Warranty

[JanieB]

Glorious day down here in Glasgow!

We have made up our minds and will be making our way over to Thorn in late May to get measured, and fitted and what not after which new bikes will be ordered. Exciting! So obviously the bikes won't be serviced by Thorn every time how does this influence the warranty of the bike and also that of the Rohloff hub?

Thank you to everyone who weighed in with their advice, it really helped a lot.

[geocycle]

I think the short answer is that it doesn't.  Just follow the rohloff oil change instructions.  I'm sure someone will point you to Thorn's T and C's

Just remember that a Late May order might mean you'll miss a big chunk of the summer riding after you take into consideration delivery times.

[aggs]

Servicing is very straight forward any LBS could do it if you are unwilling.

No gears to adjust or need tinkering with so that one less thing to worry about!

Roholff oil change is easy to do. I do mine annually from the date of buying the bike.
But may need more depending on mileage or sub merging in water!!     (SJS sell a kit for each oil change.)

Worth keeping a record and dates of oil changes for the Roholff warranty.

I am sure SJScycles will fill you on the details. 

[mickeg]

Thorn does not like kickstands, so if you planned to install, discuss that with SJS first.

The oil change kit includes all parts you need, but I do not recall if it included a 3mm allen wrench or not.

The 250ml bottles of oil are more cost effective than a couple new oil change kits every year.  So once you have done one, if you plan to continue doing your own you might want to buy the bigger bottles.  But you will need a regular oil change kit to get some of the supplies that you use.  I put a new coating of loctite on my drain screw in the hub for each oil change I do, I do not replace the drain screw each time.  But buying a few spares would not be a bad idea.

If you are not very mechanical, ask them to show you how to adjust chain tension by adjusting the eccentric.

If you plan to do any far off trips on the bikes, ask them what spares and supplies you might want to also carry with you.

[julk]

JB,
Welcome in advance to the Thorn fold.
It you get a rohloff bike with mudguards and a chainglider fitted then you are in for a very low maintenance machine.
The major work with mine, except for the annual oil change, is occasionally checking the tyres and pumping them up a bit.

If you need help or a look at a Rohloff Thorn a bit sooner then I am near Edinburgh, PM me if needed.
Julian.

[bobs]

Hi,

Kinetics in Maryhill is a very good bike shop and can do all your servicing.

Bob

[JanieB]

Thank you all once again for the feedback.

Yes due to exams and all that fun stuff, we won't be riding earlier than that, so late May it is. I am sure I can manage the oil changes, also work for a cycling charity, so more than one bike mechanic roaming the premises.

I have read bits and bobs about the chain glider, never seen one in real life, another something to investigate while we are there and the same with a kickstand, never owned a bike with one.

On quite another note, one of said mechanics pointed out the other day the repairing a puncture when riding a Rohloff hub is not a standard or easy procedure. I just nodded my head and decided to rather speak to the people here that actually own bikes and have repaired punctures. Is there anything we need to be aware of?

[Donerol]

On any bike, fixing a rear wheel puncture is more fiddly than the front.  With the Rohloff hub you have to disconnect the changer cables first, before you can get the wheel out, but it is not difficult. You just need to remember to set either 1st or 14th before you disconnect - that way it is easy to reconnect them correctly when you've finished.

I have the internal mech, with the accordion cables - I believe the Ex box may be simpler. Even so, when I recently had to fix my first rear puncture I found it straightforward and if anything easier than on a derailleur system, where the mechs fold up and tangle, and there is yards of chain flopping everywhere!

[julk]

JB,
As Donerol says removing the rear wheel is a bit of work - but only if you need to change the inner tube.
Otherwise just work on the bit of inner tube needing attention by taking it out between rim and tyre.

If you take the rear wheel out and you have a chainglider then the rear section of the chainglider has to come off but the rest of it stays in place and covers the chain nicely and stops you spreading chain oil around.

Careful choice of tyre and a bit of luck and you may never have to do any of this 
Julian.

