I've been riding a Rohloff for about 10 years and don't regret the expense considering that after all this time, it looks and runs like it's brand new. Compare that to the wear and tear on one of my traditional derailleur systems that's not even ten years old, and the long-term advantage is clear. And maintenance on it is, quite literally, ZERO. You just go. The one caveat I'd mention that didn't come up in the review is about the weight. It is slightly heavier, which isn't a problem, but all the weight is in the back. It makes the rear wheel much heavier, and if you're sensitive enough, you can feel it in the back when maneuvering. It's a little like the tail wagging the dog at times. But once you get used to it, it feels natural enough and not difficult to adapt to.
Absolutely the best video I have seen on a Rohloff gearhub 👍. I've been watching a lot of videos and reading up on this but it's near impossible to find any real talk about how it works and performs out on the trails. Now I'm even more sold on my choice for a Rohloff build for my next bike. Thanks for putting out some real world information on this.
Great to receive a comment like that Buck. It is a balance of how much detail to include as opposed to a shorter more entertaining video... but I decided it was time to make an educational video for people who really wanted to learn and understand more about how the Rohloff works, how you use it on the trail, and try and show that in the real world (like climbing... too many "you can't change whilst climbing" theories or thoughts. Well you can, I hopefully showed that on a steep climb). Thanks, Paul.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I've been trying to hunt down videos that have real information on the Rohloff and it's hard to find. Most just talk about the grip shifter and how it makes a noise in some gears. Nice to hear some of that but as a mtber I want to know how it does on the trails. I've found a few people that have them online and each has said it's definitely worth getting. Seeing that you put it into a E Mtb has me more sold since those bikes are harder on cassettes, chainrings and chains. This will be on my next bike that I'm planning to get built up next year.
Really helpful video, thanks. I plan to buy my retirement/forever bike soon, and have been considering Rohloff - mainly for the reasons you describe (simplicity). Your demonstration of how it works while actually riding your bike on the trail is more informative than the usual "verbal only" reviews.
I have three Rohloff equipped bikes, Ventana El Commondante which has done 41,000 km Gates belt drive, Transitions Rapture Cyclocross 3500 km (this hub was previously installed on my Specialized S Works Epic around 7000 km) chain drive and Riese & Muller Superdelite 6200 km e-bike with belt drive and e14 shifter. Superb gear setup. I’ve raced, trekked and used Rohloff for general riding in both hardtail and full suspension and can attest to the absolute reliability of the system. I was racing on the S Works which had Shimano XTR and converted to Rohloff because of issues around reliability, wear, clogging with mud, speed of gear changing and LOWER overall cost over time. The Rohloff needs only an annual oil change and drivetrain maintenance at a much lower wear rate than Shimano while I was replacing chainrings, chain, cassette, derailleur jockey wheels and front and rear derailleurs. This was a much higher annual cost in money and time. I have broken three drive belts on the Ventana probably due to my poor installation and alignment but I’d never go back to a chain on this bike. The system is so much better than chain drive (and less expensive in cost and time). My only complaint, and it is a small one is with the e14 electronic shifter developed with Bosch and Rohloff. I find it slow and clunky when compared to the twist shifter. I put this down to my long experience using the twister when I can zip through multiple gears at speed and never think about what gear I need to be in. The e14 shifts in a millisecond but backs the motor off first which causes a delay and for multiple shifts it first shifts 1 gear and then 3 gears at at time which becomes much slower than just turning the manual shifter. My wife has the same setup on her ebike and she loves it as she has a different experience and expectation and it suits her very well. Overall I don’t understand why there are so many non Rohloff (or other gearbox systems Pinion, Kindernay) bikes out there. I won our local MTB race series on my S Works (8 races over 8 weeks) used XTR for the first 3 races then changed to Rohloff and my times got better each week so there was no performance penalty. I came back the next year with the Ventana and won the series again and my times were even better than the previous year. I’ve done two 1100 km brevets on the Ventana and will be using it again in March 2022 in the Tour Aotearoa 3000 km brevet. Best setup fully loaded I can think of.
On my third season with a rohloff and carbon drive equipped MTB (non electric). Up and down the European mountains, I absolutely love it. Very happy with it! Weight and weight on rear has not been an issue for me.
I've got 2 Rohloff equipped bikes. One with a chain (trekking/daily driver) and a MTB with Gates belt (MTB/bikepacking). Maintenance is next to zero....Loved it since I got my first Rohloff back in 2012.
How is it for Mtb and bike camping? I'm planning on having a custom built titanium hardtail built up with a Rohloff gearhub and gates carbon belt drive. Mainly to use for trail riding and some bike camping.
@@buckroger6456 it's just great. Never worry about a chain or derailleur. No chain suck, no problems with rocks hitting your derailleur, tall grass, , whatever. If you want to win prices you're better of with a derailleur. If not, go Rohloff.
@@Karel.C seems like every time I find another Mtber who has a Rohloff all I hear is great things. I really appreciate the feedback, this is just helping to stay my ground and make sure my new dream bike is built up with a Rohloff and belt drive.
@@michaelferguson7371 Not ideal on your bike, but it's possible if you use a chain tensioner. Dedicated frames are better because they have an eccentric bottom bracket to adjust the chain tension. Standard frames don't have an EBB and need a tensioner which looks like a derailleur. For belt drive you need a dedicated frame with an EBB or sliding pads to adjust chain/belt tension. Want to use a belt, you'll need a dedicated frame with some kind of spindle to open the frame so the belt can be mounted. Chains can be broken, belts are one piece.
The rohloff hub is a well engineered hub that is a little noisy in gears 1 to 8 but gets quieter over time. The final drive pawl and ratchet makes a noise like a freehub on gears 8 to 14. If the hub is fully immersed in water, rohloff recommend an oil change. I've run alfine 8 and, even with changing from grease to 75s90 gear oil on the alfine, the rohloff is in a different league. Yes, it's expensive, but you don't have to replace cassettes and it's easier to keep clean. It can also take 130 nm? of torque. I wouldn't go back to derailleur systems.
I can say unequivocally that any enclosed gearbox/transmission will be better matched to a Gates Carbon Drive than to a chain. I have a bikepacking hardtail bicycle with Pinion and belt drive. The belt is so much better, IMHO. I have had no issues so far and it is easy and light to carry a spare. Love the twist grip shifter. Very slight learning curve. A derailleur can't begin to measure up. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed, but not possible without custom frame designed tensioner for a full suspension bike. I have a Gates Belt hardtail myself… the best, fantastic 👍👍👍
@Maciej Jan Długosz opinion and preferences are great, but not when it is misleading to others. A recent efficiency test from Cycling About, Sep 2017... "In the test, a Shimano Ultegra 2X drivetrain achieved an average of 96.2% drivetrain efficiency, while a SRAM Force 1X drivetrain averaged out at 95.1% efficient. This means that a Rohloff hub likely runs 1-2% less efficient, while a Pinion gearbox or Shimano internal gear hub is 5-6% less efficient, on average." The full test and the article can be found here (www.cyclingabout.com/speed-difference-testing-gearbox-systems/)
@Maciej Jan Długosz Rohloff did not do the testing, they were one of many independently products tested. Read the report www.cyclingabout.com/speed-difference-testing-gearbox-systems/
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Where I am not competing, a few percentage points are meaningless. I ride to be out in nature, to bikepack. I am not in a big hurry. A small price to pay for zero maintenance and easy shifting. Thanks for sharing.
@@swnorcraft7971 couldn't agree more. And in fact when a cassette is dirty (or worse still muddy), the derailleur system is no longer 98% efficient - whilst the gear changing on the Rohloff is all done internally in a sealed environment (efficiency remains constant). The Rohloff is "the" most efficient internal geared hub and that's been proven by a number of independent tests and reports over the years. Putting all that aside, the efficiency difference as you say is meaningless and not really detectable. That's why people keep buying Rohloffs... and they just keep enjoying riding their bikes.
When downshifting (to easier gear) you don’t even need to pause the legs. You just need to let the bike coast for a split second, which usually means the pedal speed can stay exactly the same and then when the shift is done, can keep pedaling same speed but the pawls will then engage, then pedal a bit faster to put down power. It’s actually a faster shift that can happen in a fraction of a pedal stroke rather than a full turn of the wheel, like with a derailleur.
I had it in the 2006 on a Turner Five Spot ... really heavy... really different feeling I had changed the system with a XTR 2 years later... the bike was much more efficient and balance with Xtr ... Rolhof it's a really good transmission for long range travels, tandems, e bikes, cargo bikes..
Really like the concept of this for the horrible weather and type of Riding I do here in the States. Looks like nobody local to me deals with these so I am hunting down the best dealer on the East Coast of the US. I have an 18 Turbo Levo expert and think this would complement it nicely.
