# Internal Hub MTBs, post yours here!



## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

It started out as a commuter project, I've since seen the light, internal hub geared bikes are great on the trail.

Motobecane Outcast 29er frame, raw
Salsa CroMoto 29er fork, raw
FSA V-Drive Megaexo Crankset, raw
Shimano M520 pedals
Shimano Dynamo Front hub
SRAM I-Motion 9 rear hub
Mavic TN717 rims
Kenda 2.2" Karma
Avid BB7 front brake
Avid Speed 7 rear brake
Avid Speed Dial 7 levers
ThudBuster ST seatpost, raw
Easton MonkeyLite lo-riser


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## f3rg (Aug 29, 2007)

I like what you did with those bar ends.


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

Assuming the shop does everything right I'm picking my Trance up with Alfine tomorrow morning.:thumbsup:


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

I gave up a complete 2008 XT/XTR setup that's lighter and works brilliantly so this better be good, so far on a short road ride it felt great. Black Shimano Alfine 8spd hub with Surly Singleator tensioner and Race Face bash guard. Also had a Hutchinson Toro 1.85/2.15 tire combo put on which explains the delightful amount of mud clearance on the back compared to the Michelin's.:thumbsup:


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## wheezee (Jun 23, 2008)

123


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

wheezee said:


>


Nice avatar Wheezee, oh and cool bike too.:thumbsup:


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

First ride was Sunday, with its extras like a Surly Singleator chain tensioner, Race Face bash guard which I probably didn't need and Sram SS chain which again I probably didn't need it weights quite a bit more than the old XT/XTR setup but so long as it stays as good as the first ride I wouldn't change it for anything. The bike feels a bit weird at the moment because I've now got a strong, solid feeling rear rim and a front rim best described as flimsy that you can physically see flexing on tight corners but I'll have that fixed soon and I'll have some lighter bits to compensate for the weight increase. Anyway, as others have said the shift is so slick you hardly notice it, all the gears feel super smooth, the hub is completely silent which I love, to my surprise it spins freely after hardly any use, it always shifts when pedalling although it does take a little longer if your really pedalling hard, the shifter works in reverse of a normal derailleur type shifter in that you release the smaller lever get into easier gears etc which I think I will be able to get used to, the highest gear is just about perfect for the fast XC riding in my area but I haven't had a chance to take it to more challenging terrain to try out the lower gears yet. I'm running 18T rear cog and 32T front and I also put a set of Hutchinson Toro 1.85 & 2.15 tires on to improve mud performance over the Michelin dry weather tires previously on there.:thumbsup:


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## wheezee (Jun 23, 2008)

EGF168 said:


> Nice avatar Wheezee, oh and cool bike too.:thumbsup:


Too kind.

Don't stand so close, I have a congenitally infirm immune system.


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## Chriffer (Aug 18, 2005)

Not exactly the best backdrop, but I was tired after towing the other bike on the trailer. A lot of bash rings from everyone out there so far. I'd have to run one on the inside of the chainring because of the Rohloff chainline, and I'm not quite sure that's legal to do.


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## Timbo (Jan 8, 2004)




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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

my carbon swathed rohloff:


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## wheezee (Jun 23, 2008)

Good God! Well I never.


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

I cannot shake the desire to build an IGH trail bike. I built a 1x7 with Saint rear mech to try to take the edge off. Love the bike, but here I am drooling on this thread.


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## mojo2396 (Jan 6, 2004)

Inglis 29 Rohloff with Paragon sliders.
Curtis updated the frame that I have had since 2002 with a new rear triangle for Paragon sliders and Rohloff cable routing.


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

You guys rock. I love your bikes. Pursuiter, Wheezee your bike in particular are almost exactly what I want in an IGH trail bike.

Wheezee, you have an aesthetic eye and it shows in your bike. Not often I think of a trail bike as elegant.


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## wheezee (Jun 23, 2008)

Cody Broken said:


> You guys rock. I love your bikes. Pursuiter, Wheezee your bike in particular are almost exactly what I want in an IGH trail bike.
> 
> Wheezee, you have an aesthetic eye and it shows in your bike. Not often I think of a trail bike as elegant.


Thanks for saying so Cody, much appreciated. If you ever saw me on it, I think elegant is probably the last word to come to mind!

Robin Mather the frame builder, is local to me here in the UK, and I think he made rather a nice job of it.


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

EGF168 said:


> First ride was Sunday, with its extras like a Surly Singleator chain tensioner, Race Face bash guard which I probably didn't need and Sram SS chain which again I probably didn't need it weights quite a bit more than the old XT/XTR setup but so long as it stays as good as the first ride I wouldn't change it for anything. The bike feels a bit weird at the moment because I've now got a strong, solid feeling rear rim and a front rim best described as flimsy that you can physically see flexing on tight corners but I'll have that fixed soon and I'll have some lighter bits to compensate for the weight increase. Anyway, as others have said the shift is so slick you hardly notice it, all the gears feel super smooth, the hub is completely silent which I love, to my surprise it spins freely after hardly any use, it always shifts when pedalling although it does take a little longer if your really pedalling hard, the shifter works in reverse of a normal derailleur type shifter in that you release the smaller lever get into easier gears etc which I think I will be able to get used to, the highest gear is just about perfect for the fast XC riding in my area but I haven't had a chance to take it to more challenging terrain to try out the lower gears yet. I'm running 18T rear cog and 32T front and I also put a set of Hutchinson Toro 1.85 & 2.15 tires on to improve mud performance over the Michelin dry weather tires previously on there.:thumbsup:


All please take note that EGF168 dispensed with an XTR drive train to venture into IGH. His thumbs up is high praise indeed.

You rock EGF168.


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

Cody Broken said:


> All please take note that EGF168 dispensed with an XTR drive train to venture into IGH. His thumbs up is high praise indeed.
> 
> You rock EGF168.


Why thank you! I was a bit worried the gears weren't low enough for some of the steep sections but yesterday and this morning I did rides that had some very steep hills and the gears were great, who needs 27 gears when you can have 8 that do just as good job.:thumbsup:


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## rockyuphill (Nov 28, 2004)

My Kona A in an environment it excels at (rare as it is in Vancouver).


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## marzjennings (Jan 3, 2008)

xy9ine said:


> my carbon swathed rohloff:


WTF. Who knew Batman had his own mountain bike.


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

marzjennings said:


> WTF. Who knew Batman had his own mountain bike.


I wasn't going to say anything, but damn!

xy9ine, what is that thing? And please post action shots. I want to see that thing flying through the air or something.


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## Loewa (Sep 26, 2007)

Mine KHS AM2000 Alfine


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

xy9ine, WTF is that?????????? More details please. Who made it and price?


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

Loewa said:


> Mine KHS AM2000 Alfine


Loewa, at first I thought you were using a front derailleur for chain retention, but I see cable running to that mech and the chain is running on an inner ring.

How's it working running two rings up front? Gives you gear range out the wazoo!


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## lucero (Nov 21, 2006)

Good god! I have never seen the likes of that before. We want details!


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## blue78 (Jul 7, 2008)

*2007 Redline Monocog/Nexus 7-Speed*

I'm just getting back into biking when time permits. I rode BMX in the 80's, but haven't been on a bike much in the last 12 years. I had acquired a bike with a Nexus hub years ago, but the frame was a little short for me & my knees (that aren't what they used to be). The plan was to get a taller frame and use all of the parts from the bike I already had since I was on a budget. At first, I was lost on what type of frame to even look for (being out of it for so long), but a few places like here brought me up to speed a little. Now, I think the only stuff left from the other bike is the rear wheel, tires, seat post, pedals, water bottle cage, and brake/shift levers. Most of the parts were had on eBay at good prices. I love the clean lines & simplicity of a singlespeed, but it's also nice for my knees to have some gears. There's still a bunch of things I want to do with it, but for now, at least I'm riding again.

2007 Redline Monocog Flight (for 26" wheels)
Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub, 18T & push-button shifter
Profile 180mm BMX cranks
Redline euro bottom bracket
DK 36T sprocket
Odyssey pedals
KMC K710SL chain
Avid BB7 front brake
Shimano roller brake rear
Chris King front hub
Raceface stem/bars
Velo/Redline seat

I got a good deal on the complete front wheel -- does anybody have a matching single rim for the rear? It's a 26" Mavic EX721 grey anodized 36 hole.


































(click to enlarge)


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## frorider (Apr 2, 2005)

lucero said:


> Good god! I have never seen the likes of that before. We want details!


go to Ridemonkey.com DH forum. search for 'Lahar'.


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## JediSith (Sep 11, 2004)

blue78 said:


> I'm just getting back into biking when time permits. I rode BMX in the 80's, but haven't been on a bike much in the last 12 years. I had acquired a bike with a Nexus hub years ago, but the frame was a little short for me & my knees (that aren't what they used to be). The plan was to get a taller frame and use all of the parts from the bike I already had since I was on a budget. At first, I was lost on what type of frame to even look for (being out of it for so long), but a few places like here brought me up to speed a little. Now, I think the only stuff left from the other bike is the rear wheel, tires, seat post, pedals, water bottle cage, and brake/shift levers. Most of the parts were had on eBay at good prices. I love the clean lines & simplicity of a singlespeed, but it's also nice for my knees to have some gears. There's still a bunch of things I want to do with it, but for now, at least I'm riding again.
> 
> 2007 Redline Monocog Flight (for 26" wheels)
> Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub, 18T & push-button shifter
> ...


I like the bike. Does the roller brake work well? Do you use v brake levers?


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## Boyonabyke (Sep 5, 2007)

My ride is a Work In Progress. Still waiting on a 38 tooth ring gear for the front, then the front derailleur is gone, along with the 44 tooth ring gear. Brand new 8 speed chain. Laced the rear hub myself, (a first) and got it close to finished tension, only to find out I botched the lace job, doing it French Lace instead of European Lace on the Mavic EN321 D. Got help from jeffj on final true, roundness and tension for a great wheel build worthy of this Clyde.

Picked up a Tiagra shorty for a tensioner, adjusted it full in to clean up the drive train line on the high gear side.










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The hub does take a while to break in, it does have some idiosyncracies, but it
shifts fast and smooth, like no other I've ridden.

Bike is pretty much Euro Spec'd save the Shimano pseudo tensioner, pedals and the SRAM cranks.


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## blue78 (Jul 7, 2008)

JediSith said:


> I like the bike. Does the roller brake work well? Do you use v brake levers?


Thanks. The roller brake is not the best. It's ok for relaxed biking; not for "spirited" biking. I like it when I'm putting around with the kids. Yes; V-brake levers. I wish a disc adaptor was readily available for the nexus hub.


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## Loewa (Sep 26, 2007)

Yes it worked very vell! In the first stage i don't understand what i am need. And ride 18 - 32,36 sometimes 22 , but was winter, studded tire and more, more snow - then and now 20-36 only - here, there and everywhere  
ps sorry from my bad russian english


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

biketuna said:


> xy9ine, WTF is that?????????? More details please. Who made it and price?


as mentioned earlier, its a lahar, built in nz by an eccentric by the name of aaron franklin. he's been building rohloff based carbon dh frames for a few years now (in very limited quantities), and this is the latest iteration. i believe he's built about 15 of these so far, but has run into personal / financial 'difficulties' recently, and the company seems to be currently defunct. it's a pretty neat bike; centralized mass / low cg, super low unsprung weight, stiff, decently light (despite the weighty rohloff - 37lbs as it sits), with amazing high speed stability / bump eating capabilities. the bomber drivetrain is icing; i'll be sad if i ever have to run a dangly dérailleur on a dh bike again. frame mounting the gearhub makes so much sense; i've ridden a buddy's wheel mounted rohloff dh bike previously, and that much mass at the end of the swingarm is definitely detrimental to handling & suspension performance. obviously i'm a big fan of gearbox bikes...


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

*And Hard Tail equals two IGB MTBs*

Finally found the time to finish my Alfine project. 
I'm running a 32/22 giving the equivalent of a 22/30 gear (frt ring=22T, rear cog=30T!). 
Took it out for a ride this am, gotta love IGH goodness in the morning. 
I even found an 185mm centerlock disc:


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## Cody Broken (Oct 28, 2006)

Nice build. Looks like a blast to ride.
Paint job should about anti-theft it.
Running that big ring until you get a bash?


