flyer s tour rohloff

e-Rad Hafen

Weniger autos, mehr spaß, s-flyer tour deluxe 26“ – der test.

Die letzten gut 700 Radkilometer hatte ich das rasante Vergnügen auf einem schnellen Flyer der S-Serie zu fahren. Ein paar Schlaglichter:

• fünf Kilometer zum Büro mitten durch die Stadt, Regel konformes Fahren = 12 Minuten
• Strecke Berlin Potsdam und Berlin Biesenthal einmal knapp 30 einmal gut 40 Kilometer, jeweils mit 30 km/h Durchschnittsgeschwindigkeit  (sieht man auf dem Display im Video)
• In der Stadt im Schnitt mit gut 25 km/h unterwegs

Natürlich kann man mit einem S-Pedelec auch langsam fahren, das ist ab und an auch unstressiger, denn besonders im dichten Stadtverkehr muss man bei Geschwindigkeiten über 30 schon sehr gut aufpassen – das erste mal in meinem Leben bin ich daher ab und an mit einem Helm gefahren (zum Einstieg einen „Helm light“ – ein Helt-Pro im Jockey Design , der mir zum Testen zur Verfügung gestellt wurde). Besonders auf Alltagswegen über 30 Kilometer Streckenlänge ist das „S“ mit der Unterstützung bis gut 40 Stundenkilometer allerdings eine wirklich sehr sinnvolle Sache: 40 Kilometer in 1,5 Stunden ohne dabei völlig verausgabt zu sein, das ist eine Hausnummer!

Ging es in Richtung 50 Kilomter Strecken musste ich (80 Kilogramnm Gewicht und immer etwas Gepäck) allerdings anfangen, auf die Reichweite des Akkus zu achten. Ab und an nicht im höchsten Modus zu fahren hilft deutlich auch wenn die Stufe „Standard“ beim 350 Watt Panasonic-Motor immer noch sehr viel Power gibt. Dank der neuen Ladeelektronik ist der 36V Panasonic auch nach etwa 2,5 bis 3 Stunden wieder voll ( mehr zum 36V System hier ). Dafür ist das Ladegearät auch schwerer: 1,3 Kilo – im Vergleich zu 600 Gramm beim 26V System. Der Akku ist mit 3,7 Kilogramm bei 432 Wattstunden Kapazität kein Leichtgewicht (Energiedichte 116Wh/Kilogramm,  mehr dazu hier ).

Die Rohloff-Schaltung erfreut natürlich – sie schaltet absolut präzise und hat ein enormes Übersetzungsspektrum – dennoch bei etwas über 40 km/h kann man in der Ebene kaum mehr beschleunigen. Unter Last funktioniert auch die Rohloff-Nabe nicht gut, es gibt aber einen entscheidenden Vorteil: Das Bedienelement (Drehgriff) lässt sich erst dann bewegen, wenn auch wirklich geschaltet werden kann, ansonsten ist es blockiert. Bei anderen Nabenschaltungen wie bspw. Alfine oder Nexus kann man den Hebel bewegen, das Schalten passiert dann irgendwann später, wenn man es vielleicht schon gar nicht mehr will. Bei dieser S-Variante fand ich auch die Trittfrequenzabhängigkeit des Panasonic-Antriebs nicht so störend, da man ohnehin kaum an die Unterstützungsgrenze heran kommt. Nur bei wirklich rasantem Beschleunigen stört es wir gehabt: Man tritt in einem kleinen Gang an, nach anfänglichem Schub lässt die Unterstützung dann nach, bis man das Treten unterbricht und schaltet.

Praktisches Detail des S-Flyer ist die Schiebehilfe, die besonders bei Treppenaufgängen hilfreich ist, wie ich hier beschrieben habe .

Bremsen und Bremsweg

Besonders gespannt war ich auf die hydraulischen Magura MT 4 Scheibenbremsen, die wie ich erfahren habe eine Neuheit im oberen Presisegment sind… es wird daher kaum wundern wenn ich sage, dass sie – auch bei Nässe – ziemlich kräftig bremsen und sehr präzise zu dosieren sind. Um das Ganze etwas aussagekräftiger zu machen habe ich mal einen kleinen Bremstest gemacht. Auf trockenem, ebenen Untergrund (Gehwegplatten) habe ich bei verschiedenen Geschwindigkeiten (25, 30 und 35km/h) eine Vollbremsung bis zum Stillstand gemacht und den Bremsweg gemessen, den Minimalwert aus jeweils 4-5 Tests habe ich hier notiert:

• 25 Km/h: 4 Meter (Bremsbeschleunigung 6,0 m/s²)
• 30 km/h: 5,5 Meter (Bremsbeschleunigung 6,31 m/s²)
• 35 km/h 6,5 Meter (Bremsbeschleunigung 7,88 m/s²)

Die Werte sind natürlich nur eine Orientierung (und offenbar habe ich bei hoher Geschwindigkeit mehr aus der Bremse rausgeholt), sie könnten aber im Vergleich zu weiteren Rädern interessant werden – schade, dass ich bspw. bei den Rollenbremsen am T5 Flyer nicht gemessen habe.

Beleuchtung, Bereifung, LCD Display, Gepäckträger, Ständer sind in dieser Preisklasse erwartungsgemäß hochwertig. Alle Details der Ausstattung finden sich übrigens auf der Flyer Homepage (hier) .

[portfolio_slideshow]

Der S-Flyer in der Tour Deluxe Ausführung ist ein rasantes Geschoss mit Top-Austattung. Längere Strecken – etwa 30- 50 Kilometer – werden mit diesem S-Pedelec auch im Alltag machbar. Das Fahrgefühl ist ausgezeichnet, die Trittfrequnezabhängigkeit des Panasonic-Antriebs und das Schaltproblem „Mittelmotor-Nabenschaltung“ lässt sich bei diesem E-Rad locker verkraften – vor allem wenn man entspannt mit Tempo 30 im Stadtverkehr mit schwimmt.

Mehr e-Rad Hafen

• Flyer T5 im Test
• S-Flyer i-sy im Test
• Bericht zum E-Rad Test der Stiftung Warentest 2013
• Vergleich verschiedener Mittelmotoren (Panasonic, Bosch, Impulse)

Interessant. Ich hatte auf einer Messe mal mit einem Fachmensch darüber gesprochen und der sagte, dass an Mofas mit Verbrennungsmotor (und daher auch an S-Pedelecs) letztlich alles mögliche dran gehängt werden kann. Da hat der sich wohl geirrt. Interessant wäre auch welche Genehmigung denn von Nöten ist. Ich werde das auch noch mal überprüfen, aber Danke für den Hinweis! (zum Glück musste ich auf der ADFC Sternfahrt keine Diskussionen und Scherereien wegen des Anhängers und der Musikanlage darin erleiden…)

Ich habe noch mal etwas recherchiert und so wie ich das verstanden habe, braucht man für den Anhänger zwar keine Zulassung aber der Anhänger muss einem „genehmigten Typ“ entsprechen. Bei einem Fahrradanhänger ist das wohl nicht der Fall.

http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2011/__3.html http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2011/__4.html

Das Versicherungskennzeichen muss am Anhänger auch noch wiederholt werden: http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/fzv_2011/__27.html

Also so wie ich die StVZO verstehe, muss ein einachsiger Anhänger hinter einem Kraftrad nicht zugelassen sein. Man darf allerdings keine Personen transportieren. Sollte ich da falsch liegen, bitte gerne aufklären. Danke. e-Rad Hafen

Wie sieht es mit der Zulassung für den Anhänger da? Ein S-Pedelec gilt ja als Kraftfahrzeug und damit darf man nur zugelassene Anhänger ziehen.

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FLYER Tandem 7.83 - 2023 with Rohloff Speedhub

Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs

• Item number: 5563-001
• Manufacturer Part Number: 90022423
• EAN: 8720157598206

Together to your destination

The FLYER Tandem 7.83 e-bike literally brings people together. It offers two riders the unique opportunity to enjoy the ride together, have a relaxed conversation, exchange thoughts and enjoy nature. There is no difference in speed. Everyone contributes his part. You reach the destination together. You sit on the bike as a team. Ultimately, people with handicaps also find their way back onto the bike here.

Features of the Flyer Tandem 7.83 - 2023

• BOSCH Cargo Line drive with 85 Nm torque, 25 km/h
• Bosch Powertube DualBattery with a total capacity of 1250 Wh
• ROHLOFF Speedhub 14 speed shifter
• GATES Carbon Drive CDX belt drive
• MAGURA MT5 4-piston disc brake
• Incl. 6A Fast Charger

The equipment of the FLYER Tandem 7.83 already leaves hardly anything to be desired. The powerful BOSCH Cargo Line motor with a torque of 85 Nm . provides the electrical support, in this case up to 340% of its own power.  This in turn draws its energy from the DualBattery system with a total of 1250 Wh capacity - makes sense - two riders, two batteries! This allows for long ranges despite the high total weight. The system is controlled via the Bosch Intuvia Display , which displays all relevant riding data and required information in a clearly legible manner and can also be conveniently operated via the thumb on the handlebars.

Now this power must be adequately brought to the rear wheel. For this, the FLYER Tandem 7.83 was given the high-quality and absolutely solid ROHLOFF 14-speed Speedhub . It is considered the only durable hub gears for powerful mid-engines and also offers the largest transmission range of 526% in its segment. Rides in mountainous regions are therefore not a particularly high challenge. Gear changes are precise, velvety smooth and fast. In combination with the Gates Carbon Drive CDX belt drive , a drive system has been put together here, which is absolutely low maintenance and works permanently smoothly!

250kg system weight need decent wheels. That's why FLYER opted for the ultra-sturdy DT SWISS HX 531 Hybrid rims , which have been specially optimized for e-bikes, as well as the solid 350 Hybrid hubs with industrial bearings, toothed disc freewheel, steel freewheel body and 32 spokes. And because due to these durable components the tour can also last longer, there is a SUPERNOVA M99 Mini Pro headlight at the front and a Busch&Müller 2C taillight at the rear for the twilight. This provides firstly for proper sight in the dark and certainly even more important - for better visibility and thus more safety.

Luggage can be attached, for example, by means of panniers on the Racktime rack. A spring flap is also available.

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Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS in review

Riese & Müller have done it again and brought an ebike to market that has yet to find its equal. Does the full-suspension step-through bike with an S-pedelec motor, DualBattery system and an electronic Rohloff hub gear win the gold medal in our search for the best commuter bike? Or is its 35 kg weight too much for the win?

Get an overview of the grouptest here: The best ebike of 2021 – The 19 most exciting concepts for everyday use

German bike manufacturer Riese & Müller have never cared much about what others think. Since being founded in 1993 by its two namesakes, Markus Riese and Heiko Müller, the company has developed several bikes, starting with the full-suspension folding bike Birdy, that initially faced ridicule but have since cemented their position on the market. As such, it’s not all that surprising that R&M also sent an S-pedelec version of a full-suspension step-through bike into the test. Also unsurprising is the fact that it draws lots of interested looks with its brutish looks and suspended luggage rack. We found out whether the Homage cuts a fine figure on the way to work.

Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS spec in detail

One of the highlights of this bike is the previously mentioned suspended luggage rack, which adheres to the MIK standard, for safely transporting shopping, a laptop and other delicate objects. There’s no doubt that the electronic Rohloff E14 hub gear is the second highlight of the R&M S-pedelec. In this configuration, the bike can take pride of place in your garage for € 10,048.40. Alongside the massive range of 526%, the Rohloff E14 hub gear shines in combination with the GATES carbon belt which requires extremely low maintenance – perfect for a commuting bike that will have to face wind, weather, storms, hail, salt and dust daily. If you prefer a classic derailleur system, the Homage GT comes in a Touring version with a Shimano XT groupset, which is available from € 6,099. As usual for Riese & Müller, almost everything can be configured and customised. As such, the bike is available in three frame sizes and can be ordered with or without a front rack. The dropper post and off-road tires fitted to our test bike are also optional. If you ignore the cargo bike and FEDDZ E-moped, the R&M Homage GT is the heaviest bike in our group test at 35.5 kg. Carry it down the stairs to the cellar? Maybe not…

Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS mit DualBattery

Specifications.

Motor Bosch Performance Line Speed 85 Nm Battery 2 x Bosch PowerTube 1250 Wh Display Bosch Nyon Fork SR Suntour Aion 100 mm Seatpost X-Fusion Manic 70 34.9 mm 70 mm Brakes MAGURA MT4/MT5 180/180 mm Drivetrain GATES CDX/Rohloff SPEEDHUb 1x14 Stem Satori R&M Custom 90 mm Handlebar Satori R&M Custom 700 mm Wheelset RODI TRYP 35 Tires Schwalbe Johnny Watts 27.5 x 2.35"

Technical Data

Size 49 54 58 Weight 35.5 kg

Specific Features

DualBattery setup ABUS BORDO 6000 foldable lock online configurator suspended rear rack

The motor of the R&M S-pedelec: 45 on paper only

The Riese & Müller is the only S-pedelec in the test to fit a Bosch Performance Line Speed motor with 85 Nm torque, combining it with two 625 Wh batteries which are stowed in the down tube and can be removed from the side. For the display, a Bosch Nyon is used which stands out with great features like the navigation functionality and can be removed. Thanks to the eShift function of the Bosch system, the motor and gearing communicate, allowing the current gear to be shown on the display, as well as making shifting easy and precise depending on the current motor support – with Multishift mode, you can shift up to three gears at once with a long press on the shifter.

45 km/h on the flats? If you have the legs of Egan Bernal!

The Homage GT Rohloff HS accelerates from a standstill at a leisurely rate – the 35.5 kg can’t help here. Accelerating up to cruising speed takes comparatively longer than the FEDDZ bike and you’ll notice quickly that you’ll be riding this S-pedelec exclusively in Turbo mode. Unfortunately, it’s only possible to reach the maximum assistance speed of the Bosch Performance Line Speed motor when heading downhill. On the flats, you need the legs of Egan Bernal to actually stay at 45 km/h. In practice, your cruising speed levels off between 40 and 43 km/h, which is fairly easy to reach without too much effort – admittedly, that’s already pretty quick! Here, the FLYER S-pedelec is superior to the Homage GT.

Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS on test

The R&M Homage GT demands some respect. After all, with its 35.5 kg weight, the ebike weighs around half of one of our test riders. That limits it to taller or larger riders for shopping trips. With a maximum permissible weight of 140 kg, after the bike is accounted for, there’s a little more than 100 kg left for the rider, their clothes and shopping – somewhat meagre given the look of this colossus. The touring-suited riding position in combination with the large range of the DualBattery system and the high level of overall comfort thanks to the suspension fork, shock and tires, leave this bike destined for long days in the saddle. However, people with short legs will be frustrated by the long seat tube and, if in doubt, should go for a smaller frame size. For one of our test riders with an inseam of 85 cm, the middle size 54 was already at the limit with the saddle slightly too high.

Tuning tips: RX-Connect is a must if you don’t have it already | pay the € 70 upcharge or get a suitable bag for the front rack

The sedan amongst commuter bikes: the R&M Homage GT convinces with masses of comfort. Small obstacles like cobbles and kerbs are hardly perceivable.

Compared to a derailleur, the Rohloff shifting is a little sluggish and underlines the leisurely character of the bike when it comes to acceleration. As a result of the front-heavy weight distribution, you always have pressure and grip with the front wheel and there’s no danger of the front lifting even on steep slopes. At high speeds, the R&M Homage GT convinces with its good straight-line stability but remains manoeuvrable enough at low speeds to carve through tight and winding alleys. As such the S-pedelec can be recommended to newbies too, as long as you’re not looking for a bike that has to be carried up two floors to your flat.

Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS conclusion

The Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS is a forceful reinterpretation of a step-through and completely hits the mark. Thanks to the unique suspension, the concept results in huge comfort for rider and luggage. Together with the large battery capacity and the relaxed riding position, this makes the S-pedelec suited to long tours too. If you can live with the high weight, the fact that you’ll rarely reach 45 km/h and that you’re legally limited where you can ride, you’ll get a great bike for your daily ride to work.

• unique comfort
• DualBattery for extensive range
• first-class spec
• can be easily individualised in Riese & Müller configurator
• only bike with suspended luggage
• maintenance-free drivetrain

• 45 km/h is only possible with a tailwind, your own power or a suitable slope
• legal limitations on where you can ride an S-pedelec
• very unwieldy
• seat tube too long for people with short legs
• overloaded cockpit

You can find out more about at r-m.de

The testfield

All Bikes in this group test: Ampler Stout (Click for review) | Brompton M6L Cloud Blue (Click for review) | Cannondale Topstone Neo Carbon Lefty LE (Click for review) | Canyon Commuter:ON 7 (Click for review) | Diamant Juna Deluxe+ (Click for review) | FEDDZ E-Moped (Click for review) | FLYER Upstreet6 7.10 HS (Click for review) | Haibike Trekking 9 (Click for review) | Kalkhoff Endeavour 5.B Excite+ (Click for review) | MERIDA eBIG.TOUR 700 EQ (Click for review) | MERIDA eONE SIXTY 10K (Click for review) | Moustache Samedi 27 Xroad FS 7 (Click for review) | Movea Modo 20” (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Homage GT Rohloff HS mit DualBattery | Riese & Müller Packster 70 Vario (Click for review) | Riese & Müller Roadster Touring (Click for review) | Schindelhauer Arthur VI/IX (Click for review) | Specialized Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ (Click for review) | VanMoof X3 (Click for review)

… or the regular long-distance commuters. Your usual commuting distance is more than 15 km each way and you use your bike every day. Your ebike is used as a means of transport and is a real alternative to a second car or public transport. Practicality, reliability and utility win out over the ultimate bling factor because it’s primarily a functional machine ↩

This type of ebike unites experts and early adopters from both the fashion and tech scenes. As hip trendsetters, they know exactly how to ride with style. Sci-fi, hi-fi, Wi-Fi – they know exactly what they’re talking about and can easily play the keyboard while half asleep. With a tendency to live out their passions eccentrically, emotional decisions come before rational ones. ↩

Take the kids to kindergarten, head to the weekly market and later get a crate of beer – no problem for this type of ebike, even without a car. These riders love to combine things: rational and emotional motives go hand in hand because investments are made on the basis of knowing what they want and getting a suitable vehicle that suits their vision and mission. ↩

You live in a 15-minute city like Paris. This means that all your daily needs are within a 15-minute radius by foot or ebike. For short distances of less than 2 km, you aren’t afraid to simply walk. For medium distances of up to 10 km, you get on your bike. Longer distances are easily covered with a mix of public transport and your bike. Short-distance bikers are active/sporty people who never want to commit to one thing, maintain a flexible lifestyle and like to be inspired by impulses. Due to limited space in the city, they often don’t have a car and if they do, it is mainly used for pleasure. ↩

You have significant biking experience and enjoy riding sportily. This group encompasses mountain bikers and trail shredders, road bike fans and Strava heroes, as well as touring fans who enjoy (rural) excursions into the countryside outside the city. You change into sports gear for your daily commute before showering when you get there because you enjoy working on your fitness. Your bike is used for commuting during the week as well as for tours at the weekend and is a means of transport and sports equipment all in one. ↩

Learn more about the different rider types in this article: Click here! ↩

Words: Aaron Steinke Photos: Benjamin Topf

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Bike finder.

Better with SPEEDHUB

Find your dream bike in this (by no means exhaustive) list of complete, SPEEDHUB equipped bicycle. Choose a category to filter the results and find the bike that fulfills your wish-list. A more expansive list of brands can be found in our Manufacturers List . 

Are you a bicycle manufacturer looking to include your bikes in this list? Then simply click on this link , fill in the details and upload a photo – its that easy. All information included in this finder is supplied by the individual companies themselves. The Rohloff AG is therefore unable to take liability for the accuracy of the details provided. 

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Touring Bike FAQ #5: Derailleurs Or Internal Hub Gears (Rohloff)?

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This is #5 in an ever-growing series of answers to frequently-asked questions about touring bikes. If you’re new here, why not start with #1: What Exactly Defines A Touring Bike?

There are plenty of people in this world who you could put in a room and let them argue until the end of time about whether or not a touring bike should be fitted with a Rohloff Speedhub .

I am not one of these people. You probably aren’t, either.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Rohloff, it’s a brand of internal gear hub for the rear wheel of a bicycle which costs more than a new entry-level touring bike .

Internal gear hubs like the Rohloff are designed to offer a wide range of gear ratios which are selectable with a single cable-operated handlebar shifter, eliminating all the derailleurs, sprocket cassettes, chainrings, and other gumpf used to offer selectable gear ratios on most other bikes. Competing models include the Alfine range from Shimano, and more recently the Pinion range of crank-mounted gearboxes.

Internet search spirals will unearth no end of people who ‘swear by’ Rohloffs and endless ultra-detailed kit-lists from folk who’ve shelled out the cash to equip their bike with one. 

Among arguments often heard in their favour against traditional derailleur setups, they’re more reliable, less messy, simpler on the outside, smoother to use, and you can change gear while stationary.

But they are not essential items of equipment for touring bikes.

People have indeed cycled round the world with Rohloffs. Yet more people have cycled round the world with traditional derailleur gears, having had a century’s head start.

The decision to invest in a Rohloff is not about whether it will will get you through a very long bike trip ‘better’ than a derailleur. As evidenced by the Database of Long Distance Cycling Journeys , or my massive list of worldwide expedition touring bikes , they’ll clearly both do the job.

For me, it’s more a question of the approach you take towards cycle touring, travel, and possibly life in general.

The Real Reason People Choose (Or Don’t Choose) A Rohloff Speedhub

I’ll wager that the single biggest reason for differences in choice relates to  how people respond to the fear of things going wrong .

When your non-user-serviceable Rohloff Speedhub breaks (and they do), you send it back to Germany and spend a couple of weeks waiting in whichever city you had to hitch-hike to when it happened. Rohloff repair or replace the hub and send it back to you.

You hope that this happens before a) the locals customs department gets hold of it, and b) your tourist visa runs out.

Eventually, you continue with your tour.

When your derailleur gets mashed into your spokes, you try to fix it yourself, because all the parts are accessible and serviceable, you’ve been on the road for long enough to know how to fix your bike, you’ve got the right tools , and you stopped caring about getting greasy fingers a long time ago.

If you can’t fix it, you remove a few links from your chain and turn your bike into a single-speeder until you get to the next city, where you check into the local hostel to find another cycle tourist awaiting the return of his or her Rohloff hub from Germany. You find a new derailleur or gear hanger or cassette or chain or chainring from any local bike shop.