The Rohloff Speedhub itself is easy enough to purchase in the States, but there are very few bike shops in the world who want to take on the eBike conversion process installing the Rohloff. It is not rocket science, but it is tedious and involved… if you want the job done properly, professionally and have it reliable. It takes me 9-10 hours to complete a Levo Rohloff conversion. There is an option to simplify this by having the cables externally mounted… but doesn’t look anywhere as good a job and more prone to damage. Examples of what’s involved is removing the motor for the internal cable install, switching brake hoses to the opposite side (recut/new fittings), modified motor cover, modified sensor magnet, modify cable entry bracket to fit dual cables, modify rear dropout or axleplate, the wheelbuild to Rohloff specs, modify r/h grip or purchase a half-grip, cable shrouding or heatshrink protection, chain tensioner modification, actual best cable routing to ensure smoothest shifting, and there is more. If interested, more on the wet weather Rohloff riding at 2:45. ruclips.net/video/Zuhcd2-a7z8/видео.html
I appreciate the information. Do you have any specific shop/person stateside you recommend ordering from? Feel free to shoot me a PM. Nothing you stated sounds too crazy from what I do on motorcycles/jeeps and in my daily business operations. I have been planning an entire braking system overhaul so this may be good timing to do all at once. Would be interested in a write up if you know of anybody who has one online just to make note of the little things that go a long ways to make life easier on a swap like this. I've pulled the motor once before and it just increases my love for the simplicity of electric motors vs what I'm used to. Really enjoyed the video's and how concise the explanations were. Best of luck!
@@ClarkAnd there are a few you can choose from. In Australia we sell through bike shops across the country. Send me an email and I will pass you some specific information. paul@familymoir.com www.rohloff.de/en/company/worldwide
Awesome vid. Informative content about the rohloff 14. The 526% gearing sounds awesome. Currently trying to decide on drivetrain/groupset to replace my Deore 11 speed. Bike can produce 230nm with ease. Unsure if I'll just get a Shimano Linkglide cassette and chain for my deore groupset with hopes they will last 300 miles vs the current 60-100 miles.
Rob, we have fitted the Rohloff to some very powerful eBikes... recently to a Bafang M620 1500W, 160Nm. What is critical is the input torque to the rear sprocket... not the motor output torque. For example, an 80kg rider with 165mm cranks would develop an output torque around 130Nm, plus another 160Nm (the Bafang M620) from the max motor output torque = 290Nm total rider+motor output torque. With example, a 36-tooth front chainring and a 16-tooth rear sprocket (2.25 ratio), the input torque to the Rohloff rear sprocket would be 129Nm (Rohloff allows 130Nm input torque to the rear sprocket - it is on their recommended/warranted limit). With your 230Nm motor output torque (that is exceptionally high for any eBike... normally around 70-100Nm), that would equate to 160Nm input torque to the rear sprocket, with an 80kg rider. The limiting factor with the cassette/derailleur is when the chain moves from cog to cog - that sideways movement under high eBike loads causes accelerated high wear and high strain/force on the chain... that is, the chain wears and/or breaks in a much much shorter time (even the Shimano Linkglide).
The majority of the video was filmed at West Mount Cotton near Brisbane, the coastal footage was in Tasmania (West Coast) and some other footage on the east coast, at Derby Tasmania.
Excellent video! (1) Where on Earth did you find a blue-anodized Rohloff Speedhub?? (2) Every ebike company that I have dealt with said that if I replace the cassette/derailleur system with a Rohloff, the ebike's computer will produce an error code. How did you get around that? *
I don't know what country you are in, but the feedback you have received that the "ebike's computer will produce an error code" is absolute rubbish (there are other words, but "rubbish" is appropriate for a public forum). The Rohloff simply replaces the derailleur/cassette... your bike's computer doesn't know it has a Rohloff or a derailleur fitted. I have converted over 20 ebikes (emtbs) to Rohloffs... Brose, Bosch, Shimano, Bafang and some with electronic gears/electric shift derailleurs - none have produced an error (for the reasons I have explained). The blue Rohloff is my wife's, a very special order.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Regarding the error code, I suspected as much. I live in the US and wrote an email to Bulls HQ about converting my EVO E45 and they said I would trigger and error code and voide the warranty. It's already out of warranty, I just don't want to pay $100 to reset the code. *
@@do-ineedtosay723 they don't know what they're talking about - easy answer is "it will cause an error code". Not possible! Ask them if they have ever converted one... no.
Thank you for a more accurate and realistic look at the Rohloff hub for mountain biking. I really like the concept of the internally geared hub as opposed to the messy derailleur setup that I'm used to, but I don't like grip shifting. Would look at another option for that. But can you elaborate on how you got the hub to fit a boost thru-axle frame and got the chainline right? Sorry about all the jerk comments you're getting here. This is really good content of a lesser known gearing option that is viable. Really appreciate the time you put into sharing this.
I have a video of a pdf PowerPoint presentation I put together that explains most of what you want know about the 12mm/boost thru-axles... watch here, ruclips.net/video/SHbOY4vVY2M/видео.html Regarding chain alignment, the Rohloff is designed to sit in a normally aligned chainline position, you can change that by using different Rohloff sprocket adaptors, or my spacing/adjusting the bottom bracket. 9 times out of 10, when I fit a Rohloff to a customer's bike it is within 1-2mm of a perfect alignment.
I am Completely Sold on the Rohloff. I have a 2021 Scott eRide Genius 900, Bosch CX Motor, 150mm rear travel, 29” wheels. Where can I buy Everything I need to apply the Rohloff to my E Bike?? When I say everything, I mean the Blue Rohloff with a 29” rim & the proper tensioner. I really want a Gates Belt drive, so, front & rear sprockets for the Gates. I will settle for a chain drive if forced. I live in Texas, in the States. Can I buy Everything from you guys, since you are a Distributor in Australia? I’ve googled information, however, there is no clear answer or path to my end goal for my application. Any help is appreciated.
Sorry... can't comment as I never trialed the 3x3. One of the advantages or features of the Rohloff Speedhub people love is the 14 speeds equally spaced which allows you to fine tune your cadence.
Have Rohloff for 12 years on a 26". Would like to build it onto a 27.5" rim for my emtb. Problem is the mounting system on the Emtb frame is not the same as the quick release on the old 26". What if anything can be done? Cheers thanks for the vid.
Dear Mr Moir, I need your thoughts! Thanks for your video. I bought a Rohloff to build on an all terrain bike, used as a winter commuter 29x3 ", with belt drive. In the summer I put smaller tires for XC riding. I never inteded to build this Rohloff custom frame for XC, but I'm leaning more towards the XC sport and I do less commuting these days, as I live near work now. My problem is the combination of a 460 mm chainstay with a rear rohloff hub make the bike very heavy at the rear. I feel the bike is pretty unresponsive. Should I buy a dedicated XC and keep this Rohloff as a winter bike. Should I put my Rohloff on a frame that has a 430 mm chainstay length to compensate for the heavy rear hub? Any arguments for or against a Pinion, to place the weight at the center? Im leaning towards just buying a cheap 1x10 XC derailleur bike to hit the trails. At least it gives me hope that you're liking the Rohloff as a MTB. Thanks a lot
I don't find the additional rear weight any real issue to be honest, so it's difficult for me to provide a good non-biased answer. If the weight really concerns you and it affects the rear end performance that much, then I would suggest don't use it for mtb'ing... although that's where the Rohloff really shines (no derailleur tuning, no bent derailleurs, basically no maintenance - just ride and enjoy the ride). Regarding the Pinion gearbox (or any mid mount internal gearbox), this is normally a custom built into the frame - so you would need to buy a frame with a Pinion gearbox already fitted. I've been using and riding with the Rohloff mtb'ing now for over 20 years, I don't like going back to derailleurs and the additional rear weight has never been a concern. That probably doesn't help, but all the best.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Thank you for such a great response and fast response. I am a beginner mountain biker. As most people told me, the bike isn't the limiting factor for a beginner, it's the rider's skill. For now, I will use what I have and practice mountain biking on my old geometry Rohloff, rather than get a new Pinion bike. Thank you. Safe rides. Pleasure. Kelvin
Will a rolhoff GH works with normal mtb without electric assistance (a custom made titanium fat bike in my case) for a similar use as shown in your video ?
Yes, much easier to fit the Rohloff Speedhub to a standard mtb. Just need to select hub size as in 135mm, 142mm (XL), 148mm (A12), 170mm (XL), 177m (A12 XL), 190mm (XXL) and 197mm (A12 XXL) and axleplate option to best work for torque restraint. www.rohloff.de/en/company/news/news/170mm-speedhub-for-fatbikes-update
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount in my case rear end is 197 x 12 mm. I also need to know if the rohloff GH can work with a oval chainring a slightly longer chain and the rohloff chain tensionner.