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Yea, I have a 32T Surly SS chainring and a plastic bash guard on order. 
I am also going to try the grip shifter, I really like my I-M9 grip shifter. 
In a week or two, I'll strip the frame and do another natural project. 
With the Thudbauster and Alfine, I'm loving my hardtail again. 
I'm just not smart enough to keep a deraillieur running right :madman:


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## Monkeybike (Feb 25, 2008)

Here is mine:



















it was first fitted with an sturmey archer 8, sadly it didn't last very long. I have been using an alfine / trigger shifter since February and it is still going strong. it copes just fine with jumps, drops, dust, mud and dh in general.


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## xy9ine (Feb 2, 2005)

Monkeybike said:


> Here is mine:


cool frame. you build that yourself? very dark cycles / brooklyn - esque.


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## Monkeybike (Feb 25, 2008)

bikes do look soooooo much cleaner with a straight chain.



xy9ine said:


> cool frame. you build that yourself? very dark cycles / brooklyn - esque.


thanks. Yes, it is an all stainless steel homemade bike. a shame I haven't find the time to finish it properly (polish to shine).

this was the last modification to it:










a second shifter to down shift with your left thumb.


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## JediSith (Sep 11, 2004)

*Tandem Nexus*

This is my Schwinn 1960's tandem with a Nexus 8. Just built.

The Fork is a Trailblade


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## anthony.delorenzo (Aug 17, 2006)

*Alfine Pugsley*

First ride on the Alfine today, I ran singlespeed last winter. It handled a couple hours of snowy singletrack with no issues. I like. :thumbsup:




Running 33x22 gearing on 190 mm Profile Racing cranks.


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## fux (Oct 21, 2006)

I sort of proved a point a couple of weeks ago by winning a race onboard an Alfine...




























Now that winter is rapidly catching us up, I`ve had to park my commuter roady and Alfine is doing its duty on the 34km trip to work.


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## drewdoeboy (Apr 29, 2008)

This is the first time I have really seen anything like this. I have a 36 hole rim laying around. I guess its time to purchase a IGH!


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## Monkeybike (Feb 25, 2008)

I am getting ready my town bike soon, just looking for the right fork at the moment, I will be running an sturmey archer 8. can't wait to ride it to work everyday. 

have any of you with the suspension bikes have had any issues with the un-sprung weight?
I haven't. it could well be that I am a lousy rider so I haven't been able to notice.


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

Monkeybike said:


> have any of you with the suspension bikes have had any issues with the un-sprung weight?


I haven't really noticed the extra weight on my bike when riding, it's only when I pick it up to lift it through a gate or something that I really notice the extra weight.

My Alfine is still working great BTW.:thumbsup:


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

*Missfit DiSSent meets Alfine:*

I couldn't stand the chain tensioner on my Motobecane Fantom29er, so I bought a Missfit Dissent. All the parts swapped over just fine, took less than an hour to get up and running. This in not a lightweight, I like strong and un-breakable, hence the 4.6lb frame, Tora shock and Mavic 319 rims 

Check out the sliding vertical dropouts, perfect for an IGH hub. Also look at the gussets on the head tube, very beefy. I ordered it raw/disc only, no need to strip the paint off this baby!

Misfit DiSSent 19"
Tora 318 Solo Air 29er
Chris King HS
Eason Monkeylite bars
Shimano LX M580 175mm
32T Surly Stainless Steel Chainring
E13 Clear bash guard
Shimano M520 pedals
Mavic 319 rims
DT 2.0 spokes
Shimano XT 756 QR/Disc
Shimano Alfine 8-speed
Avid BB7 203mm/185mm
Shimano XT levers
Nexus grip shift
Thudbuster 27.2mm LT
Serfas DDMD-200
Kenda Karma 2.1


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

*Vassago Jabberwocky, meet i-Motion 9*

I had an extra rear wheel with SRAM's i-Motion 9 hub, very dangerous! My Outcast29 reverted back to a commuter with a Nexus 8/roller brake. I missed having an rigid 29er with IGH. I started looking around and decided it was time to try out a steel frame, perfect complement to the i-M 9. I arrived on the Vassago JB, ordered it from TRails-edge in MI. I received the 09 frame, has different gusset on headtube.

I love the simple look of this frame. The horizontal dropouts work well with an IGH, the adjusters are simple and effective. I had to go for the frame/fork combo, glad I did. This frame is ultra stable, reminds me of the early Ritchy frames, you could ride over a small log no hands, this frame is no different.

Vassago Jabberwocky 20"
Vassago Pitch Fork
Chris King HS
Misfit FU bars
FSA V-Drive Megaexo 175mm
34T Surly Stainless Steel Chain Ring
FSA Clear Bash Guard
Shimano M520 pedals
Mavic 319 rims
DT 2.0 spokes
Shimano XT 756 QR/Disc
SRAM i-Motion 
Avid BB7 203mm/185mm
Avid SD7 levers
SRAM grip shift
Thudbuster 27.2mm ST
Serfas DDMD-200
WTB Motoraptors 2.1


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

*Bone White, meet....*

...mud. This thing handles great. The Wet Cat geometery is my style, 71* head angle, 18" chainstays. Covers the single track w/style:


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## jdrds17 (May 8, 2006)

*Alfine committed to Asylum*

It started life as an eBay/parts bin rigid SS 29er last fall. I added the Alfine to the rigid frameset this summer, but that frame cracked shortly thereafter and I decided to go full suspension 29er - I've probably put 26" wheels behind me for good. I only have a couple rides with the Alfine on the Asylum, but so far so good.


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## bstrick (Nov 12, 2005)

Old bike new hub. Love it. I plan to use it as a long haul rig for next year with a few 50+ miles races which I attend because the courses are cool not because I stand to place. So far so good. 2 50+ days so far and about 300 miles. Can't say a bad thing about it yet. From a King hub to this is not quite the engagement but getting used to it. Might play with the 34x18 a bit for hard days but like it so far. Mud not a problem, shifting under pressure up hard climbs different, engagement different, not bad just got to acclimate. I hate those derailluuirrrsssisss thingys so this works great for me. More range than I would have thought and makes the commute to the trail a breeze. 
Happy shifting,
Con-vert!


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## bikeny (Feb 26, 2004)

*Alfine Black Sheep*

I posted a seperate thread about this bike, but figured I would add it here as well. Black Sheep custom Ti frame with extending chainstays and black 32h Alfine hub. I run singlespeed in the summer, but like some gears for the winter, and maybe some endurance events. Enjoy:


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

*29er Nexus All Weather Commuter*

My Motorbecane outcast 29er mutated to this:

Fork	Surly KM 29er
Headset	FSA
Bars	Titec Jones
Stem	Forte 90mm
Cranks	Shimano DX 175mm
Chainring	34T Surly Stainless Steel
Bash Guard	E13 Clear
BB	Shimano UL54 127mm
pedals	Wellgo SPD clipless/ platform
rims	Mavic 719
spokes	DT 2.0/1.8
frt hub	Shimano Dynamo 371 QR/Disc
rear hub	Nexus 8R35 8-speed
frt brake	Avid BB7 203mm
rear brake	Nexus roller drum
levers	Shimano XT
shifter	Alfine Trigger
seat post	Thudbuster 27.2mm ST
saddle	Serfas DDMD-200
tires	Kenda SB* or Michelin City
fender	planet bike 29er 65mm
rack	Surly

some pix outside in 10*F


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*Great Bike!*



pursuiter said:


> My Motorbecane outcast 29er mutated to this:
> 
> Fork	Surly KM 29er
> Headset	FSA
> ...


This is a VERY COOL BIKE! Thanks for posting it!


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## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

*The Cadillac*

Here's my Cadillac build.









Integrated torque tab:


















chainstay brake mount:









full length shrink tubing for brake hose and shifter cables:


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

finger51 said:


> Here's my Cadillac build.


Really sweet bike! :thumbsup:

Here's another pic of my on Sunday's frosty ride&#8230;


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## knobbly2.35 (Mar 19, 2007)




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## lesoudeur (Nov 3, 2005)

*Another Rohloff build*

Just changed to Magura Laurin forks (2008 spec). I keep saying that this project is finished


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*great lookin ride*

Nice RIde - What brand are the Fenders? ..they look look they work well!


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## lesoudeur (Nov 3, 2005)

*Another Rohloff build*

Thanks...they are the 2009 Cruds

https://www.crudproducts.com/


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## aaron37 (Sep 28, 2005)

this is my new intense socom, i have had the hub for about 4 years now and love it


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## Denis (Jan 7, 2004)

*Niners RIP 9 wth Rohloff*

I am just done with my Niner RIP 9 built, here it is.

I had built a One 9 this fall (see photos here) and after a few rides I realized that hardtails weren't for me anymore, so I got a RIP 9 frame and moved most of the stuff from the One 9 to the RIP 9 (save for the Lefty fork I used on the One 9, I switched to a Maverick DUC32 because I like the plushess of the DC32 better).

The usual thanks to the people who helped me make it happen: Mike at Universal Cycles who keep answering my silly questions and rush order stuff to that I can spend my week-ends building stuff, to Chris and Ethan at Maverick for all their advice on the DUC32 fork, Brian and Niners Bike for getting back to me within hours (my kind of bike company!) and all the folks on MTBR.com forums who answer my posts.

Here are a few pictures.

Merry Christmas to everyone.


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## thepimpmessiah (Apr 12, 2006)

My Nicolai Nucleon from 2004


























Still awesome.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Just sayin'*

I shot this for Neil at Cyclemonkey


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*We bought the Lenz/Rohloff*

for my son, Miguel. He rode it for a couple of months and just loves it. He will ride it at the Level 2 High School Racing Camp at Tamarancho this weekend. I'm sure he will get a lot of questions and lot of people will get to see it. He worked with Neil at Cyclemonkey (along with Thomas of Rohloff) during the summer and learned a lot about the hub and believes in it.

He will race it where he feels it is appropriate. It weighs in at 26.5 lbs. He will use his Specialized M2/9sp/XT/SID at 22 lbs on the flatter, dryer courses. I am hoping for a really nasty, sloppy, gritty race where the Rohloff will really shine. Whether it becomes his "race" bike or not I know it is a bike he really likes, he thinks is really special, and that is the most important thing.


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## Vulcan (May 22, 2004)

Horrible picture, but here is my 2008 Rig with an Alfine.


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## G-Live (Jan 14, 2004)

Vulcan said:


> Horrible picture, but here is my 2008 Rig with an Alfine.


As soon as I got to about the 3rd bike in this thread I thought to myself...self...I need a Rig frame to build with an Alfine. And bammm here is a great example of one.

typing "Rig" in ebay in a few moments.

G


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## BIGfatED (Apr 26, 2005)

*Sycip with Rohloff*

My hub is up for its first oil change and possibly a bit of gear tuning. I'm anxious to see how fresh oil improves the feel of the hub. This is the first maintenance I will have made to my drivetrain since the bike was built (over 6,000 miles ago). Have to dig it. :yesnod:

Cheers,
BFE


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## UN-COG-KNEE-TOE (Mar 7, 2008)

*Inglis Rohloff Bike*

Hello MOJO - That Inglis is VERY Clean looking - Very nice Job! The Rohloff Cabling is Great! ...Just curious what Brand of Bolt-On Skewers you are running? They look very Good!


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## mojo2396 (Jan 6, 2004)

Thanks.
Delta skewers if I recall...
nothing fancy to be sure, but they work very well.


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## saccades (Apr 4, 2009)

Frame: Prototype On-One Inbred 456EBB (there is another one out there somewhere)
Forks: Pace RC-41F





































Bit of a rescue job as i had gotten into this condition:


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## trail_junkie (Jul 12, 2007)




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## pillo-kun (Aug 22, 2008)

I gotta say wow... Now i dont know a thing about hub gears but are they taken from shimanos "trekking groups"? I mean the alfie hub? How does it compare to a conventionally equipped mtb? I need more input cuz i have a old steel fram that would love to be used again.


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## Thermo1 (Jul 19, 2007)

Cody Broken said:


> I wasn't going to say anything, but damn!
> 
> xy9ine, what is that thing? And please post action shots. I want to see that thing flying through the air or something.