When all’s said and done, the only difference was how the broken gears got fixed – by you, by the nearest bike shop, or by a technician in Kassel-Fuldatal.

The second part of the decision is whether you would prefer the reassurance of a Rohloff or an extra £1,000 towards your bike trip.

What would an extra £1,000 in spending money mean for you ?

Consider that there’s no difference between the two systems that will occupy your mind when you’re actually turning the pedals. You’ll have better things to think about. Ultimately, both systems will allow you to choose the right gear when you need to – until, inevitably, something eventually goes wrong.

So if money is no object at this stage of your bike-choice process, the only real way to decide between the two is by rather whimsically thinking about which you like the idea of best.

1. Out of sight, out of mind, out of pocket (sorry) for tens of thousands of miles – until it possibly breaks catastrophically? Rohloff it is.

2. Needing occasional servicing and parts replacement, but fixable on the roadside and by every bicycle mechanic on the planet? Derailleur it is.

Still can’t decide? Flip a coin, cover it up, and then think about which side you really wanted it to land on.

Next in the Touring Bike FAQ series:  What’s The Best Way To Avoid Buying The Wrong Bike ?

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Also relevant to this post:

• How To Custom Build The Ultimate Expedition Touring Bike (With Pictures)
• What’s The Best Touring Bike? (2024 Edition)
• A Full List Of Heavy Duty Touring Bikes For Round-The-World Rides

Comments ( skip to respond )

71 responses to “touring bike faq #5: derailleurs or internal hub gears (rohloff)”.

The real question with the Rohloff is… use it with a chain or a carbon belt? Heh heh heh

Rohloff bashing is quite common. My experience says: 1. My rohloff has been on 3 bikes — minimum servicing oil change every year or two. 12000miles + 2. Not much heavier than XT but hardly an issue on touring 3. efficiency (2%less) often stated but add mud and grease and the rohloff is a peach especially if you have a Gates Belt drive version and frame .… no deralieuer to break bash get clogged or cables to snap. 4. chain last forever too if that version — I fitted a BMX chain to one 29er lasted longer than bike .….

I have two comments And have used rohloff on one bike and derailluer on another identical bike for touring

1. You loose your mojo when ascending steep hills because you have to stop pedsling to shift.

2. Make sure you have a good mechanic to build your rear wheel with the hub — I broke spokes on both trips because wheel was laced improperly.

All in all — not a big hub fan.

The entire argument against Rohloff seems to be based on the assumption “if and when they fail”. Question is how often do they fail? In fact those who opt for Rohloffs do so on the assumption that they are bomb proof and almost never fail. Yes cost is an issue for many. But the fear of “what if it breaks down” goes against the spirit of adventure tourism.

Roy, it depends what you mean by fail. If you mean to the extent of not spinning at all, then it’s a very different number than if you mean develop issues despite following instructions to the letter. Twice in 100,000km for me that it developed issues in shifting. That’s certainly not frequent, but Rohloffs aren’t some magical thing that can’t break.

“What if it breaks down” is not a fear, it’s a valid question when preparing for a very long bike ride. All mechanical things will eventually fail because the laws of physics dictate it. So consider the answer you prefer, depending on whether you have a derailleur setup or a Rohloff. One answer will involve sending a part halfway round the world for servicing, possibly less frequently. The other answer will involve doing it yourself in the next town, possibly more frequently. Which you choose is probably mostly an emotional decision, combined with factors within your control (maintenance and care) and factors outside your control (bad luck, manufacturing defects).

Just to put another perpsective into this discussion. A small story from an ageing, female, average tourer, not the kind you often, if ever, find on cycling forums. 8 years ago I bought a Thorn bike 16″ wheels, with the thought of expeditioning in Scandinavia, specifically. I had set my mind on the derailleur based Sherpa, but once in Bridgewater, I was persuaded to try the Raven, with the Rohloff hub. The difference in the gear change smoothness was incredible. As I like new things and new ideas, I decided on the Rohloff. It was set for expedition & heavy loading so the ration for low gear was low, (38x16) which meant that the high gear was quite low too. The geometry was great for me, as I am a small woman, it was perfect. I enjoyed the bike but I could see that I was a slower than I used to be on my hybrid Marin bike, compared to my husband on his traditional Hewit tourer. Anyway, the expedition to Norway never happened, instead I had a few tours on the continent and in Scotland over the last few years, and use my bike locally. I researched the reasons for being slow, whether it was the Rohloff, the fat tyres (1.75), the 26″ wheels compared to the 700c used by all around me, the gearing, or just me! I even decided to sell the Raven and get a derailleur, 700cc wheel, disc brakes bike, small enough for me, like the Genesis Tour de Fer. Tried it, hated going back to a derailleur, and even the XS felt still too big (it is unisex), cumbersome, compared to my 26″ wheel Raven. So, phoned SJS (Thorn) to discuss my problem, researched gear ratios, (see Sheldon Brown’s online gear calculator), and kept it. In the end I decided to 1/ change the tyres to 1.5″, 2/ buy a bigger chainset to give me a better ratio for cycling on the flat. We changed the chainset (42x16) and the chain, all ordered from SJS, went to Shetland for a trip, fully loaded, and I am SO glad I kept it. The gear change is great, all the time. The gears are still low enough to tackle the Scottish hills, fully loaded, and it is better on the flat. No grinding of gears when the road suddenly dips and rises as it does continually on small roads, and the bike feels more responsive. Not a racer, for sure, but hey, a great bike, ideal as I get older. Could never go back to a derailleur, for sure. Just saying! Mireille

Hah. I just rode Oxford to Geneva on a bike I pulled out of a skip (nice skip = nice bike – Scott Speedster 650). E‑bay Altura panniers. Total gear cost under £150.. I had to buy a chain, a saddle, a rear cassette with a couple of extra teeth, some cables. Everything else was scrap / junk – tyres, rack, brakes, bars, the lot.. Upwards of 650 miles, no punctures! Tiny roads.. And I did Col de Grande Colombier – 1503 metres. (OK, I admit I pushed the bits over 11% because I’m 59 and wheezy.) But on the way I met a charming gent on a handmade touring bike: his well known german panniers cost more than my entire set-up. We sat there laughing. His grips were over sixty quid (and I hereby admit, I am jealous of those because although my crappy ally MTB bar end things with some waterpipe insulation stuck on them work OK, they don’t look slick…). Nah.. gears “you always want another gear” is so true. Saddle, grips – the contact points.. The charming gent was very jealous of my bell – brass and made out of an old BT telephone bell.. Yay! He loved his Rohloff gears. I loved the fact that if my bike got nicked, I wasn’t going to weep. I’m addicted to bike touring and planning another trip. Its the simple things like grips and exact saddle angle… (the two screw fore & aft clamp is the best).. £15 off Ali Express or E‑Bay. Happy trails. H

Ok — reported earlier that you lose your mojo when you have to stop pedaling to shift on a hill or under load. Now — after two more extensive road trips I have another complaint with the Rohloff. This problem relates to the fact that in all cases the rear wheel has to be built by someone from a bike shop (or yourself) — This is not easy and the spokes (which are now a special size) need to be laced properly and tensioned properly as well. Not many mechanics are proficient at this as I have found out breaking spokes and constantly retrueing the rear wheel on 2 recent trips

As someone who had a similiar experience? I thought i’d reply to your comment Kelcy…

In regards to ‘losing your mojo’? Yes, it’s best to ease up on the power when shifting, but I also find this necessary with derailleurs. Sure, it isn’t as noticeable, but I still ease up a little. I don’t really have an issue with ‘unloading’. The bigger hurdle is going from the small to big gear,or vice versa, as I do get the occasional gear skip. Then again, you can also get skipped gears with derailleurs, especially when they are out of adjustment,which happens far more frequently (out of adjustment), with derailleurs. 

Regarding the wheel build, I too had an issue with breaking spokes. After 700 kms, from Frankfurt, I pedalled into Amsterdam with a buckle and broken spoke. I had a local bike shop look it over, and they claimed the wheel was built wrong, and the rim wasn’t very strong. I found that rather surprising, as I was of the belief that a Salsa Delgado rim was supposed to be quite strong. 

Anyways, I needed to have it fixed asap, so I took their advice and rebuilt the wheel using a Mavic 317 rim. Never had an issue after that. 

Not sure what you mean by ‘special’ spokes though? The spokes chosen for a wheel build are determined by your choice of hub, rim, and lacing pattern. What makes a Rohloff any different to any other build combination? In actual fact, the Rohloff is ‘supposed’ to build into a strong wheel, due to its central configuration, and equal length spokes on either side. Unlike many other hubs which require different length spokes either side. 

You also stated it requires a bike shop to build the wheel ( or yourself)? Who else is going to build it??

After all is said and done, we have both experienced broken spokes. So your question regarding the wheel build is an interesting one. We are only 2 of many though, so more feedback relating this issue would be welcome..

You asked the question abut the wheel build — Who else is going to build it? Nearly all wheels are built in some sort of assembly line or in a factory of some kind by an individual who only builds wheels for a living. When you go to a local shop to completely build a wheel — many are not qualified. Issues like lacing and tension are not considered. I know that I have ridden 20K miles in the last 3–4 years and fixed many many bike problems — but I have never built a wheel. Thats what makes this issue relavent.

Ok… But aren’t wheels built by hand supposed to be better than a factory build? 

Surely there is a competent wheel builder in MOST cities? 

And as I said earlier, I haven’t seen any concrete evidence of a Rohloff breaking spokes regularly? Sure it happened to you and me, but there are 1000’s of Rohloffs out there. 

And once again, I don’t see a Rohloff being any different than any other wheel build.

If I may add a little perspective… 

It’s generally true that hand-built wheels are more durable in a touring context than factory-built ones. This is because factories build wheels using automated machines, and only the final tensioning (if that) is done by hand. The result is simply a less finely-tuned wheel, as compared to one built by a trained and highly experienced wheelbuilder.

Given that the majority of bikes are used lightly compared to the rigours of touring, this rarely matters. But with touring, imperfections are magnified. Thus, the spokes of machine-built wheels are (anecdotally) cited as one of the most common points of failure on long-term tours – hence many riders carrying spare spokes as well as puncture repair kits.

But not all hand-built wheels are created equal. A badly hand-built wheel will of course be more prone to failure than a standardised machine-built one. Most bike shops will offer wheelbuilding if you ask because they want your business. That doesn’t mean they have a trained and highly experienced wheelbuilder on staff. It’s a niche specialisation. Wheels for touring bikes are even more niche. So if you want quality assurance, go to someone who builds touring bike wheels and little else, and whose reputation therefore depends on it.

As for the type of hub, this is of relatively little importance. It shouldn’t matter if the wheelbuilder knows what he or she is doing. I suspect a good proportion of Rohloff spoke failures could be traced back to improper original build.

(All else equal, shorter spokes make a stronger wheel, so Rohloffs (and disc hubs, which I use even for wheels on V‑brake rims) should marginally win out here – but this is a really minor point.)

Finally, don’t forget that riders subject their bikes to varying levels of punishment. Even a properly hand-built Rohloff wheel is going to suffer being bounced around on dirt roads in the Andes by a tall, heavy rider with 50kg of luggage. And that’s the problem with a lot of anecdotes: it’s very difficult to meaningfully interpret them. All anyone can really do is reduce the risk of failure as much as reasonably possible, then hope for the best and prepare for the worst!

