DECIDED THAT SINCE YOU PASS THIS WAY BUT ONCE AND THAT AS I’VE RELEGATED MY CAR TO THE DRIVEWAY AND I’M NOW COMMUTING DAILY I FELT I COULD JUSTIFY AN UPGRADE TO A ROHLOFF EQUIPPED MACHINE.
I SNAPPED UP A NEARLY NEW THORN RAVEN FRAMESET FROM A GUY IN NORWICH FOR £215 AND SPENT THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS BEING OUTBID FOR NUMEROUS ROLHOFFS THAT APPEARED ON EBAY. I BAULKED AT THE £695 PRICE THAT THESE WERE FETCHING AND DECIDED THAT A NEW ONE OUT OF THE BOX WOULD BE BEST.
£740 FROM “BIKE 24” IN GERMANY SECURED ME A BLACK 500/14 WITH NEW ROUND SHIFTER & JAGWIRE CABLING.
NEXT STOP WAS TO “WHEELCRAFT” IN CAMPSIE GLEN, WHERE BIG AL WOULD BUILD IT IN TO A GREAT SET OF HOOPS.
BLACK RIGIDA SPUTNIKS ON A HOPE PRO HUB COMPLETED THE PAIR.
I WOULD SPEND THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AQUIRING PARTS AND COMPLETING THE BUILD.
THE SOFT SPOTS WERE GRACED WITH MY TRUSTY BROOKS B17 AND THE GREAT ERGON GC3 GRIPS.
HAVING READ MANY REVIEWS ABOUT THE NOISE AND WEIGHT OF ROHLOFFS I FOUND IT TO BE NO LIGHTWEIGHT BUT THEN THE STUFF IT’S CARRYING IS NO LIGHTWEIGHT EITHER.
I SET THE BIKE UP WITH A 38 TOOTH CHAINRING WHICH PUTS THE SO CALLED NOISY GEARS BETWEEN 7 AND 1 , THE NOISE IS A SLIGHT WHOOSH BUT AS YOUR CLIMBING IN THESE GEARS IT GOES UNNOTICED.
GEARS 8 TO 14 ARE GHOSTLY SILENT AND THE NEW ROUND / NUMBERED SHIFTER IS A DREAM TO OPERATE.
I CANT WAX LYRICAL ENOUGH ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS SYSTEM IS AND ONCE YOU’VE CONVERTED YOU’LL NEVER LOOK BACK.
MY SHERPA FRAME SIZE WAS A 460XL BUT THE RAVEN IS A 510 AND THE WAY ITS SET UP MEANS I’M NOW SITTING ON MY SIT BONES INSTEAD OF MY BAGS, A BIT MORE UPRIGHT AND WITH A MORE EFFICIENT PEDAL STROKE.
