# Efneo 3 speed crank



## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

I'm excited for this:

Gearbox | Efneo

I currently use a 2 speed Patterson crankset on my pavement bike for dinglespeed effect. I want slightly more range. Pretty slick either way though.

Hope the price is compelling, once it becomes available. The rad thing with the Patterson is that it is so absurdly inexpensive.


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## DUBOW (Jun 13, 2013)

Drew Diller said:


> I'm excited for this:
> 
> Gearbox | Efneo
> 
> ...


Problem with the Patterson system it will not work on a mountain bike 68mm only most mountain are 73mm ,your next best 2 speed would be the ATS Schlumpf this retails at $325 .and is made under license in Taiwan to strict specification and save you quite a bit of money over the German made one. The Efeno does look interesting , I would buy the Ats Schlumpf as it has a history of reliability the Efneo is new to the market who knows if it reliable ?.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Hmm, I didn't know that the Schlumpf was being manufactured in more than one place. Interesting, thanks for the info. It looks like a good system but I don't want to have to modify a frame.


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## DUBOW (Jun 13, 2013)

Drew Diller said:


> Hmm, I didn't know that the Schlumpf was being manufactured in more than one place. Interesting, thanks for the info. It looks like a good system but I don't want to have to modify a frame.


Your welcome here is the link ,I was a little off on the price .

ATS Schlumpf Speed Drive | Greyborg USA

Dubow


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Got an email response from Efneo clarifying that the core product is the right crank, and all it needs is a place to anchor against the frame that is static, for anti-rotation purposes, and you could mount the right crank on any square taper BB spindle.

3 speed mid-transmission fat bike, can't wait!


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Drew Diller said:


> Got an email response from Efneo clarifying that the core product is the right crank, and all it needs is a place to anchor against the frame that is static, for anti-rotation purposes, and you could mount the right crank on any square taper BB spindle.
> 
> 3 speed mid-transmission fat bike, can't wait!


Exactly. Pair this with a Phil 100mm square taper BB (since the cranks don't know how wide the BB is) and you've got a simple fatbike drivetrain. Appealing for wild rides where some gearing is needed, but a der-based drivetrain is going to get kilt, stat.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

From the horse's mouth. I hope they hit an appealing price point since they're going the crowd route. I wish them luck.


> In January we are starting (at last!) our crowdfunding campaign. We need your help to spread the word!
> 
> We have chosen some of the most interesting articles on Efneo for your convenience in one e-mail.
> If you use Facebook, Twitter, Digg.com or any of the similar sites, choose the one you like and share it with your friends!
> ...


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Update: shipping soon.

More detail here

Looking forward to seeing this in the metal. I'm on the list.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Sweet.

I see they added a fat bike option after I had contributed for a 68mm BB shell version - though I don't think it will matter, given the type of crank spindle.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Anyone gotten theirs?


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Not yet. Had forgotten about it. 

Better give them a poke.

Their last update on the Indiegogo blog was 4 months ago. Ready to move to mass production.

Edit: just looked at their site. They have a shopping page, and no mention of it not being immediately available. Price is $495 now. I've sent them an email. Will report back.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Didn't get any response to my email, or a later contact through their enquiry form.

Was about to start taking further action but this arrived:

_*Efneo - delays explanation*

Dear Contributors,

I know many of you are wondering what's going on and why you don't get your gearbox. Some of you may even suspect being cheated.

In fact, we have already delivered almost 100 units to our backers and we are still shipping. Some of these people have published their reviews (mostly very positive) with photos. You can google them easily.

You can also take a look at some media reviews:
Review: Efneo GTRO 3-speed front gearbox | road.cc
http://www.bentrideronline.com/?p=11407#more-11407

The problem with the deliveries is that we are not able to ship in bulk now. That is because there are three parts in the gearbox that we are still manufacturing in very small quantities and that makes our manufacturing capacity very limited. Fortunately, we have finally found a quality supplier and placed an order for large volume to be delivered in January. That's the point where we can really accelerate with the deliveries.