Good write up and comments all! 

It really depends on what the tourist really likes (coin flipping). 

I don’t agree entirely on the fear of a Rohloff breaking. One should also look at the statistics.

In my humble opinion, shying away from a Rohloff is like thinking and probably saying: No I don’t like to go bicycle touring I could get knocked off my bike get wounded and I have to wait for days or even weeks before I can ride on?

The point is that from many bike tourist reports running for years now, Rohloff will most probably not break though they do- seldomly just as in one being knocked of his tour bike. The chances are slim. For instance, I have been touring on my Rohloff Hub for over a year now within Africa) without any issues at ALL?

All I need to do is to just lubricate the chain. Nothing beats the fact that I don’t have to think of any adjustments. This gives me the time to focus on the duty at hand being to enjoy my touring. 

Honestly, having used an internal gear hub, I doubt if I will ever go back to the derailure for touring.

If you are you are still confused, just go for what your innermost mind likes you to do. Thanks for reading.

Thanks for the comment! But don’t forget that there are other considerations. Cost, for example, is a major factor. New Rohloff-equipped touring bikes are hundreds of pounds/dollars/euros more expensive than their derailleur-equipped equivalents. That alone will sway many buyers…

If you are a high-mileage rider, want a quick release, or want wide-range and evenly-spaced gears, there’s no contest. The Rohloff will stand up to epic abuse: Mine’s at 15,000 km over two years including lots of rain and cold without a hitch. Alfines are good but much more a product for the less-than-daily rider who won’t likely wear out parts the way people who build their transportation around bikes do. They are aimed at different markets.

Well I paid my money and took my chance with a KOGA Worldtraveller S Rohloff and Gates Carbon Drive, and after just 3 months of my charity world cycle, I’m now sat back at home where I started with a knackered bike. 

I’m destroying. £4K on a bike to get me around the world and I couldn’t get out of Europe. The problem was with a new spline carrier system to the hub. Up until 2017 they used a thread, but changed it to make it easier to get the carrier of and on. 

The result was grease washing out easily, clatter and grinding meaning eventual failure, and of course me sitting at home arguing with Rohloff, Gates, KOGA and my dealer. 

My hub is now with Rohloff and Gates are sending the older tried and tested threaded carrier to Rohloff to retro fut my hub. I should have the bike back soon. 

Meanwhile, after my first ever bike tour covering 3300km through the U.K, Spain and France, I’m now going to spend Christmas with my loved ones in Cheshire, which of course is nice. I plan to continue from where I left off in Marseille in February. 

How long the hub will last before packing in again i don’t know, but I’m hoping I’ve had my bad luck with it and all will now be OK, and my good luck was that I was only a hire car away from home when it failed. 

Would I get another bike with a hub? Not for a world tour, but I would fir tours or commuting fir shorter tours. It was a real pleasure to use, until it packed in 🙂

Sorry to hear that.

I remember accidently tilting my hub while replacing a sprocket and getting caught out on how open it was to the oil bath, when they’re off you can see one of the sets of bearings.

I switched to the splined carrier because of the force it takes to get the old sprockets off and I have my suspicions that one time I didn’t clamp the axle enough while taking one off and that may have contribute to gear selection misalignment problems latter.

I go through sprockets at a reasonable rate, work better if you flip them too, but if you got a carbon drive I guess you wouldn’t do, so probably weren’t going to get the benefits of more easily being able to change the splined sprockets! Unless someone’s really bothered about keeping their trousers grease free, I think there are too many drawbacks to the belt drive (e.g. too much chain tension), single speed chains all the way for me.

I’m not a huge fan of the splined sprocket myself. I was in South Africa, had just crested a hill, and suddenly my chain grinds to a halt. I jump off to inspect the bike and not only is my chain bent but my sprocket has come off. On inspection it’s possible that a small stone jumped into the chain, got stuck between it and the sprocket which levered the sprocket off. I’ve had my chain jump off many times before (it is the way I know it’s time to tighten my chain) but this is the first time the sprocket has come off too.

I asked Thorn about the chances of going back, and they seemed to think that this was a freak accident and that they don’t sell the old-style sprocket anyway.

I hope you didn’t have too much trouble being out there and were able to get it sorted. It’s a shame there are issues, as getting back to the UK, dropping my bike off at the dealers, and getting on my old GIANT Escape for a ride, was not great. The bike is great, but after riding a hub and the chunky expedition bike for the last 3 months, it just felt clunky and awkward riding normal gearing. I note you have a chain setup, as mine is a belt. I carry a spare belt with me too just in case. The thread can be available to bike shops, as Shands bikes in Scotland have told me they can do the conversion for me if I wanted and could even change it to change drive if I wanted, and not to expensive they say. Lets hope I can get back out there shortly after Christmas.

Have 2 specialized AWOL’s 1 with a Rohloff 1 with traditional derailluer taken tours with both on flat tours Rohloff is great On hilly tours I’d rather have the derailluer — You have to stop pedaling to shift on a hill with the Rohloff — and you really do loose your MOJO — It is easier to index down through the derailuer and keep on stroking — it is also much heavier and on the hills every pound counts

Thanks for all good and helpful points made. I’m currently on the fence between the Alfine 8 and a Rohloff. Really teetering here… pat

If you want a hub gear then nothing beats the range and quality of a Rohloff.

I currently have the Alfine 11 with Di2 and have run it 18K miles over 3 years and started doing touring this year (2018) after retiring and find the Alfine good but am currently changing over to the Rohloff hub as it is sturdier and seems more oriented to touring while the Alfine is more oriented to commuting as it were. Both are a way better choice over the cog and derailer system in by humble opinion. I really wouldn’t want to go back, so if you can justify the cost to yourself I would sure go with the Rohloff as the Alfine is only about $250 cheeper if memory serves. Good Riding to ya Armytroll..

Update: I went with the Alfine 8. Had it for about a year now. No long tours though. Mainly commuting around London. Happy with it so far. Love the easy gear changing at red lights!! … also love much less external transmission bits( gears, spockets , etc). Also love the simpler human-machine interface at the handlebars.

Just Bought two Rohloff equipped Gates belt drive folding Bike Fridays for recreational use. Three other friends did the same. We are retirement age and don’t want gear change and maintenance issues. No greasy chains against the car interior or skin.

I have been running a Rohloff hub for 10 years now as a daily commuter in Pennsylvania. This includes winter with salt and gravel. On my previous (derailleur) bike, I regularly ground up chains, cog sets and occasionally derailleurs. The Rohloff simply DOES NOT FAIL. It shrugs off abuse, mud, brine, immersion (not recommended but didn’t seem to bother it) off-roading and flights of stairs. It only requires periodic oil changes and only once changing out the rear cog (it is double sided). At this point I have ~40K miles on this hub and it has never given me ANY issues. The linear shift is wonderful, the gear range is enormous and no more dropped or wedged chains from a bad shift. I would take it over a derailleur anytime on tour or commute. Run your new hub through the break in period (one or two oil changes) and it will be butter smooth and trouble free no matter the abuse.

Just a follow-up to my earlier experience. I’d had a Rohloff start developing skipping and fantastic service from them while I was in South America. Well, 40,000km later they started again. This time I was back in the UK and sent the wheel back to Thorn Cycles to forward it on to Rohloff. Thorn were great, Rohloff however decided that the failure was my fault and must have been caused by me submerging the hub, something I haven’t done, and so I had to pay £235 to fix it. With help from Thorn I’ve got the wheel back, but I’m really hoping I don’t have the Rohloff failing for a 3rd time.

Hi Dominic,

I experienced skipping and loss of all seven lower gears just after a tour of France a few years ago. Glad it didn’t happen near the Pyrenees!

After flying back home to Western Australia I sent the hub back to Rohloff in Brisbane who stripped it, cleaned it and returned it for free.

To be fair it has been virtually faultless ever since. But I always wonder: could it happen again???

From your experience, it sounds as though it can!

At least with derailleurs I can usually fix problems in the side of the road, or after a quick trip to the nearest bike shop!

Rohloffs are great in many ways. But they are not magic. They can have long term maintenance issues. My wife’s 40000 km Rohloff is starting to drop oil regularly now, despite twice having seals replaced. It is now stiffer to pedal than it used to be and I wonder whether the long term reliability people write so much about is just hype. I’ve had issues with mine in the past too that necessitated a return to Rohloff. At least with derailleurs you can fix them easily!

With all respect.…. 40000 ks is a pretty good run for the price, well done to your partner for such a fantastic achievement, will she be replacing it, was she happy with it.

Kind Regards

Actually, the inner gearbox on a Rohloff is likely to exceed 100,000kms. It’s the seals and bearings that need to be replaced around 50,000kms depending on use/abuse. I live in Perth, Western Australia and our local Rohloff Service centre charges for this service whereas, anecdotally, the German manufacturers seem to do it for little cost.

The main point of my post was that they are great gear systems but they do have their own quirks.

Many people claim that Rohloffs are not cost effective but that’s simply not true. The cost of a new, quality derailleur groupset is $1500 or more and the chain and cassette will last 10,000kms at the very most — alot less in wet or gritty conditions. A Rohloff sprocket will last 10,000kms. Then it can be reversed and used again for another 10,000kms.

There is one thought I don’t see here, that took me by surprise when I was surfing the question. In discussing the “quality” of the ride, some people mentioned the clockwork feel of internal gears was less pleasing than the direct connection of a derailleur set up.

The difference goes both ways ridding mine. When freewheeling, or going up steep hills I’m aware there’s a set of cogs between me and the wheel. However, when stopping and starting a lot, wanting to go from a standing start quickly and put a lot of power down, it feels more direct than a derailleur. To do that you’ve got to get used to doing a quick twitch-like pause in peddling to change gear under the heavy load, but you can grab a handful of gears at once when you do change. Might be to do with the constant chain tension and thick chain, but its reminiscent of single speed in some ways. Great for commuting, but for really long journeys, I’m not sure.

Got my Rohloff back in June 2004, only £500 back then, I have done a few tours from Manchester to Scotland via the Lakes, so it has had some good use.

The only maintanence it has had, is the annual oil change, when I first got the Rohloff I bought a 1lt can of the SpeedHub oil, and two of the 1lt cans of Cleaning oil.

What a brilliant piece of engineering the Rohloff is, and why they are still producing bicycle’s with derailleur gears is because they are cheap to make.

Had the Pinoin gear system been around when I got my Rohloff, I would have gone for that instead, as in my mind the Pinion system is an even better solution than the Rohloff.

I was thinking the same. Pinion drive seems to be a better solution than Rohloff or derailleurs. Expensive and to new. Further testing and research is required.

A friend of mine just got a new tandem and decided on a Rohloff hub. I have to say, I hate it. You say in your article “Ultimately, both systems will allow you to change gear when you need to”. I beg to differ. Not if you’re going uphill, round the corner and the gradient goes up to 25% (lets say from 20%) it won’t. There’s no changing under load. Living where we do in the English Lake District, that’s a real bummer. Reminds me of the old Sturmey Archer 3 speed in the 1960’s. As for the weight! They shouldn’t break with that amount of metal in them! I hope he does get the promised trouble-free mileage out of it. Not for me though. I’m one of those fickle types. I don’t WANT a bike or bits on it to last me 50 years. I LIKE getting new stuff occasionally.

