Rohloff internal or external gear mech?

[RA1]

Ian
We have a tandem with the External box and I have internal routing on my Raven Tour. I have to say that we have found that the box does make wheel removal and replacement much easier. The main problem with the internal gear arrangement is getting the cables back together again after replacing the wheel! Fortunately some kind person on this forum posted a brilliant tip - keep a clothes peg handy! The peg fits round the cable and provides a really useful extra grip for bringing the cables together again.
When I ordered the Tour, the question of which arrangement to have never came up - certainly I never mentioned it! If ordering again I would go for the box because it has proven to be so simple to use. In terms of appearance it's unobtrusive and as was said by Andre earlier I really don't mind the enclosed cables.
Rob

[Andre Jute]

Speed of wheel changing - I estimate it takes 1, or if your fingers are really cold, 2 seconds per bayonet connector to undo the shifter cables.  No grubscrews or anything that needs tools at the roadside at all.  Hobbes, that's a bigger pain than changing the cables?  You're doing something wrong, or you don't realise the cables actually terminate in a bayonet connector.  Or maybe you meant changing the internal cables at the roadside?  Well, that would be a pain, I'd be interested in hearing how many have people have needed to do it. I just don't get the assertion that taking the wheel off an internally cabled Rohloff bike is in anyway difficult or tedious.  

Sorry about that. In the cutting and editing I seem to have run two sentences about different subjects together. The words "to fix a flat" shouldn't have appeared where I was talking about cable replacement. Ouch! Sorry! I've fixed it now. Thanks for the heads-up.

Andre Jute

[Joatamon]

Ah, that makes more sense.

To the OP, I'd say:

If you're not particularly weight or price sensitive, get the EX.  In theory you might gain a few percentage points of durability.  Whichever you choose, after a wheel change, you'll spend more time relocating the brake noodles and confirming safe brake operation  than you will reconnecting the gear cables.

[jankremer]

Hi all,

Thanks for all your insights, much appreciated.

When it comes to design principles I agree with Hobbes that for the internal gear mech the internal cabling arrangement looks like a design flaw and is not up to days standards. Removing the rear wheel seems to be less convenient and disk breaks are not possible.
 
However, I remove my rear wheel seldom and for trekking I prefer conventional v-brakes. As pointed out, EX requires a bit of maintenance, but that's part of life on a bicycle, isn't it.

As Joatamon stated, by choosing the external gear, I might gain a few percentage points of durability.  From what you all posted, I understand that if the bike is specifically designed for internal gear (such as the Raven) or external gear (like the Nomad) both should be good for many kilometers.

Choosing internal or external  may also depend on other bicycle preferences; so far I'm opting for a new Raven which has a internal gear mech...

Again, thanks for your insights!

Regards
Jan

[Danneaux]

Hi Jan!

This explanation by Thorn's designer, Andy Blance, might be helpful in making your decision:

ROHLOFF GEAR CABLES EXPLAINED (Nov2005, reprinted 10Sep2006) Internal vs External
http://web.archive.org/web/20060910054037/http://www.sjscycles.com/thornwebsite/rohloffcables.html

In practical terms, the internal cabling works as well as the external cabling in most instances.

Best,

Dan.

[NZPeterG]

HI ALL
Dan is right on my 1st Speedhub it started off with inner cable routing and I only got the hub changed because on my 2nd bike had disc brakes only (sad).
For me the inner rooted cable changed better, and is lighter too.
I how have only had EX Box change on my new hub and with all the small changes to Rolhoff Speedhubs over the years the gear changing is great how (riding with the new hub is like night andday) far far better then my old 10,000+ km hub.
How if the 1st hub where like how in 2013 all the testers from Mags would only have said good things about them and Rohloffs would be on more bikes.
How if I had a newer Rohloff I would have taking it to Africa and save my time servicing and cleaning my STD geared Cyclo X bike. would have had more time to look around...
:-)

Pete

[avdave]

My internal shifter hub is on it's original cables after 7 years, I've bought the quick change kit but it may well never get used as I'd like to get the hub changed to use with disc brakes. As to reconnecting the bayonet connectors if you are struggling with the second one undo the first and reverse the order you are trying to connect them. I've no idea why but this has always worked for me and if I remember correctly was a tip from the forum.

[Danneaux]

I'd like to get the hub changed to use with disc brakes.

Hi Dave!

This means you'll be converting to the EX shift-box? If so -- and if it is a Raven Tour or Sport Tour -- how will you handle the cable routing?

Just curious, as this same issue comes up from time to time and I'm thinking it might be helpful for others contemplating the same change.

Best,

Dan.

[triaesthete]

Somewhere  on the web is a photo essay showing a full drillium Rohloff lightening project on an EX box disc hub. The project involved dismantling the hub and weight relieving any internals that could bear it.

However the weight savings were modest in relation to the saving made by converting to an internal shifter which cost almost nothing and had no reliability penalty 

I think the chap also had a titanium sprocket because he liked high cost weight savings as well.... he did everything.

As for running internal shifter with a disc, all that was required was a repositioning the cable adjuster stop away from the wheel so that the cable ran perpendicular to the hub axle, thus clearing the disc...... I expect cable slack was more critical, and a disc with a smooth circumference would be wise...

PS when you drop an EX box bike the disc stops the mech from bending even further inwards, so you could say an EX box needs a disc for support  . Don't ask how I know Easily corrected with a rubber mallet 

Happy days
Ian

[Mike Ayling]

Looking at the current Thorn Brochures I note that EX box is used on:

Nomad
Mercury
Twin Raven tandem and
Step through version of the Raven

The standard Raven has the cables running under the top tube and uses the internal fitting.

FWIW

Mike