Any experience with Rohloff 14 speed internal hub?

[Cruz]

Any out there have any personel experience with one of these internal hubs?

I've checked a heap of web sites etc but looking for some local hands on knowledge.

 

[S.]

Yeah, they're pretty nice except that they tend to make the bike rear-end-heavy. They shift SUPER well (and you can shift whilst not moving, how cool is that!), the gears don't slip, and there's no derailleur to get bashed. The only issues with them are:
1. Cost
2. Weight (they're not that bad, but you can notice the diff between a bike with a Rohloff and one without)
3. Gripshift only (I'm not really a gripshift fan). I haven't extensively used one, but from the limited pedalling round I did, they're really really nice.

 

[Ty]

i've researched into this a fair bit so heres the lowdown as i know it.

Cons:
What Socket sait plus
Slightly more 'drag' that a normaly setup, very little but noticeable
No hard shifting between gears 7 and 8, thats what it changes 'range' and you have to treat it more like a normal setup (soft pedal)
Proprietary (sp?) disc rotor, they have a crazy 4 bolt disc rotor

Pros:
Being able to shage gears without pedaling (mid berm where you can pedal and need to shift down to sprint out)
Requires no maintance except for an oil change every 1000 kms (just like a cars gearbox)
Not smashing derailurs and hangers up
No need to run a chain guide
Better dish on your rims

i think they are about A$1500
hope this helps cruz

 

[R.E.D]

gees thats exspensive, but they are pritty smooth to ride with, i had a go of one on the new craft works frm125, that was a nice ride and the hub just made it a bit better... but $1500 :? not for me for a fair while

 

[Adi]

I have heard of them, crazy stuff. I'd so like to be able to ride one, to bad theyre so expensive. I also think there is a shimano version of those, but I haven't seen them. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Ty]

shimano version is really low end, like nexave or someting, it's not built to take major forces/shifting under power like the rolhoff.

 

[CHEWY]

there wazs one laced to a wheel for 1100 in the trading post

 

[R.E.D]

hmmmm thats not bad at all...i

 

[Ty]

ok rolhoff make expensive wheelset not just the rad internal hubs, some treks come with 16 spoke (prick to ture) rolhoffs standard, so the ones i the paper might of just been a wheelset not the whole 14 speed internal, they also make a few grades of internal hubs with different ratios, wider spread for mountain bikes and narrow block for road.

 

[S.]

shimano version is really low end, like nexave or someting, it's not built to take major forces/shifting under power like the rolhoff.

Yeah, it's *only* 7 speed too I think.

 

[Techno Destructo]

The Shimano internally shifting hub is called the Nexus. It's only 7 speed and Ty was right about saying it's not meant for high level riding. It's really only meant for cruising around town.

However... there's a variation of the hub that you GOTTA try if you get the chance. It's called "Nexus - Auto D". It's an electronic auto shift drivetrain. That's right! Bikes with auto tranmission!

Manly Cycles had one in stock... it was a Bianchi I think... called the Cafe Racer. I took it for a spin around the block... Wotta hoot! It actually works really nicely (for casually riding around the streets). And it comes in three modes... manual, auto and auto "sport" mode! Yowza! My wife would LOVE it! Too bad it cost more than $2000.

I should really start saving for my Rohloff hub... Maybe $100 a month til I've got enough? What a dream system... A freeride hardtail, with horizontal dropouts, and a totally closed drivetrain. Those hubs are BOMBPROOF from what I heard... And their gear range is pretty much the same you'd get from a 27 speed system.

Also, check out http://www.nicolai.net for some AMAZING FS frames that use the Rohloff hub. If I could get two dream bikes... I'd probably get the Nucleon ST world cup frame built up. That is an insane bike.

 

[S.]

The Shimano internally shifting hub is called the Nexus. It's only 7 speed and Ty was right about saying it's not meant for high level riding. It's really only meant for cruising around town.

However... there's a variation of the hub that you GOTTA try if you get the chance. It's called "Nexus - Auto D". It's an electronic auto shift drivetrain. That's right! Bikes with auto tranmission!

Manly Cycles had one in stock... it was a Bianchi I think... called the Cafe Racer. I took it for a spin around the block... Wotta hoot! It actually works really nicely (for casually riding around the streets). And it comes in three modes... manual, auto and auto "sport" mode! Yowza! My wife would LOVE it! Too bad it cost more than $2000.

I should really start saving for my Rohloff hub... Maybe $100 a month til I've got enough? What a dream system... A freeride hardtail, with horizontal dropouts, and a totally closed drivetrain. Those hubs are BOMBPROOF from what I heard... And their gear range is pretty much the same you'd get from a 27 speed system.

Also, check out http://www.nicolai.net for some AMAZING FS frames that use the Rohloff hub. If I could get two dream bikes... I'd probably get the Nucleon ST world cup frame built up. That is an insane bike.

One of those Nicolais weighs something stupid like 20lbs frame + shock... not sure which one it is though. Just in my (retarded) opinion, those bikes are slightly overengineered... do you really need to be able to adjust every single thing on your bike?

 

[CHEWY]

ok rolhoff make expensive wheelset not just the rad internal hubs, some treks come with 16 spoke (prick to ture) rolhoffs standard, so the ones i the paper might of just been a wheelset not the whole 14 speed internal, they also make a few grades of internal hubs with different ratios, wider spread for mountain bikes and narrow block for road.

it was a 14 speed internal hub, laced to a pos rim. since there 1400 rrp that sounds about right

 

[Cruz]

Chewy, what Trading Post was it in, and what date?
I think you need to use their spokes as well, plus fit a chain tensioner if using on a dually.
Does Gav know much about them Ty?

 

[Ty]

Cruz, not sure he probably does but i believe that street dirt n vert are the people in brissy to see about rolhoff

 

[Cruz]

Thanks Ty, yeah the Santa Cruz guys deal in them as well, and they looked after me with my frame purchase really well.
Just trying to decide, will I or won't I.
I use Attack shifters now so that won't be a problem, and I'll just keep the xtr mechs for spares then.

 

[Ty]

well in the interest of helping out my LBS i'd say yes, as ashgrove is pushing SC pretty hard now i'm sure gav can sort you out, tell him if he gets nto trouble guve me a call and i can mess it up more (j/k), but seriously they should be a easy as to set up, just make sure you throw an old tube around the swing arm where the torque arm (little bit that sticks out of the hub like an old school coaster brake) mounts or you'll scrach up your paint.

 

[Techno Destructo]

One of those Nicolais weighs something stupid like 20lbs frame + shock... not sure which one it is though. Just in my (retarded) opinion, those bikes are slightly overengineered... do you really need to be able to adjust every single thing on your bike?

:lol: You're probably right... It just the most techy DH bike I've ever seen, with the wierd drivetrain thing above the cranks. I'd probably need an engineering degree to do any work on it... But hey... If you were going to be given a bike for free, why not choose something hideously expensive and exotic?

20 lbs for frame and fork, eh? Booyah! 8) Good hill climbing bike!

 

[Yum Cha Racing]

the good thing about the nicolai (sp?) is that they put the rohloff hub in the frame instead of the wheel to reduce the unsprung weight.....
it does look pretty confusing though

 

[CHEWY]

CRUZ. go to the online tradingpost.com
go sport and lesiure, all states, bicycle, type in the search Rohloff and it should come up