a few questions regarding the oil

[pelago]

1. How often do you chance the oil?

2. I am planning to have the bike with me in a bus. It should lie down flat. Is there any difference on which side - how easily will the oil run out?

I have found that it doesnīt run very easily in 10 - 15° Celsius, but even here in Finland there is sometimes warmer at summer.

[JimK]

I change the oil once a year. I ride about 3000 miles or 5000 kilometers a year, so once a year seems just right.

I ride down to maybe -5C and don't have any trouble.

Yeah, lying the bike down on its side for an extended period, that is a little tricky. Maybe just move the next oil change up sooner, if its a long bus ride!

[pelago]

the troubles while driving in cold start near -15°C - then I do not chance the gears so often as in warmer time, it has happened that when I have changed there has been no gear so I have changed back and found the one I hoped to change from still existing

I know some are using a mix of oil and cleaning oil at wintertime, until know I have not tried with that

[Andre Jute]

Read the manual. Below a certain temperature the gearbox should be operated on the so-called cleaning oil, which is just a thinner version of the warm-weather operating oil.

[pelago]

Read the manual. Below a certain temperature the gearbox should be operated on the so-called cleaning oil, which is just a thinner version of the warm-weather operating oil.

this all I know  -  this was not my original question, just answered JimK

of the suitable oil for cold weather there are discussions in our own bicycle forums - I donīt live so north that I would need to chance for the winter time

[Andre Jute]

this all I know  -  this was not my original question, just answered JimK

of the suitable oil for cold weather there are discussions in our own bicycle forums - I donīt live so north that I would need to chance for the winter time

Ah! Sorry.

[pelago]

I read through all the 22 pages in this forum and a few said that they chance the oil not every year - I get 2000 - 3000 km a year. Rohloff says one year or... 
My other question was of the bicycle lying flat - someone had been in India for a trip and his bike had been on a bus roof for a while, how long I donīt know, an other one had been in a plane with his bike and there had come out some  oil.

Do you who now read this forum have any experiences in these areas - of the cold circumstances I know enough, I have now biked through two winters and there have been a few periods with 10 - 15°C, then the R works well but nearer -15°C and above there are problems, and the older I (62) get the more problems also I get, breathing becomes heavier. 

But I am used to bike all over the year and I have to accept that it goes slower.

[lewis noble]

Hello pelago

I do not use a Rohloff myself, but as I understand it, the amount of oil that may leak out does not present any problems - the oil loss is very slight, and there is always more than enough left in the hub to keep it running efficiently and smoothly - even if it drains out completely (e.g. forget to replace the drain screw), enough oil will be left adhering to the gears and components to keep it going.

If I am wrong, could a Rohloffiste please correct me??

Where in Finland are you? We toured a bit in Aland and Karelia 2 years ago . . . .

Lewis

[geocycle]

Hello pelago

I do not use a Rohloff myself, but as I understand it, the amount of oil that may leak out does not present any problems - the oil loss is very slight, and there is always more than enough left in the hub to keep it running efficiently and smoothly - even if it drains out completely (e.g. forget to replace the drain screw), enough oil will be left adhering to the gears and components to keep it going.

If I am wrong, could a Rohloffiste please correct me??

Where in Finland are you? We toured a bit in Aland and Karelia 2 years ago . . . .

Lewis

Yes you are right Lewis.  Nothing much to worry about.  I change the oil each year after about 3-4000 miles.  Just done the 8th change (at approximately 22,222 miles)!  Despite all the dire warnings Rohloffs are very robust bits of kit in almost all contexts.  There may be practices that are less than ideal for its long term health but it will rarely let you down.

[pelago]

Hi lewisjnoble!

I live at west coast, Pori - about 150 km up from Turku where you have landed from your trip to Åland. It is very flat here, Karelia is more hilly. We tour nowadays in Estonia that is also very very flat - to get the bike there it is easiest to use a bus from here to Helsinki, two nights by bike. From Helsinki there is a ferry to Tallinn.

Thank you for the info regarding the oil.

[mickeg]

It is my understanding that the breather hole is in the inside of the hollow axle.  If you were worrying about a bit of oil running out onto your luggage or onto something else while the bike is on the side, you could pull the skewer out first and wipe any accumulated oil off the skewer.  If a lot of oil is on the skewer, perhaps re-insert and pull it out to clean it off a few more times.  That way that oil that has already escaped from the hub internals would not be available to run out.

[il padrone]

I believe the Rohloff oil-change interval is 5000kms or 1 year, whichever comes soonest. Just like with your auto service intervals.

If you are worried about the amount of oil seepage and have concerns about damage to luggage, just refill it at the sevice with 15 ml instead of the 25 ml, which is really more than is necessary. I believe the greatest risk of oil leak will come if you place the sprocket-side down.

[pelago]

My concern is not the luggage but the amount of oil in the hub, of my car and the service - it calculates the intervall by itself, that means it varies.

[geocycle]

I think it is easy to overestimate how much oil is in the hub. 15ml largely hugs the internals. It's not like a car with an oil bath. For example, I reversed the rear sprocket yesterday, no oil ran out even though the sprocket was off. That was with the wheel vertical of course. I'd not store the hub on its side for months but it would be fine for a few journeys. Even if you lose a drop there should still be plenty until the next service in my opinion.