I live in Canada, and bike to work all year round. The first 3 years, did so on a old mountain bike. Nothing wrong with a derailleur bike, until winter! At around ‑20C or colder, the chance that the freewheel springs will freeze and stick when you coast, becomes more of guarantee than a possibility. Its like locking your drivetrain in neutral! Snow builds up on the cassette, which will freeze and compress, when you shift to a different gear, the chain skips on the ice. Every so often you have to stop to clean out the cassette. Also, chains wear out in about a month.

Enter Soma Juice with Rohloff. 2 winters under its belt. ‑40C is the coldest day so far. Never once an issue with shifting, or freewheeling, in the cold. The single speed drivetrain does not build up with ice because, the chain keeps it clear. One chain lasts me the entire winter. This is by far the best winter drivetrain!

The only negatives that I’ve noticed about the Rohloff; 1. I live in a hilly city, the rohloff doesn’t shift well on a steep hill, under load. 2. Gears 1–7, the noise and resistance, is noticeable, especially gear 7. I’ve adapted my hill climbing , and do not spend much time in the lower gears. Oh yeah, and the initial purchase price.

Derailleur for summer, Rohloff for everything else!

Very well said. However, im going to throw a curve ball…

I agree with almost everything tou said. I will add to it by saying Derailleurs for summer, Rohloff for winter and hills… FIXED GEAR for everything except steep hills. Simplest maintenance, low cost, reliability, and most rewarding ride. It’ll keep on keeping on rain, hail or shine. Only a steep hill will get in its way.

Sorry Punchie, I didn’t mean to leave out the single speeds. It is the perfect drivetrain when big hills aren’t involved. Plus, I’m getting older and weaker. Recently, I’ve noticed that downhill speeds between my Soma Juice Rohloff with fenders and 37mm. tires was slower than my Cannondale Lefty with 2.35″ knobbies (thanks, Strava!). Same hill. Must say something about friction loss. Mike.

My bike frame is made for both derailleur and Rohloff. So IF the Rohloff fails completely far from home, I can put a derailleur system on the bike in a local bike shop. It was not a concern when I bought my bike, but it might solve the dilemma presented in this thread.

I was wondering if that was an easy fix. Sounds like the perfect solution if the budget allows, especially with the new belt driven types

I’ve put 10,000 miles on a Rohloff equipped bike, riding about 50/50 on and off road, over the last 3 years. My advice would be not to go straight on a tour with your first/new one. There’s things that might catch you out if your just used to derailleurs. For example, if you’ve not clocked up miles on a single speed either, there’s only a single sprocket. Its going to wear quicker than you’d be used to with a cassette. Yeah you can flip all but the smallest sized sprocket over. That only really gives you a better tooth profile for longer. There’s still the same amount of tooth to wear through. It takes a lot of torque to get the sprocket loose too, I’ve always had to use a vice. Even if your not going to service it yourself and think you can do the trip on one sprocket, theres still some unexpected things to watch out for. Like not over tightening the axle, over time that can put the shifts out of alignment. Its possible to do that even with the pressure from a quick release. Don’t get me wrong, they are tough and I’m glad I got mine. If they do go wrong you can often keep riding, just not with a full compliment of gears.

Thanks for the article. I live in Germany (but not German myself) and I see Rohloffs everywhere, even in commuter bikes that won’t ever live the city, leave alone the country, in a touring trip. But for many Germans it’s important to “buy the best”, no matter if justified or not. Plenty of people with Mt. Everest suited jackets to go shopping when raining.

For me the main reason not to go the Rohloffs route is price. All my bikes have costed less, the full bike, than what a Rohloff hub costs alone (excluding my latest mtb, only 200 eur above). 

Last year I did 1200 km on the Indian Himalayas with a bike that costed 85 EUR in total (and which I sold for 60 EUR at the end to avoid the hassle of re-boxing). The trip, all included, costed about “1.1 Rohloffs” 😉

I like the idea of using the Rohloff as currency. How many Rohloffs did your trip cost? 🙂

Hi Tom You seem very much against Rohloff but the comments are pointing heavily towards them being an extremely good choice for touring. I am in the process of making a decision on what to get and everyone I have spoken with has raved great things Rohloff, they all say they wished they had had one 20,000 miles ago.

Kind Regargs

I’m not against Rohloffs. I just think it’s worth pointing out that they’re a luxury, not a necessity, and an expensive one at that. 20,000+ miles on derailleurs hasn’t changed my mind.

Great stuff! Thanks putting this together 🙂

I have also used both derailleurs and the Rohloff on long tours. The non-dishing rear wheel with the Rohloff makes for a stronger wheel (the spokes are shorter and of equal length). I carry a few spares but have never had to use them with the Rohloff.

Yes, both derailleurs and the Rohloff can fail but the lack of external parts with the Rohloff minimises the chance of damage against rocks and when throwing your bike on a bus roof!

With a Rohloff you effectively have a single speed setup with 14 evenly spaced gears. Get a good strong single speed chain. You can also reverse the rear cog and the front chainwheel (with Thorn bikes) thus extending the life of both.

The best bit about a Rohloff — you can change gear without peddling. Useful with a heavily loaded touring bike setup.

There are advantages to both systems regarding price and availability but I never worry about the Rohloff failing — I will just deal with it if it ever happens!

Well, I use both. My longest tour was through Europe and Middle East with a Deore DX equipped bike. No problems with that system at all. Love it. Over the years, parts were replaced and maintenance done.

New custom built touring folder with Rohloff. No long journeys but the maintenance is an order of magnitude less than the derailleur system. And I can’t see it failing unless you do something extraordinarily stupid with it, which your derailleur equipped bike would likely fail too in the same situation.

You can have a look at Thorn Cycles who have published a pdf about Living with a Rohloff. It’s quite comprehensive. Dominic may email them and tell them about his experience because it would be their first time hearing about someone being stuck with a dead hub in the middle of nowhere.

Great comments and great web page.….oh my Goat! I can feel myself drifting towards the Rohloff powered tour bike. I like the look and simplicity of those Rohloff Hubs. If it were to go wrong in a remote place, it wouldn’t be long before I botched an other temporary wheel back in the frame..

It’s worth mentioning, although a Rohloff hub costs close to a grand, for that money it replaces at least 6 other components you would need on a comparable derailleur bike. (front and rear derailleurs, cassette, hub, chainrings, front shifter). They themselves could cost anything up to a grand. Of course it’s more expensive than a 7 speed cassette, SIS derailleur and a thumb shifter, but that’s not really comparing like with like.

Plus for the true cost you need to factor in that a speedhub can always be resold for half its new value . So the true cost is £500 . Max

Here is my tuppence on the subject Ridden the same bike since 1982. — though technically only the stem dates from 1982. I love the gears, I love tweaking them, I love the mess I make doing it, I love their ‘well I might go in to the gear you want or I might do smithing totally unexpected’ attitude . Last year my mum left me some money with strict instructions to spend it on something I could not justify .Rollhof it was . 3000miles later and zero tweaking I love it just as much. Flip a coin — ether way you’ll be happy. For the reccord this years pattagonia trip will be Rohloff powered, but the old majestic still gets a lot of riding and tweaking.

I’m a Rohloff man. Agree about the cost but it should of course be spread over the entire life of the bike, not just the tour. I use a chain glider to cover the sprockets and chain so wear is dramatically reduced. So saving on costs there plus less chance to foul ups in muddy weather. Just saying. Each to there own. Matt

How does the Alpine 11 compare to the Rohloff in reliability and gear ratio. Is Gates belt drive more reliable or efficient versus chain drive?

I’ve used Alfine 8 which lasted about 8k miles before failure due to water ingress and an Alfine 11 di2 which I replaced with a Rohloff after 4k miles. The issue with the Alfine 11 di2 was an oil leak on the non-drive side and failure of the electrical connector onto the shift motor. The connector is not designed to be repeatedly connected and disconnected but this is exactlybwhat you have to do every time you take the wheel out. I had issues with the cable and shifter mechanism of the Alfine 8 icing up in freezing weather. I converted from Gates carbon drive to chain after the belt snapped after just 1900 miles. This is terminal, however, converting to chain is simple. With regard to chain life, my hub geared bikes average 4k miles on a set of chains and sprockets whereas my previous derrailure bikes chain life varied from 1500 to 2700 with an average of 2k miles based on 16k miles of commuting. An always straight chainline as in an internal hub gear significantly extends chain life, in fact the limit is wear of the cheap and nasty pressed steel Alfine sprockets. Not been running the Rohloff long enough to comment on reliability or sprocket life yet.

I’ve just put 8K miles on a Gates carbon fiber belt (more than twice the listed expected miles). Not sure why all the complaints, here and elsewhere. You mentioned breakage, which is certainly a bummer. But I’ve had a chain break, too (after a faulty link repair). (I’d be surprised if Gates would not replace the broken belt. If adjusted as per Gates, yes, they are tight and produce noticeable drag. So I ride it somewhat loose it’s been working fine! I also periodically reverse its direction, which probably explains its long life. I ride 8+ miles daily in temps from ‑20F, in rain and/or snow with salt and sand on the roads. The belt has never slipped or broken. Zero maintenance (other than the occasional reversal). And of course, there’s zero wear on the chainring and cog. BTW, it’s paired with a NuVinci hub. Heavy, but has also performed beautifully. Never affected by extreme cold, and can be shifted anytime, even under heavy load. It is undoubtedly less mechanically efficient than a derailleur. However, I figure I’m in better shape as a result. I’m a (fast) commuter, not a racer.

I’d read the well- peddled comment about how fixing a Rohloff means sitting around for weeks, and so you can imagine my surprise when they proved to be incredibly responsive, with a replacement innards FedExed to me within 24 hours. It was less than 72 hours between first contact and the package arriving in Uruguay, shipped out on Rohloff’s dime, and they more concerned about me getting back on the road. I could send them the old innards whenever I got round to it, which ended up being about 4 months later.

Rohloff’s do have shorter spokes, that’s true. And what do shorter spokes mean? Less chance of failure. Oh and if you do break a spoke on your Rohloff wheel, it’s just the same as fixing a spoke on your front wheel. No need to go through the hassle that is changing a drive-side spoke on a derailleur-equipped bike.

What – you mean Rohloff Speedhubs aren’t failproof after all…? 😛

Good to know that shipping can be quick – although it obviously depends on where exactly you are and what mood the customs officials are in when the package arrives, which has little to do with Rohloff’s customer service (hence the well-peddled comments).

Dominic, the point about the spokes is actually good. I started to loose spokes on my back wheel when crossing from Kyrgyzstan to China. I had an NBT2 (next best thing) cassette lockring remover, but as much as we tried we could not loosen it up, so could not replace the ones on the drive side. Every hole or bump on the road made me nervous — and they have a lot of those up there 🙂 By the time I got to china I had 4 spokes less than I should! I also hate my dérailleurs when it gets really wet and muddy. I will try the Rohloff for the next big trip.

Are not internal hub gears less efficient? Even Rohloff’s excellence marginalise this it surely adds up?

