For what it's worth - Rohloff rumour

[alcyst]

SPOTTED: PROTOTYPE 170MM ROHLOFF SPEEDHUB FOR FAT BIKES!


http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/04/21/spotted-prototype-170mm-rohloff-speedhub-for-fat-bikes/

Not sure if it is just the existing hub in a different "package" or ....something else.

[Relayer]

It's not a rumour!

http://www.rohloff.de/en/news/news_rss/news_in_detail/news/detail/News/170mm-speedhub-for-fatbikes/index.html

[energyman]

Why on earth would anyone need a "fat bike".
Enlighten me please.
Oh - just read the Rohloff link - still don't understand.

[alcyst]

Fat bike = fat tyre. A balloon tyre is less likely to sink into snow, sand, soft mud.

[Danneaux]

Why on earth would anyone need a "fat bike".
Enlighten me please.

They're increasingly popular as winter rentals at ski resorts here in Oregon's Cascade mountains. They are intended for use on groomed ski trails (x-c or nordic), sometimes overlaying, sometimes apart from those intended for skiers.

I smell trouble brewing between the two kinds of trail users.

The extremely fat, low-pressure tires don't sink into snow as much as standard MTB tires might. A friend in Alaska advises they're popular there, as does a friend in Minnesota, where they're used regularly on winter snow. Not fast, but faster than snowshoes.

There's other uses as well. Vikram Banerjee (Vik, late of this Forum) got deeply into FatBikes and detailed many on his Lazy Randonneur blogs in the past. See: http://thelazyrandonneur.blogspot.com/ ...and... http://thelazyrando.wordpress.com/

Best,

Dan.

[brummie]

Fat bikes are great fun & ride much lighter than their bulk suggests - although obviously designed for sand / snow conditions, the tyres provide great grip & cushioning on gnarly terrain without having the need ( or expense of running ) suspension forks/shocks. If you look at the evolution of the "mtb" - tyres have increased in size & volume over the years for good reason. I am not aware of a Rohloff specific fatbike on the market - maybe there is a gap in the market for Thorn to exploit? S&S coupled, Rohloff equipped bike packing rig anybody??

[honesty]

The current manufacturers of fat bikes were demoing fat bikes with sus forks at one of the recent trade shows. Seems rather redundant to me!

[brummie]

The current manufacturers of fat bikes were demoing fat bikes with sus forks at one of the recent trade shows. Seems rather redundant to me!

I agree. I suspect the suspension manufacturers are probably a bit worried that people will discover it is possible to ride off road with a rigid fork !

[il padrone]

Why on earth would anyone need a "fat bike".
Enlighten me please.
Oh - just read the Rohloff link - still don't understand.

Fatbikes have been growing as a bit of a craze, but are of great value for people who have to ride on very sandy tracks, in soft snow, or through really muddy conditions. Or as a stable, tough cargobike. Or just for people who value the comfort and control of the really wide tyres.

http://www.bicycling.com/mountainbikecom/bikes-gear/wide-load




Fatbike Rohloff-equipped BigDummy used for 'Ride the Spine' tour of Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.



Fatbike and Fat-tyred Extrawheel for 'Ten Deserts Tour'

[Andre Jute]

Wow! Now that's a balloon tyre.

[il padrone]

Surly Moonlander is the ultimate balloon tyre fatbike. 4.8" tyres with really low pressures will go almost anywhere.

Mind you, I do think putting your pedals, chain and hubs through saltwater has to demonstrate rocks-for-brains  

[Andre Jute]

Mind you, I do think putting your pedals, chain and hubs through saltwater has to demonstrate rocks-for-brains  

You know the story of the origin of the Rohloff hub gearbox, don't you? Bernd and Barbara Rohloff on their honeymoon were cycling on a beach, and he became so brassed off with the way the sand and the salt water destroyed their derailleur transmissions, he designed the gearbox that bears their name. You might say the Rohloff is a gearbox specifically designed to ride on the beach...

[JimK]

yeah I think this Rohloff for fat bikes is actually a good idea. They are both "go anywhere" technology.

[il padrone]

You know the story of the origin of the Rohloff hub gearbox, don't you? Bernd and Barbara Rohloff on their honeymoon were cycling on a beach, and he became so brassed off with the way the sand and the salt water destroyed their derailleur transmissions, he designed the gearbox that bears their name. You might say the Rohloff is a gearbox specifically designed to ride on the beach...

Yes, I am aware of that history. Despite this, I would never put the Rohloff through the sea. Corrosion everywhere else on a bike is just not worth it.

BTW, related to this, is it OK to put the Rohloff underwater in a stream crossing? Or does Herr Rohloff admit his goal was not achieved? I have often in the past (pre-Rohloff days) done remote track touring in the mountains where we have had to make stream fordings, sometimes hub deep. The old Shimano sealed hub bearings did seem to stand up OK to a short immersion. Will the Rohloff? I have the addd compication of a SON28 which has a breather hole in the axle skewer pipe so it is a risk.

[Danneaux]

Pete,

On stream crossings, I remove the bags, portage the bike across on my shoulders, then go back and do the same for the bags, then reassemble on the far side. As many trips as it takes. For me -- personal choice -- it is just not worth it to submerge the bearings and frame tubes and pay the consequences for it midstream (so to speak) on a remote tour.

It might well be fine or one might get away with it, but what if you don't? Is it really worth it to ride with water-contaminated bearings or start rust in a SON dynamo?

All the best,

Dan. (...who errs on the side of caution and so won't swim a bike)