Efneo gearbox

bentinitalia

New Member
Curious about the Efneo GTRO gearbox. Checked the Cruzbike forum references, found several, but none answered my questions. Need the opinions of those who have firsthand experience.

1) How many miles/kilometers have you put on it?
2) How heavy is it? Do you feel that weight when steering?
3) Is it meeting your expectations?
4) Any problems?
5) Any reservations or warnings?

Thinking of putting it on an S40. Thanks for your help.
 

bentinitalia

New Member
It seems if anyone has tried the Efneo, they haven't been on the forum to respond. If you know anyone who is using one, please pass the word. I have, however, come to the conclusion that adding about a kilo of weight to the front end of the boom will be noticeable and likely objectionable.
Best to all.
 

castlerobber

Zen MBB Master
I looked the Efneo gearbox up because of your post. It looks really interesting, if it weren't so heavy. Even has the option for 152mm crankarms.

My Quest 2.0 came with the SRAM DualDrive 3-speed hub instead of a front derailleur. It's heavy, but since the weight isn't hanging off the end of the boom, I don't really notice it--and I love being able to shift while stopped.
 

bentinitalia

New Member
I also have a Quest 559 with the SRAM dual drive. It's got a great gear range, and still going strong with over 30k kilometers on it. I would have put one on my S40 if they were still available. Some really fine products get put out to make room for slicker high-tech components. It's a shame. I also considered the Rohloff Speedhub, but it requires some minor mods to make it work/fit that I didn't feel confident to manage, plus the cost (although it may be well worth it).
 

ratz

Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
I also have a Quest 559 with the SRAM dual drive. It's got a great gear range, and still going strong with over 30k kilometers on it. I would have put one on my S40 if they were still available. Some really fine products get put out to make room for slicker high-tech components. It's a shame. I also considered the Rohloff Speedhub, but it requires some minor mods to make it work/fit that I didn't feel confident to manage, plus the cost (although it may be well worth it).
@bentinitalia I have a dual drive with about 200 miles on it that I just took off a Q20 (my father's before he got too sick to ride). I considered building a bike Friday with it, but it sounds like it would be better on your S40. $ 200+ shipping if you want it. It's currently laced with 22-inch wheels and in mint condition.
 

celerator

Member
A few years ago I had an earlier version of the Efneo gearbox on a German recumbent (front-wheel driven, no MBB). It's ok for uses other than competition (so even the vendor points out). It shifts well, even at v=0, makes no ugly noises and looks and feels really solid. The prototype(?) even had a nice coupling for the shift wire. The weight is of no great concern, so it could be tried on a Cruzbike T50. The problem there was the short chain line between the hub and chainring and the poor quality of the latter. We replaced the entire device, the new one lets you exchange chainrings.The 152mm crank option I could not find. There is, however, enough solid material in the crank arm to drill a pedal thread at ~155mm.
Not many miles were yet put on. The other recumbent now has a DualDrive.....
 
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