Perhaps – but I suspect that the numerous people who’ve circumnavigated Earth with Rohloffs would say that it’s more academic than anything else…

Simon, if efficiency is your No.1 concern you’ll be riding a well oiled and finely tuned single speed. And why not? Seriously though, I have bikes with both, and when set up correctly and maintained there is no difference, Both systems work well, however you’ll find that as soon as you ride in wet or mucky weather ( as can often happen on a tour ) your beautifully set up derailleur will soon get clogged up and require quite a bit of attention to keep it running smoothly. My bike with the Rohloff laughs at the other one in those circumstances. And when you are cold, tired and wet,that’s nice. More than nice. The catastrophic failure that some seem to expect MUST eventually happen if they fit a Rohloff seems to be more in the mind than anything else. Hasn’t happened to me and if it does I’ll deal with it. Also, when a derailleur system jams and the chain gets all mangled up in the works, you might not be able to fix it despite your best efforts especially if you’re out in the cold with numb hands in freezing weather and miles from anything that remotely looks like a bike shop. That’s reality for you. Yep, that HAS happened to me! At the end of the day I think Tom explained the options well. Choose your poison, and don’t expect any system or component on your bike to be completely foolproof under all circumstances. If you do, you’ll be sure to have lots of surprises as you rack up the miles. Something,sometime, somewhere on the bike will fail. But it won’t be the end of the world.

Hi Great comment.. I have been contemplating buying a tour bike with Rohloff hub. But I need to get over my fear of something going wrong. I love the simplicity and look of these Hubs. I suppose if you had any issues you could have it converted back to derailleur while you wait for the return of the Rohloff hub

For me some of the greatest joys of cycle touring is in it’s utter simplicity , independence and self sufficiency. Foe me I would feel more secure that I can repair and maintain all of my own kit. I don’t doubt Rohloff ‘s reliability and quality, but if it went wrong I would lose that independence and self reliance that I value so much. So my choice would probably be a 21 or 24 speed bicycle, in the knowledge that I could bodge it in an emergency (turn it into a single speeder) until I can repair it properly. But I would be setting out in the knowledge that I could get myself back on the road and continue my tour. That’s why I’d choose Dérailleur over Rohloff.

Agreed – and that’s why the expedition bike I designed is a 24-speed.

G’day Tom, just following up on your advice from your other thread on the LHT, in regards to Rohloff versus derailleurs if they should break down in the middle of nowhere. A very good point was made in regards to serviceability, where you have to send the hub back to Germany in a worst case scenario. 

However, I would just like to mention a point that hasn’t been mentioned. I do recall briefly reading up in my manual that should the Rohloff become faulty for whatever reason, lets say the shifter packs up and you can no longer change gears ? Well, the info that I came across in the manual actually stated that the hub can actually be converted into a single speed. I don’t recall exactly how ? It may be the turn of a screw or something along those lines. Basically, the hub can be put into default mode just like a derailleur set up can to get you home. In other words, yes it can be salvaged somewhat just like your derailleur set up can. And no, as mentioned earlier, you can’t rectify it on the spot or at your local bike shop as easily. Nevertheless, it is a little more versatile than most of us may have assumed. Just thought id mention it. Cheers 🙂

hi if the cables or shifter broke, the rohloff could be put in any gear really easily by pulling the cables at the back near Hub, also you can move the gears manually with a spanner. I think most peoples worry is ‚what would happen it the hub No longer had any gears or made a grinding crunch sound and the wheel was completely locked up. Remove the chain and start Pushing 46 km over the mountains to the next town.

Absolutely agreed on this one. If you break a derailleur the chances of finding another within hours is high and you can bodge a repair in the meantime. 

The other thing to factor in is a Rohloff wheel has shorter than usual spokes. Even a well equipped bike shop may not stock them.

Good point – although I suppose it’s possible shorten spokes and cut new threads…

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• Touring & Bikepacking Bikes

A Complete List of Rohloff Frame Options For Custom Touring Bike Builds

Do you like the idea of a custom Rohloff touring bike build? Well, a Rohloff frame may not be as expensive as you think – you can get yourself a Rohloff-specific frame for under US $500 (399€).

I really like touring with a Rohloff hub as they offer a nice range of gears, minimal maintenance and surprisingly they  run really efficiently  too. Here are my  15 Reasons Why I Tour With A Rohloff Hub . When I built my custom Rohloff touring bike there were very few frame options available, but now there are literally dozens – so let’s go through them all.

It’s worth noting that this article is a list of Rohloff-specific frames. You don’t need a Rohloff-specific frame to use a Rohloff hub; they just offer a neater and easier solution for fitting your rear wheel and tensioning your chain. The Rohloff dropout essentially takes away the need for additional parts such as a support adapter, axle plate and/or torque arm.

I’ve put an asterisk* after bikes that are also Carbon Belt Drive compatible.

Co-Motion Americano Rohloff Frame* – US $2050

Carver ti all road – us $1499, horizon quest – €1195, intec t8 disc – €399, kocmo randonneur xd* – €1800, maxx crossmaxx 28* – €749, mtb cycletech amar* – €1179, norwid skagerrak* – €1269, pilot vamos ti* – €2499, poison atropine/chromate/phosphor* – €419-2099, rodriguez makeshift* – us $2499, salsa fargo steel* – us $1099, salsa fargo ti* – us $2999.

Salsa Marrakesh – US $899

Santos travelmaster 3.0* – £1699.

Shand Stoater* – £2695

Soma wolverine* – us $869, surly ecr – us $785, surly ogre – us $735, surly troll – us $675, thorn nomad*, mercury and raven – £529-949, ti cycles supercommuter* – us $1950, tout terrain silkroad* – €1700, tumbleweed prospector – us $1450, van nicholas pioneer ti* – €1899, velotraum cross 7005 ex* – €1100, wittson gravel effugio* – €2489.

More Rohloff Articles:

What’s the difference in speed between gearbox systems? Rohloff, Pinion, Shimano, Nuvinci Gebla Rohbox: Combine road or mountain bike shifters with Rohloff hubs The new Rohloff thru axle rear hub and upgrades Understanding the difference between types of Rohloff hub How to build a strong Rohloff wheel 23 ways to run a Rohloff shifter with a drop handlebar

Related Posts

• List of Rohloff Bike Models For Touring and Bikepacking
• 16 Reasons To Tour With A Rohloff Hub (And 9 Reasons To Not)
• Rohloff Hub Oil Change Instructions and Service How-to
• The Kindernay XIV Hub: A 14 Speed Internally Geared Rohloff Competitor?
• internally geared hub
• rohloff speedhub

It would have been good to also say which of these have the seatstay splitter needed to run a belt drive. They don’t all appear to have this. I see a belt drive as one of the key reasons to run a Rohloff hub.

Carver Ti All-Road is another choice via its Paragon sliding dropouts (same as the Soma frame, but note that the picture above doesn’t show the Rohloff inserts), and it has a stay splitter as an option. The Paragon dropouts let you change between a Rohloff and a regular derailleur system without getting a new frame.

I’ve just added carbon drive compatibility and the Carver Ti All Road to the list. Thanks for the suggestions!

Thanks for this list! If I may, I would propose to add the Surly Disc Trucker, too. https://goo.gl/DZ56Vw Cheers from Germany 🙂

Although there is an anchor point on the frame that avoids using the torque arm, I’ve decided not to include the Trucker because it doesn’t have a means of tightening the chain without a chain tensioner. But thanks for the suggestion in any case!

Appreciate that insight…I wasn’t aware about that. This is helpful, as I am in the process of building up my touring bike around a SDT frame for next years big journey across Europe and Asia! I might give it another thought than, especially, because I was already trying hard to not dislike the current singular (blue) color offering. However, I feel I could also not imagine not getting the STD…

I tour with the Tout Terrain Amber Road (with Rohloff and Gates), the 29er version of the Silkroad. Virtually maintenance free.

Great list! A have Shand Stoater – nice bike!

There’s a company called Veer that also makes a split belt conversion kit for those that don’t have a seatstay splitter as well. They have a Rohloff compatible sprocket available for special order that I used for a conversion. https://www.veercycle.com/

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The Best Touring and Bikepacking Bikes of Eurobike 2023

• Gravel Bikes

The 7 Best Budget Gravel Bikes With Drop Bars (Under $1000)

Here’s Why Gravel Bikes Will Get Much Better In 2025

The 9 Best Budget Gravel Bikes With Flat Bars (Under $1000)

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FLYER Tandem

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• STEVENS E-Strada 8.3.4
• STEVENS E-Strada 7.3.4
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Weitere Tour Modelle:  Gotour ,  Gotour6 ,  Gotour3 ,  Tandem

Fahrspass hoch Zwei

Das Tandem verbindet nicht nur Spass und Sicherheit, sondern vor allem zwei Menschen. Technische Raffinessen ermöglichen eine flexible Abstimmung der beiden Fahrer und unvergleichlichen Komfort. Für eine optimale Team-Performance werden die zwei Kurbeln durch einen Freilauf entkoppelt. So kann der «Mitfahrer» unabhängig vom Piloten treten. Die Kraftübertragung zwischen den vorderen und den hinteren Kurbeln erfolgt über einen sauberen, wartungsarmen und besonders langlebigen Carbon-verstärkten Zahnriemen. Dank intelligent abgestimmten, elegant integrierten Akkus hat das FLYER Tandem einen extra tiefen Schwerpunkt und bietet viel Unterstützung und noch mehr Reichweite. Die Sitzposition lässt sich über die Satteleinstellung und die winkelverstellbaren Vorbauten für beide Personen individuell einstellen. Beim Modell 7.83 lässt sich dank dem wartungsarmen Hochleistungs-Getriebe «Rohloff Speedhub» mühelos auch stehend an einer Ampel der richtige Gang einlegen.

Produktbeschreibung FLYER Tandem

Gewicht ohne Akku: ca. 33.7 kg Gewicht 2 Akkus: ca. 7 kg Zulässiges Gesamtgewicht: 250 kg

Spezifikationen

• Flyer Tandem 7.70
• Flyer Tandem 7.83

Zusatzinformation:

Wartungsarmer Gates Carbon Drive: Der hochwertige mit Carbon verstärkte Riemenantrieb (Tandem 7.83) ist sauber, besonders wartungsarm und rostet nicht.

Laufradgrösse

• 27.5″ Laufräder

Aluminium | FLYER engineered, hydroformed tubing | Internal cable routing, 135 mm spacing

Lenker und Vorbau der Zweitperson sind separat am Rahmen und nicht direkt an der Sattelstütze des Piloten befestigt. Dies sorgt für mehr Platz und Komfort. Beide Lenker sind winkelverstellbar und ermöglichen eine flexible Abstimmung der Sitzposition.

Rahmengrösse (cm)

• XS / M: Körpergrösse: Mitfahrer 150-160cm; Pilot 170-180cm
• S / L: Körpergrösse: Mitfahrer 160-170cm; Pilot 180-190cm

Bei allen Grössenempfehlungen handelt es sich um Richtwerte. Wir empfehlen eine Probefahrt, da es je nach Körperproportionen zu Abweichungen kommen kann.

Rahmenfarbe

• Silver Dark Cool
• FLYER Rigid Fork
• Bosch Performance Cargo Line (85 Nm)
• Bosch Performance Cargo Line (85 Nm) ist der kraftvolle Antrieb von Bosch. Der Performance Line beschleunigt druckvoll, reagiert ohne Verzögerung und überzeugt mit agilem Fahrverhalten und noch mehr Kontrolle. Mit 85 Nm und perfekt dosierter Unterstützung und dynamischem Ansprechverhalten treibt die Freude am E-Biken auf die Spitze.

