Oil change day

[PH]

I've been getting into the habit of doing oil changes on my three hubs around this time of year, saves having to think about it too much and it's easier just to do them all at once.
Last done January 10th:
Ogre was a little overdue - 5,400km, about 30ml came out after adding 25ml cleaning fluid, double flushed.
Mercury was almost spot on - 4,700km, 25ml cleaning fluid went in, but could only get 23 out! also double flushed.
Airnimal folder hasn't been out much, not surprising as it's my travel bike and I haven't been anywhere... 600km, 25ml cleaning fluid went in, 35 came out, it came out so clean I didn't bother double flushing.

Also took the opportunity to give the non anodised silver hub a polish, I don't know why Rohloff stopped offering these, it's a very satisfying way to spend an hour, though I can never quite get it to match the mirror finish on the SON dynamo hub, maybe a different grade of aluminium?
That's most of my Rohloff maintenance done for 12 months, wish I could say the same about the derailleur bikes. 

[JohnR]

I've been using a spring and/or autumn routine as the oil changing is best done outside and a warm temperature is more comfortable for me and better for the oil flow. My Mercury has averaged about 2,300 miles between changes.

[Andre Jute]

I'd be very surprised to discover that my Rohloff bike did as much as 600 miles this year. That's what it did last year, and the cleaning oil came out pretty clean.

So I'm thinking of letting it stand, just turning the wheel once every six weeks or so, until the heating goes off around the beginning of April, to remove all the condensation in the hub from daily temperature changes in the house before the bike's heaviest use period in the summer -- we hope!

[John Saxby]

Changed the oil on Osi the Raven on Dec 9 -- a bit later than usual, combination of no urgency and Loadsa Other Stuff goin' on. Nothing unusual in the change -- hub is running sweetly, quiet & reliable, just shy of 18,000 kms.

My criterion of excellence for my bikes' components is that I rarely think about the item in question.  The Rohloff is probably my best example of that -- very occasionally, I find myself saying, "Dang! This thing works well."  High D-o-D figure, a combination of centrality to the bike's performance and excellence in operation.

Only 1300 kms on the Rohloff this past year -- hoping/anticipating more than that in 2022 (but, he said, hedging his bets, not counting on it either.)

[steve216c]

Did my last oil change in July. I am 2,000km shy of next change. I needed unexpected surgery over Christmas and probably won’t be able to ride for a couple more weeks. But unless weather gets silly or if work insist on telework which will kill my commute, I should hit the next oil change around Easter.

I’m still pushing my chain/sprocket towards their demise, currently on 14,000km, so if they die first I might just do the oil change early if i need to service the bike replace the other components. Having bought a party pack of Rohloff oil, I already have everything on hand to do this and the next 30something changes whenever it takes my fancy.

Like John in previous post, you just take the hub for granted and forget what a marvellous piece of kit it truly is with no reason to even think about it when all is running sweetly. And it does seem to run better the more you ride it. I am sure mine runs better  since I purchased it used with approx 10k already on it and have since added another 14k. Of course I can not scientifically prove it, but I am sure it has gets smoother and quieter the more you ride it.

With so little running maintenance required on the Rohloff, I’m kind of looking forward to having something to do on it at some point during the year that isn’t just brake pad replacements or tyre change.

[John Saxby]

I’m kind of looking forward to having something to do on it at some point during the year

Y'know, Steve, if your fear your bike-maintenance skills are getting rusty (bad pun deliberate  ) you could always come visit Ottawa and do some shifts at our voluntary bike-recycling enterprise.  We could fix you up with some maddening derailleurs, decrepit shifters, wonky brakes, and the like -- things to test both your mechanical skills and your psychological equilibrium.

Full disclosure: the workshop isn't insulated, but we do have a construction-style propane heater, which helps somewhat, tho' of course both doors have to be cracked open so that everyone survives to go home at the end of the shift.  Winters are getting milder, too, tho' still more bracing than just about any other national capital...

Cheers,  J.

[Andre Jute]

Nice British understatement, describing Ottawa as "more bracing than just about any other national capital..."