gear 10 is 1 to 1 = no resistance, we're talking single speed efficiency hear.
Gears 3, 5 and 7 have the longest paths and slightly higher resistance.

As a Rohloff torture tester for some 5 years now I can tell you; to know one, is to love it! knowing which ratios have the "magic" makes for a lot of fun and in no way makes me feel like an engine, quite the opposite actually.

I've been torturing my speedhub 500/14 for 5 years now with no issues. I run it with a 17t on the hub and a 32 chainring, this is a gross under driving of the hub = no issues. I use the shifter as part of my grips and as such have been forcing shifts and dragging the internal shifting system daily for 5 years now = no issues. I would have killed many XTR chainrings, derailleurs and cassettes by know, I'm sure that cost would be more than what I payed for the Rohloff. That's not counting the incredible reliability, performance and pimp factor. I've seen one these things run for 8 months with no oil! Then be cleaned, filled with oil and become one of the smoothest running hubs in the stables of Cyclemonkey, the official US Rohloff service center.