@@hubertarnaud533 yes, it will work no problem. Being an A12, you will need to have your local Rohloff distributor undertake (or borrow) an A12 Measurement Kit assessment on your frame.
Most of my beef with this setup is the Grip Shift which I absolutely despise. I've used it and tossed it with prejudice. There are just so many things I absolutely hate about Grip Shift. Nuff said. My main problem with Rohloff is in the lack of really good shifter alternatives for both mtb and road bike (drop bar shifters), solutions that shift easily, precisely and work consistently without constant adjustment. So bizarre Rohloff has not come out with any shifters for road bikes.
My fat Surly with a BBSHD has a Rohloff, and in 4 K miles my only bitch about the shifter is the numbers have worn off! I've never adjusted it since new, I like the position also.
Using a chain as it is a full-suspension bike. I have a belt on another bike which is a hardtail... love the belt drive, but you need a custom engineered tensioner for the specific frame for a belt on a full-suspension mtb to operate correctly and work reliably.
@@hdenergy9249 coil versus air is really a personal preference. I love the coil shock because it feels so planted and stable - but if you like a "poppy" feel to your ride than the air shock would be the better choice. Have you seen this recent video I did with the Push 11.6 coil versus the original Rockshox air shock? Just my opinions talked through in the video, but it does demonstrate some differences... ruclips.net/video/5IuhQ7hZVYw/видео.html
You don’t need parts… it is very very rare a Rohloff ever needs any type of repair. The only service required is changing the oil and that is once a year (you can do that).
Had a Rohloff on my Jeff Jones 29er. Great for road and flat dirt but when things got technical with climbs it was like hauling a cinder block behind you. Go ride some challenging trails and get back to me.
Seriously... I've been riding, racing and trail exploring with a Rohloff fitted mountain bike for the past 20 years. Technical climbs... the best and where the Rohloff excels. Have a look at Mt Heemskirk and Springbrook videos (ruclips.net/video/Z9IolE_tTTM/видео.html the start, 2:30 and many more places, and Springbrook ruclips.net/video/zDn_Y0aYMMc/видео.html nice little hill 1:00-1:25). Don't understand comment - can only assume you didn't have the Rohloff fitted properly or you were towing a "cinder block"... whatever that is?
I am getting back to you after riding some challenging trails with a Rohloff. But you should be aware we have evolved our thinking to accept the fantastic new technology of Emtbs. Purists run the trails barefoot and a Rohloff hub only adds to the the magic of Emtbs that turn us into gleeful kids again and broaden our ability to explore terrain multiplying the joy of one of mans greatest gravity cheating inventions the bicycle. They are a Time Machine. It's goodbye derailleurs for me and hello reliability. The weight of a full power 90Nm Emtb doesn't matter as it gives me stability, grip and momentum but if you prefer a steam bike then weight is important. There is undoubtedly a certain pleasure in suffering but definitely not as much sheer Fun as a emtb. Downhill both ways. E=Mtb²
Aren't the gear steps of 13.7% between each gear to small for MTB? No doubt, for comfortable driving it's perfect. But for MTB purposes I can imagine bigger steps to be beneficial...
Derailleur gear step sizes vary much more, although they are around 12% to 17%, still quite similar. 13-14% allows excellent control/tuning for cadence. Whilst that is good, you use smaller incremental cadence tuning more for “grinding out faster longer trails segments”. Mtb’ers using the Rohloff don’t seem to count individual gears, but more as demonstrated on the video… you quickly adapt to change 3-4 gears at once to be properly geared to the constantly varying terrain. But just like a derailleur, sometimes you are looking for just 1 gear step to optimise your cadence. The big advantage of the Rohloff in mtb’ing is being able to change multiple gears at once, very very quickly (much quicker than a derailleur). In the end it’s a personal preference or maybe what you are used to. From my own experience (and a couple of mates who ride Rohloff mtbs), we definitely find it faster changing with the Rohloff.
@Maciej Jan Długosz everyone has their own thoughts and obvious likes and dislikes, but I am assuming you have never ridden a Rohloff Speedhub fitted bike for any significant amount of time? The shifter, if installed and cabled correctly, is very easy to use and you can use it all day, every day. And Rohloff did not develop the electronic shifting due to a problem with their 20+ year successful twist shifter - it was developed for commuter eBikes for today's technology (same as you can use the latest manual shifting Shimano groupset or the option of their electronic version). This is a Rohloff shifter and how easily if works and shifts... vimeo.com/637383860
@Maciej Jan Długosz in the meantime I tested the Rohloff with the Gripshifter and with an aftermarket two sided thumb shifter. The Gripshifter allows to shift four to five gears with one rotation action of the hand. So I need only 3 to 4 shifting actions to shift through all gears. When the bowden cable is properly installed and adjusted the shifting is quite smooth. In most cases I shift two gears at once since one gear (as I assumed) is almost not remarkable. only sometimes at higher speeds or when going uphill the small gear steps help to maintain the preferred candence. My personal conclusion is that I won't switch back to a derailleur on my bike ever again.
@Maciej Jan Długosz the fact is the Rohloff is 1-2% less efficient than a derailleur, so I'm not sure if your Rohloff was ever installed properly... if you could feel any drag? You are welcome to your opinions Maciej, as are others. I would suggest anyone who is interested in a Rohloff Speedhub test ride one - very simple.
@Maciej Jan Długosz ok, got your point. In my next bike build project I will use a Sturmey archer cs rk3. Here I will combine a basic 8 speed rear derailleur with that 3 speed hub. Curious to see if this cambinatio will give a competitive drivetrain. Or if international drags awill be to high. At least I like the idea of having this 3 X 8 "cockpit".
@@danvalicek Did you read his question, Pumpkin? Here, try again when you're not self-medicated... "Can I convert any 'regular' bike to rohloff hub?!?"
The efficiency loss of a Rohloff is 1.5-5%, very little difference to a new and perfectly clean derailleur chain drive. Others do not feel any efficient loss… that’s why the Rohloff is the number.1 choice for touring cyclist worldwide. Ride one… you will not feel any difference. Btw, other internal geared hubs are not as efficient as the Rohloff. Now weight is a small negative for the Rohloff and yes, an eBike helps compensate for the additional weight and it matters far less as an eBike is already a heavier bike. There’s a very good chart (graph) which demonstrates efficiency of the Rohloff versus the derailleur drivetrain. www.rohloff.de/en/experience/technology-in-detail/mechanical-efficiency
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Thanks for your reply. I actually tried a Rohloff this weekend with belt drive. It sure is a nice ride. And as me not being a pro any efficiency loss what might be there totally was not noticeable. And yes is it has a huge range.
@@Grunge_Cycling That's not what a rohloff is designed to do... My point was it's quiet and and durable. Chains break and make tons of noise. Sure a derailer has the potential to be a couple percent more efficient but they aren't nearly as reliable.
@Maciej Jan Długosz I'm not one to deny something already proven by many professionals in the field. You think I'm naive, I think you're arrogant. You clearly have a bias and don't want to admit when you're wrong.
You can't please all the people all the time... I had many requests for a detailed review and explanation of all the aspects of the Rohloff Speedhub. Next time just hit stop.
Even though he had a dick-move approach, I would take the negative feedback and shorten or eliminate the B roll near the start of your video. Its really overdone across the youtube community and unless there’s something extremely impressive or valuable from it, I don’t believe it’s worth including. Your content however is very well communicated and you look awesome riding and shifting your bike! You have me as a new follower for sure!
