Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Rohloff Internal Hub Gears => Topic started by: Tiberius on July 08, 2015, 09:51:24 AM
-
As per the title, where do you buy your Rohloff hubs/complete wheels from ??
I know that the obvious answer is SJS, but I have seen a number of German sellers (ebay etc) who sell Rohloff hubs and wheelsets at very attractive prices.....even with VAT and postage they APPEAR to be much cheaper than buying from UK suppliers.
I can't build a wheel so whatever happens I need someone to build it up. I like the idea of buying a complete Rohloff/Son wheelset.
I have used German suppliers for a few cycle related bits and bobs and have never had a problem. Has anyone here gone down the route that I am considering, and if so, did all go to plan ?
Please don't tell me that I should support British businesses whilst every man and his dog is rattling around in VWs/Mercs etc...... ;)
Thank you.... :)
-
Hello, this is the cheapest place I found
http://www.radsport-erdmann.de/, they'll build you Rohloff/Son with any DT Swiss I think
Also on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330720605144?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
That's absolutely the cheapest I found.
-
Hello, this is the cheapest place I found
http://www.radsport-erdmann.de/, they'll build you Rohloff/Son with any DT Swiss I think
Also on ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330720605144?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
That's absolutely the cheapest I found.
Many thanks for the reply.
That is one of the places that I was looking at. Have you actually bought a Rohloff hub or wheelset from them ?.....Any problems ?
Thank you..... :)
-
In the end I built my own....but he (Manni) was polite and efficient enough in responding to my questions...maybe a little pushy as I had several follow-up emails asking me to complete "my order".....I didn't order..I just enquired!
But if I was buying a Rohloff/Son wheelset now...I'd probably order from there as they're experienced in building Rohloff wheels.
A friend bought a Rohloff hub from ebay then had his LBS build the wheel...and it was built wrong, I noticed the mistake as I'd built my own and so knew that the spokes aren't supposed to cross-over above the hub cap fixing screw (page 55 of manual). They rebuilt it of course, but you could still see the marks on the hub where the spokes had previously been.
-
Second hand wheelset on ebay might be worth considering
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rohloff-speedhub-Wheelset-26-x2-15-tyres-shifter-cables-/111712354570?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1a0293410a
looks like an older rohloff by the sticker though, best to check the history with the seller.
-
Hi,
Just noticed a little bit of mis-information I would like to point out incase anyone comes accross this post and references it.
A friend bought a Rohloff hub from ebay then had his LBS build the wheel...and it was built wrong, I noticed the mistake as I'd built my own and so knew that the spokes aren't supposed to cross-over above the hub cap fixing screw (page 55 of manual).
This is only true for smaller wheels, for bigger wheels in our tests it builds a stronger wheel. All wheels built by us cross the bolt holes.
(http://i59.tinypic.com/dbmxhy.png)
They rebuilt it of course, but you could still see the marks on the hub where the spokes had previously been.
This would have made the situation worse and voids the warranty of the shell, see page 133 of the manual.
(http://i61.tinypic.com/2rxw95l.png)
-
I live in USA. Rohloffs are extremely rare here, I have only seen one other Rohloff and that one was on a bike used by a Dutch tourist. The exclusive USA distributor does not like to sell just the hub, they want to charge exorbitant prices for a complete wheel. I chose to look elsewhere.
In USA we can buy from Europe without paying VAT. I initially ordered it from Star Bike, but when I went to pay, their website said they would not ship Rohloffs to USA, so that was a waste of time. I then tried to order one from Bike24. My credit card company suspected fraud, so I had to make three phone calls to my credit card company to get the payment to go through. My Rohloff finally got to me from Bike24. I expected to pay duty on it, but it arrived without any duty fees - I got lucky.
I build my own wheels. (I worked in a bike shop before I went to college, I have built lots of wheels.) I think I saved roughly $200 to $400 (US Dollars) by buying the Rohloff directly from Germany and lacing up my own wheel.
I got the rim (Andra 30) from SJS when I ordered my Nomad frame from them. SJS provided (at my request) one normal 36H rim and one 36H rim drilled for Rohloff. It was a bit of effort to find the right length spokes since the Rohloff flange is so big, but finally found spokes.
If you order a Rohloff from Germany, you might try to buy the Rohloff spoke package from them if you know which rim you will use, that would simplify your search for spokes. Then once you find the wheel builder you want to use, make sure that they read the Rohloff instructions so that they lace up the wheel properly. Also, SJS has noted that they had lots of spoke breakages at the nipple end of the spoke until they realized that they needed to make sure that the spokes did not take too much of a bend at that point, that is why I asked SJS for a Rohloff drilled rim. My point here is that your wheel builder should take extra care to avoid having much bend in the spoke at the end of the nipple. I used Sapim nipples, they might help compared to other nipples.
A side note: I placed another order with Bike24 a couple weeks ago, this time I used a different card. No problems this time, but this new order is much smaller. This order included bigger jugs of Rohloff hub oils, I decided to buy in volume.
