# Breaking in Rohloff Hub



## sevencyclist (Aug 3, 2009)

I got a Rohloff hub for MTB riding recently. It is smoother than I had expected given all the reports of rough gearing in the beginning. I find the noise is loudest in gear 7, but very tolerable. Freewheeling seems to produce more sounds in gear 8 and 10 than other gears.

My questions is what will help to break in the Rohloff hub.

Do I need to keep shifting constantly and grinding out the gear changes, or does spinning in any gear will break in all the gears? Are there any gearing to ride in that will be most efficient in breaking the hub in most quickly?


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## manensky (Aug 22, 2011)

sevencyclist said:


> I got a Rohloff hub for MTB riding recently. It is smoother than I had expected given all the reports of rough gearing in the beginning. I find the noise is loudest in gear 7, but very tolerable. Freewheeling seems to produce more sounds in gear 8 and 10 than other gears.
> 
> My questions is what will help to break in the Rohloff hub.
> 
> Do I need to keep shifting constantly and grinding out the gear changes, or does spinning in any gear will break in all the gears? Are there any gearing to ride in that will be most efficient in breaking the hub in most quickly?


Gear number 3 and 5 will use all of the planetary gear sets, so I would think theoretically these gears should provide the most efficient way to break in planetary gears.
However breaking in the whole gear changing mechanism will need shifting between gears 1-14. So just keep on riding and your hub will be better and better after each mile


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## sevencyclist (Aug 3, 2009)

So sounds like instead of hammering or spinning in the same gear top pile on miles, shifting frequently will help. Thanks.


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## manensky (Aug 22, 2011)

Yep, even though you are not riding on gear 7 all of the time, it will also break in after proper set of kms/miles. I took audio samples of gear 7 when my hub was new and after 1000km "break in" period. Noise level of gear 7 was lower even though i didn't spin whole 1000km with it 
And to be honest, that noise, what came from fresh hubs gear 7, wasn't as bad what I was imaging from writings, what I red before buying my own hub.


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## sevencyclist (Aug 3, 2009)

manensky said:


> Yep, even though you are not riding on gear 7 all of the time, it will also break in after proper set of kms/miles. I took audio samples of gear 7 when my hub was new and after 1000km "break in" period. Noise level of gear 7 was lower even though i didn't spin whole 1000km with it
> And to be honest, that noise, what came from fresh hubs gear 7, wasn't as bad what I was imaging from writings, what I red before buying my own hub.


Thanks. Will just ride away and put on the miles.

I agree, I was expecting gear 7 to be loud from some of the comments that I read, but while it is there, it is not loud or annoying, and no worse than a slightly out of chainline arrangement of traditional deraileur system. In fact, I was more surprised by the louder sounds of freewheeling which is interestingly different for every gear, and as loud as my Chris Kings hubs in some.


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## manensky (Aug 22, 2011)

With in some time you will get used to those freewheeling noises and you can predict if you have right gear in or not when it is time to pedal again.
When you are riding in a group, it is sometimes fun to switch on "stealth" mode on downhills. Freewheeling noise almost disappears when hub is on lower gears.


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## greg w (Oct 27, 2008)

just ride it..miles are what does it


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

greg w said:


> just ride it..miles are what does it


+1 - no special break in techniques req'd. Just ride and have fun...:thumbsup:


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## NZPeterG (Mar 31, 2008)

1+ to just mile's
I have just got my 2nd Rohloff hub after Selling my old one just over a year ago


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