false and misleading information: 1. chain with derailleurs is as efficient as it gets, check any (e.g. MTB, Road) professional bicycle competition or specific scientific papers 2. extra weight and gear shifting. good lock climbing under load while the incline increases further 3. you don't do shit yourself if that whole thing breaks and repairs are expensive compared to cheaper single part defects of derailleurs 4. usually higher upfront cost 5. maintaining it, especially oil changes are no real counterweight to lift all the negative above It's bad be real! Nice German engineering though and good to see at a museum
Amazing that someone can comment on a video when they obviously haven't watched all the video... and in your case never ridden with a Rohloff? If you had ridden with a Rohloff, you would understand that what you wrote makes no sense... it is called nonsense. 1. Yes... derailleurs are typically around 98% efficient if the chain is in a straight line and is perfectly clean - I have never said a Rohloff was more efficient? A Rohloff is around 95-96% efficient, but is always that efficient as the chainline is straight (aligned), and the Rohloff efficiency never changes because all the gears are internal and sealed - the efficiency is maintained in dry or through muddy conditions. In the mud, the Rohloff becomes more efficient than a derailleur. 2. Refer to the video "Weight Comparison" (5:05)... typically the Rohloff is 550g to 800g heavier (comparing current groupsets). If you don't like that one aspect of the Rohloff Speedhub, then don't buy a Rohloff. Climbing and changing gears... again, go and ride a Rohloff before publishing unfounded comments. Can you change gears whilst climbing with a Rohloff... yes! If you looked at the video there is a whole section that demonstrates that - it's real video, it's real-life riding and real-life gear changing (watch the video 7:22) 3. The Rohloff Speedhub is near indestructible... that is why it is the gold standard hub for touring the world. That is a fact, please spend just 1 minute and Google "Rohloff reliability". Again, do you know anything about a Rohloff Speedhub (I serviced Rohloffs in Asia and Australia for the past 20 years... that is the big advantage, they do not break)? Your comment is baseless... "Rohloff are proud of the fact that they have not known the internals of their Speedhub to ever fail. There is probably no better example of German engineering excellence for bicycles than the Rohloff hub". 4. Yes, the Rohloff is a higher upfront cost - I've never said it was not. Earlier videos I have produced go into actual pricing as I explain the additional upfront cost - this is a known fact and expectation. Where and when did I mislead or misinform? 5. Maintenance on a Rohloff Speedhub involves an annual oil change and keeping your cables in good condition (same as you would with derailleur cables). There is no servicing, there is no gear/derailleur tuning - just change the oil once a year. Was there a purpose or point to this comment? Normally I wouldn't bother responding to baseless comments from someone who has obviously not watched the video in full, nor ever ridden a Rohloff Speedhub. But people who watch my videos and read such comments, need to hear both sides of the story... hence my response. Notwithstanding that, anyone who is serious about purchasing a Rohloff Speedhub can go and "test ride" one for themselves... and they can decide themself what to believe. Over 350,000 customers have purchased a Rohloff Speedhub - I will let that fact speak for itself.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I do semi-pro cycling and I rode it as well. It's not for made for serious riding at any terrain neither for long haul races e.g. TCR stresses reliability -2022 Strasser won with electronic shifting and Rohloff or similar systems nowhere to be found. As you took time to write your personal pov I share one more personal experience of mine. In road cycling your pedalling frequency is linked to your cardiac rhythm and you need to hit it right on spot to perform at your best. 2) Furthermore, if you push 300W on steep inclines while it does increase further you don't have room to slow down nor to mess up your frequency like you did in the video. In fact you bought an overengineered and worse performing product for no reason, esp. for your use case, age and riding performance. I never commented before and I like you. Not your persuasion towards the product though
The video was about “mountain biking with a Rohloff”… nothing to do with competing or racing with a Rohloff? Consumer choice is a wonderful thing - you can choose to buy a product or not.
@@Jupiter-ex7yh Hey, I don't watch videos that talk about things I understand *and own* sometimes, but I don't say the stupid crap coming out of your mouth either. You have no experience in what you're saying and have been listening to others like you. It doesn't matter as I suspect you don't own a bike let alone a bike with a $1600 component.
1. Straight chainline systems are very efficient. Rohloff internal gearing is not as efficient as open derailleur systems. Efficiency isn't just measured in transfer of power. 2. The Rohloff is superior in any climbing situation other than road racing IMO where your gains are driven by cutting weight and minimizing power loss. An unexpected incline may warrant putting in extra power then making a gear shift in the brief period of momentum so as not to be bearing down on the transmission to its detriment: Dropping a gear on your FD requires giving the RD time to take up the slack. If you drop several RD gears it's not as immediate and efficient as the Rohloff. The Rohloff will let you drop as many gears as you want if you are willing to disengage pedaling for a moment in order to get to that ideal gear. You're immediately capable of cleanly using that lower gear on the Rohloff once you start pedaling. Again, with a derailleur you need time for the chain to transfer and slack to adjust for the gear change to be accomplished. It's arguably far less of a learning curve to do it better with the Rohloff. The steeper the hill, the more time it takes for a traditional derailleur to successfully clear a gear shift, particularly when riding a loaded bike. And then starting at the bottom of a hill switching gears is just a flick of the shifter with the Rohloff to be in an ideal gear, whereas with a derailleur you might drop the gears, lift the rear wheel off the ground and pedal the shift through manually before you set off. 3. Fortunately it's built better than a derailleur by several orders. That's part of what you're paying for. Sure, the Rohloff could be better stomached if it was less expensive, but it's a top notch design. 4. Yeah. That said people are willing to pay silly amounts of money for the latest derailleurs and drivetrains with fussy high speed issues and lifespans noticeably shorter than your typical 90s components. So if you really wanted to make the case for efficiency and quality perhaps 7 and 8 speed groupsets are where it's at? The best all-rounder drivetrain for roads and trails is likely a 2x8 drivetrain.
Obviously you’ve never ridden an eBike Alex… you need to pedal. They don’t have a throttle. You can max your heart rate on an eBike the same as an analog bike. Try before you comment.
I ride both ebikes and regular bike. Although i use my regular fs bike 80% of the time, you can get a decent workout with the ebike with lower power and no throttle(which is what I use). In the end, it's what your use case is. I like my regular fs bike since i plan in racing and I like the lighter bike. But if a person is just out there to enjoy the trail, get a little bit of fitness, and can afford an ebike, then why not? Ebikes have allowed more people to get outdoors and enjoy
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I will NEVER EVER ride an Bike as 1) I am not lazy and 2) I care about our planet to know the damage mining for the raw materials to make the batteries and motors causes to our planet, local indigenous peoples, the toxic manufacturing processes and then for the bike to be dependent on a power grid to charge it!!! People who buy them are lazy selfish idiots who don't give a crap about our planet or people because if you did you wouldn't ride one like I have chosen not. I am prepared to make sacrifices to ride an ALL YOUR OWN EFFORT bicycles. I am not lazy!!!
@@alexmorgan3435 the manufacturing of lithium batteries is destructive to the earth, but electric vehicles tend to be where the world is headed due to fossil fuels and global warming, not to mention that there's only enough oil left for the next 40 something years. There are greener ways to generate electricity though such as windmills, solar, geothermal, and also japan is testing out oceanic turbines. But the problem is where to store power, and battery tech seems to lag behind.
Totally off putting camera angle looking straight at you as you ride. Gave up. Plus I can't stand moped bikes that people use and claim they are cycling when they are not. Cycling is ALL your OWN effort, NO motor.
I've been riding a Rohloff for about 10 years and don't regret the expense considering that after all this time, it looks and runs like it's brand new. Compare that to the wear and tear on one of my traditional derailleur systems that's not even ten years old, and the long-term advantage is clear. And maintenance on it is, quite literally, ZERO. You just go. The one caveat I'd mention that didn't come up in the review is about the weight. It is slightly heavier, which isn't a problem, but all the weight is in the back. It makes the rear wheel much heavier, and if you're sensitive enough, you can feel it in the back when maneuvering. It's a little like the tail wagging the dog at times. But once you get used to it, it feels natural enough and not difficult to adapt to.
Mine is balanced out with a SA XL-FDD dyno drum brake. LOL. My first one has 32,000 miles with only a bearing change.
My bike is 120 lbs loaded. LOL.
Absolutely the best video I have seen on a Rohloff gearhub 👍. I've been watching a lot of videos and reading up on this but it's near impossible to find any real talk about how it works and performs out on the trails. Now I'm even more sold on my choice for a Rohloff build for my next bike. Thanks for putting out some real world information on this.
Great to receive a comment like that Buck. It is a balance of how much detail to include as opposed to a shorter more entertaining video... but I decided it was time to make an educational video for people who really wanted to learn and understand more about how the Rohloff works, how you use it on the trail, and try and show that in the real world (like climbing... too many "you can't change whilst climbing" theories or thoughts. Well you can, I hopefully showed that on a steep climb). Thanks, Paul.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I've been trying to hunt down videos that have real information on the Rohloff and it's hard to find. Most just talk about the grip shifter and how it makes a noise in some gears. Nice to hear some of that but as a mtber I want to know how it does on the trails. I've found a few people that have them online and each has said it's definitely worth getting. Seeing that you put it into a E Mtb has me more sold since those bikes are harder on cassettes, chainrings and chains. This will be on my next bike that I'm planning to get built up next year.
Really helpful video, thanks. I plan to buy my retirement/forever bike soon, and have been considering Rohloff - mainly for the reasons you describe (simplicity). Your demonstration of how it works while actually riding your bike on the trail is more informative than the usual "verbal only" reviews.