Überblick über die Komponenten von Bosch

• Dual Battery: 2x Bosch Powertube Powerpack 625 (625 Wh / 17.4 Ah / 36 V)
• Die Kombination aus zwei Bosch Powertube 625 Akkus liefert doppelte Energie für ausgedehnte Touren zu zweit. Das System schaltet beim Laden und Entladen intelligent zwischen beiden Akkus um, damit die vollen 1250 Wh ausgeschöpft werden können.
• Den Energieinhalt und somit die Grösse des «Tanks» beschreiben die Wattstunden [Wh].

Zum Reichweiten-Assistent von Bosch

• Bosch Intuvia

Bosch Intuvia Bordcomputer bietet optimalen Bedienungskomfort. Die Handhabung ist selbsterklärend und das Display auch im Sonnenlicht gut ablesbar. So haben Sie zu jeder Zeit alle Fahrdaten im Blick. Intuvia informiert zuverlässig über Geschwindigkeit, Distanz, Fahrzeit und die aktuelle Reichweite. Über die separate Bedieneinheit kann Intuvia mit dem Daumen bedient werden.

Unterstützungsstufen

• 4 Unterstützungsstufen

Über die verschiedenen Unterstützungsstufen kann die Unterstützungsleistung des Motors gewählt und variiert werden. Das Bosch-System verfügt über vier Unterstützungsstufen: Eco, Tour, Sport und Turbo.

Tretunterstützung

• bis 25 km/h (Eignet sich für gemütliche Ausflüge oder z.B. für das Einkaufen.)

Für E-Bikes mit Unterstützung bis 25 km/h gelten mit Ausnahme der Altersbeschränkung die gleichen gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen wie für unmotorisierte Fahrräder. Die genaue Gesetzgebung für E-Bikes variiert von Land zu Land.

Schiebehilfe

• Schiebehilfe bis 6 km/h

Auf Knopfdruck lässt sich das FLYER E-Bike mit der Schiebehilfe bequem über eine steile Passage schieben.

• Tandem 7.70: Kettenschaltung Shimano XT, 12Gang, 10-51t
• Tandem 7.83: Rohloff Speedhub, E-14Gang – elektronisch; mit Gates Carbon Drive CDX (Zahnriemen)
• Kettenschaltung: eher sportlicher Einsatz und schalten unter Last. Bei der Kettenschaltung erfolgt der Gangwechsel durch die Wahl des Ritzels auf der Kassette am Hinterrad. Der Gangwechsel kann auch unter Last erfolgen. Damit ist die Kettenschaltung vor allem für den sportlichen Einsatz in bergigem Gelände sowie im Zusammenhang mit einem Anhänger geeignet. Durch die wechselnde Kettenstellung ist der Verschleiss höher, weshalb es bei Kettenschaltungen mehr Wartung bedarf.
• Nabenschaltung: Die Rohloff Speedhub E-14Gang Getriebenabe schaltet per Knopfdruck elektronisch. Vor Schmutz und Nässe geschützt, verbirgt sich die Schaltmechanik im Innern der Nabe. Während dem Schaltvorgang ist teilweise eine kurze Druckentlastung oder die drucklose position der Pedale nötig. Der Gangwechsel ist auch im Stand möglich. In Kombination mit einem Riemenantrieb (Gates Carbon Drive CDX) statt der Kette wird das geräuschlose fahren Tatsache.
• Scheibenbremse Magura MT5, 203/180 mm (hydraulisch)

Sportliche FLYER E-Bikes sind serienmässig mit hydraulischen Scheibenbremsen ausgestattet. Scheibenbremsen garantieren höchste Bremsleistung unter allen Bedingungen.

Sattelstütze

• FLYER Alloy, 31.6 x 350 (XS) / 400 (S-L) mm
• Tandem 7.70: Schwalbe Johnny Watts 27.5 x 2.35 (60-584)
• Tandem 7.83: Schwalbe Super Moto-X 27.5 x 2.4 (62-584)

Reifen der Dimension 27,5 Zoll garantieren Traktion und Fahrsicherheit auch abseits des Asphalts.

Scheinwerfer

• Supernova M99 Mini Pure 25
• Busch & Müller 2C

Seitenständer

• Pletscher Comp 40 Flex

Gepäckträger

• FLYER Racktime mit Federklappe

Diebstahlschutz

• Abus Bordo 6015/120; battery lock with YourPlus one key system
• Bosch Fast Charger 6A

FLYER E-Bikes werden mit dem passenden Ladegerät ausgeliefert. Das Ladekabel muss nicht separat dazu bestellt werden.

Probe fahren & kaufen

Bei Velo Schwarz AG können sie Flyer probefahren, sowie für Tagesausflüge mieten und kaufen

Informationen zu den Garantiebestimmungen für FLYER E-Bikes

Datenblatt zum Bike

PDF Datenblatt zum Bike

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Riese & Müller Delite Mountain Rohloff Ride Report [VIDEO]

We have already tried four high quality offerings from Riese & Müller; the New Charger , the Nevo , the Homage GT Nuvinci and the Packster 40 Nuvinci .

Whilst these bikes were all taken off-road to a greater or lesser degree they were not full-on mountain bikes.

By contrast Riese & Müller’s Delite Mountain Rohloff is not only a full-suspension e-mtb but it packs many features that other e-mtbs don’t, including a 1,000Wh dual battery system, Rohloff’s incredibly tough 14 hub gear system (with electronic shifting to boot), powerful LED lights and the option of a chunky rear pannier rack.

It’s totally unique and certainly on paper looks like a candidate for the title of Most Capable Off-road Bike in Serial Production Today.

Does it live up to this label?

What to Expect from the Delite Mountain Rohloff

Here is a video overview to give you a closer look at the Delite Mountain Rohloff:

We have written quite a lot before about one of the most powerful mid-drive’s out there – the   top of the line crank motor, Bosch’s Performance Line CX .

Essentially it delivers 300% extra power on top of you own pedal effort in its top ‘Turbo’ power level and claims 75 Nm (Newton metres) of torque.

Our test bike was the 250W / 15.5mph (Euro spec) model but there is also a 350W / 20mph (US spec) and a 45kmh speed pedelec version option available on some other Delite models (though not the Delite Mountain Rohloff).  

Riese & Müller specialise in distinctive, even funky frames. The Delite is no exception; based on a popular and longstanding non-e-bike frame design, it bears all the hallmarks of R&M’s hugely solid construction and excellent full suspension performance.

Allied to the impressive frame build R&M have spec’ed the Delite Mountain Rohloff with ‘plus’ width mtb Nobby Nics, the 2.8 inch width and large volume meaning they can be run at low pressure for plenty of grip) and the longest travel suspension of their range (Fox Float front suspension with a very reasonable 120mm of travel and Fox shock suspension with 100mm of travel).    

My test bike was set up for long distance off-road riding, with DualBattery technology; power is drawn alternately from the two 500Wh frame-mounted batteries, the clever electronics meaning both batteries get a relatively easy life (which wouldn’t be the case if the batteries were emptied by the bike in succession).

The Rohloff E-14 Speedhub has been designed especially to work with the Bosch motor system and claims the ‘fastest electronic shift available to date at 180 ms’.

Robust and with a wide gear range of well over 500%, again it fits the bill for those looking for a bike that will cover mile after mile of tough off-road riding without complaint and will deliver shift after shift.

Both Intuiva and Nyon displays (I had the latter) sync with the Rohloff E-14 to show current gear selection and the push-button gear change control on the handlebars lets you change one gear at a time or leapfrog three gears at a time by keeping the button pressed down (the number of gears leapfroggable can be altered).

Add to this powerful LED lighting, the optional rack that my bike came with and dual bottle mounts either side of the frame head tube and you have a bike that just begs to be ridden over mountain ranges and wants to get off the beaten track to explore.

I tested the bike around the Tame and Chew valleys on the western edge of the North Pennines; ideal to put it through a tough test, as here the upland mass of the central spine of the hills breaks up into many smaller and much more steeply sided valleys covered by a network of off-road tracks and minor roads.  

Plenty of rocky tracks got smoothly rolled over and the Fox suspension units and plus sized knobblies did their job supremely well.

As a light rider I felt I could run the tyres quite safely at the minimum recommended pressure of 17psi to get maximum traction which was the critical factor in being able to climb the dustiest and loosest of the steepest of the climbs I encountered.

With bags of power to spare from the Bosch Performance Line CX motor I found myself using Eco and Tour settings most of the time and venturing into Emtb mode for only the steepest of climbs ( Emtb mode varies assistance between 120% and 300% depending on your riding style); Turbo was reserved for if I really needed to get up a very steep hill in a real hurry, which I didn’t as I was enjoying the ride too much.

However, had I needed to get home in a hurry Turbo mode would have kept me going at max assisted speed up the steepest of hills.  

Around 30 miles later I had enjoyed a full day roaming the quiet hills and tackling steep climb after steep climb whilst getting away from the narrow valley bottoms where main road and rail links attract the bulk of the population.

I’d only used between a quarter and a half the 1000Wh battery capacity, suggesting certainly that, with my body weight and riding style and careful riding, I could manage at least one night away from an electric supply, for example wild camping.  

Switching between the ancient tracks and tiny roads that criss-cross the valley sides I found myself using the lockout controls on the front forks and rear suspension quite instinctively, though care is needed to use the lockout control on the rear shock in particular, as it is placed quite low down and underneath you.

The Nyon display was fun to play around with and I could see the navigation screen in particular being useful should I have routes already downloaded onto the software.

However, as I knew the area fairly well I found myself using the ‘Ride’ screen which actually gives the info basics most people want on a ride, including trip distance and the critical range estimate based on the remaining battery capacity.

This info is also available on the more basic Intuvia display. Other features on the Nyon include a fitness screen and a realtime height profile plus smartphone connectivity.        

No doubt the combination of Rohloff hub gears and a chain drive – as opposed to the Nuvinci and belt drive combo I have tried on other Riese and   Müller models – helped significantly extend the comparative range of the batteries as it’s an inherently more efficient combo.

Probably the low bottom gear of the Rohloff also helped, allied with a small 15 tooth front chainring, to produce both high torque and more efficient hill climbing up the steepest of off-road gradients.  

Overall I was impressed with the Rohloff hub gearing itself and with the e-shifting component of it, which proved reliable and smooth.

It is still necessary to back off chain tension a bit whilst shifting, which if done under heavy load can still produce a ‘grunch’ noise, but the ‘hub snyc with motor power and pedal stroke’ feature undoubtedly helps make for smooth changes.

In gears which aren’t direct drive you can still feel some noise and resistance from the gear pinions in the hub but many Rohloff aficionados say this beds in with age and the noise and resistance become less noticeable.

In any case the availability of motor power and a plentiful supply of battery power makes all this much less of an issue.

It’s a hub I’d expect to be using for several thousand miles without issue and to get me through the daily grind of riding in all weather and the conditions on just about any off-road tour too. But if it’s not for you there is an 11 speed derailleur option.  

In summary the Delite Mountain Rohloff is a great example of a bike that bears all the best Riese & Müller hallmarks; great quality and build strength allied with carefully thought out detail to make a bike that riders will love riding as it lets them concentrate on the ride itself by making it as comfortable and easy or as testing as you want.

For example, you will see e-mtbs with more suspension travel than the 120 / 100mm front rear combo on the Delite Mountain Rohloff.