Plenty of pics here:
http://www.laharbikes.com/Untitled_2.html


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## richdirector (Apr 25, 2007)

Carver ti 96er custom with Reba Forks
Stans tubeless front
Rohloff on Mavic XM819 Tubeless Back

Previous Rohloff bike was old 1990's GT Xizang in XC mode


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

trail_junkie, where did you get those axle nuts? are they aluminum?


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## trail_junkie (Jul 12, 2007)

biketuna said:


> trail_junkie, where did you get those axle nuts? are they aluminum?


http://www.actionvillage.com/AVI-BMX/bmx-bmx-parts-hubs-and-axle-nuts

They're made from 7075 aluminum alloy.


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## sgt_etool (May 5, 2009)

*Cool bike*



rockyuphill said:


> My Kona A in an environment it excels at (rare as it is in Vancouver).


Man, I like your bike very much..very simple and functional - straightforward equipment.

Makes me wanna convert from conventional to internal.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

My 1FG "Pimped"


Cannondale 1FG frame, , Super Fatty Headshock
RaceFace Next Carbon Crankset
Speedplay Frog Pedals
DT 240 front hub
Rohloff Speedhub rear hub
Mavic 717 rims
Hope Mono Mini F/R brakes
RaceFace X/Y post
Easton EC90 XC Composite Bar
Brooks Swift Titanium Saddle


----------



## OldMTBfreak (Apr 8, 2006)

Here's my 05 Titus ML Ti
Fox Talas fork 15mm QR
XTR 15mm hub
DHX 5 rear shock
XTR 952 crank with aftermarket spider (uses 104 rings)
XTR 952 BB
All Ti bolts
Titec Ti handlebar
And the Rohloff hub with 40X16 gearing
Rohloff chain guide
Rohloff tensioner FS bikes got to have a tensioner because the chain slacks when the suspension compresses.
Weight is 32 pounds

I didn't know if I was going like the Rohloff. Once I figured out how to shift, I love it. I'm thinking about buying another one for my road tandem.


----------



## matty1802 (Jan 17, 2008)

Here's mine, Genesis iO ID, can't wait to get out and ride her :thumbsup:


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

*Santa Cruz Blur LT1*

Posted in a couple places.

I've been running a 1X9 (30X11-34) for over a year and wanted to try something new.
I wanted new wheels anyway so I did some research and had the wheels built at www.Harriscyclery.com. http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/shimano-nexus.html#8
Found some 28mm wide 409 gram rims, 26" Velocity Blunts.
I had the front laced up 3X to my American Classic Hub with DT supercomps and brass nipples. I had the rear laced up 3X on a new Alfine Hub with DT supercomps and brass nipples. 
The bike weighed 24.7 pounds before the internal hub and now weighs 27.7 pounds. I had to use a Surly Singleator because of all the chain growth through the suspension travel. 
I made the chain as short as I could without binding up the suspension. 36 tooth chain ring in front and 22 tooth in the rear. Very close to my 30X11-34. I have 2 rides on it so far. 
I like it but I'm still getting use to the extra weight in the rear. I do jump with the bike but only 3 or 4 foot drops. All the drops have smooth landings.


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## fraal (Mar 19, 2009)

*My new Alfined HT!*

Just finished it this weekend!

Went on the first ride yesterday, and conquered the biggest hill in Hobart, no worries! That was with 32 chainring -> 22 sprocket. I'm considering replacing the 22 with a 20 permanently for some better downhill gearing.

Not 100% satisfied at the moment, there was some skipping, particularly in 5th gear, when I was using the 22T sprocket. I put the 20T on today to see if it made any difference, and now it's perfect - don't know what's happening. I might consider starting a new thread about it if the 22 still skips. And yes, the yellow marks were lined up in 4th!

More pics to come when I find a more photogenic location!

Cheers,
Alex.


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## brianko (Jan 27, 2008)

I'm humbled by the high coolness factor of the bikes here. I'm a recent IGH convert, after becoming somewhat disillusioned with the alleged allure of SS. At any rate, he's my small contribution to the thread: My '07 Fisher Rig, fitted with a Shimano 8-speed SG-S501, 32/20, pretty much everything else stock. Couldn't be happier.


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## gsmarcano (Mar 23, 2009)

Wow, been thinking about internal hub for a mountain bike for a long time, didn't know so many of you all were already doing it, see what goin back to school does for staying in the "know". I'm gonna switch ASAP. Good stuff guys and girls!


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## collideous (Jul 1, 2006)

My wife's bike: a mix of old and new & a mix of 26 and 29 inches.


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## Jesse Smith (Feb 3, 2009)

*is an outsider allowed?*

Not a mtb, but certainly inspired by this forum. 
specs-'98 Fuji Touring frame/fork, Mavic A319 rear rim, Shimano Nexus hub, Velocity Synergy rim, Shimano XT hub, Wheelsmith DB14 spokes, TTT Motus stem, Nitto Noodle bars, Cane Creek brake levers, Sugino Messenger crankset, Time ATAC pedals, Bontrager seatpost, San Marco Rolls saddle, Phil Wood bottom bracket, Nitto lamp holder, Planet Bike computer, Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires, Cuisse Elite H2O cage, Pletscher rack, Arkel Tailrider bag, Planet Bike Cascadia fenders, Shimano BR-R500 brakes, Dura Ace cables and housing, Tange Levin headset, Dinotte 200L light, Cateye taillight, Jagwire in-line barrel adjuster.


----------



## rdhfreethought (Aug 12, 2006)




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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

Hammerschmidt and Alfine, East meets West!, very nice :thumbsup:


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## krolik (Jun 9, 2006)

*To see what works for me*


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## miggy (Nov 25, 2008)

*IGH arrramma*

folks loving thos IGH's :thumbsup: , 
I hear that on full sus bikes they can make the ride feel odd and be prone to flats due to the amount of unspring weight in the rear wheel anyone got any feed back on this. I am seriously considering a IGH with a carbon belt drive,

anyone know if you can use belt driv with a hammershmit?

going through to many XT chain rings chains and cassets $$££$$££$


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

no flats for me. I'm running ghetto tubeless also.
2007 santa cruz LT


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

I think it would take a far larger weight increase than switching to an IGH setup to cause an increase in flats, if it did then just put more pressure in the rear tire...


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## krolik (Jun 9, 2006)

I have had no flats in two years - std drivetrain or igh. I use std tires on tubeless rims or ghetto.
I'd say the weight increase is far more improtant to the responsiveness over small stuff than to flats. Nothing that cannot be tuned with the compression/rebound on a good shock but noticible.


----------



## steven1955 (Apr 8, 2009)

*Soul Dillinger with Alfine*

Hi folks,

Thought you'd be interested in seeing my newly built Soul Diilinger 2nd generation with an Alfine hub. But first you have to read my short story.

So I was laid off from my engineering job of 30 years. I'm not ready to retire, but until I'm employed I needed to fill the time, and I'd rather be active.
(30 years in a desk job has taken it's toll.)
So I decided to build a trail bike to replace my 80s vintage Lotus Pegasus.
(Obviously I don't ride off road much if my Pegasus is still rideable.)
I figure if I don't get into the off road road thing I can turn it into a commuter.

I had three fixed criteria for my trail bike: it was to be a 29er, have disk brakes, and an internally geared hub.
(I had a 60s vintage 5 speed Sturmey Archer. I loved the internal gears, but there were problems in the design, and when the bike was stolen the 5 speed hubs were discontinued.)
I was hoping to afford a front suspension fork, but didn't want the complication of a full suspension bike.

So, after lurking and doing research for months I decided on the Soul Dillinger because mildly blemished frames were available at a steep discount.
(Now I can afford the front suspension fork.)
It also has an EBB to ease wheel alignment and chain tensioning, and seemed to be liked by heavier riders (I'm 210).
So here are a few pics.
























The build, or at least the major components: 
Soul Dillinger generation 2 frame, medium, in GREEN
Rockshox Reba Race 2010 with Pushloc
Shimano SG-S501 hub with Rapidfire shifter
BB7 brakes
Stans flow rims
Geax Saugaro TNT tires with Kenda tubes

So far I've only ridden the neighborhood, proving that my biking muscles are way out of shape, and that the build needs some fine tuning on the ergonomics.

But I don't think I'll ever have derailliers on a bike again. This Alfine is everything that 60s era Sturmey Archer 5 speed should have been.


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## DerailleursSuck (Aug 6, 2009)

I am using the Shimano Alfine 8-speed with a Schlumpf mountain drive, 53T chainring and 23T rear cog. I like it a lot; I get all kinds of low range to climb hills and more high range than I can use.
I started out on an Iron Horse Maveric 4.5 full suspension frame...this was heavy, and it made me mad to have to leave the rear derailleur on to use as a chain tensioner.
I recently stepped up to a Klein Mantra frame - it is AWESOME! Much lighter, and the bottom bracket is part of the swingarm, so no chain tensioner is needed. I haven't been on a trail yet with it, but on the street it rides like a Cadillac...and my average speed went up about 1 mi/h.

They Hayes hydraulic brakes were tricky to figure out an effective method for bleeding, but I think I have it down now...they seem to work quite well (these were an upgrade for me that came with the Klein frame...was using entry level Shimano mechanical disc calipers that came with the Iron Horse).

I haven't taken pictures yet, because I have a few more components to mount - Odysee full suspension rear rack (with B&M taillight mounted to it), and I have a much stronger rear wheel yet to build. I got a DT FR600 rim and DT Alpine III triple butted spokes....I figure I won't break any more spokes with this setup.

Here's my complete setup:
2000 Klein Mantra
Schlumpf Mountain Drive
Shimano Alfine SG-S500 8-Speed Hub
Shimano DH-3D71 Dynohub
Dual Bush & Muller IQ Cyo Senso front lights
Busch & Muller DToplight Senso Multi rear light
53T Chainring, 23T rear cog
NO DERAILLEURS or chain tensioner
Fox Float 100mm rear shock
Manitou Black 80/100mm fork
Crank Brothers Mallet C clipless pedals
Brooks Flyer saddle
Sigma Sport BC1606L wired computer
Hayes Nine hydraulic disc brakes
Odysee full suspension rear rack
JANDD rack mount trunk bag


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## bstrick (Nov 12, 2005)

bstrick said:


> Old bike new hub. Love it. I plan to use it as a long haul rig for next year with a few 50+ miles races which I attend because the courses are cool not because I stand to place. So far so good. 2 50+ days so far and about 300 miles. Can't say a bad thing about it yet. From a King hub to this is not quite the engagement but getting used to it. Might play with the 34x18 a bit for hard days but like it so far. Mud not a problem, shifting under pressure up hard climbs different, engagement different, not bad just got to acclimate. I hate those derailluuirrrsssisss thingys so this works great for me. More range than I would have thought and makes the commute to the trail a breeze.
> Happy shifting,
> Con-vert!


RIP poor Voodoo. I broke a bar in the middle of a tech section and ended up breaking most everything on the bike including myself. After the ER, stitches, and looking at my frame's status I realized that almost everything was done. Great rig but just not up to par on my style of riding( Alpine). So I upgraded.


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## bstrick (Nov 12, 2005)

bstrick said:


> RIP poor Voodoo. I broke a bar in the middle of a tech section and ended up breaking most everything on the bike including myself. After the ER, stitches, and looking at my frame's status I realized that almost everything was done. Great rig but just not up to par on my style of riding( Alpine). So I upgraded.


OBTW, It's now fitted with my Alphine.


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## XaviersDad (Nov 20, 2005)

*Like your setup - need help with mine*

I really like your setup.i bought a Monocog 29er off craigslist and want to do exactly what you did by adding a Nexus 8 speed hub. A few questions:

What size chainring are you using in the front? I'm looking to add a 44T, but the alignment with the hub isn't right.

What cog size are you using on yuor Nexus hub?

What are the black ties you are using to keep the cable to the hub in place?

I intend to use this bike as my commuter (9.5 miles) with only highway overpasses to deal with. My LBS suggested I stop my build and buy a commuter bike. I believe I'm close to finishing my bike, but may need to buy a smaller chainring since the 44T may rub if I install it to the inner side of the spider crank. Any advice is appreciated.


