Low-maintenance go-anywhere bike?

[b1_]

If I want a low-maintenance go-anywhere bike what are my options at the moment? In your opinion what the current ultimate in this category?

I am mostly an on-road cyclist but I ride a mountain bike for its go-anywhere qualities, bumping over curbs, the odd gravel track, some touring, etc. All rigid forks, grip shifts, a 40mm rear treaded tire, and a 50mm front treaded. 1997 Giant 26", about 12kg - it is dying.

I was looking at the belt drive and Internal Geared Hub bikes, like the Avanti Inc 3 commuter bike for ultimate low maintence, but I'm worried I won't be able to put the wider mountainbike tires on it reducing its go-anywhere qualities. I was thnking the Inc 3's all matt-black frame would look good with tires with reflective strips on each side - Tron bike .



I started looking for mountain bikes with the belt drive and IGH but can't find much, the belt gets too close to the fat tires because the Shimano Alfine IGH is not wide enough, or something?

No fixies, I need gears, but definately not as much as I have now with 8-speed cassette and 3 rings at the crank. I only use about three gears, the low for hills a high for flat and the highest for downhill. I need gears but I don't need gear/chain maintenace, I hate that part. I have a whole bunch of Park Tools, and I've fit my own drive train, and clean and lube etc, but I still hate that part - I just want to ride ffs and my drive train always seems to be screwing up, crunching, or I can't find the time to fiddle and adjust so I delay then it cruches and squeaks and clicks.

I would expect to pay in the $2000 range at least for decent weight, good components that last.

I was looking at an Salsa El Mariachi a few years ago, red - mmm. I like bikes that are just simple, elegant.



Thx if you can help.

[bolandjd]

go anywhere? Fatbike. Low maintenance? Rigid fatbike.

[b1_]

go anywhere? Fatbike. Low maintenance? Rigid fatbike.

Mmm, looks good...



...but probably not a go-anywhere bike. A fatbike is great off-road but not on-road, which is mostly what I'll be doing.

(It's helpful to further define "go-anywhere", thx for post.)

Edit: Actually, on second thoughts, what is conventionally meant by go-anywhere is probably in the extreme-offroad territory of fatbikes. Perhaps a better term to describe what I'm after is all-rounder with emphasis toward road riding.

[b1_]

Looks like you can get a mountain bike with an internally geared rear hub and carbon belt if you're willing to pay for the Rohloff Speedhub.

Shimano Alfine 8 - 8 gears, 308% gear range, ???g, $500+$85 Rapidfire lever shifter
Shimano Alfine 11 - 11 gears, 409% gear range, 1600g, $600+$85 Rapidfire lever shifter
Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 - 14 gears, 526% gear range, 1985g, $1600 incl grip shifter
(Prices from Jenson USA.)

I found an article that compares the three (Rohloff and Alfine hubs) with a few notable quotes:

"Since 2003, news of the Rohloff Speedhub slowly made the trip around the world to the United States. What used to be a curiosity is now an accepted design. Because of its trouble-free reputation, it has become a popular item with touring cyclists, and 'go-anywhere' cyclists."

"Also, for you belt drive fans, use of a belt drive on either Alfine hub will limit your tire width as well."

+$1000 extra for the Rohloff IGH over the Alfine . 14 gears with a 526% gear range, and all the gear changes are evenly spaced unlike the Alfine's. I like grip shifts too. Rohloff is 400g heavier.

And here I found a bunch of IGH belt driven bikes: The Monkey Lab: Belt Drive

And this one caught my eye:







• Frame: Twenty2 Cycles 29+
• Fork: Twenty2 Cycles 29+
• Headset: Chris King
• Stem: Thompson Elite X4
• Handlebar: Salsa Bend 2
• Shifter: Rohloff
• Grips: ESI foam
• Seatpost: Thompson Layback
• Saddle: Selle Anatomica Titanico
• Seat Clamp: Hope
• Front Hub: Schmidt Generator Hub
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim Race
• Nipples: Sapim brass
• Rims: Surly Rabbit Hole
• Tires: Surly Knard 29x3.0
• Cranks: Race Face Turbine
• Pedals: Shimano SPD PD-M785 XT
• Bottom Bracket: Race Face
• Chainring: Gates Carbon Drive Center Track
• Rear Sprocket: Gates Carbon Drive Center Track
• Chain: Gates Carbon Drive belt
• Brakes & Levers: Magura MT2
• Rotors: Magura Storm
• Extras: Schmidt Edelux front light

Fat tires but proves you can belt up a fat-tired bike.

So go-anywhere (or should I say all-rounder) bikes are out there. The bike-packing rigs thread is also worth checking out for go-anywhere options:
Post your Bikepacking Rig (and gear layout!)

It's all becoming very clear: show me the money!

[b1_]

Rohloff bike finder page shows a long list of bikes with the Rohloff Speedhub:
Bike Finder: www.rohloff.de

And they've got a link to all Rohloff + carbon belt approved frames:
"GATES Carbon Drive - Approved Frames for Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 can be found here: Universal Transmissions GmbH. (PDF file: Frame Manufacturer)".

Or direct link: http://www.g-boxx.com/pdf/Frame-Manu...Overview-1.pdf

[jacexunmons]

me too,I like grip shifts too. Rohloff is 400g heavier.thanks for your sharing

[Triton Bikes]

Just built one too