[geocycle]

On quite another note, one of said mechanics pointed out the other day the repairing a puncture when riding a Rohloff hub is not a standard or easy procedure. I just nodded my head and decided to rather speak to the people here that actually own bikes and have repaired punctures. Is there anything we need to be aware of?

I disagree.  Other than disconnecting the bayonet fixings on the rohloff cables it is very easy.  This is no more difficult than say loosening a QR on a v-brake as long as you keep them nice and slack. Without derailleurs to foul and yards of chain it is possibly a bit easier.

[mickeg]

Not sure which Rohloff you would be getting, the EX box version or the internal cable version.

I have only experience with teh EX box version.  Very simple.  I always do it with the bike upside down, saddle and handlebars on the ground.  Put teh shifter in a gear that you will remember, usually 1 or 14.  Unscrew the thumbscrew to remove the EX box, and remove it.  It is still attached to the bike with the cables, so just let it hang loose.  Undo the quick release (same as dérailleur bikes).  If you have a rim brake, it is best to disconnect the brake cable so the brake pads to not hang up (same with dérailleur bikes).  Lift the wheel out of the frame and take the chain off of the wheel (just like with derailleur bikes).

Fix your flat. 

Do everything in reverse order.  When putting the wheel back in, there is a torque arrestor that has to be slide into the dropout, once you have done it once you will know what i mean, it takes 3 seconds to make sure it is done right.  But check to make sure your shifter is in the gear you put it in before re-attaching the EX box first in case you bumped your shifter while the wheel was out, this is a step I always forget to do.

If you have a wide tire, it is best to add air after the tire is in the frame so that it clears the brake pads easier with a deflated tire.

The internal gear version has slightly different procedures.

Some bikes that do not use the Rohloff dedicated dropouts could be much more complicated, so perhaps the mechanic had experience with a different brand of bike?  For example, many other brands would involve a chain tensioner or sliding dropouts or something else.  Thorns have dropouts designed for Rohloffs and that simplifies it.

I also ride several bikes with derailleurs, I find pulling out the rear wheel on the Rohloff bike to be about the same.

It is also possible that the mechanic was clueless but trying to sound knowledgeable.  I occasionally see that.

[Tiberius]

On quite another note, one of said mechanics pointed out the other day the repairing a puncture when riding a Rohloff hub is not a standard or easy procedure.

That is simply not true.

As 'mickeg' says, it is dead easy to remove/replace the rear wheel on a frame that is Rohloff dedicated. My Surly is not a dedicated Rohloff frame so it is a touch more difficult to remove/replace the rear wheel...but it really isn't THAT much more difficult.

[Danneaux]

I've found rear wheel changes are quick and easy as can be with either the internal shift-box (two cables to deal with) or the external shift-box (only a thumbscrew to undo and refasten). I've used both extensively and found them to be different but equal and equally easy in practice.

My method is to first shift into Gear 1 or 14, release the rear brake cable, then either undo the two gear cables (internal shifter) or undo the thumbscrew on the external shifter.

I then lay the bike on its left side (no risk of saddle scarring or the bike falling over), left pedal up, and reach under to undo the hub quick release. I then ease the wheel out of the dropouts and leave the chain still draped over the chainring.

I then repair the puncture as usual and put my (wide tire, so generally uninflated to clear the brakes) wheel back in the frame, hooking the chain over the sprocket with a stick or similar to keep hands clean as I slide the axle into the dropouts. A quick reach under to secure the quick-release and then tip the bike upright to tighten the thumbscrew onto the external shifter (or refasten the two loose cables on the internal shifter) and reinsert the noodle on the v-brake, reset the brake lever release and...done.

I just did this yesterday and was again amazed at how trouble-free it was compared to the same operation on one of my derailleur bikes. I've found the above procedure even faster and easier with panniers in place due to greater ground clearance with the bike on its side.

Best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

Sideways, getting the wheel fully set into place is not a given.  If I used Dans method, when I got to the point where he was done and the bike upright, I would release the quick release, make sure that the wheel is fully set in the dropouts (with the bike upright, gravity does the work) and re-tighten.  Ten seconds at most.

[Danneaux]

Yep. I do that too, though most times find it wasn't needed.

Best,

Dan.