Rohloff hub

[tgame]

I saw a light weight expensive looking bike outside the local library today with what I think may have been a Rohloff hub - the first I've ever seen if so. I looked distinctly bigger than any gear hub I have seen. There was lettering on it but I couldn't see to read it and didn't like to actually crouch down to examine it. What an incredible thing it is to have fitted 14 gears into a hub. As a teenager I thought I top of the heap having a four speed close ratio hub when they first appeared. Who could have imagined something like this at that time. I was a bit surprised to see it on what was obviously a bike built for lightness of weight above all else.

 

[flecc]

The 500% range can be useful in some circumstances, but I'm not a fan.

It's very noisy, enough to make people look round, and the change between 7th and 8th is notoriously bad, sometimes jumping from 7th to 14th when trying to change to 8th, bringing progress to an abrupt halt.

And at well over £500 plus wheel building and fitting, a bit pointless when up to 350% ranges are available in quiet hubs at well under half the price, and SRAM's excellent DualDrive Hub/Derailleur system is available for much less and a huge range with 24 or 27 gears.
.

 

[tgame]

too much tech

Ahh! Very interesting, Flecc. I had rather assumed, from all that I've read of it, that it was more or less the creme de la creme.

I often think nowadays that there is a lot of technology for the sake of it - we must do it just because we can - sort of thing. I have out in the shed somewhere, an ancient acetylene headlamp that my father had, and it's a lovely thing, but it looks lethal, and if one considers it, actually is little less than a bomb! The very latest thing at one time no doubt.

 

[flecc]

It is indeed widely regarded as the best, and it's undoubtedly well made and a very clever design.

Difficult to forgive the failings though, especially the 7th to 8th change, since that lies right in the common speed riding area so is frequently needed.
.