Some of you are also asking why we are selling the product through dealers since we have not delivered to all our Indiegogo backers. Frankly saying, without sales we would not be able to raise additional funding, continue the project and fulfil our Indiegogo commitments.

Please accept our sincere apologies for all the delays. We know how frustrating they are.

Wishing you all the best,

Franek & the Efneo team_


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

I'm pretty frustrated with them right now. First world problem and all that. The fact that you can order one today and have it ship this week just doesn't sit well when they've had my money for ~3 years already, and I still don't have anything to show for it.

That and the fact that they've stopped responding to inquiries from people whose money they've already spent.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

mikesee said:


> I'm pretty frustrated with them right now. First world problem and all that. The fact that you can order one today and have it ship this week just doesn't sit well when they've had my money for ~3 years already, and I still don't have anything to show for it.
> 
> That and the fact that they've stopped responding to inquiries from people whose money they've already spent.


Agree. I was thinking about approaching the Polish Police before their most recent communication came through, so decided to give it a bit longer.

I've sent 4 messages without reply.

Maybe we should start a FaceBook group...

Certainly I'd be wary of ordering one directly from them right now. I'd want to see it on the shelf in my lbs.

Maybe a few comments dropped in the reviews on their website might get them to hurry up...


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## PlutonicPlague (Jan 19, 2014)

Hi guys. I noticed on another site that Mikesee finally got his, and he's got it rigged (edited) on a Pugs. Kudos to you and any others for helping the crowdfunding on this. I've been anxiously waiting to read any reviews. 
For the record, I have a couple of Pugsleys (one regular 26" fat on Marge Lites, the other 29"x3" on Rabbit Holes), and both with Shimano Alfine 8-spd hubs. I like my set-ups, but I'm often wanting more range. Since I ride the beach a lot, I currently have my gearing set low, but I can change things up with different chainring/cog combos.
Mikesee's recent blog posting with his o.p.p. caught my eye. I had been wondering about an Efneo/A-8 combo for wider gearing range on my 29+ Pugs ever since I first heard about Efneo. 

Edit: Now I see that Mikesee has a single-speed Pugs with an Efneo. And he's taking it out in the boonies! At first glance I thought he had the Efneo paired with his Alfine 11-sp hub.
That got my noggin spinning. The singles-speed fat wheel set that I pulled off my #2 Pugs when I swapped it over to 29+ and Alfine 8-spd suddenly has more potential!
I really hope that the Efneo proves to be robust enough for mtn biking and fat-biking. I'll be keeping my eyes open for more reviews, as I remain a potential customer. I think that I could make it work with my A-8 and a 20t or 21t cog.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

I've received my Efneo crank with 100mm spindle for use with an English threaded fat bike. I have not installed it yet as my attention is compelled elsewhere. I'll try to follow up in the next week or so.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

I've had mine about a month now. Two 'out there' trips so far, plus a handful of commutes. It functions perfectly, but makes a fair bit of noise -- sounds like dust in there, squeaking intermittently.

Has anyone seen anything about a need for or ability to lube it?


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Still waiting for mine...


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

@Velobike: Do continue to send politely harassing emails. I had to repeat my order details three times, while waiting a month or more in between each message sent.

If you got one for a fat bike, make sure to mention it is NOT for the Sonders E-bike. Something about a asymmetrical left crank vs a symmetrical left crank.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Drew Diller said:


> @Velobike: Do continue to send politely harassing emails. I had to repeat my order details three times, while waiting a month or more in between each message sent.
> 
> If you got one for a fat bike, make sure to mention it is NOT for the Sonders E-bike. Something about a asymmetrical left crank vs a symmetrical left crank.


They have never replied to any communication. If it wasn't that you & Mike had got yours recently, I'd be thinking it's a scam.

What email address did you use.

(I've used their form on their web page and also [email protected])


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

I used [email protected] - any luck Velobike? Keep pressing. I used subject "crowd fund participant / haven't received gearbox yet"


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Thanks Drew. I'll try that.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Finally got around to installing my Efneo. Very few miles on it. The shifter takes up far too much room - it is difficult to position a brake lever on either side of it and have all my fingers reach to all the finger places while also keeping my palm in one place.

