jslipscomb
New Member
My Silvio S30 2.2 model (2015) built with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. Parts list, pictures, experience.
Rohloff Summary
Good:
Bad:
Rohloff Summary
Good:
- Really low gears while still having a good high gear, wide gear range. Details in section below, "Gear Range". Short version: One pedal turn in high gear 376 in. = 9.55 m, low gear: 41.2 in. = 1.05 m. Rohloff sells custom cogs to bump both of these number up or down. Ratio 9.12:1.
- Fast: Low friction. An acquaintance with two same-model trikes, one with a Rohloff, one with conventional gearing, reports no difference in speed on alternate rides. All my Silvio Rohloff rides are faster than they were on my different-model conventionally-geared recumbent racer. One would not know that Rohloff friction is low from spinning the wheel slowly and watching it stop, but friction is largely constant, increasing little with speed.
- Never needs gear-change adjustment. Indeed, there is no provision for gear-change adjustment. Just an annual oil change is needed, easy enough to be done by the customer.
- Never needs cleaning, except for the one exposed cog, because the gears are sealed.
- Rarely misses a gear, and always gets the gear on the second try.
- Never makes a gear permanently unreachable.
- Shifts gears when standing still. No need to move forward after shifting to engage.
Bad:
- Front flat nightmare? Or not. My bike shop tells me that if I ever get a front flat, call for a pickup to the shop, because taking off the wheel will require problematical Rohloff disassembly. I report but do not understand. Possible solution: Posts below about Gaadi Tubes, which can be changed without removing the wheel. -- Update: Gaadi tubes work well. Front tube change is quick. No stem extenders needed on my wheels. And although intended for 28mm 700c tires, they do fit in my 25mm 700c tires. Details below.
- Requires mostly unloading the pedals with each shift, something not necessary for normal right-shifter gears. Riders adopt the habit of hesitating momentarily to shift in a consistent weak spot of the spin, usually just before the strong leg stomps down.
- Unloading pedals with each shift is most difficult when the hill is way steep, in a high gear, and speed is 5 mph and dropping rapidly. Best to give up and stop the bike.
- Locks up between gears 7 and 8 until pedal unloading is complete and total.
- Fragile cable connection at the hub. The cable can come loose if one twists hard on the shifter, so really do mostly unload for each shift. Fragile because lockdown has problems if too tight or too loose, so no way to win.
- If on the road the cable comes loose from twisting too hard, (1) Hand twist the connector off the hub using the big knob provided, (2) Tape the connector and loose wires to the bike frame, (3) Use a wrench to twist the hub nut to one extreme, and then count clicks twisting the other way to about gear seven. (4) Limp home working the left shifter. Ride with tape, or cable ties, and a small wrench.
- Cable adjustment or repair may take an hour by a moderately experienced technician, compared to a normal shifter taking 5-10 minutes. Many challenges.
- Unloading pedals with each shift is most difficult when the hill is way steep, in a high gear, and speed is 5 mph and dropping rapidly. Best to give up and stop the bike.
- Sometimes on first try misses a gear: switches to a wrong gear, or no gear with the pedals freewheeling.
- Heavy.
- Expensive (but sometimes cheap and almost new on eBay from Mountain Bike riders who want to go back).
- Few bike shops have the expertise (but mine was willing to learn, which they did from the enclosed extensive manual and some phone calls).
- Not so bad, but note: Must convert to mountain bike handlebars and components. The smaller diameter (mountain bike diameter) Rohloff shifters will not fit on road bike handlebars, which have a larger diameter.
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