I have three Rohloff equipped bikes, Ventana El Commondante which has done 41,000 km Gates belt drive, Transitions Rapture Cyclocross 3500 km (this hub was previously installed on my Specialized S Works Epic around 7000 km) chain drive and Riese & Muller Superdelite 6200 km e-bike with belt drive and e14 shifter. Superb gear setup. I’ve raced, trekked and used Rohloff for general riding in both hardtail and full suspension and can attest to the absolute reliability of the system. I was racing on the S Works which had Shimano XTR and converted to Rohloff because of issues around reliability, wear, clogging with mud, speed of gear changing and LOWER overall cost over time. The Rohloff needs only an annual oil change and drivetrain maintenance at a much lower wear rate than Shimano while I was replacing chainrings, chain, cassette, derailleur jockey wheels and front and rear derailleurs. This was a much higher annual cost in money and time. I have broken three drive belts on the Ventana probably due to my poor installation and alignment but I’d never go back to a chain on this bike. The system is so much better than chain drive (and less expensive in cost and time). My only complaint, and it is a small one is with the e14 electronic shifter developed with Bosch and Rohloff. I find it slow and clunky when compared to the twist shifter. I put this down to my long experience using the twister when I can zip through multiple gears at speed and never think about what gear I need to be in. The e14 shifts in a millisecond but backs the motor off first which causes a delay and for multiple shifts it first shifts 1 gear and then 3 gears at at time which becomes much slower than just turning the manual shifter. My wife has the same setup on her ebike and she loves it as she has a different experience and expectation and it suits her very well. Overall I don’t understand why there are so many non Rohloff (or other gearbox systems Pinion, Kindernay) bikes out there. I won our local MTB race series on my S Works (8 races over 8 weeks) used XTR for the first 3 races then changed to Rohloff and my times got better each week so there was no performance penalty. I came back the next year with the Ventana and won the series again and my times were even better than the previous year. I’ve done two 1100 km brevets on the Ventana and will be using it again in March 2022 in the Tour Aotearoa 3000 km brevet. Best setup fully loaded I can think of.
On my third season with a rohloff and carbon drive equipped MTB (non electric). Up and down the European mountains, I absolutely love it. Very happy with it! Weight and weight on rear has not been an issue for me.
I just got the Rohloff with the Gates belt and it's perfect for the maintenance averse rider like me. No fuss, just go. Have fun. . .
I've got 2 Rohloff equipped bikes. One with a chain (trekking/daily driver) and a MTB with Gates belt (MTB/bikepacking). Maintenance is next to zero....Loved it since I got my first Rohloff back in 2012.
How is it for Mtb and bike camping? I'm planning on having a custom built titanium hardtail built up with a Rohloff gearhub and gates carbon belt drive. Mainly to use for trail riding and some bike camping.
@@buckroger6456 it's just great. Never worry about a chain or derailleur. No chain suck, no problems with rocks hitting your derailleur, tall grass, , whatever. If you want to win prices you're better of with a derailleur. If not, go Rohloff.
@@Karel.C seems like every time I find another Mtber who has a Rohloff all I hear is great things. I really appreciate the feedback, this is just helping to stay my ground and make sure my new dream bike is built up with a Rohloff and belt drive.
Can you put them on a standard mtb bike? I have a giant trance 0 2019. Would I be able to put it on that?
@@michaelferguson7371 Not ideal on your bike, but it's possible if you use a chain tensioner. Dedicated frames are better because they have an eccentric bottom bracket to adjust the chain tension. Standard frames don't have an EBB and need a tensioner which looks like a derailleur. For belt drive you need a dedicated frame with an EBB or sliding pads to adjust chain/belt tension. Want to use a belt, you'll need a dedicated frame with some kind of spindle to open the frame so the belt can be mounted. Chains can be broken, belts are one piece.
What an excellent description and we'll put together video.
Very professional 👍
I have never tried a rohloff hubs but I do love my pinion gearbox it is nearly indestructible
Well done Paul awesome video
The rohloff hub is a well engineered hub that is a little noisy in gears 1 to 8 but gets quieter over time. The final drive pawl and ratchet makes a noise like a freehub on gears 8 to 14. If the hub is fully immersed in water, rohloff recommend an oil change. I've run alfine 8 and, even with changing from grease to 75s90 gear oil on the alfine, the rohloff is in a different league. Yes, it's expensive, but you don't have to replace cassettes and it's easier to keep clean. It can also take 130 nm? of torque. I wouldn't go back to derailleur systems.
Just converted my Fargo to a Ebike with Rohlof with CYC motor fabulous !!
I can say unequivocally that any enclosed gearbox/transmission will be better matched to a Gates Carbon Drive than to a chain. I have a bikepacking hardtail bicycle with Pinion and belt drive. The belt is so much better, IMHO. I have had no issues so far and it is easy and light to carry a spare. Love the twist grip shifter. Very slight learning curve. A derailleur can't begin to measure up. Thanks for sharing.
Agreed, but not possible without custom frame designed tensioner for a full suspension bike. I have a Gates Belt hardtail myself… the best, fantastic 👍👍👍
@Maciej Jan Długosz opinion and preferences are great, but not when it is misleading to others. A recent efficiency test from Cycling About, Sep 2017... "In the test, a Shimano Ultegra 2X drivetrain achieved an average of 96.2% drivetrain efficiency, while a SRAM Force 1X drivetrain averaged out at 95.1% efficient. This means that a Rohloff hub likely runs 1-2% less efficient, while a Pinion gearbox or Shimano internal gear hub is 5-6% less efficient, on average." The full test and the article can be found here (www.cyclingabout.com/speed-difference-testing-gearbox-systems/)
@Maciej Jan Długosz Rohloff did not do the testing, they were one of many independently products tested. Read the report www.cyclingabout.com/speed-difference-testing-gearbox-systems/
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Where I am not competing, a few percentage points are meaningless. I ride to be out in nature, to bikepack. I am not in a big hurry. A small price to pay for zero maintenance and easy shifting. Thanks for sharing.
@@swnorcraft7971 couldn't agree more. And in fact when a cassette is dirty (or worse still muddy), the derailleur system is no longer 98% efficient - whilst the gear changing on the Rohloff is all done internally in a sealed environment (efficiency remains constant). The Rohloff is "the" most efficient internal geared hub and that's been proven by a number of independent tests and reports over the years. Putting all that aside, the efficiency difference as you say is meaningless and not really detectable. That's why people keep buying Rohloffs... and they just keep enjoying riding their bikes.
When downshifting (to easier gear) you don’t even need to pause the legs. You just need to let the bike coast for a split second, which usually means the pedal speed can stay exactly the same and then when the shift is done, can keep pedaling same speed but the pawls will then engage, then pedal a bit faster to put down power. It’s actually a faster shift that can happen in a fraction of a pedal stroke rather than a full turn of the wheel, like with a derailleur.
Agreed... you can shift much faster and more gears much faster than a derailleur system.
I had it in the 2006 on a Turner Five Spot ... really heavy... really different feeling I had changed the system with a XTR 2 years later... the bike was much more efficient and balance with Xtr ... Rolhof it's a really good transmission for long range travels, tandems, e bikes, cargo bikes..
Very well explained. Liked & subscribed!
The other great thing about hub gears over a derailleur is the wheel is far stronger due to the spoke angles
Really like the concept of this for the horrible weather and type of Riding I do here in the States. Looks like nobody local to me deals with these so I am hunting down the best dealer on the East Coast of the US. I have an 18 Turbo Levo expert and think this would complement it nicely.
The Rohloff Speedhub itself is easy enough to purchase in the States, but there are very few bike shops in the world who want to take on the eBike conversion process installing the Rohloff. It is not rocket science, but it is tedious and involved… if you want the job done properly, professionally and have it reliable. It takes me 9-10 hours to complete a Levo Rohloff conversion. There is an option to simplify this by having the cables externally mounted… but doesn’t look anywhere as good a job and more prone to damage.
Examples of what’s involved is removing the motor for the internal cable install, switching brake hoses to the opposite side (recut/new fittings), modified motor cover, modified sensor magnet, modify cable entry bracket to fit dual cables, modify rear dropout or axleplate, the wheelbuild to Rohloff specs, modify r/h grip or purchase a half-grip, cable shrouding or heatshrink protection, chain tensioner modification, actual best cable routing to ensure smoothest shifting, and there is more.
If interested, more on the wet weather Rohloff riding at 2:45.
ruclips.net/video/Zuhcd2-a7z8/видео.html
I appreciate the information. Do you have any specific shop/person stateside you recommend ordering from? Feel free to shoot me a PM. Nothing you stated sounds too crazy from what I do on motorcycles/jeeps and in my daily business operations.
I have been planning an entire braking system overhaul so this may be good timing to do all at once. Would be interested in a write up if you know of anybody who has one online just to make note of the little things that go a long ways to make life easier on a swap like this.