A bit noisy in 3rd gear, the mild pedaling resistance is noticeable in 2nd and 3rd but certainly not world-ending. Very easy to install. Niiiiice having the square taper. Shift character at the crank is just like a Hammerschmidt or a Patterson. Has much more chainstay clearance than my first generation Mukluk really needed. Backing off pedal pressure before downshifting is required to get into an easier gear ratio. Thinking like a manual transmission car helps.

Seems like a product that has some decent DNA but would benefit from some refinement. Would like to open it up for re-lube, to the same effect mikesee asked about. Would like to see other hand shifter options.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

> Has anyone seen anything about a need for or ability to lube it?


Forgot about this. Asked Efneo if I could lube it to quiet the noise (sounds like a homeless guy's rusty chain, squeaking constantly, regardless of effort or gearing) and they said emphatically not -- lubing it would effectively "break it".

We've had lots of back and forth in attempting to solve it. Basically they've had me remove it and verify proper installation and torque. It's a pretty straightforward install so I didn't think that could have been it, but I humored them and went through it all again. Twice. To no avail -- still noisy.

At this point I'm waiting for a (new) replacement to ship from Poland.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

@mikesee did your squeaking noise set in immediately? I hope you indeed just received a bad unit initially, as mine seems like it could be talked over. Reads 55 decibels from a cheap sound meter.


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## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

Drew Diller said:


> @mikesee did your squeaking noise set in immediately? I hope you indeed just received a bad unit initially, as mine seems like it could be talked over. Reads 55 decibels from a cheap sound meter.


Can't remember. Seems like it was quiet for a ride or two before it got squeaky. They finally replaced it. Sitting in a box, new, uninstalled, unused. Anyone want it?


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

mikesee said:


> Can't remember. Seems like it was quiet for a ride or two before it got squeaky. They finally replaced it. Sitting in a box, new, uninstalled, unused. Anyone want it?


Still haven't got mine.

Time to jump up and down again...


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

"Long" term usage update. My mileage lately is ehhhh, but I have shy of a thousand miles on my Efneo. With regular use it starts making horrific noises, and I figured it was time for an oil change. Another rider warned me against doing oil changes myself, but I did not comprehend the reason. The other rider told me that re-lubricating the Efneo would "break it" --- what?? Screw that. So I took the drive side crank off, made a little pedestal of short lumber slabs so that the dish shape of the crank would be level and upside down. Then I gave it a liberal bath in Kroil. You're not supposed to use a water displacement product on bikes, but, whatever, Kroil is friggin awesome.

I let the crank sit like this for a I dunno twenty minutes or something. Turned the crank over and opaque black oil came out, pretty clear sign of dirt intrusion. Which frankly I'm ok with, I think the achilles heel of the Hammerschmidt crank was that they sealed it *too well*.

I put everything back together, and sure enough, the middle gear was sort of _missing_. I rode it for a few miles while fiddling with the shifter cable tension. Eventually the middle gear returned to operation spontaneously.

??? Weird.

Anyway, pedaling efficiency notably improved, and all nasty crunchy noises were gone. So, it's nice that you can re-lubricate this thing by just taking the crank off the spindle and giving it a fluid bath. Woot.

The really disappointing news was to see that the torque arm against the chainstay was digging into the aluminum of my 2011 Mukluk frame. The digging was "plastic deformation", IMO there needs to be a much bigger rubber-covered load spreader as it used on the FSA Patterson crank to useful effect. Will this gouge break my frame? Beats me. I'll keep an eye on it.

And I'm sorry the trigger shifter ergonomics are not good.I have to wrap my left thumb to an unpleasant angle sometimes, and the sheer size of the shifter makes sharing real estate with other bar components a troublesome situation.

OH, right, if you are going to do a lube bath on one of these, it's messy enough during the tip-over step that the outer shell (that contacts your right calf) will get pretty nasty. Gonna want to use a localized degreaser right there, or you'll get a grime mark on the _entire_ inside of your calf. First time I've had to use Dawn dish soap in the shower.

Glad I lubed it overall, the pedaling is quite nice and quiet again.


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