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Kit Review:
Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 CC 14 Speed Gear Hub
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Our Rating: 9/10
Model
Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 CC 14 speed gear hub
Purchased August 2008 (came with bicycle)
Description
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The Rohloff is an internal hub which sits in the rear wheel. It has 14 gears with
the same gear range of a 27 speed derailler gear system and is operated by a twist
shifter. The advantage over a derailleur
is that the Rohloff is virtually maintenance free, requires minimal fine tuning,
can change gears whilst stationary, has no lateral chain movement, is as efficient
as a perfectly clean derailleur system and allows for a much stronger rear wheel.
Review
We agonised over the decision to pay out for the Rohloff but now looking back over
the last 10,000km are so glad we did.
On remote trips where you are away from facilities,
the robust and maintenance
free solution of the Rohloff is extremely beneficial.
Of course you can get by without the Rohloff and many do but you will have more
tinkering, more changing of parts and be more exposed to break downs and potentially
expensive shipments if your are remote. There is of course the question of what
to do if the internal mechanism of the Rohloff fails? For a non Rohloff technician
there is nothing you can do except ask for a replacement. Luckily this is virtually
unheard of as the hub has been meticulously engineered by high quality German
engineers.
When shifting under pressure there can be some gear slippage, so it is advisable to change
gears when the pedals are vertical. There is also some noise in gear 5-7 which we
got use to but some may find offputting however a misaligned derailleur
would make
the equivalent noise. Shifting gears while stationary is really handy, especially when
at the bottom of a sudden hill, or when a group of Indian school children decide
to fiddle with your gears. We love the fact that every time we get on our bikes
the Rohloff gears operate like they did on the very first day we rode our bikes and no matter
what terrain we ride through they continue to perform.
As the Rohloff gear system is fitted within the central sphere of the wheel the back wheel
spokes can be fitted symmetrically on both sides allowing for full wheel dishing,
which leads to a stronger wheel so you can thunder down those potholed roads without
a care in the world. The sprocket is reversable so we plan to do our first reversal
at the 17,000km mark giving us another lease of life before the next replacement
is required.
The manual provided is very comprehensive and the spares required for even a long
tour are minimal.
Pros
- Minimal maintenance
- Durable
- No need for fine tuning
- Long service life
- Eliminates dangly-prone-to-being-knocked-back derailleur
- Simplified bike setup
- Reduced wear and tear on chain (15,000km and going strong on 1 chain)
- Stronger rear wheel
- Can change gears whilst stationary
- Comprehensive product manual and customer support
Cons
- Some noise in gears 5-7
- Big up front investment (but over time you save on spares and maintenance)
- Some expertise required to change certain parts, not a familiar job for all bike
mechanics
- Some gear slippage may occer when shifting under pressure
Reviewed On
28th February 2011
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