I've pulled the motor once before and it just increases my love for the simplicity of electric motors vs what I'm used to. Really enjoyed the video's and how concise the explanations were. Best of luck!
@@ClarkAnd there are a few you can choose from. In Australia we sell through bike shops across the country.
Send me an email and I will pass you some specific information. paul@familymoir.com
www.rohloff.de/en/company/worldwide
Love my Rohloff.
Awesome vid. Informative content about the rohloff 14. The 526% gearing sounds awesome.
Currently trying to decide on drivetrain/groupset to replace my Deore 11 speed. Bike can produce 230nm with ease.
Unsure if I'll just get a Shimano Linkglide cassette and chain for my deore groupset with hopes they will last 300 miles vs the current 60-100 miles.
Rob, we have fitted the Rohloff to some very powerful eBikes... recently to a Bafang M620 1500W, 160Nm. What is critical is the input torque to the rear sprocket... not the motor output torque. For example, an 80kg rider with 165mm cranks would develop an output torque around 130Nm, plus another 160Nm (the Bafang M620) from the max motor output torque = 290Nm total rider+motor output torque. With example, a 36-tooth front chainring and a 16-tooth rear sprocket (2.25 ratio), the input torque to the Rohloff rear sprocket would be 129Nm (Rohloff allows 130Nm input torque to the rear sprocket - it is on their recommended/warranted limit). With your 230Nm motor output torque (that is exceptionally high for any eBike... normally around 70-100Nm), that would equate to 160Nm input torque to the rear sprocket, with an 80kg rider. The limiting factor with the cassette/derailleur is when the chain moves from cog to cog - that sideways movement under high eBike loads causes accelerated high wear and high strain/force on the chain... that is, the chain wears and/or breaks in a much much shorter time (even the Shimano Linkglide).
Thankyou sir for the video neat what all that can do planing to change my bike to that
Where was this filmed? Awesome trails!
The majority of the video was filmed at West Mount Cotton near Brisbane, the coastal footage was in Tasmania (West Coast) and some other footage on the east coast, at Derby Tasmania.
Excellent video!
(1) Where on Earth did you find a blue-anodized Rohloff Speedhub??
(2) Every ebike company that I have dealt with said that if I replace the cassette/derailleur system with a Rohloff, the ebike's computer will produce an error code. How did you get around that?
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I don't know what country you are in, but the feedback you have received that the "ebike's computer will produce an error code" is absolute rubbish (there are other words, but "rubbish" is appropriate for a public forum). The Rohloff simply replaces the derailleur/cassette... your bike's computer doesn't know it has a Rohloff or a derailleur fitted. I have converted over 20 ebikes (emtbs) to Rohloffs... Brose, Bosch, Shimano, Bafang and some with electronic gears/electric shift derailleurs - none have produced an error (for the reasons I have explained). The blue Rohloff is my wife's, a very special order.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Regarding the error code, I suspected as much. I live in the US and wrote an email to Bulls HQ about converting my EVO E45 and they said I would trigger and error code and voide the warranty.
It's already out of warranty, I just don't want to pay $100 to reset the code.
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@@do-ineedtosay723 they don't know what they're talking about - easy answer is "it will cause an error code". Not possible! Ask them if they have ever converted one... no.
Any plans on converting that to carbon gates drive for longer maintenance intervals?
No... not possible to be fitted to a full suspension mtb without a custom engineered tensioner as belt tension is critical.
Thank you for a more accurate and realistic look at the Rohloff hub for mountain biking. I really like the concept of the internally geared hub as opposed to the messy derailleur setup that I'm used to, but I don't like grip shifting. Would look at another option for that.
But can you elaborate on how you got the hub to fit a boost thru-axle frame and got the chainline right? Sorry about all the jerk comments you're getting here. This is really good content of a lesser known gearing option that is viable. Really appreciate the time you put into sharing this.
I have a video of a pdf PowerPoint presentation I put together that explains most of what you want know about the 12mm/boost thru-axles... watch here, ruclips.net/video/SHbOY4vVY2M/видео.html
Regarding chain alignment, the Rohloff is designed to sit in a normally aligned chainline position, you can change that by using different Rohloff sprocket adaptors, or my spacing/adjusting the bottom bracket. 9 times out of 10, when I fit a Rohloff to a customer's bike it is within 1-2mm of a perfect alignment.
Great info.
I am Completely Sold on the Rohloff.
I have a 2021 Scott eRide Genius 900, Bosch CX Motor, 150mm rear travel, 29” wheels.
Where can I buy Everything I need to apply the Rohloff to my E Bike??
When I say everything, I mean the Blue Rohloff with a 29” rim & the proper tensioner.
I really want a Gates Belt drive, so, front & rear sprockets for the Gates.
I will settle for a chain drive if forced.
I live in Texas, in the States.
Can I buy Everything from you guys, since you are a Distributor in Australia?
I’ve googled information, however, there is no clear answer or path to my end goal for my application.
Any help is appreciated.
Cycle Monkey is the US importer of Rohloff I believe, and they are absolutely fantastic!!!
What are your thought on the 3x3 vs the rolhloff. Thanks
Sorry... can't comment as I never trialed the 3x3. One of the advantages or features of the Rohloff Speedhub people love is the 14 speeds equally spaced which allows you to fine tune your cadence.
Have Rohloff for 12 years on a 26". Would like to build it onto a 27.5" rim for my emtb. Problem is the mounting system on the Emtb frame is not the same as the quick release on the old 26". What if anything can be done? Cheers thanks for the vid.
vimeo.com/346199290
ruclips.net/video/Zuhcd2-a7z8/видео.html
It’s more complicated than an old 26in wheel 135mm hub, but all very possible and we’ve done 20+ eMtb conversions now.
Dear Mr Moir, I need your thoughts!
Thanks for your video. I bought a Rohloff to build on an all terrain bike, used as a winter commuter 29x3 ", with belt drive. In the summer I put smaller tires for XC riding. I never inteded to build this Rohloff custom frame for XC, but I'm leaning more towards the XC sport and I do less commuting these days, as I live near work now. My problem is the combination of a 460 mm chainstay with a rear rohloff hub make the bike very heavy at the rear. I feel the bike is pretty unresponsive. Should I buy a dedicated XC and keep this Rohloff as a winter bike. Should I put my Rohloff on a frame that has a 430 mm chainstay length to compensate for the heavy rear hub? Any arguments for or against a Pinion, to place the weight at the center? Im leaning towards just buying a cheap 1x10 XC derailleur bike to hit the trails. At least it gives me hope that you're liking the Rohloff as a MTB. Thanks a lot
I don't find the additional rear weight any real issue to be honest, so it's difficult for me to provide a good non-biased answer. If the weight really concerns you and it affects the rear end performance that much, then I would suggest don't use it for mtb'ing... although that's where the Rohloff really shines (no derailleur tuning, no bent derailleurs, basically no maintenance - just ride and enjoy the ride). Regarding the Pinion gearbox (or any mid mount internal gearbox), this is normally a custom built into the frame - so you would need to buy a frame with a Pinion gearbox already fitted. I've been using and riding with the Rohloff mtb'ing now for over 20 years, I don't like going back to derailleurs and the additional rear weight has never been a concern. That probably doesn't help, but all the best.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Thank you for such a great response and fast response. I am a beginner mountain biker. As most people told me, the bike isn't the limiting factor for a beginner, it's the rider's skill. For now, I will use what I have and practice mountain biking on my old geometry Rohloff, rather than get a new Pinion bike. Thank you. Safe rides. Pleasure. Kelvin
Will a rolhoff GH works with normal mtb without electric assistance (a custom made titanium fat bike in my case) for a similar use as shown in your video ?
Yes, much easier to fit the Rohloff Speedhub to a standard mtb. Just need to select hub size as in 135mm, 142mm (XL), 148mm (A12), 170mm (XL), 177m (A12 XL), 190mm (XXL) and 197mm (A12 XXL) and axleplate option to best work for torque restraint.
www.rohloff.de/en/company/news/news/170mm-speedhub-for-fatbikes-update
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount in my case rear end is 197 x 12 mm.
I also need to know if the rohloff GH can work with a oval chainring a slightly longer chain and the rohloff chain tensionner.
@@hubertarnaud533 yes, it will work no problem. Being an A12, you will need to have your local Rohloff distributor undertake (or borrow) an A12 Measurement Kit assessment on your frame.
Most of my beef with this setup is the Grip Shift which I absolutely despise. I've used it and tossed it with prejudice. There are just so many things I absolutely hate about Grip Shift. Nuff said. My main problem with Rohloff is in the lack of really good shifter alternatives for both mtb and road bike (drop bar shifters), solutions that shift easily, precisely and work consistently without constant adjustment. So bizarre Rohloff has not come out with any shifters for road bikes.