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## steven1955 (Apr 8, 2009)

Well Xavier's dad, in case you're asking about my green Soul Cycles Dillinger 29er, here are my answers:


> What size chainring are you using in the front? I'm looking to add a 44T, but the alignment with the hub isn't right.


I'm using a 32 tooth chainring with bash guard as supplied as part of a Race Face Evolve single speed crankset.


> What cog size are you using on your Nexus hub?


I was using a 20 tooth mainly because the EBB supplied by Soul Cycles with the frame couldn't tension the chain with a 22 tooth cog without a half link, which I didn't have. But I like the 20 tooth, so the 22 tooth will not get used. I currently have an 18 tooth cog to ride some rail to trails, and perhaps a 16 tooth would be better. A different EBB with more adjustment may be in my future.

If I were to convert my Dillinger to a commuter I would probably run 32/16. 


> What are the black ties you are using to keep the cable to the hub in place?


They are just black UV resistant cable ties. After make all changes to the stem and bars and settle on the final cable routing I'll likely clean up the tie wrap installation.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

XaviersDad said:


> What size chainring are you using in the front? I'm looking to add a 44T, but the alignment with the hub isn't right.
> 
> What cog size are you using on yuor Nexus hub?
> 
> What are the black ties you are using to keep the cable to the hub in place?


- Why run a 44? You can get a 16T rear cog, you can run a 32, 34, 36 or 38 front chainring and choose a rear cog that give a nice range. 
Otherwise, run the 44 on the outside with a 22T rear cog, turn the cog's dish outward and your chainline will be close.

- Zip Ties?


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## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

Here is the bike I always wished Cannondale would build. They dont however, so I did;


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

That is a sweeeeet ride (even with that weird ass fork)!!!

Drew


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## ratty2k (Oct 29, 2007)

My Swift:



























Changed it a little, gone back to the Salsa 17 deg bars looks so much neater at the front now:thumbsup: and is still comfy


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## MetaOrbit (Jun 28, 2009)

My greenway bike:



















It's a Mongoose Sabrosa Single Speed with a few upgrades:

- Oury Lock-on Grips
- Avid BB7s front and rear
- Avid Speed Dial 7 levers
- Shimano Alfine SL-500 shifter
- Shimano SG-S501 Alfine hub laced into a Velocity Dyad Rim


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## Canadian 007 (May 16, 2009)

This might be a stupid question, but I'm sort of new to this. 

When buying a hub, do you have it laced with the rest of your wheel at your LBS?

I want to build an internal geared bike, but don't really know where to start. I'm just reading as much as I can right now. Truthfully my LBS just tries to sell me whats on the floor, not really helpful at all.


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## munisano (May 7, 2008)

Kris Holm / Schlumpf Innovations Internally Geared Unicycle Hub (on Kris Holm 24" Off Road Unicycle). Two gears: 1:1 and 1:1.5. That is in 1:1.5 gear one complete revolution of the cranks turns the wheel 1 1/2 times. Shift on the fly by tapping the mushroom buttons wear the cranks attach to the hub. Right side button is the up-shift (1:1.5), left side button is the down shift (1:1 gear). Super fun!


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## Canadian 007 (May 16, 2009)

When buying a hub, do you buy a wheel as well & have the LBS lace it up?

I'm doing research now to build my own 1x8 bike. I don't want to buy parts that won't work together. How did you guys learn all this? Trial and error?


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## MetaOrbit (Jun 28, 2009)

Canadian 007 said:


> When buying a hub, do you buy a wheel as well & have the LBS lace it up?
> 
> I'm doing research now to build my own 1x8 bike. I don't want to buy parts that won't work together. How did you guys learn all this? Trial and error?


People do it different ways. Some do everything through the LBS, some get parts and take the rest of the job to the LBS, some do everything at home. I think what you do depends on how much you know, how much you want to spend, and your relationship with your LBS.

In my alfine install, my experience went like this:

-Bought a wheel already laced up with an Alfine hub (did this because the price I got on it was less than the generally-accepted price for an Alfine hub alone)
-Was going to get the rest of the parts through my LBS (Small parts kit, cog, shifter) but had some PayPal gift certificates and used those toward those parts.
-Took my bike and the parts to my LBS, and had them set everything up, paid the labor, done.

Whether the parts work together depends on what hub you're going to use. You'll need a compatible shifter for your hub. You'll need a frame with the correct spacing for the hub you intend to use, and if you're going to get a hub laced up, you need to make sure you're getting the correct size rim for your application.

I'm sure there's a lot there that I didn't say, but I'm relatively a n00b myself, and that's what I gathered through lots of searching here, Google, and bikeforums.net.


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## unplannedismounts (May 7, 2009)

*MUni!*

Here's my custom internal hub MTB, or rather MTU! 

Goodies include:

Schlumpf/Kris Holm Mountain Unicycle 2 speed hub (1:1, 1:1.5)
custom milled dual hole cranks
custom handlebar
Magura HS33 brake
Speedplay Drillium pedals
tubeless Duro 3.0" 
KH frame

I've also had the Schlumpf hub in a 29" and 36". Having it in the 24" is by far the most fun for off road riding, love it! :thumbsup: 
https://unplannedismounts.com/category/unicycle-reviews/schlumpf-hub/


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## Markenduro (Oct 19, 2008)

Here's mine, on-one ti29er with alfine hub. Loving it so far.


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## Age (Oct 21, 2009)

https://img132.imageshack.us/i/mg6961.jpg/


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## 2xPneu (Jan 26, 2004)

MM/Rolly


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## bstrick (Nov 12, 2005)

I will throw up a pic with hub in the future, I can't seem to delete the photo I thought was going to be one with all the shifters and junk.


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## glennsmooth (Aug 24, 2009)

Scott Ransom 40 with Alfine + Hammerschmidt. I highly recommend.


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## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

Nice setup!!


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## thepimpmessiah (Apr 12, 2006)

Alfine + Schmit = Interesting:thumbsup: 

Thats a lot of chain to have dangling around... would you not be better off with different tensioner?


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

remove 2 links, it looks great


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

*Just Completed Project*







Just completed project -- IGH full suspension GT
Avid cable disks
WTB Rims
Fox Float rear
Rockshox Front Shock
Nexus Gripshift
Alfine IGH
DMR Tension Seeker Chain Tensioner
18T rear sprocket, 32T chainring
Going to make a few changes to improve.
Rides good


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

Very nice…I really miss my Alfine, so much fun to use.


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

What happened to your Alfine EGF ?


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

I sold the Trance and got two 29ers, one is a rigid SS which is what I’m using as a winter bike now. The Alfine was great, I just didn’t like 26in wheels any more...


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Maybe I'll end up going the same way one day.


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## markyboy1980 (Sep 20, 2008)

My new to me 2005 Gary Fisher Rig... Now with added Alfine of course...


























Bought the bike a few weeks ago (pretty much stock GF Rig SS), junked the brakes and fitted Shimano, then bought the Alfine hub and got building... Shifter finally turned up after a delay this morning, so fitted it all and just taken it for a spin up and down the road to check it all works! Can't wait to get it offorad...


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Nice...,
Welcome to the club.


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## wyatt79m (Mar 3, 2007)

love it


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## richdirector (Apr 25, 2007)

*Ti Bride - Carver 96er with Rohloff*









Carver Custom 96er - sliding OEM dropout
Rohloff Rear Hub on Mavic XM819's
XTR cranks
Front Stans 29er tubeless wheel with Reba Forks.
Brakes XTR disc front XTR rim rear
Thompson Seatpost / Ritchey WCS seat / Ritchey WCS stem
Easton XC90 bar

Need to weigh it but prob 27lbs.
Going to buy / try a 650b wheel in front


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## hygieneboy (May 25, 2009)

Here's my Alfine equiped 700c mountain bike with road tires( Giant Seek Zero )

It rides and shifts like a dream.:thumbsup:


----------



## hygieneboy (May 25, 2009)

A few more pics


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## hygieneboy (May 25, 2009)

:thumbsup: Too bad it's pouring rain outside right now ;(


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Nice looking ride -- reminds me of Mongoose Sabrosa with alfine equiped. 
I see your suspension seatpost -- how about putting some suspension forks up front ?
:thumbsup:


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## irrah (Dec 18, 2008)

Winter commuter :


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## That Geo Guy (Apr 14, 2008)

irrah: What are you using for a shifter?

Nice bikes. I'm converting my commuter bike to Alfine and the idea of using it for MTB applications seems absolutely awesome.


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## irrah (Dec 18, 2008)

That Geo Guy said:


> irrah: What are you using for a shifter?
> 
> Nice bikes. I'm converting my commuter bike to Alfine and the idea of using it for MTB applications seems absolutely awesome.


Hi,

Jtek bar-end shifter and DIY mounting bracket.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Santa's Rohloff Revealed!*

He made Neil at Cyclemonkey promise not to open this until Christmas. We figured he's pretty busy right now and who's gonna squeal? The round red thing? It's not Rudolph but an electric assist using a plug-in charger. It is limited to 20 mph by a governor. A loaded sled gets pretty heavy.

Merry Christmas!


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

Mike what are the wires running to the mounting bracket of the motor for? I see that they are also connected to an old style cable hanger, and look like they are attached to the topmost seatstay.

Drew


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## E_1 (Feb 10, 2007)

*SS rohloff*

That's my
Intense SS


----------



## Speedub.Nate (Dec 31, 2003)

dru said:


> ...what are the wires running to the mounting bracket of the motor for?


I was curious, too. They're used to tension the drive chain. Here's the install instructions:

http://cleverchimp.com/products/stokemonkey/support/installation/


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

Loved putting it together, and love riding it. Still working onthe cockpit setup


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Those new laser etch hubs are really nice.....


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

fokof said:


> Those new laser etch hubs are really nice.....


yeah, the anodizing is great too....pity it's all dirty now. At least it cleans well...:thumbsup:


----------



## Project2501 (Apr 7, 2006)




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## houndsbourgh (May 15, 2004)

Surly 1x8


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## holmestim (Jan 30, 2004)

My Cove G Spot with Rohloff:










And an Inbred 456:


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## richdirector (Apr 25, 2007)

Do you swap wheels or do you have 2 rohloffs?


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## holmestim (Jan 30, 2004)

Wheels, cranks, brakes, shifter and bars all get swapped. Two Rohloffs would just be gratuitous.


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## Clint Burke (Aug 18, 2007)

*Sweet G Spot!*

How did you manage the chain tension on your G Spot- halflinks?


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## holmestim (Jan 30, 2004)

36:16 happens to be a magic ratio, good strong chain and it's been trouble free.

I used this tool to work out what ratios would work: click here


----------



## thasingletrackmastah (Nov 15, 2005)

My Alfined Inbred.


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## krolik (Jun 9, 2006)

here's our demo


----------



## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

*Scott Endorphin's been Rohloffed*

So after years of indecision about the Rohloff here is my finished product.


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## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

justilew said:


> So after years of indecision about the Rohloff here is my finished product.


Let me be the first to say that this looks fantastic!!!


----------



## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

*Rohloff Raleigh*

Bought a used Rohloff hub this past winter, had Cyclemonkey in Albany CA do some work on it and build up the wheel. The bike is finally coming together, though I am looking at possibly changing out the 38t chain ring to a 40t. Before the IGH, had added the carbon fork, Thomson seat post and BB7s. So far great fun, though still need to do some trail test rides.


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## markyboy1980 (Sep 20, 2008)

Ended up turning my Gary Fisher Rig (pictured earlier in this thread) into an On One Inbred 29er in the end... Found the Rig a bit too long, and a bit too Aluminium for my tastes, so bought a Purple Inbred frame... And since I built it up, it's been my most ridden bike for sure. I absolutely love it!



















Since the photos were taken, I have serviced the forks and upped them to 100mm of travel, which has made the bike handle even better and means it can now be ridden down things like you would a 26" wheeled DH bike, it's that confidence inspiring!


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## matty1802 (Jan 17, 2008)

Wow markyboy1980 thats a great on one very nice!


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## Project2501 (Apr 7, 2006)

New frame same Rohloff.


