Rohloff/gearbox question/s!

[Deleted member 4366]

If you want to do serious downhill riding, you need your wheels to be as light as possible so that the suspension can work properly. Bicycle suspension springing and damping is designed to handle a wheel with a mass of about 2kg. Doubling the mass of the wheel would compromise it. The result would be a choppy ride and less time that the tyre is in contact with the ground. If you want to do downhill, like in those videos, it wouldn't be sensible to fit a heavy hub-gear system, neither would it be sensible to use a hub-motor. Sure, you could ride down the hill on anything - even a hardtail or an over-weight Kalkhoff, but it's not going to be the same as a bike with a lightweight wheel and proper proper suspension.

You probably know all this, but here's an explanation in relation to cars. The same parameters and relationships apply on a bicycle:

http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=1462

Here's a bike that might represent the epitome of downhill bike design. The rear swinging-arm pivot is on the ideal line to the steering head, the brake torque resisted by the chassis and the gears are in the centre of the bike to reduce the rear unsprung weight. I guess you'll be seeing a lot of MTBs fitted with centre gearboxes in the future. It wouldn't make sense to add a hub-motor, though:

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[anotherkiwi]

That is some mighty fine looking bike porn!

 

[EddiePJ]

I spotted yesterday that KTM make a bike that uses a pinion gearbox.

Our Testrider Niko was riding 21500 km for 17 months through Iran, Australia, Kirgistan, Turkey, Thailand,…

 

[anotherkiwi]

That is a nice looking touring bike! Can we have a link Eddie? Couldn't find it without a name/ref...

 

[EddiePJ]

It is a KTM Life Lontano P18.

Sadly it comes with an Ouch price tag. http://www.damianharriscycles.co.uk/prod/hyb_0042_kt/ktm-life-lontano-p18-2016-hybrid-bike

I'm in the throws of possibly making plans to cycle from London to Bern, then on to Lauterbrunnen next year as part of a record breaking eMTB ride at the end, and that bike would have been lovely for the London to Bern phase. The record attempt is actually off road, but as I am having to go through some very large hoops to get permission, it feels a bit feeble and deflating not to make the attempt much larger scale and do it for charity. I truly don't know that my knees are going to hack that kind of distance, but it won't be a race so who knows. I could do the whole thing on an ebike, but currently that doesn't appeal, and somehow doesn't sit well. Time will tell, and I'll get both options covered.
Sadly the KTM is a good bit dearer than either a Kona Sutra or Genesis Tour De Fer. Both of which I also love. I do consider that the KTM would be a bike for life though, where as I don't think that I would feel the same about the other two.

 

[anotherkiwi]

Ouch! And no motor? The pinion box sells retail for slightly lower price than the Rohloff and this bike has absolutely everything mounted standard. I love the number of rivnuts mounted as standard!

A compact hub motor with the Gates freewheel cog is the only thing missing!

 

[RobF]

I might be wrong, but I think the Life Lontano is not in KTM's latest UK catalogue.

Might still be possible to get one, but it would involve some chasing around.

 

[EddiePJ]

It seems to be listed on FLI's website. http://www.flidistribution.co.uk/2015-ktm-life-lontano-p118-2086878

But I did struggle to find out much about it. I read a few blog posts, and reviews, but beyond that it seems to have slipped into the background.
I'd certainly love to ride and try one for a while.

I'm not really into bling, but I really do love the look of this. I could spend hours looking at this end of the bike if I owned one.

 

[EddiePJ]

One of my friends has finally decided to let his bike go! The question is, what do I offer him for it?

The frame is far too small to be of any use to me, but I do want to squirrel the hub away for future use on something. Given the quality of the bike it does seem a shame to strip it down, but I guess that I always just find another back wheel etc for it.

 

[D8ve]

The hub has to be worth £500 min. The rest of the bike, have a look on eBay sold gear then knock off 20% or so. It's how much you like each other and how big your local market is?

 

[EddiePJ]

On my drive back home, I ruled the hub out thinking that it was rim brake only. Looking at my photos a seeing disc mount holes changed things completely for me.

I might start my offer as can of cheap lager and a packet of pork scratchings.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I was going to say the same until I saw these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=4+hole+disc+rotor&_sacat=888

However, I don't think that that hub fits a standard vertical drop-out frame.

 

[EddiePJ]

Well spotted Dave, thanks for pointing that out, and also frightening me with OE rotor cost.

 

[D8ve]

My bid Crate of larger and pkt of scratchings.

 

[RobF]

I see it's a Thorn Nomad.

Taking the Rohloff off one of those and trying to resell the bike might be harder than you think.

The bloke who makes Thorns is obsessed with Rohloff hubs.

The lack of one on such a bike may have a bigger impact on desirability than on any other bike.

In other words, a Nomad buyer will expect the trademark handlebars on a stick, hub dynamo, more bosses than you can shake a stick at, and, most importantly - a Rohloff hub.

A non-Nomad buyer might think the bike looks stupid with the raised bars, is too heavy, too old-fashioned, and has too much stuff on it.

 

[EddiePJ]

I hadn't realised that time had passed by this much.

I never followed up on the Thorn, but recently received a call from the client that owned it, asking if I could draw up some retrospective plans for him.
I agreed, and when I went to deliver them, he asked if I wanted the bike as it was taking up space, and with a shattered ankle wasn't going to be riding it again.
I wasn't really overly fussed about the bike, but agreed to take it for drawing the plans. So for just a site visit and a bit of my time, I now have another bike.

I seemed to recall it looking shabby when I had last seen it, so was pleasantly surprised when I collected it this morning.

The only job pressing to do with it, is to replace the brake cables which are frayed.

edit.. The frame also looked way too small for me, but looking at the photos, the saddle is way down, and with the risers fitted, everything looks wrong. It will be interesting to see how it feels with the saddle up.

 

[D8ve]

I'm not jealous you purveyor of refreshments you

 

[anotherkiwi]

Road tyres, mudguards, a Magura hydraulic on the front and a GSM in the BB and you have a winner!

 

[EddiePJ]

I'd need to buy another fame first. I went for a quick ride on it yesterday afternoon, and yep, it was miles too small for me.

I have to say though, that it was seamlessly smooth and nice to ride though.

 

[Trevormonty]

I'd need to buy another fame first. I went for a quick ride on it yesterday afternoon, and yep, it was miles too small for me.

I have to say though, that it was seamlessly smooth and nice to ride though.

Have you considered using hub on your hard tail ebike.