-
Thanks Dave, that's interesting.
You seem to have a different manual to me.
In my 2008 version, page 133 is the last page of the index.
And on the diagram on page 55, there is no caveat regarding 24" wheels....it's just a categoric, don't cross spokes over
the hub cap screws.
Is there an addendum or tech update on Rohloff site...I couldn't see anything.
Anyway...I'll get my coat...
-
I just found it here
http://www.rohloff.de/fileadmin/user_upload/2_Monting_En_2015_03_web.pdf
-
I brought my rohloff from star24 in Germany and then for the rim and spokes from SJS after David told me which spokes to buy. I laced the wheel my self and was very proud of the finished wheel.
Peter.
-
Second hand wheelset on ebay might be worth considering
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rohloff-speedhub-Wheelset-26-x2-15-tyres-shifter-cables-/111712354570?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1a0293410a
looks like an older rohloff by the sticker though, best to check the history with the seller.
I had seen that one but I really would like TS-EX-DB in red...then a red Son up front, so I've decided to buy new.....Thanks for posting anyway.
It's looking more and more likely that I will get the whole lot built up by our German chums as per the link
posted by 'uksteve58'.....This stuff isn't cheap and it seems like they know what they are doing.
Again, thank you to everyone that has replied.
-
In USA we can buy from Europe without paying VAT. I initially ordered it from Star Bike, but when I went to pay, their website said they would not ship Rohloffs to USA, so that was a waste of time. I then tried to order one from Bike24. My credit card company suspected fraud, so I had to make three phone calls to my credit card company to get the payment to go through. My Rohloff finally got to me from Bike24. I expected to pay duty on it, but it arrived without any duty fees - I got lucky.
USA duty only applies to COMPLETE BICYCLES, not to parts. http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/1200c87.pdf (http://www.usitc.gov/publications/docs/tata/hts/bychapter/1200c87.pdf)
-
Hello, this is the cheapest place I found
http://www.radsport-erdmann.de/, they'll build you Rohloff/Son with any DT Swiss I think
By way of an update....
I did use our German friends as above to build me a Rohloff wheel ( the SON will have to wait until after my daughter's wedding.... :o )
I found them very easy to deal with and they did a lovely job of building up a Rohloff disc/Andra 210 wheel. Turn round was just one week and all done at a really good price.....they even threw in an OEM 2 axel plate which I needed.
Interestingly they didn't build it the Thorn way as described by Dave Whittle (the spokes don't cross the bolt holes)
All good !!!..... ;)
-
Glad you got your wheel sorted....what frame/bike is it going on?
-
Glad you got your wheel sorted....what frame/bike is it going on?
As of this morning it is fitted into a Surly Troll..... 8)
I really really 'hummed and hahhhed' over the Troll or a Thorn. I really like the versitility of the Troll but then I can see the benefit of a dedicated Rohloff frame. This is the very first bike build that I have done....quite a learning curve, but I'm a natural born 'fiddler' so I have really enjoyed it.
I built the Troll up earlier this year with a derailieur....I have done a couple of thousand miles on it and it is easily the best bike that I have owned. It instantly felt 'right' and I just love it. it was always my intention to fit a Rohloff which I have now done.
First road test and everything works just fine. Not sure if I have geared too low (16/36) but I live in North Yorkshire and it's seriously hilly round here so the low gearing MAY stay...It's early days so I will see how it goes.
AND......I'm STILL not absolutely sure that I bought the right frame !!!!!!..... ;D
-
...
First road test and everything works just fine. Not sure if I have geared too low (16/36) but I live in North Yorkshire and it's seriously hilly round here so the low gearing MAY stay...It's early days so I will see how it goes.
...
[/quote]
It is easy to swap chainrings. For around home use where it is pretty flat, I use a 44/16 ratio. But for off road touring I switch the chain ring to a 36t. I have an extra quick link in my chain so I can easily take out the links necessary to switch from the 44 to 36.
-
I like Surly's too...I have a Disc Trucker...frame now attached to direct connect indoor trainer, and an old Karate Monkey that I've had for 12 yrs I think, currently a s/s.
Yes their versatility makes them a good option. When I bought the DT the Troll/Ogre wasn't out, but if they had of been I very well may have gone for an Ogre instead of DT.
I'd been using an Alfine 8 in the KM, but it was a piece of junk...it died after 6 months...so I got an Alfine 11...stiil less than impressed, so I stopped mucking around and got a Rohloff, and have never regretted it. I like the Salsa frames (Fargo and Vaya Travel), the ones with "Alternator" drop-outs for Rohloff also Shand make a nice Rohloff specific frame too.....but pricey!!. 36/16 sounds ok if you've got a hilly terrain to deal with. 42/16 works for me, but I'm down in Kent.....lots of hills....but not Yorkshire ones.
-
......when will I stop going for gears with my thumb ?....... ;D
-
@mickeg, really interesting post! Thanks.