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## TimT (Jan 1, 2004)

Its in the works. Started off as a Raleigh XXIX. With some extensive mods its now a Alfine 8 with a belt drive.

















Build thread here https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=617192

After I get back from vacation in a couple of weeks I'm getting it painted. And its going on a diet.

Tim


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

I think my bike is the oldest with an internal hub. 1936 Ohio built Mercury with a Nexus 8/rollerbrake rear and a Sturmey drum up front.


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## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

*Wow...*

Tim, read through your build thread, amazing, you are one capable/prepared guy. I didn't buy my XXIX with the thought of putting an IGH on it, though I had been checking out Rohloff hubs for a while. Took the plunge, bought a used one, knowing the XXIX with the EBB would allow the set up to be strait forward. The back end is definitely heavy... looking forward to seeing your painted build.


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

sandmag....lots of nice details on that frame. great to see it up and running.


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Nice frame/bike - well done.
Only thing I might like different are the pedals.


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## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

+3 on the sweet build sandman... it's cool to see an example of a vintage frame build, helps me see where some contemporary designers are drawing inspiration from.


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## TimT (Jan 1, 2004)

Everett
Oh how i want a Speed Hub.... but no money . Maybe I can sell one of the kids...I'm not recomending a belt drive/ Alfine combo for MTB use unless you really like pain. Don't get me wrong the bike rides great its just with such a narrow chain line and the pain of getting it to work right. I hope the Alfine 11 is better.

Sandmangts
I so like that bike. That rear wish bone and chain tensioners are so rad.

Tim


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## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

I liked the idea of using a carbon belt drive in conjunction with the Rohloff, but never seriously considered it as an option. If I was going that route, my route would have been to get a carbon belt drive compatible frame, I don't have the metal working knowledge/tools/access to tools that you have. Also, the Rohloff purchase and then disc brake conversion/wheel build already cost enough money. I see the Rohloff as a long term investment, the Raleigh edition is the first of hopefully a few builds.

FWIW, I bought the hub off of eBay, seems to be fine. There was a speedhub that recently sold on eBay for ~$900, disc brake ready, built into a (touring) wheel, though it had a bolt on axle. If you don't mind buying used, might be something to look at.


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## alanm (Sep 2, 2009)

*Here's Mine....*

From new to recent in it's various forms...

Enjoy,

Al


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## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

alanm said:


> From new to recent in it's various forms...
> 
> Enjoy,
> 
> Al


wow. looks like you're in for some epic trips with that rig. jealous.

/not jealous for the reason you wear that hat though. I hate flies.


----------



## rdhfreethought (Aug 12, 2006)

Sweet solar setup you've got there. Any details?


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## alanm (Sep 2, 2009)

rdhfreethought said:


> Sweet solar setup you've got there. Any details?


Mate,

It's a 20W panel that feeds into a 12 AH PS series Century deep cycle sealed lead acid battery. I don't bother with a regulator as I have a Panasonic Tough Book coupled to it 90% of the time. I also charge the satellite phone and camera batteries off it.

It all works well in high solar radiation situations but in our lower South West it sucks because the useful radiation is very low and sun hours per day drop off drastically. Not to mention alternating between shadow and sunlight in the forest.

For the above reason I'm now discussing having a brushless 100W generator made, I'm going to turn it into a front hub, the catching point is how to disconnect it when going uphill. ie I only want it generating when going downhill or on a flat with a tail wind as 100Watts is quite a resistance.

I have a manufacture in Melbourne who is quite prepared to give it a go for $750 AU.

Al


----------



## airspeed (Sep 6, 2007)

What a setup! How do you hang the panniers off your front fork?


----------



## alanm (Sep 2, 2009)

airspeed said:


> What a setup! How do you hang the panniers off your front fork?


Mate, simple really, because they're Maverick SC32's I have just used a pipe 'U' bolt type clamp. It's a bit close on the LHS looking from the front 'cuse the wheel has a minor offset....must fix it one day.....

EDIT.... Don't over tighten the 'U' clamps because it'll distort the fork housing.

Some pics for you.

By using the Mavericks it means the weight of the pannier load is not 'unsprung' weight. This means the suspension isn't having to pick up that weight on every bump it works on.

Al


----------



## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

*Weight Weenie Rohloff*

Here is my new weight weenie build around the Rohloff. Currently the bike complete weighs 22lbs which after I change the fork, seat post, saddle and pedals will be closer to 20-21lbs. I decided to circumvent the cable box(external shift mech) by glueing on some cables stops. The bike as a whole is very quick and responsive, an excellent race bike.


----------



## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

Long time coming, but here it is built.

2009 anodized Chameleon with Rohloff


----------



## othu (Aug 20, 2008)

Greetings from Germany, 2010 Gary Fisher Paragon, Custom build


----------



## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

justilew said:


> Here is my new weight weenie build around the Rohloff. Currently the bike complete weighs 22lbs which after I change the fork, seat post, saddle and pedals will be closer to 20-21lbs. I decided to circumvent the cable box(external shift mech) by glueing on some cables stops. The bike as a whole is very quick and responsive, an excellent race bike.


I can't see how you tension the chain...do you have a EBB?


----------



## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

*1939 Schwinn DX Retro-mod with Sturmey Archer 8-speed*

Finished the build today. Very happy with the results  
----------

Frame: 1939 Schwinn DX "Schwinn Ace", S/N: B21178 
Fork: NOS Tange TX-1200
Headset: NOS Tange MX-2
Stem: Ashtabula (1978)
Handlebar: 90's BMX cruiser Answer Alumilite 7075
Grips: Ritchey True Grips (contemporary)
Brake Levers: NOS/NIB 1987 Dia Compe AD 290 4-finger levers in grey 
Chain: KMC BMX Z-chain in silver
Cranks: 175mm TA ProVis 5 anniversary edition with retro stickers
Chainring: TA 30T
Bottom Bracket: Tange 68x122.5 with TruVativ bottom bracket adapter (both contemporary)
Pedals: NOS MKS BMX-7
Rims: Araya 7C 26x1.75. NOS silver, stripped and re-anodized red
Hubs: Sturmey Archer X-RD8(W) rear; X-FD front
Tires: Cheng Shin C693 26x2.125
Saddle: Brooks B-72 w/ chrome rails
Seatpost: Custom turned solid 6061, clear anodized 
Seatpost Binder: Campy

Weight: 38 lbs of klunker fun

----------


----------



## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

That is seriously cool, thanks for posting!


----------



## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

J_Westy said:


>


Awesome build! well done.

Can you tell me about the torque arm clamp, is it a Sturmey Archer part?


----------



## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

RipRoar said:


> Awesome build! well done.
> 
> Can you tell me about the torque arm clamp, is it a Sturmey Archer part?


Thanks!

No, I couldn't find a 1" brake arm clip, so I fashioned this out of a MX BMX hinged seatpost clamp.


----------



## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

Really liking these vintage rebuilds, sweet rig! What kind of budget range is a person looking at for such a project?


----------



## Gregg K (Jan 12, 2004)

WOW.

That is authentic retro to the nth degree. A beautiful representation of the beginning of this sport. 

I can't stop looking.


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

> I can't see how you tension the chain...do you have a EBB?


Yes, I have an EBB from Forward Components.


----------



## robertaka (Jul 9, 2010)

*Alfine Foes FXR*

Just completed build......



















Now for the ride.


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

Everett37 said:


> Really liking these vintage rebuilds, sweet rig! What kind of budget range is a person looking at for such a project?
> 
> 
> J_Westy said:
> ...


The budget was more than my wife probably cares to know about, but I think I have around $1.3k into it or so... a klunker build really tends to nickel-and-dime you.

But I smile every time I ride it :thumbsup:

Keep on klunkin'


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## sandmangts (Feb 16, 2004)

Everett37 said:


> Really liking these vintage rebuilds, sweet rig! What kind of budget range is a person looking at for such a project?


I will break it down for you:
1936 Mercury Frame + Fork = $65
Wheels/ Nexus hub with shfter = $449
Skull Skates bar = $90 shipped
Cranks = $160
Tires $50
Used pedals $50
Brooks saddle $60
Alloy rod seatpost $15 
Stem $15
Chain $21
Powder coat $75
Magura Levers free
Bottom bracket adaptor $15
Parts i bought that I did not use in the end $150

In the end I spent about $1250 maybe a bit more, I ride this bike every day to and from work and even on the trails. It can be done much cheaper if you are patient. I am doing another using mostly original parts that should come out much cheaper. I am working on getting a Schwinn DX like J's that will probably cost alot more.

Is it practical? No. Is it fast? Not really. Is it fun? Hell yes! Is it comfy? Oh yeah. Does it totally kick ass and make me smile like a kid everytime I ride it? Yep!

These bikes aren't for everyone but I have taken this thing on all my local trails and I have yet to find anything it can't handle.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

Its finally built and Im really loving the Rohloff. Definitely takes some getting used too initially but Im a believer now! Thanks to all who answered my many questions!


----------



## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

welcome to the club...we get attached to our Rohloff's!


----------



## BJKremer (Jul 26, 2007)

My new 29er inbred with alfine. Love it. Fits me nicely and love the shifting of the Alfine. Looking forward to the new 11 speed model.


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## Everett37 (Oct 22, 2008)

J_Westy and Sandmangts, thanks for the budget info (particularly the detailed breakdown)... I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for a vintage frame, but such a build is a long ways out for me. At the rate I'm going, my Rohloff Raleigh (considering the weight) is sort of my 'klunker' build... funds are limited for another IGH bike at this point. Keep Cruisin'! Everett37


----------



## MHC (Oct 23, 2009)

2006 Marin Wolfridge








2009 Cove G Spot








2010 SC Chameleon








I've got a nice 27 speed bike but don't use it much :thumbsup:


----------



## Clint Burke (Aug 18, 2007)

*Chain tension*

MHC,
How did you manage the chaintension on your G-spot?
Thanks,
Clint


----------



## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

2009 Surly 1x1 11th Anniversary Edition, Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub, 24"x2.5" Large Marge rims, 24"x3" Arrow Racing Wide Bite tires:


----------



## MHC (Oct 23, 2009)

Clint - magic ratio of 38/16 & change the chain to the Chameleon when it wears to the point that it touches the chainstay @ around 700 miles.


----------



## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

MHC said:


> 2010 SC Chameleon


Like this a lot. Very similar in concept and build to my chameleon










Why have you kept the mech hanger on there though?!


----------



## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

Hey, Leopold, what kind of lights are those?


----------



## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

finch2 said:


> Hey, Leopold, what kind of lights are those?


Home made. Brighter than necessary, just as they look in the daytime. Take a trip over to the DIY Lights forums section.


----------



## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

ahh, I am new to the diy thing. I had a quick scan a while ago and am messing with the 3 cree from Lux-rc. I'll have a closer look....I like what you've done there.


----------



## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Scott Sportster Customized
3-Speed Nexus Disc Hub
Nexus Gripshift
Shimano Hydro Disc brakes
Suntour NRX air fork with lockout.
Suspension Seatpost.
Scwalbe Land Cruiser tyres
WTB 700c rims
Truvativ Crank 
Truvativ Handlebars.
Rides great offroad and onroad.
Reasonably light.
3 speed enough gear range for my riding. 
Better than singlespeed for me.


----------



## nicknoxx (May 25, 2008)

*My new bike - 50th birthday present*

Here's my new bike:


----------



## btl68 (Nov 18, 2010)

sandmangts said:


> I think my bike is the oldest with an internal hub. 1936 Ohio built Mercury with a Nexus 8/rollerbrake rear and a Sturmey drum up front.


Looks good!

We are close (age-wise)...Pre-war LaSalle-badged Schwinn with a 7-speed Nexus hub, coaster-brake style.


----------



## ramaloji (Feb 28, 2008)

*ramaloji chain tensioner*

my proyect chain tensioner


















my last soluiton


----------



## Climbercraig66 (Oct 16, 2010)

*Kona Explosif/Rohloff*

I just built up my new Kona Explosif frame last night. Pretty happy with it! I was told that all 2011 frames would be metallic blue (not very excited about that), but they shipped the wrong frame to the store, and I insisted that they not send it back. I guess it is a team color or some kind of one-off.