But are the jumps and huge drop offs seen in many e-mtbs video marketinging typical of what most riders will want to do on an e-mtb?

Similarly LED lighting and the option of such a sturdy rack are highly unusual and really help put the Delite Mountain Rohloff on top of the podium in the ‘touring e-mtb’ category.

As you can see below this definitely one of the pricier e-bikes out there but few others come close to its all round capabilities.    

The inclusion of the latest gear technology from Rohloff would be a real boon for my kind of riding as I tend towards hub gears for the long tours that I do, where I wouldn’t want the hassle of damaging a derailleur on the trail, miles from civilisation.    

The Mountain Delite Rohloff was pure joy to ride through the toughest of terrain, and I got just the workout I wanted into the bargain.

Other R&M Variants and Models  

We’ve recapped the R&M acronym system before but it’s worth doing again;  

GT – rated for relatively ‘light’ off-road use only (GT actually stands for Gran Turismo). Having said that we’ve tested these bikes over some pretty exacting terrain and come out smiling.

GX – slightly narrower tyres than GT but with an off-road tread. If you want a similar model to the Delite Mountain Rohloff but don’t need the widest of knobblies and extra travel suspension check out the Delite GX Rohloff . If you want the choice of another derailleur-equipped Mountain option check out the Supercharger Mountain .

‘Mountain’ titled bikes have wider knobbly tyres, as you might expect and more suspension travel. GH is a super strong rating, with a gross weight capacity of 160kg.  

Riese & Müller Delite Mountain Rohloff Specifications

Frame: Aluminium frame with rear suspension Fox Float DPS Performance  shock

Fork:  Foxfloat 34 Performance Boost, Air, 120mm  

Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX

Display: Intuiva (upgradeable to Nyon)

Battery: 500Wh with 1000Wh dual battery option. Recharge in ~2 hours for a 50% charge and 4.5 hours for a full charge for each battery

Shifting: Rohloff E-14 hub gears with electronic shifting

Brakes: Shimano Deore XT Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Tires: 27.5‘‘ Schwalbe Nobby Nic 

Weight: Total bike with dual battery 67.7 pounds or 30.7 kg. Bike w/o battery 56 pounds or 25.4 kg

Frame sizes: 49cm, 54cm, 56cm

Lighting:  Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ-X E / Supernova E3 taillight

Price:  Derailleur option (Delite Mountain): $6,879 or £4949.   Delite Mountain Rohloff:$8,399 or £6119

Optional Extras:

Dual Battery $823 or £630

Abus Bordo Lock $118 or £90

Rear Carrier $236 or £180

Nyon Display £270 (not available in the US)

Full list of UK dealers here

Full list of US dealers here

Manufacturer: r-m.de/en-gb/

Stay tuned for more e-bike news and reviews and keep on riding.

Review Note: Each company pays a fee for a review on Electric Bike Report because of the considerable amount of time that it takes to provide an in-depth review of each eBike. A lot of time is spent on the full range test with distance & elevation profile, the wide variety of detailed pictures, in-depth video, and the write up with the specifications, ride characteristics, pros, cons, and overall thoughts. The reviews on Electric Bike Report are focused on providing you with a detailed “virtual” look at each eBike to help you determine if it is the eBike for you.

P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!

Reader Interactions

July 19, 2018 at 12:04 pm

Damn, what a nice bike :/ I especially love the frame.

I love Bosch ebike systems, and as I have seen them being developed, manufactured and tested, I can say it has real quality and work behind that price tag. Definitely worth it!

Dave – emobilityhq.com

[…] will come as standard features on the Homage and Delite models. A further enhancement is the standard fitting of daytime running lights across all model […]

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Bikepacking & Adventure Cycling

All About Rohloff Hub For Touring and Bikepacking

Sick of bike maintenance slowing down your big trips? Tired of jerky, unpredictable gear changes? Dreaming about a smooth riding future? Let’s look at the Rohloff hub and see if it’s the answer you’re looking for.

What is the Rohloff hub?

Simply speaking, it’s an internal gear hub offering 14 evenly spaced gear speeds that’s been around for a while. It uses a simple twist shifter to change between the gears. Internal gear hubs pride themselves on the lack of maintenance they require and therefore less tools you need to take with you. The Rohloff is a special hub in the way that it is designed. 

How does Rohloff hub work?

The short answer, it’s complicated!

We have tried to break it down into simple terms so you can get your head around it. Not that you’ll ever be taking it apart!

It is based around epicyclic or planetary gearing principle, a classic design of all internally geared systems. This means there is a ‘sun’ gear in the centre, circling ‘planet’ gears and an outer ‘ring’ gear. Unlike other gear hubs, the Rohloff speedhub uses the ‘sun’ gear as the input component powered by a single speed chain on a single cog. They all sit inside a self contained, oversized hub, swimming smoothly in oil keeping them constantly lubricated.

As you twist up and down through your gears the mechanism inside switches up and precisely aligns itself for smooth and accurate gear changes. As your chain isn’t moving between sprockets there’s no clunking or slipping, making it a lot more consistent that a regular drivetrain.

It is calibrated in the Rohloff factory before it gets to you so it needs no adjustments.

What about other types of gear hubs?

There are lots of different types of internal gear hubs, ranging from older, simpler 3 speed models to newer, more complex 11 speed models. The more gears means more moving parts, which means more frequent servicing. The simpler 3 speed options could last years without a service, whereas, the higher gear models need looking at every 12-18 months. Rohloff’s are renowned for being robust and will only need an oil change every 5,000 kms.

Other gear hubs need their shift cables changing periodically because they control the precision of the ‘planetary’ components. This means, if they’re slightly lagging and you push on through then you will be grinding up the insides and ruining your hub. As we outlined above, the Rohloff uses a different internal system and will not grind itself up if your cables get damaged.

What are the benefits for touring and bikepacking?

When we are out touring the world, we want to know that our bike can stand up to the terrain and the distance. Here’s a few reasons why the Rohloff comes up top when touring and bikepacking. 

• Longevity . The robust design on the Rohloff means it can go and go without you having to worry about it. You can learn to change the oil yourself and leave it to do it’s magic.
• Smooth accurate gear shifts . Because of the unique design and oil based functionality the Rohloff is smooth and quick when twisting between gears. 
• Shifting multiple gears at once . The twist shift means you’re not left clicking away over tricky terrain. Some experienced Rohloff users claim to be able to shift 8 gears in one swift twist!
• Less mechanical failures . Due to its ‘sun’ gear input component there are less options for mechanical failure. Rohloff themselves claim to have never had a hub sent back due to mechanical faults! Due to its ‘fixie’ looking design, there is also no chain de-railing or slipping happening en route. You could fit it with a belt drive for even less issues.
• Internalised gearing means less environmental damage . This is true for all internalised gear hubs. They are self contained meaning the outside world can’t get in. When you’re on unsealed and muddy roads this is where the Rohloff excels. 
• Reduced cleaning needed . Due to its self contained nature you’re not going to be spending hours getting your toothbrush between cogs. So you can go and get really muddy and not be dreading the clean!
• Oil change every 5,000 kms . For your usual bike packing and short term touring trips that means probably once a year, for the more adventurous that might mean twice a year. You can take it to a specialty shop or you can easily get the know how to do it yourself.
• You can shift when stopped . Unlike derailed systems you can choose what gear you want when you’re stopped and just get straight back on with it. A very useful feature when riding in urban environments.

It sounds too good to be true, what are the setbacks?

Nothing in this world is perfect and there are a few issues that come up regularly when reviewing the Rohloff.

• The ratchet mechanism inside on certain gears can get a bit noisy. Due to the way the gears work through 1-8 there is a ratchet mechanism inside making these particularly noisy which can ruin those peaceful sunny rides.
• Twist shifting takes some getting used to. If you’re on dropped bars you will have to get an adaption. There are a lot of options out there now including steering pole mounts, divisible handlebars and the ‘Rohbox’ which allows you to change up and down with each shift lever. Whatever your bar style you will have to get used to it.
• You can’t mend it yourself . As we have said, it’s rare anything will go wrong but if it does, you will have to send the parts off or take it into a specialist shop. If you’re out in the wilderness it’s unlikely one of them will be close by!
• Nowhere stocks the parts . This is a specialist bit of kit. Your average bike shop might stock some basic parts if you’re lucky but odds are they won’t and you’ll have to order them online or travel to somewhere that has them. 
• All this engineering is expensive . We all knew this was coming, a basic Rohloff hub will set you back around $2000 (AUD). On top of that you will need a new wheel construction, you may need new bars and you may even want it gold plated! 

Why should I consider a Rohloff hub for touring and bikepacking?

To summarise the above, having an internal gear hub is one of the best upgrades you can do if you’re serious about touring and the Rohloff is quite simply the best out there. It is the most reliable and the one that can take the most battering. You’ll be taking less tools with you and cleaning less often. 

The mechanisms of the Rohloff mean it can just keep on going on whatever terrain you throw at it whilst carrying you and your bags smoothly around the world.

About The Author

Codey Orgill, a seasoned bicycle adventurer, has been exploring the world on two wheels for over 10 years. Since embarking on his initial cycling journey, Codey Orgill has traversed numerous countries, experiencing a series of epic adventures.

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Heartland flyer celebrates 25 years in okc with discounted tickets, giveaways.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Amtrak announced discounted tickets in celebration of the Heartland Flyer’s 25th anniversary.

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The celebration for the train, which services Oklahoma City through Fort Worth, will take place on June 14. Passengers are encouraged to arrive at the Santa Fe Depot by 8 a.m., according to a news release.

Passengers can ride for $25 or less and experience the Sightseer Lounge during their trip between June 13 and June 18, officials said.

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The train departs daily from the depot at 8:25 a.m. and is scheduled to return to Oklahoma City daily at 9:27 p.m. Passengers can also board at stops in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, Ardmore, Gainesville, Texas and Fort Worth.

Since launching in 1999, the Heartland Flyer has carried more than 1.7 million passengers between Oklahoma and Texas, according to the news release.

For more information, click here .

25% off tickets to celebrate 25 years of the Heartland Flyer

Amtrak and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation are inviting the public to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Heartland Flyer on June 14. 

Passengers riding the Heartland Flyer from Oklahoma City can join ODOT and train enthusiasts, at 8 a.m. June 14, for a 25th anniversary celebration. There will be giveaways and passengers can ride for $25 or less and experience the Sightseer Lounge during their trip between June 13 and June 18, 2024. 

The Heartland Flyer leaves the Santa Fe Depot in Oklahoma City at 8:25 a.m. and returns to Oklahoma City at 9:27 p.m. every day. Passengers can also board at any of the stops in Norman, Purcell, Pauls Valley, Ardmore, Gainesville, Texas and Fort Worth. 

Since its launch in 1999, the Heartland Flyer has carried more than 1.7 million passengers between Oklahoma and Texas.

Seating is limited, book a trip soon and receive 25% off tickets  here .

Oklahoma Department of Transportation 200 N.E. 21st Street Oklahoma City, OK 73105

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For all cities with a population greater than five hundred thousand, Moscow is closest to Tula and farthest from Auckland . The closest foreign city is Gomel and the farthest domestic city is Vladivostok . See below for the top 5 closest and farthest cities (domestically, internationally and by continent) and to see which cities, if any, Moscow is the closest and farthest to. Filter to include all cities over 100k, 500k or 1 million in population.

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Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

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Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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