I know SRAM has race shifters for the rohlof. Santos bikes use those for their gravel and race bike with rohlof.
My fat Surly with a BBSHD has a Rohloff, and in 4 K miles my only bitch about the shifter is the numbers have worn off! I've never adjusted it since new, I like the position also.
Electronic shifting called E14 is now available for Rohloff. I am not sure,however, if it is for new bikes only or also for aftermarket sales.
LOL. If I stop shifting under load, that solves all of my drivetrain issues, and I've no need to change to one of these things!
If you keep shifting under load with any geared drivetrain... derailleur or Rohloff or other, you will always have drivetrain issues.
Which system were you using, chain or belt? Which one do you prefer? Great video, regards from Costa Rica!
Using a chain as it is a full-suspension bike. I have a belt on another bike which is a hardtail... love the belt drive, but you need a custom engineered tensioner for the specific frame for a belt on a full-suspension mtb to operate correctly and work reliably.
Which model of Rohloff you use?
There is only one model... the Rohloff comes in different configurations and axle types. I am using an A12 (12mm thru-axle version).
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount does coil damper works better than air?
@@hdenergy9249 coil versus air is really a personal preference. I love the coil shock because it feels so planted and stable - but if you like a "poppy" feel to your ride than the air shock would be the better choice. Have you seen this recent video I did with the Push 11.6 coil versus the original Rockshox air shock? Just my opinions talked through in the video, but it does demonstrate some differences... ruclips.net/video/5IuhQ7hZVYw/видео.html
I'd trade my slx 12v for a rohloff speedhub but in Brazil there's only one reseller while I can find shimano parts and service easier.
You don’t need parts… it is very very rare a Rohloff ever needs any type of repair. The only service required is changing the oil and that is once a year (you can do that).
Well im impressed, but its not compatible with my rear hub motor of course.
If you already have a rear hub which is your motor, then no. Do you have gears... how does that work?
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Normal rear Derailier
Great vid but not everyone has the budget for a Rohloff, significantly higher initial cost.
Agreed Jeff… like many things in life, there’s a budget and there’s a choice.
Who has the budget for Eagle XX1, yet there're everywhere.
LOL. I've seen 2 MTB bikes that were $20,000+ and they just had 1x. LOL.
Had a Rohloff on my Jeff Jones 29er. Great for road and flat dirt but when things got technical with climbs it was like hauling a cinder block behind you. Go ride some challenging trails and get back to me.
Seriously... I've been riding, racing and trail exploring with a Rohloff fitted mountain bike for the past 20 years. Technical climbs... the best and where the Rohloff excels. Have a look at Mt Heemskirk and Springbrook videos (ruclips.net/video/Z9IolE_tTTM/видео.html the start, 2:30 and many more places, and Springbrook ruclips.net/video/zDn_Y0aYMMc/видео.html nice little hill 1:00-1:25). Don't understand comment - can only assume you didn't have the Rohloff fitted properly or you were towing a "cinder block"... whatever that is?
I am getting back to you after riding some challenging trails with a Rohloff. But you should be aware we have evolved our thinking to accept the fantastic new technology of Emtbs. Purists run the trails barefoot and a Rohloff hub only adds to the the magic of Emtbs that turn us into gleeful kids again and broaden our ability to explore terrain multiplying the joy of one of mans greatest gravity cheating inventions the bicycle. They are a Time Machine.
It's goodbye derailleurs for me and hello reliability. The weight of a full power 90Nm Emtb doesn't matter as it gives me stability, grip and momentum but if you prefer a steam bike then weight is important. There is undoubtedly a certain pleasure in suffering but definitely not as much sheer Fun as a emtb. Downhill both ways. E=Mtb²
Aren't the gear steps of 13.7% between each gear to small for MTB? No doubt, for comfortable driving it's perfect. But for MTB purposes I can imagine bigger steps to be beneficial...
Derailleur gear step sizes vary much more, although they are around 12% to 17%, still quite similar. 13-14% allows excellent control/tuning for cadence. Whilst that is good, you use smaller incremental cadence tuning more for “grinding out faster longer trails segments”. Mtb’ers using the Rohloff don’t seem to count individual gears, but more as demonstrated on the video… you quickly adapt to change 3-4 gears at once to be properly geared to the constantly varying terrain. But just like a derailleur, sometimes you are looking for just 1 gear step to optimise your cadence. The big advantage of the Rohloff in mtb’ing is being able to change multiple gears at once, very very quickly (much quicker than a derailleur). In the end it’s a personal preference or maybe what you are used to. From my own experience (and a couple of mates who ride Rohloff mtbs), we definitely find it faster changing with the Rohloff.
@Maciej Jan Długosz everyone has their own thoughts and obvious likes and dislikes, but I am assuming you have never ridden a Rohloff Speedhub fitted bike for any significant amount of time? The shifter, if installed and cabled correctly, is very easy to use and you can use it all day, every day. And Rohloff did not develop the electronic shifting due to a problem with their 20+ year successful twist shifter - it was developed for commuter eBikes for today's technology (same as you can use the latest manual shifting Shimano groupset or the option of their electronic version). This is a Rohloff shifter and how easily if works and shifts... vimeo.com/637383860
@Maciej Jan Długosz in the meantime I tested the Rohloff with the Gripshifter and with an aftermarket two sided thumb shifter.
The Gripshifter allows to shift four to five gears with one rotation action of the hand. So I need only 3 to 4 shifting actions to shift through all gears. When the bowden cable is properly installed and adjusted the shifting is quite smooth. In most cases I shift two gears at once since one gear (as I assumed) is almost not remarkable. only sometimes at higher speeds or when going uphill the small gear steps help to maintain the preferred candence.
My personal conclusion is that I won't switch back to a derailleur on my bike ever again.
@Maciej Jan Długosz the fact is the Rohloff is 1-2% less efficient than a derailleur, so I'm not sure if your Rohloff was ever installed properly... if you could feel any drag? You are welcome to your opinions Maciej, as are others. I would suggest anyone who is interested in a Rohloff Speedhub test ride one - very simple.
@Maciej Jan Długosz ok, got your point. In my next bike build project I will use a Sturmey archer cs rk3. Here I will combine a basic 8 speed rear derailleur with that 3 speed hub. Curious to see if this cambinatio will give a competitive drivetrain. Or if international drags awill be to high. At least I like the idea of having this 3 X 8 "cockpit".
Can I convert any 'regular' bike to rohloff hub?!?
Yes, yes you can.
No, no you can't, you were given a line of shit.
@@brianbassett4379 you can convert almost any bike to Rohloff without any issues.
@@danvalicek Did you read his question, Pumpkin? Here, try again when you're not self-medicated... "Can I convert any 'regular' bike to rohloff hub?!?"
You are using an electric mountain bike, doesn't that compensate for efficiency loss others might feel?
The efficiency loss of a Rohloff is 1.5-5%, very little difference to a new and perfectly clean derailleur chain drive. Others do not feel any efficient loss… that’s why the Rohloff is the number.1 choice for touring cyclist worldwide. Ride one… you will not feel any difference. Btw, other internal geared hubs are not as efficient as the Rohloff.
Now weight is a small negative for the Rohloff and yes, an eBike helps compensate for the additional weight and it matters far less as an eBike is already a heavier bike.
There’s a very good chart (graph) which demonstrates efficiency of the Rohloff versus the derailleur drivetrain.
www.rohloff.de/en/experience/technology-in-detail/mechanical-efficiency
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount Thanks for your reply. I actually tried a Rohloff this weekend with belt drive. It sure is a nice ride. And as me not being a pro any efficiency loss what might be there totally was not noticeable. And yes is it has a huge range.
Just cant deal with grip shift. cant do it
A wonderful thing choice. I don't like trigger shifts and have always used SRAM grip shifts before the Rohloff... choice makes everyone happy :-)
There are aftermarket trigger shifters for the Rohloff.
Look into a Kindernay then. They use trigger shift.
Derailers are clunkers I don't know how you could call a rohloff noisy when you ride a chain and derailer
Let me know when someone wins a world cup on a rohloff
@@Grunge_Cycling That's not what a rohloff is designed to do... My point was it's quiet and and durable. Chains break and make tons of noise. Sure a derailer has the potential to be a couple percent more efficient but they aren't nearly as reliable.
@Maciej Jan Długosz It's a fraction of a percent less efficient. Rholoff in super good I know because my superdelite has one.