BTW, anybody know where to get Rohloff-specific sliding dropouts? I had to modify the Speedbone and remove the tug-bolts to make it work. Also could do a Monkey Bone adapter, but it looks like everybody is sold out.

And while we are at it, any recommended pannier racks out there you guys like? I'm worried about heel-strike with the short chain stays.








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----------



## richdirector (Apr 25, 2007)

Climber Craig
Nice bike

Try Carver Bikes for sliding dropout - cant see them on the site at mo but he definately does them - mine were ti but think he does steel too http://www.carverbikes.com/Pricing/

Just email him


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

paragon make them too, but the issue you have is to find ones that are compatible with your frame. If the sliders aren't made by Kona, likely they are paragon. Look up paragon machine works, and ask them if they know if they will fit, or ask Kona.


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## Climbercraig66 (Oct 16, 2010)

:thumbsup: Thanks Rich and Finch. I'll look into both those options and see what I can find.


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

Hey Climbercraig66, where did you get those 90deg noodles coming out of the external gear box? are those just your basic noodles or did you need something specific. 

I want to do the same to my setup.


----------



## Climbercraig66 (Oct 16, 2010)

Yep, just your standard V-brake noodles. I learned that trick from seeing it on someone elses ride here on the board. 

I think that is the best position for the cable box, and the noodles sure help to get rid of that 90 degree turn. I'm not a big fan of the "under the chainstay" mounts because they seem more prone to damage and also would be constantly blasted with crap from the front wheel spray.


----------



## HughF (Dec 6, 2010)

My 2nd hand 2008 Genesis iOiD:










Chuffed to bits with it


----------



## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Climbercraig66 said:


> Yep, just your standard V-brake noodles. I learned that trick from seeing it on someone elses ride here on the board.


I posted that trick 3 years ago.
One thing worth mentioning , it's a good idea to add heat shrink tubing at the junction of the noodle and cable , it prevents elements to contaminate.
See photo


----------



## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

fokof said:


> I posted that trick 3 years ago.
> One thing worth mentioning , it's a good idea to add heat shrink tubing at the junction of the noodle and cable , it prevents elements to contaminate.
> See photo


probably would work well up on the shifter as well I imagine


----------



## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Yep , I did that too. :thumbsup:


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## Climbercraig66 (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks for the idea Fokof. 

And about the sliding Rohloff drops; I just ended up ordering a MoneyBone from CycleMonkey. Couldn't find anything on Carver Bikes and Paragon was a bit too $$. Gotta ease up on the bike budget this month.


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## Climbercraig66 (Oct 16, 2010)

Finally got some trail testing done during a weekend charity ride. The new bike is awesome! One word to describe it? Trustworthy. It does exactly what I tell it, when I tell it. My old full suspension bike would squat while cornering, squish while climbing and squirm on uneven tracks, all of which led to a slightly unpredictable ride. But the new bike is rock solid. I also enjoyed the lighter weight and better geometry, and was able to kill every climb, some of which I used to have trouble with on my old bike, even when I was in better shape. But being my first hardtail, I still gotta remember to get my butt off the seat when things get choppy.

I had some sense and mounted a new pair of SKS Beavertails before the ride. Got great coverage despite the fenders being largely unsupported. I like them because they don't look as goofy as clip-ons, but have just the right (for me) coverage and clearance for both commuting on the road during the week and doing backcountry rides on the weekends.

Stiffer fork spring, Ergon Grips, and Monkey Bone are in the mail. Life is good.







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## dilelladesigns (Jan 19, 2011)

*Chumba HX2 29er 3 Speed*

Chumba HX2 Frame
Rock Shox 120mm 20mm thru axle fork
shimano inter 3 disc hub, DMR 20mm thru front, double butted spokes red alloy nipples to orange velocity blunts
Red king head set
Crank bros joplin post
Shimano LX cranks salsa ring, custom polycarb bash
Shimano deore mechanical brake levers
avid BB7 7inch rotors
Custom Shifter of my own design, CNC'd parts inline barrel adj and open cable from the stop to the hub
tubeless with bontranger strips and stans


----------



## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

Nice


----------



## othu (Aug 20, 2008)

niner wfo9/rohloff from germany:


----------



## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

Thats a really nice Niner WFO build, congratulations. 

I am curious what size rear rotor and brake is that?


----------



## othu (Aug 20, 2008)

2011 Shimano Saint with 203/203 Trickstuff rotors (www.trickstuff.de <- small but tricky german bike parts/brakes company)


----------



## billysan (Oct 11, 2008)

othu said:


> niner wfo9/rohloff from germany:


Stunning!

How are you finding the reverb?


----------



## othu (Aug 20, 2008)

Reverb works great but I'm not currently sure if I need a retractable seat post...
I forget too often to push the trigger


----------



## cowboygrrl (Jan 20, 2011)

Just finished my build of my Pugsley with an Alfine 11 (cross post Surly/Fatbike)..


----------



## nicknoxx (May 25, 2008)

Nichetastic


----------



## Project2501 (Apr 7, 2006)

Rohloff Belt Drive
More info here


----------



## cowboygrrl (Jan 20, 2011)

Yesterday's ride.......rest stop.


----------



## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

Mine's a road bike but it gets off-road from time to time:-








[/URL] 11-01-27 Rohloff Enigma LHS by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr[/IMG]








[/URL] 11-01-27 Rohloff Enigma RHS by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr[/IMG]


11-01-27 Rohloff Enigma bars by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

Spec is:-
Enigma Excel frame
Kona P2 fork
Avid BB7s front and rear
Rohloff with Hubub mounted shifter
FSA shallow drop bars
Shimano brake levers
SON dyno front hub, Supernova E3 dyno and IQ Speed battery lights.
Mavic A317 disc wheels
Marathon Extreme 35mm tyres
Topeak rear rack

Since the photos were taken, the front rotor has been changed to a Hope to match the rear, the pump has been relocated to the RHS seat stay, the battery has gone onto the down-tube and the rear brake cable has been re-aligned.

The bike was originally fitted with derailleurs (XT) but I converted it after it was stolen, advertised on Ebay and recovered. I'd already ordered its replacement (lighter, faster) so I decided to go for a heavy duty tourer.

So far, so good. I've done just under 1000 miles on it since I got it back in mid Jan and the Rohloff is getting better. Still lots of whirring though..........

I'm definitely going to fit a half-link EBB to get rid of the chain tensioner and I'm contemplating the Ezyshift electronic shifter, if only because I miss being able to change from the hoods and drops. A carbon fork is also a possibility since the P2 seems a little harsh.

I've broken two spokes in the past week so I'll be speaking to the wheel builder about that tomorrow.


----------



## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

Chocolatebike said:


> Mine's a road bike but it gets off-road from time to time:-


Good lordy! That thing needs more 'stuff' hung off it.

-1 point for no bell
-1 point for no rearview mirror
-1 point for no bottle opener
-1 point for only 2 bottle cages
-1 point for no kick stand
-1 point for no safety flag


----------



## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

finger51 said:


> Good lordy! That thing needs more 'stuff' hung off it.
> 
> -1 point for no bell
> -1 point for no rearview mirror
> ...


It's a touring bike so it has "stuff", including a mount for an MF U-lock (paranoia after it was nicked) and I'm not a weight- weenie  .
When I get on the road bike, it seems to fly.
Funny that 

Edit: bottle opener in my jersey pocket. Can't be too careful.


----------



## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

Nice bike....is it just me or is that a really slack head tube? Was that a standard option, and how does it feel?


----------



## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

finger51 said:


> Good lordy! That thing needs more 'stuff' hung off it.
> 
> -1 point for no bell
> -1 point for no rearview mirror
> ...


Whaaaaat?!?!? Clearly you missed the pictures of my IGH Surly 1x1. LOL!


----------



## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

finch2 said:


> Nice bike....is it just me or is that a really slack head tube? Was that a standard option, and how does it feel?


Thanks.
I guess that it is slack but I have no problems with how the bike handles. I had it up to just under 50mph on one long downhill and it felt rock solid.
It's a custom build of the the original Enigma Excel which was a touring bike. The current Excel is more of a racer.


----------



## Darris (Apr 19, 2011)

Posted this on the 29er thread but I thought I'd post it here as well.



My Redline Monocog with a Nuvinci N360 hub.. That thing is HEAVY! Pretty neat though, and a blast to ride. 
Swapped to crosstrail tires today for some paved trail riding with moms. Trying to motivate her back into riding again.


----------



## smeagol (Jul 23, 2008)

Here's my Redline Monocog 29er with Shimano Alfine 8 speed. 








I *just* got done building the wheel and getting everything working. First time I assembled a wheel, and my first time using an IGH. Very nice. Bit heavy, but it was a compromise I was willing to make.


----------



## Metalized (Apr 1, 2009)

Just got my Rohloff and other parts installed on a new frame and took it out on its first ride yesterday. Works great. First frame build I've done - went fairly smoothly except for some bearing service I had to get the LBS to do.

SC Chameleon frame
Shimano SLX cranks and BB
Marzocchi Dropoff II fork
Raceface stem and bars
King headset
Thomson post
Sun Single Track wheels
Specialized Clutch tires
Avid BB7s (165/203)
46/16 gearing


----------



## bikeisbetter (Aug 15, 2009)

*Darris*, how efficient this hub feels? The best thing would be to swap your bike numerous times with a dérailleur geared bike with some slicks on it and then try to tell the difference.

*smeagol*, keep us updated how the hub copes with such high torque loads. Especially let us now if it explodes.

*Metalized*, you've got some fantastic geometry on this bike. Seat shifted rearward, rear wheel weight bias, front fork fast forward, body not leaning much - for some loss of pedalling efficiency (irrelevant for non-professionals) the bike must feel very agile overall, fun to ride and safe on descents.


----------



## Metalized (Apr 1, 2009)

bikeisbetter said:


> *Darris*, how efficient this hub feels? The best thing would be to swap your bike numerous times with a dérailleur geared bike with some slicks on it and then try to tell the difference.
> 
> *smeagol*, keep us updated how the hub copes with such high torque loads. Especially let us now if it explodes.
> 
> *Metalized*, you've got some fantastic geometry on this bike. Seat shifted rearward, rear wheel weight bias, front fork fast forward, body not leaning much - for some loss of pedalling efficiency (irrelevant for non-professionals) the bike must feel very agile overall, fun to ride and safe on descents.


The bike is as you describe. Steers great and takes rough descents and jumps real well. No problems climbing steep hills with it either. Couldn't be happier with the build.


----------



## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

*Felt Nine Solo Alfined*

Three poor mobile photos:


















I need a more elegant solution for the cable mount (but I want the cable to be easily removable for ss interchange).










The only reason I went for gears was that at weekends I do long rides on mixed conditions and I could not follow my co-riders on tarmac sections. Dérailleurs were out of the question.
After 5-6 rides, I have to mention some things about alfine 8. The range is more than enough for me. Gaps between gears are a bit uneven but no problem. From 1 to 4 everything works almost perfect (mushy roller clutch); from 5 and up to 8 back pedaling is not smooth and feels like the gear is disengaging ( I'm not talking about the freewheel) and when you pedal again it can take a half stroke to engage. This has been mentioned to another thread https://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=601681. This thing is annoying and dangerous when you have to overcome an obstacle and you have to backpedal. In this respect it is not for trail riding - at least for my riding capabilities - where I prefer my rigid ss. In conclusion it is great except for the issue above (does alfine 11 or Rohloff have the same issue? I suppose that Rohloff with clutch rings works like conventional freewheel).


----------



## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

That's weird. Obviously you've got your yellow marks lined up in 4th? I've had an Alfine 501 for 3 seasons now and it does none of the things you describe. I just serviced it after 2500 km or so, and I'd describe the hub as pretty much bullet proof. Ride your hub a bit more, maybe it's a break-in issue.

Drew


----------



## Darris (Apr 19, 2011)

bikeisbetter said:


> *Darris*, how efficient this hub feels? The best thing would be to swap your bike numerous times with a dérailleur geared bike with some slicks on it and then try to tell the difference.


