Seriously though, I reckon that Rohloff must give some pretty dicey owners the benefit of the doubt in order to protect their extraordinary reputation for generosity under the warranty, probably everybody who didn't leave toolmarks on the hub! And I don't even know how they would tell: after all, a Rohloff is a rough road touring hub, so a well-used example is bound to pick up the odd scratch. Eventually even the Rohloff of a guy we know to be careful with his property, say Dan, will pick up a scratch or an abrasion from the dust or a broken branch in the places were he goes. I can't quite see Rohloff turning him away.
Anyone who's bought and sold a few old cars or planes or ships gets a feeling for the cowboys: they have a certain loose style with the facts, and as soon as you handle whatever they're selling, you notice the bit of extra play here and there, and if you're smart (most collectors aren't, they're obsessed), you back away smiling, hand firmly clasping your chequebook. I wouldn't be surprised if someone at Rohloff has a very finely developed feel for the extra bit of play that shouldn't be there, that signals an abused hub rather than a hard-used hub.