@Maciej Jan Długosz It's all over the internet buddy just look it up it's very efficient. up to 99.5%
@Maciej Jan Długosz I'm not one to deny something already proven by many professionals in the field. You think I'm naive, I think you're arrogant. You clearly have a bias and don't want to admit when you're wrong.
impossible to find a crank with the correct chainLINE
??? totally possible. the std Levo crank provides a perfect chainline.
Holy crow get on with it…..i just lost nearly a year watching your B roll….
You can't please all the people all the time... I had many requests for a detailed review and explanation of all the aspects of the Rohloff Speedhub. Next time just hit stop.
Even though he had a dick-move approach, I would take the negative feedback and shorten or eliminate the B roll near the start of your video. Its really overdone across the youtube community and unless there’s something extremely impressive or valuable from it, I don’t believe it’s worth including. Your content however is very well communicated and you look awesome riding and shifting your bike! You have me as a new follower for sure!
false and misleading information:
1. chain with derailleurs is as efficient as it gets, check any (e.g. MTB, Road) professional bicycle competition or specific scientific papers
2. extra weight and gear shifting. good lock climbing under load while the incline increases further
3. you don't do shit yourself if that whole thing breaks and repairs are expensive compared to cheaper single part defects of derailleurs
4. usually higher upfront cost
5. maintaining it, especially oil changes are no real counterweight to lift all the negative above
It's bad be real! Nice German engineering though and good to see at a museum
Amazing that someone can comment on a video when they obviously haven't watched all the video... and in your case never ridden with a Rohloff? If you had ridden with a Rohloff, you would understand that what you wrote makes no sense... it is called nonsense.
1. Yes... derailleurs are typically around 98% efficient if the chain is in a straight line and is perfectly clean - I have never said a Rohloff was more efficient? A Rohloff is around 95-96% efficient, but is always that efficient as the chainline is straight (aligned), and the Rohloff efficiency never changes because all the gears are internal and sealed - the efficiency is maintained in dry or through muddy conditions. In the mud, the Rohloff becomes more efficient than a derailleur.
2. Refer to the video "Weight Comparison" (5:05)... typically the Rohloff is 550g to 800g heavier (comparing current groupsets). If you don't like that one aspect of the Rohloff Speedhub, then don't buy a Rohloff.
Climbing and changing gears... again, go and ride a Rohloff before publishing unfounded comments. Can you change gears whilst climbing with a Rohloff... yes! If you looked at the video there is a whole section that demonstrates that - it's real video, it's real-life riding and real-life gear changing (watch the video 7:22)
3. The Rohloff Speedhub is near indestructible... that is why it is the gold standard hub for touring the world. That is a fact, please spend just 1 minute and Google "Rohloff reliability". Again, do you know anything about a Rohloff Speedhub (I serviced Rohloffs in Asia and Australia for the past 20 years... that is the big advantage, they do not break)? Your comment is baseless... "Rohloff are proud of the fact that they have not known the internals of their Speedhub to ever fail. There is probably no better example of German engineering excellence for bicycles than the Rohloff hub".
4. Yes, the Rohloff is a higher upfront cost - I've never said it was not. Earlier videos I have produced go into actual pricing as I explain the additional upfront cost - this is a known fact and expectation. Where and when did I mislead or misinform?
5. Maintenance on a Rohloff Speedhub involves an annual oil change and keeping your cables in good condition (same as you would with derailleur cables). There is no servicing, there is no gear/derailleur tuning - just change the oil once a year. Was there a purpose or point to this comment?
Normally I wouldn't bother responding to baseless comments from someone who has obviously not watched the video in full, nor ever ridden a Rohloff Speedhub. But people who watch my videos and read such comments, need to hear both sides of the story... hence my response. Notwithstanding that, anyone who is serious about purchasing a Rohloff Speedhub can go and "test ride" one for themselves... and they can decide themself what to believe.
Over 350,000 customers have purchased a Rohloff Speedhub - I will let that fact speak for itself.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I do semi-pro cycling and I rode it as well. It's not for made for serious riding at any terrain neither for long haul races
e.g. TCR stresses reliability -2022 Strasser won with electronic shifting and Rohloff or similar systems nowhere to be found.
As you took time to write your personal pov I share one more personal experience of mine. In road cycling your pedalling frequency is linked to your cardiac rhythm and you need to hit it right on spot to perform at your best. 2) Furthermore, if you push 300W on steep inclines while it does increase further you don't have room to slow down nor to mess up your frequency like you did in the video.
In fact you bought an overengineered and worse performing product for no reason, esp. for your use case, age and riding performance.
I never commented before and I like you. Not your persuasion towards the product though
The video was about “mountain biking with a Rohloff”… nothing to do with competing or racing with a Rohloff? Consumer choice is a wonderful thing - you can choose to buy a product or not.
@@Jupiter-ex7yh Hey, I don't watch videos that talk about things I understand *and own* sometimes, but I don't say the stupid crap coming out of your mouth either. You have no experience in what you're saying and have been listening to others like you. It doesn't matter as I suspect you don't own a bike let alone a bike with a $1600 component.
1. Straight chainline systems are very efficient. Rohloff internal gearing is not as efficient as open derailleur systems. Efficiency isn't just measured in transfer of power.
2. The Rohloff is superior in any climbing situation other than road racing IMO where your gains are driven by cutting weight and minimizing power loss. An unexpected incline may warrant putting in extra power then making a gear shift in the brief period of momentum so as not to be bearing down on the transmission to its detriment: Dropping a gear on your FD requires giving the RD time to take up the slack. If you drop several RD gears it's not as immediate and efficient as the Rohloff. The Rohloff will let you drop as many gears as you want if you are willing to disengage pedaling for a moment in order to get to that ideal gear. You're immediately capable of cleanly using that lower gear on the Rohloff once you start pedaling. Again, with a derailleur you need time for the chain to transfer and slack to adjust for the gear change to be accomplished. It's arguably far less of a learning curve to do it better with the Rohloff. The steeper the hill, the more time it takes for a traditional derailleur to successfully clear a gear shift, particularly when riding a loaded bike. And then starting at the bottom of a hill switching gears is just a flick of the shifter with the Rohloff to be in an ideal gear, whereas with a derailleur you might drop the gears, lift the rear wheel off the ground and pedal the shift through manually before you set off.
3. Fortunately it's built better than a derailleur by several orders. That's part of what you're paying for. Sure, the Rohloff could be better stomached if it was less expensive, but it's a top notch design.
4. Yeah. That said people are willing to pay silly amounts of money for the latest derailleurs and drivetrains with fussy high speed issues and lifespans noticeably shorter than your typical 90s components. So if you really wanted to make the case for efficiency and quality perhaps 7 and 8 speed groupsets are where it's at? The best all-rounder drivetrain for roads and trails is likely a 2x8 drivetrain.
Ebikes ie mopeds, even if they are fitted with Rohloff hubs, are for the lazy squad.
Obviously you’ve never ridden an eBike Alex… you need to pedal. They don’t have a throttle. You can max your heart rate on an eBike the same as an analog bike. Try before you comment.
I ride both ebikes and regular bike. Although i use my regular fs bike 80% of the time, you can get a decent workout with the ebike with lower power and no throttle(which is what I use). In the end, it's what your use case is. I like my regular fs bike since i plan in racing and I like the lighter bike. But if a person is just out there to enjoy the trail, get a little bit of fitness, and can afford an ebike, then why not? Ebikes have allowed more people to get outdoors and enjoy
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I will NEVER EVER ride an Bike as 1) I am not lazy and 2) I care about our planet to know the damage mining for the raw materials to make the batteries and motors causes to our planet, local indigenous peoples, the toxic manufacturing processes and then for the bike to be dependent on a power grid to charge it!!! People who buy them are lazy selfish idiots who don't give a crap about our planet or people because if you did you wouldn't ride one like I have chosen not. I am prepared to make sacrifices to ride an ALL YOUR OWN EFFORT bicycles. I am not lazy!!!
@@BFBMTb Exactly, and I ride both as well.
@@alexmorgan3435 the manufacturing of lithium batteries is destructive to the earth, but electric vehicles tend to be where the world is headed due to fossil fuels and global warming, not to mention that there's only enough oil left for the next 40 something years. There are greener ways to generate electricity though such as windmills, solar, geothermal, and also japan is testing out oceanic turbines. But the problem is where to store power, and battery tech seems to lag behind.
Totally off putting camera angle looking straight at you as you ride. Gave up. Plus I can't stand moped bikes that people use and claim they are cycling when they are not. Cycling is ALL your OWN effort, NO motor.
Glad to hear to liked the video and eBikes.
@@FamilymoirGoogleAccount I didn't.
I hope age is kind to you and your feet.
LOL! All morons do that, point the camera at their faces like they matter in some way.
@@rongreen8962 ....... and your knees and hips!