My buddy is getting some crosstrail tires on his 26" mtb. I'll ride the two and compare them. As far as I can tell there's some "squishyness" to the pedaling, especially noticeable in the lower rage. I can feel the rollers giving resistance as I'm climbing. Higher gears not so much, but it's still there. I really need to put a smaller cog on the rear as the top end isn't as high as I'd like.
All in all an interesting setup but I'd like to find an alfine-equipped bike to compare inner hubs as well.


----------



## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

dru said:


> That's weird. Obviously you've got your yellow marks lined up in 4th? I've had an Alfine 501 for 3 seasons now and it does none of the things you describe. I just serviced it after 2500 km or so, and I'd describe the hub as pretty much bullet proof. Ride your hub a bit more, maybe it's a break-in issue.
> 
> Drew


Yellow marks are perfectly lined up -I'm frequently checking- and gear changes are spot on. As for the mushy feeling it is not just a feeling; brake the rear wheel and try to pedal, you will see the sprocket moving a bit. This is the roller clutch giving the mushy effect. 








It is not something critical -or wrong- but it's there. Maybe this effect will be minimized with use through time.


----------



## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

**** derailers. Hopefully I will never own another one, ever.
Of course my new BFF is chain slap. And in my case, I even get tensioner-slap. Once I get my rear triangle replaced (pesky frame cracks!), I'm going to do a lot better job wrapping it app up and I should be good to go.

Oh and it's an Alfine-11 BTW, with 32/20 physical gears. Really great range. I just have to work at de-programming my brain for shifting with derailer-based timing. I'm always shifting too early with the Alfine.

One more thing that may be of interest. Since I shortened my chain to what it is now (i think it's 96 links), I have not dropped my chain once. I have no guides on the cog, the tensioner does have guides on each side, and the only guide up front is the bash guard. The chain just doesn't go anywhere. I love it.


----------



## BILL E (Apr 13, 2011)

*Rigid Rohloff Steel 29er*

Already posted in other threads but thought I would dial in here as well.


----------



## ade ward (Jun 23, 2009)

This is Preston he doesnt bite,,,,, often

this is One of my Whyte Preston's he has been run as a single speed and in the winter with an alfine 8 speed,,
despite the looks the old skool bb mounted sunn chain tensioner has been on there for 10 years and has done a number of endurance races and has been 100% reliable

It has a 24" front wheel and 26" at the back,, i did this as i felt there wasnt enough weight on the front end,, the 24" wheel certainly seems to improve the turn in on the singletrack


----------



## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

My new Marin Mount Vision with Alfine 11. Weight is below 14kg, which is quite an achievement given heavy frame (almost 3kg) and fork (130mm 2005 Marzocchi All Mountain 1, 2.2kg). Bike was build entirely by me except wheels - i asked professional wheelbuilder to do this. Total cost of the project was app. 2400 USD. Everything works and i like it


----------



## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

Better photo and wrote down full spec.










Frame: 2008 Marin Mount Vision S in tangerine with DT Swiss M210 shock

Fork: 2005 Marzocchi All Mountain 1 110-130mm

Front wheel: Hope XC hub, Sapim Race spokes, Dartmoor alu nipples, Alexrims XED44 rim, Maxxis lightweight inner tube, Nokian NBX 2.3 tyre, Dartmoor skewer

Rear wheel: Alfine 11 hub with 20t sprocket, Sapim Race spokes, Dartmoor alu nipples, Alexrims XD-Lite rim, Maxxis lightweight inner tube, Nokian NBX Lite 2.2 tyre, Shimano Centerlock Adapter

Crankset: Ritchey WCS cranks, BBG bashguard, FSA single speed 32t chainring, MOWA alu bolts, Shimano Deore XT bottom bracket

Under my ass: Specialized Pro 2 seatpost, WTB Speed-V seat, Tune Wurger clamp

Brakes: Magura Marta

Cockpit: CB Iodine C ahead set, Thomson Elite 70mm stem, Merek 650mm carbon handlebar, CB Iodine grips, Alfine 11 shifter with Jagwire Ripcord cables

Pedals: Shimano PD-M520

Tensioner: no name grabbed from my LBS 

Total weight: ca. 14kg


----------



## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

Here's mine. Revitalized junk specialized hard rock. I built the wheel the other day and I just finished fine tuning everything. Can't wait to ride it tonight! 

I love this IGH stuff. Mine's an alfine 8. After seeing how damned quiet this bike is, I noticed all the other squeeks and smacks and I nailed them all today (I think). Now its deadly AND silent. Love it!


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

:thumbsup:Nice job
What gear ratios you running ?


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## pipe (Oct 10, 2007)

My custom built carbon trail bike. It was a long time coming but well worth the wait. With a slack head angle, short chain stay and low bottom bracket, she is a super fun bike for throwing around the local trails.


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## pipe (Oct 10, 2007)

From the other side.


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## Wombat (Jan 25, 2004)

Pipe, that looks interesting. What do you use for your rear hub,and have you had any caliper strike?

Tim


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## pipe (Oct 10, 2007)

Wombat said:


> Pipe, that looks interesting. What do you use for your rear hub,and have you had any caliper strike?
> 
> Tim


Rear hub is custom built using a carbon tube to space out the aluminium flanges. There is no freewheel in the hub so the secondary chain is always turning. A freewheel might be nice to have to cut down on drag and noise, but this way it is lighter and drag and noise seem negligible.

I've only had it running for a couple of weeks but no issues so far with the caliper position. My friend Richie who designed the bike has been using his for over a year without issue. If it becomes a problem it is a relatively simple task to mount it up top. But it would not look as tidy.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

LukeSPOOK said:


> :thumbsup:Nice job
> What gear ratios you running ?


32/22. By chance its the perfect ratio for no tensioner. The 22 isn't even the one I ordered! LOL. Turns out that not only is it better on the chainline, but I like the gearing better as well.


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## Pooh Bear (May 25, 2006)

Whoohooo. Now it's either singlespeed or internal gears. After 2 rides I started selling the external gear stuff. Now a while later I still don't regret it.

1. Alfine 8-speed









2. Sachs Torpedo 3-speed









My other bikes don't belong here.


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## Stopbreakindown (Jun 27, 2011)

Some really nice bikes in this thread, hope to join you guys soon!


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## Wishful_Thinking (Jul 27, 2008)

Rocky Mountain Hammer Alfine


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

A shot on a ride recently (finally got a cool looking picture). The orange and black bottle is filled with an inner tube, tools and a first aid kit - which came in handy when my daughter scraped her leg. 

Bike is a frankenbike. Bits from everywhere. 2002 Hardrock frame that I stripped and re-painted. Alfine 8 in the back. Its not a weight weenie bike, but its silent and deadly and handles like a dream.


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## Wrath of Kyle (Jun 12, 2006)

*Might as well*

I built up a Motobecane Outcast with a Nexus 3 speed to use as my commuter. I'm running a 36 tooth front ring and a 16 tooth rear ring. So far so good. The nexus shifter thing that goes on the axle had to be ground down with a dremel tool in order to fit, and I had to use one of the bolts for the sliding dropouts for the rack mounting, but it wasn't too hard to build.

I would love to post pictures, but you need a post count of 10 or greater in order to post pictures. Thats just weak. So, pics to follow sometime soon?


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## babylou (Mar 31, 2006)

Here's my Ibis Tranny mated with a NuVinci N360. Had to make a special VinciBone because the dropouts were a bit too short for the anti-turn washers.


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## Trail_rat (Oct 25, 2006)

lovely tranny - my mates got one , love how solid it feels while still being race light worthy !

quality chain tension method too !




























Love the rusty outer on the rohloff (its off my commuter - i have one hub i share between 2 bikes - i mostly run this bike SS)- a testiment to how impervious it is to crap because it still shifts like new ....


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## MPU (May 15, 2009)

Here's mine in urban tires. The frame and fork is custom made by me from Columbus and Dedacciai tubing with lugs, Alfine 8 geard, Avid BB5 brakes, On One Mary handlebar, Brooks grips, some old leather saddle.








Marko


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## rokit831 (Aug 12, 2011)

*Cool Cruiser Marko!*

Kudos to you and your custom made frame and fork! Any more pictures or details..., like overall weight? Better yet, do you, can you or would you build one similar for interested cruiser/bike nuts?


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## mtrap (Jun 30, 2011)

bikeny said:


> I posted a seperate thread about this bike, but figured I would add it here as well. Black Sheep custom Ti frame with extending chainstays and black 32h Alfine hub. I run singlespeed in the summer, but like some gears for the winter, and maybe some endurance events. Enjoy:


Hi bikeny,

I see no EBB or slider on your frame, may I know how do you do the chain tensioning as I assume yours is a multi speed frame with verticle dropout.


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## MPU (May 15, 2009)

rokit831 said:


> Kudos to you and your custom made frame and fork! Any more pictures or details..., like overall weight? Better yet, do you, can you or would you build one similar for interested cruiser/bike nuts?


This is a one-off frame. I don't have gas welding equipment so I can't make frames without loaning the needed equipment. More pics on framebuilding forum on "MTB cruiser starting to take shape".
Marko


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## EGF168 (Aug 13, 2007)

Another Trance fitted with an Alfine. I like the hub but it needs a better tensioner and I'm not a fan of having it slip under power so it may not stay like this for long.


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## Wombat (Jan 25, 2004)

EGF168 said:


> Another Trance fitted with an Alfine. I like the hub but it needs a better tensioner and I'm not a fan of having it slip under power so it may not stay like this for long.


If you have enough room, try with the tensioner pushing the chain up. Alternatively, use a 2 wheel tensioner like the Alfine version.

Tim


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## Citizen Kane (Aug 12, 2007)

Another DIY Alfine build.


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## ayuz (Aug 7, 2011)

nice bikes everyone... anyone know a site where i can get internal hub with wheel


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

ayuz said:


> nice bikes everyone... anyone know a site where i can get internal hub with wheel


Internal Gear Wheels from Harris Cyclery

Rohloff Hubs - Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 Sales, Serice, and Parts


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## nateeprasan (Mar 18, 2011)

I finished my full-loaded touring with 29er frame and 36 spokes Alfine 8 wheel. My bike+panniers+water is around 100 pounds. I still can not post any picture, need at least 10 posts before posting any picture! So, you can take a look at many pictures on my blog at Wordpress:
lonewolfcyclist.wordpress.com



ayuz said:


> nice bikes everyone... anyone know a site where i can get internal hub with wheel


I bought complete wheel with Alfine 8 hub for $261 as a spare from outsideoutfitters.com/p-18835-handspun-shimano-alfine-wheels.aspx

It was shown as out of stock but when I called them, they can get it for me. This Handspun Wheel does not include small part kits ($16), Alfine Cog ($6), Alfine 8 Rapid Fire Shifter ($32).


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## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

nateeprasan said:


> I finished my full-loaded touring with 29er frame and 36 spokes Alfine 8 wheel. My bike+panniers+water is around 100 pounds. I still can not post any picture, need at least 10 posts before posting any picture! So, you can take a look at many pictures on my blog at Wordpress:
> lonewolfcyclist.wordpress.com
> 
> I bought complete wheel with Alfine 8 hub for $261 as a spare from outsideoutfitters.com/p-18835-handspun-shimano-alfine-wheels.aspx
> ...


Is that a Bokor frame? Interested to know which fork you put on.

I'm using that frame for a polo bike right now!


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## nateeprasan (Mar 18, 2011)

finger51 said:


> Is that a Bokor frame? Interested to know which fork you put on.
> 
> I'm using that frame for a polo bike right now!


Yes, it's Voodoo Bokor One 29er frame with Alfine8. It survived 3,900 miles full-loaded touring! Anyway, I'll try do light-weight mountain-bike touring from now.

On my current trip, I put Salsa Fargo fork version 1 (445mm axle to crown length). It makes the bottom bracket as low as most of the road or cyclocross bike.
But now I put a $30 suspension corrected fork-- Kona Project 2 29er Disc (465mm axle to crown length).


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## EFMax (Aug 20, 2008)

My contribution..










I have done things a little different but all in all, I love the way this bike rides..










Just had the bike resprayed in a metalic black with a hint of red wine plus got the hub redone to match the wheels.. Just need to avoid falling off and scratching it all up again..


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## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

What kind of cap nuts you use? Are they steel or aluminum? What brand it is? I'm ooking for orange cap nuts, but the only i can find are aluminum and i'm little bit afraid they will not work.


