Rohloff - What's YOUR Opinion ?

[onmybike]

Please, some of you, remember to update this in the year 2047 or later,  when your Rohloff hubs are properly worn in.

Pavel, a couple of years ago I hosted a pair of German cyclists, both engineers if my memory serves me well. They were a few months into a tour on new bikes. Her's had his old hand-me-down Rohloff hub. His new bike had an 18 speed Pinion - the first time I'd seen one in the wild. Of course I had to ask how the Pinion compared. His answer was as deliberately precise as a stereotypical German engineer could deliver - "Ask me in five years". He knew the Pinion had a very high benchmark in Rohloff.

If I remember to track him down and ask, I'll report back on his findings three year's hence. Watch this thread.

[Captain Bubble]

I have a Surly Troll with Rohloff for 5 years now. In this time I have made about 25k miles on it. I have second Rohloff hub with different size wheel which I use sometimes depending where and why I am riding. I have only changed chain once on the older Rohloff hub after many many thousands of miles. The cogs front and rear still look like new. I have not had to reverse them yet. I use a fully enclosed chain cover to keep muck off the chain and me. Cycling with a Rohloff hub is so easy and you have next to zero maintenance compared with more common derailleurs. I have saved quite a lot of money in not having to buy replacement chains or cassettes. degreaser and lube as I would have done if still riding derailleur bike. The gear change is effortless and precise. No more click click clack clack or whining when lube is washed off chain. The Rohloff makes cycling so much more enjoyable, perfect for every day riding and cycle touring. I like my Rohloff hubs so much.

[steve216c]

During the initial lockdown I converted my tatty but still usable kiddie bike trailer into shopping trailer for which I have hitches on my 26" and 28" derailleur bikes. I've not bothered to try to attach to the Rohloff bike yet.

I only use the trailer/derailleur bikes for lugging the supermarket goodies every 2-3 weeks and you can be guaranteed to hear my cursing at any traffic lights I need to stop at as I will invariably have forgotten to change gears before stopping pedaling and then twiddled the gears while stationary (a-la-Rohloff) only to discover my mistake when trying to get going again!

How we Rohloff riders quickly forget how important planning ahead with shifting is when we are once again saddled on a derailleur bike.

Much the same is to be said for running maintenance. My teenage son is often asking me to look at why his gears aren't meshing quite right, or for me to adjust, clear, fix something related to his drive chain. I find myself looking for things to do on my Rohloff bike and its brilliant Magura rim brakes just for the sake of it as it needs so little in terms of adjusting or 'running repairs'.

I think I've become spoiled since riding a Rohloff. Once you've had Champagne, sparking wine never tastes quite as good 

[energyman]

Best thing sinced sliced bread !

[TerryField]

Rohloff is great for a big tourer like the Raven. Very difficult to damage, even if you drop it. Doesn't need adjustment in the way that a derailleur does. Ideal when you need reliability.
 
The great advantage, especially if you are fully loaded, is that if you stop in the wrong gear, you simply wind it round to the right gear and off you go.

Unless you are super strong and super powerful, the hub is more than capable of taking the strain - nothing to worry about.

SJS offer two front cogs, so if you want to lower the gearing, just swap the cog. i do it regularly depending if it is easy riding, or touring with a heavy load.

Downsides? Need to change the oil once a year - takes 15 minutes and dead easy. It sounds a bit noisy in gear seven, but above that it is almost silent and below seven, nothing more than a mild whirr! Weight is perhaps a bit more that a derailleur, but in the great scheme of things, hardly noticeable.

Would I go back to derailleur? Not on a big tourer ( I have a Mercury), but I enjoy the derailleur on the road bike.

For the Raven it is the ideal set up!