Is that a Rohloff ?

[Swislon]

I go cycling most Sunday mornings with our newly formed local cycling club called Wheel Easy. Usually nice & steady, though there are a few "old hands" or should that be legs. Anyway normally,I ride with the wife on the tandem, but as she was away in New York (giving me the opportunity to earn loads of brownie points !, I rode the RST.
I have never had so many questions during the ride and afterwards at our Christmas lunch. I just wasn't expecting this level of interest in the Rohloff.
Anyone had a similar experience ?

[goosander]

The other day I had my bike on the train and some bloke (a bit drunk) stared at the back wheel looking confused for about 5 minutes before asking whether the bike had any gears.

[simonsydney]

I get a few looks on some of my rides when stopped at the lights,etc.
The other day a guy said 'you get along well on that with no gears' and I explained what it was. Rohloff have no real presence or advertising in Australia, so people haven't so much heard the brand, but some do know about internal gears, mainly the older ones, who probably had them as kids.

Went into my LBS the other day to get some koolstop pads (haven't been to a bike shop since getting the RST, nothing needs adjusting or fixing on it !) and the guys were all over it, asking to go for a ride and try out the hub.  They all had very positive things to say about it.

[PH]

At least thanks to Thorn’s extensive advertising most UK cycling enthusiasts know what it is.  So the questions are now more likely to be about how you get on with it, rather than explaining what it is.  I’m always happy to talk about cycling, but I’d rather not get into long technical discussions while out on a ride.

[Swislon]

You are right PH, most cyclists know about the Rohloff and most of the questions were about my experience, weight, price and were shocked when I said I've got 100 days to get a refund if I don't like it. One thing that was noticed was how clean my bike was compared to most others after we'd done about 6 miles on a pretty muddy Sustrans route. I did rinse off when I got home but it only took 5 mins compared to derrailleur, a definite big plus.[]

[stutho]

On one of my early trips out with the Raven I met an elderly (in his 80's) cyclist going the other way.  It so happened that we met at gate on a bridleway that had being locked.  I was with a small group one by one the bikes were lifted over while the elderly gentlemen watched (we had lifted his bike across first). Several of the bikes in the group are worth more than my Raven and some are more 'Flash'.  Eventually my bike was lifted over.  Instantly the elderly gentleman’s eyes lit up and he announced 'That looks like a proper bike.'  I was then hit by several questions both about the Rohloff and about the frame, he had spotted the Reynolds sticker.  He had never heard of Thorn or Rohloff (he didn't look like the sort to read C+) and was genuinely interested.

Anyway I think his comment sums up the Raven perfectly - a proper bike.

[Fred A-M]

I've been approached a few times on my commute in London asking about whether the bike was an RST, but no specific interest per say ref the Rohloff, likewise when I was riding in the Dales earlier this year.  Somewhat surprisingly, no-one seemed to so much as bat an eyelid when I was in Andalucia!  Maybe because it didn't look like a "proper" bike?

[lewisnoble]

I was once asked about the hub by someone who flatly refused to believe that there were 14 gears in there.  He eventually
became so dismissive I ended telling him that it had anti-lock brakes as well . . .

Happy Christmas everyone.

Lewis

[stutho]

quote:On this occasion the whole Group ignored me and the bike!

Do you think this incident may relate to the absurd flat bar prejudice some cyclist seam to have?  I have seen this kind of stupidity several times.  (I.E. where a road cycling group will acknowledge other cyclist on drops but stonewall anyone on a MTB.)  

I don't get it, someone please explain?

NB I have also noticed that the reverse is NOT true.  MTB groups are friendly towards everyone.  

[LowFlyingHawk]

I had one bloke riding in my slipstream one day (something I find particularly annoying).  I was just about to roll off the road when he passed me to tell me he was just admiring my hub.

[freddered]

I tagged along on a CTC ride a few weeks ago, got many interested and positive comments about my Rohloff.  I think awareness of Rohloff Hubs is increasing.  In fact I just bought Pitlock Skewers because of this (Although I still think the dark-green and black colour-scheme of my Tour will be invisible to any Chavvy thief.  I think a £99 Neon-coloured Halfords MTB will be more prone to theft if parked next to mine).

[eriecommuter]

Unsolicited comments on my RT from the land of where it ain't cool if it ain't light:

Bike shop patron 1 - "That looks like a newspaper delivery bike"  That's my preferred perception in some of the neighborhoods I commute through.
Bike shop patron 2 - "Is that some kind of European touring bike?"  Yeah.  We only tour on paved roads here.
Bike shop patron 2's dad - "Seems pretty practical."  I can't imagine one more practical.
Rider on a local bikeway - "How do you like your Nexus?"  I wouldn't.  Not enough gears.
Tour director - "Don't ask me to work on that."  No worry.
Fellow tourer last summer - "Wow, I never thought I'd see a Thorn Raven in real life."  Wow, I never thought I'd meet someone else on this side of the world who knows what a Raven Tour is.  Of course I let him (and his wife) take it for a ride.  I think they've since bought a pair.  Robin, I think there's a market here!