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Why not a "simpler" speedhub?

1K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  SpecialK 
#1 ·
Rohloff are looking into a new Speedhub, a cheaper edition, however, I don't know whether it would have less gears.

Maybe you should look at the Schlumpf drive?


R.
 
#2 ·
Ok, with so-called "advancements" in technology leading to the 99-speed bike, why can't somebody make a simpler speedhub, say with 2 (on-road, off road) or 3 (the I-need-all-the-help-I-can-get "granny," normal mtb riding, and flat road/to-the-trail) gears instead of 14? Hopefully, that would mean less moving parts, bulletproof reliability, lighter weight and perhaps less $ to produce? Granted, the Nexus hub is somewhat of the same idea, but how about a hub for more gritty and spirited riding?

...I know, one is all you need. Though, a reversal of the trend toward more and more gears is in the same spirit, if not included in the name, "single" speed.
 
#3 ·
That is a great idea! I would definately buy one of those. I think a bombproof 3 speed hub would be great. It would have to be considerably lighter and cheaper than the current speedhub though! I am currently working on a 1x3 using a singlespeed wheel, but ditching the rear derailleur with an internal hub would be great.

Mark
 
#4 ·
Hmmm... This is a slippery slope in my opinion. Sure, having an internally geared hub is pretty maintenance free, but what happens when it eventually blows up, or needs service? A million tiny parts spread out all over your workbench, or else you have to get a whole new wheel.

I think a melvin with a few Surly cogs on a cassette hub would be the best way to get multiple gears with minimal maintenance. Shift with your multitool.
 
#7 ·
I have a Rohloff and it works great, but it is heavy and thank god they never break because of the complexity. I had been suggesting that a 7-speed Rohloff would be ideal (running from around 20 gear inches to 80 gear inches, hitting a new gear every 10 inches. However, since spending the last 6 months as a single speeder, I would now prefer going with "3" as you suggested -- around 20, 50, and 80 gear inches. That sort of spread is not found in existing 3-speed hubs, nor are those hubs tough enough at this point. I'm not willing to do a 100 mile race with 18,000 feet of climbing as a single speeder (call me a whimp!), but a 3-speed as I described would have me cranking away...
 
#8 ·
3-speed hubs

PeT said:
...I would now prefer going with "3" as you suggested -- around 20, 50, and 80 gear inches. That sort of spread is not found in existing 3-speed hubs, nor are those hubs tough enough at this point...QUOTE]

PeT's right: There are probably milions (literally) of old 3-speed Raleigh roadsters lying around, all with 3 or 4-speed Sturmey Archer hubs (but then I live in Nottingham, UK, where they were made for decades). The internal parts are case-hardened so, individually, they're very tough. But the overall design was never intended for off-roading. Although some people do mess around off-road with them, they can fail big time.

The same for Sachs of Germany (now bought out & re-branded as SRAM), whose 3-speed hubgear design is about 100 years old, just like S.A. On both hubs, the gaps between gears are quite large & they're nowhere near as efficient as a SS drivetrain when you start putting all that off-road grunt through them.

The Schlumpf "Swiss" Mountain Drive / Speed Drive and High-speed Drive are extremely well engineered. A guy at my LBS has one on his SS. It fits into your BB shell with a button on the end of the axle that you tap with your heel to flip-flop between ratios.

The only info I read re. a lighter Speedhub was on here somewhere (around the time of Interbike). I think it'll have the same number of ratios, but can't remember how much weight it saves. I THINK it will also have a rider weight limit, shich seems a bit crap to me: Someone is bound to eventually exceed that limit & cause a hub failure, ruining Rohloff's 100% reliability record. And it's going to cost even more than a standard Speedhub. Personally, I'd stick with the existing guaranteed bombproof version.

Cheers,

DM
 
#9 ·
Welsh Dave said:
The only info I read re. a lighter Speedhub was on here somewhere (around the time of Interbike). I think it'll have the same number of ratios, but can't remember how much weight it saves. I THINK it will also have a rider weight limit, shich seems a bit crap to me: Someone is bound to eventually exceed that limit & cause a hub failure, ruining Rohloff's 100% reliability record. And it's going to cost even more than a standard Speedhub. Personally, I'd stick with the existing guaranteed bombproof version.
That prelim info was what I have heard, too. About 1 pound lighter, same gear range, and a 200 pound rider weight limit. Increased price. I've since heard that Rohloff was a bit premature in their announcement, and to expect an update in time for Sea Otter.

I'm with Dave. Weight limit = weakness. I'll stick with the fully caffinated version and let singlespeed hubs do what they do best.
 
#10 ·
3-4 speed disc hub please

I would love to remove my derailleurs and never look back. a 3-4 ratio Speedhub with disc brakes would be ideal in my opinion. No weight limits please (DUMB idea). Assume a 375 lb huckster on steroids. No I'm not that big.
 
#11 ·
bikecop said:
I would love to remove my derailleurs and never look back. a 3-4 ratio Speedhub with disc brakes would be ideal in my opinion. No weight limits please (DUMB idea). Assume a 375 lb huckster on steroids. No I'm not that big.
Put me down for one of those proposed bombproof wide range 3 speed hubs!
 
#14 ·
3 speeds are all you need...

I have been toying with the idea of designing and building my own derailleur system for a 2 or 3 speed mountain bike from modified standard parts. It would basically be external to the hub and work similar to standard derailleurs without that silly piece of metal hanging down to get caught on rocks, sticks, etc. My biggest issue is chain slack. If you have three gears big enough to handle pretty much everything, you need some way to take up the chain slack when changing from the biggest to the smallest gear. A standard front derailleur takes up the slack by using the rear derailleur's spring but if you have no rear derailleur, there is no where for that chain to go.

I thought about using a singlespeed conversion chain tensioner but I just can't get enough action on it to make gear changing possible without dropping chains because the chain is too long or snapping the chain because its too short.

Any internal 3 speed made for mountain bikes would be great!

Of course, if all us singlespeeders changed to 3 speeds, where would catchy little sayings like "One speed is all you need" go?

I say stay with one gear and suffer, its good for the soul.

SpK
 
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