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## EFMax (Aug 20, 2008)

rekrutacja said:


> What kind of cap nuts you use? Are they steel or aluminum? What brand it is? I'm ooking for orange cap nuts, but the only i can find are aluminum and i'm little bit afraid they will not work.


Not sure if they do orange but here is where I got them from -










Gusset Alloy Axle Nuts | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com

ps.. they are alloy and they work just fine.. mine have been on for about two years now and all is good..


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## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

Thank you. 10 or 14mm?


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## EFMax (Aug 20, 2008)

rekrutacja said:


> Thank you. 10 or 14mm?


10mm.. I made the mistake of buying 14mm first time around but they swapped them for me.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

As soon as I'm allowed you'll get my Rohloff Dambala.......


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## KanzaKrūzer (Mar 3, 2011)

Converted my single speed to IGH. The NuVinci 360 is as bombproof and quiet as a single speed. The expanded range covers all my needs. Total bike weighs in just under 34 lbs.


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## 77Zero (Apr 11, 2011)

cowboygrrl said:


> Yesterday's ride.......rest stop.


great build (and backdrop).


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## MacB (May 13, 2011)

*Ti Rohloff 29er*

This is my Ti Rohloff 29er:-


Burls 29er 5 by MacBludgeon, on Flickr

custom ti frame from Burls a UK builder, Rohloff rear Hope ProII front hubs in red on Mavic TN719 rims, currently sporting Halo Twinrail tyres. Mary bars, On-One carbon rigid 29er forks, Hope headset and seatpost clamp, Thomson Elite setback seatpost, SMT hooknose saddle(still thinking about that), Avid BB7 speedial levers with BB7 MTB disc brakes. Deore chainset with single speed 38t ring and bashguard, Forward Components mini EBB for chain tension, and Monkeybone for the Rohloff torque. Some Be-One bottle cages and the pedals are Ming Shiju ones.

All up weight as you see it is 28lbs but the tyres are 900g each so I expect I'll get it down by a lb or two fairly soon.


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## jmpg (Sep 17, 2008)

Here's mine a mostly standard 2008 Monocog. And the beautiful Dambala (it was just too small)


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## crankyandy (Nov 9, 2009)

surly 1x1, rat ride graphics, dtswiss EX500 rims, surly front hub, rohloff rear,39x17


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

My Surly Pugsley with Alfine 8.










My Surly Black Ops 1x1 with Rohloff.










My Surly Big Dummy with Rohloff - mountain cargo bike.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

https://lp1.pinkbike.org/p4pb6547673/p4pb6547673.jpg[IMG]
[IMG]https://lp1.pinkbike.org/p4pb6547667/p4pb6547667.jpg


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## crankyandy (Nov 9, 2009)

sturmey archer 8 spd, wifes bike


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

I got a fork for my birthday.......yay!!!

















At least 2500 km and going strong....


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## banjo1981 (Nov 30, 2011)

I don't even know what an IGH is, but I want one now. I'm drooling over all of these bikes. I have got to shake this new found bike bug.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

banjo1981 said:


> I don't even know what an IGH is,












Internally Geared Hub aka hub gear aka IGH


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## banjo1981 (Nov 30, 2011)

I was sort of kidding, but that cutaway pic of the internals looks impossible to service. Thanks for the pic.


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## KanzaKrūzer (Mar 3, 2011)

The videos at the following link provide a brief explanation of CVP IGHs.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

You know, with me being such an IGH shill I thought I would have posted here.

So here goes. Feeling sentimental about bikes that have gone to new owners or in one case are soon to be destroyed, hehe.

An older style Pugsley that I repainted in a "John Deere" theme (not Packers, hush it) and mated it to a NuVinci N360:
Post commute
At home studded fat tires
Fat but graceful
Just in time for Halloween!

Technically not a hub, but it's internally geared - I built the first bamboo/carbon fat tire bike because, well, I felt like it. It's a dinglespeed bike thanks to a Hammerschmidt crankset:
Profile
Currently mated to a custom Lefty clamp and offset front wheel

EDIT: To elaborate on the "destroyed" bit, I consider my first frame to be a partial failure, and am willing to sacrifice it to the destructive testing gods. The new is going to be much more attractive at the lugs.


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## robdeanhove (Dec 8, 2005)

Here's my Alfine winter mountain bike (in non-winter friendly colour scheme!)


















Jones'd XTR Cranks









Alfine 8s Out Back









Alfine dynamo up front powering......









800lm dynamo light!

There's more on my DIY dynamo light on this thread HERE on the light forum

Or you can read about my DIY dynamo light in more detail on my blog HERE

My favourite bit is still the polished & white colour scheme though, even though it looks dirty immediately I hit the trail! I can always see a bit of polish through the mud somewhere


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## Pooh Bear (May 25, 2006)

Drew Diller said:


> Currently mated to a custom Lefty clamp and offset front wheel


Great!


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## Stopbreakindown (Jun 27, 2011)

VooDoo Soukri w/ Alfine 11 on some flows


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## mr pinga (Oct 8, 2005)

Here's my 2005 alfine 11 kona unit


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## mr pinga (Oct 8, 2005)

Another pic of my kona


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## pablo eldiablo (Nov 22, 2011)

Hi everyone!
Here comes my just-built Alfine 11 Kona explosif


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## mudmancouch (Apr 24, 2010)

*Blown Sturmey Archer 8 Speed*

Hello everyone. This is my first post. Attached is my recently built winter bike with a Sturmey Archer 8 speed with drum brake rear, and SA drum brake generator front hub.

There is bad news however. After 125 miles of riding, I blew the rear hub. I have ridden around 10,000 miles with bar end shifters on a touring bike. The Sturmey Archer was the first grip shifter riding experience for me. I was balancing the bike while standing still at a stop sign. I forgot to down shift. Before putting my feet down, the driver of the Suv let me take off. I was in fourth or fifth when I took off. I put anough torque on the crank that the hub spun out. I could feel the inside spin. Has any of you heard of this before? Would appreciate any input.


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

looks like your chainring is too small - the gear you are in shouldn't matter, but the ring and sprocket size does. What are you running?


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## evrac (Sep 28, 2005)

I think the SA hubs are geared way higher than most. They have no underdrive gears, ie, the lowest gear is 1:1, hence the small chainring.

Am I right?


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

If my IGH's lowest ratio was a 1:1, I'd be running a road cassette in the FRONT and a big ring on my HUB.


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

yeah, I don't know anytihing about the SA but in general IGH's lack low gearing. Rohloff is the only one to my knowledge commercially available. Gearing low will break things.


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

finch2 said:


> looks like your chainring is too small - the gear you are in shouldn't matter, but the ring and sprocket size does. What are you running?


Looks like he's running SA cranks too, so the ratio should be "legal". Yes, 1st gear is 1:1 and it's all overdrive from there.

I would think you should be more than fine for a commuter though. Hopefully SA will give you a new one.

I don't have a lot of torque filled miles on mine, but I had researched they weren't known for their robustness... although the newer (W) version was supposed to be stronger.

Here's mine: http://forums.mtbr.com/7061590-post173.html


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## mudmancouch (Apr 24, 2010)

*Sturmey 8*

I am running 30 chain, 25 rear cog at Sturmey's recommendations. My LBS is waiting for a return phone call from SA come the beginning of the year. I am anticipating being able to replace the internals.

My bike machanic seems to think there may be a chance of switching from the SA grip shifter to a trigger shifter as well, even though SA doesn't make a trigger shifter.

I'll post an update in January,


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## teocl (Apr 30, 2007)

Litespeed Sewanee. 60mm rear travel, with Surly tensioner.
need to put in a stopper to limit the tensioner travel beyond what is needed to accommodate the chain growth due to rear travel. without the stopper, i get chain drop occasionally.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Nice! Can you take another link out of the chain? Or reverse the spring in the tensioner to push up instead of down? Also, what cables are you using for the speedhub?


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## teocl (Apr 30, 2007)

Distance to chain stay is small, so using push up cannot accommodate much. Also, I think chain will be without tension more frequently as the weight of tensioner will swing it away under shock. 
I'm pretty sure chain is the shortest possible when it was installed. However chain length grew considerably after 1 yr. I didn't check, but I don't think it's that much. 
Anyway, I've retired this bike. I've just setup a Funk La Ruta softail which eliminates the need for tensioner. Will post some pics once I get it tuned in.


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## teocl (Apr 30, 2007)

jonnybags said:


> Nice! Can you take another link out of the chain? Or reverse the spring in the tensioner to push up instead of down? Also, what cables are you using for the speedhub?


Those are Nokon housing/cables.


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## Brianisbrain (Apr 10, 2011)

Oh man, I've been dreaming about this for years...
I'm getting ready to order an ogre (as soon as their available in 20") and hook up either a 7 speed drum nexus or 7 speed coaster brake spectro.
I'll definitely post pics as soon as it's built.
I've got an old cantilevered schwinn that i put a shimano 3cc on and that thing is a blast on shorter trails.


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## Stopbreakindown (Jun 27, 2011)

Let me try again.

Voodoo Soukri
Alfine 11


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Still waiting on one more part to make her rideable, but I thought I'd share since she's essentially together...:thumbsup:

On One Scandal 29er frame + RS Reba 100m fork + Alfine 11 IGH

My build thread is in the One One Forum:

https://forums.mtbr.com/one/viks-scandal-29er-build-763089.html


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## Tripower (Jan 4, 2011)

*Pugs with a NuVinci*

The Nate on a Rolling Darryl at 14 psi has awesome traction.


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

The trek with a lefty runs a nuvinci, the KHS urban uno is a fixed gear 3-speed, the hooligan i run an alfine 8, the sharkfire is a 7 speed nexus. My preference is the nuvinci


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## Brianisbrain (Apr 10, 2011)

here's my heavy duti
bought the bike for $25 out of somebody's front yard, it had original fork, pedals and seat but those all broke after the first year
i've got right around 2 bills in it including purchase cost

the shimano 3cc coaster cartridge hub was a gift from a buddy after he saw the bike and i told him what i wanted to do with it. it's a bad little hub, never had a problem with it and this thing is my numero uno. daily commuter, and occasional mtn bike when i feel froggy. i had some old head at a show tell me i had no business riding a coaster brake at 200 lbs but i've got over 1000 miles on it, and have only repacked it once.:thumbsup:

bike -- $25
hub -- free
surly new front hub -- $20
rims -- $20 at trexlertown
spokes -- $40
fork -- $15 
front brake -- $5
velo orange saddle -- $25 at le cirque in leesburg va
seatpost -- $10
kenda k-rad sneakers -- $30 
pedals -- $10


this thing is a blast off road and a tank heading down wisconsin ave here in dc plus nobody wants to touch it so i never worry about it being locked up at the bar!!!


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Welldone - not a bad ride for the money you spent.
Looks great to cruise around on.
:thumbsup:


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

I finished my 3rd DIY bike frame. Some custom Lefty clamps from MendonCycleSmith and an old clamp style Lefty give a 17.5mm *reverse* Pugsley style axle offset. It's like the Pug's rear end, just the other way. It gives enough clearance to stuff a fat tire on the front.

I like the Alfine so far. The clutch feeling is a little weird, but not bad weird.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

That bike is freaky but so cool. Love it!


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

I love your bamboo lefty™! That thing rocks!!! :band: Please contact me first should you ever consider selling that thing!


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## Elpanzer (Dec 20, 2010)

*Lapierre Zesty 514 (2010) Rohloff*










Zesty 514 w/ Rohloff speddhub. A few more grams but the bike looks very neat now. Removed the gear shifters, both front & rear derailleurs, one (more) chainring and lots of cables.










Monkeybone adapter, clipped on the brake adaptor; the chainstay seems to have been designed right for the Rohloff. Cable box integration is just perfect.










Chain tensioner, protected by the original carbon plate.


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## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

My Rohloff tourer with a different fork (Kinesis DC19 off my road bike) and magic geared to run without the chain tensioner:-


12-02-29 Enigma/Rohloff/Kinesis DC19 LHS 2 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


12-02-29 Enigma/Rohloff/ Kinesis DC19 RHS by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


12-02-29 Enigma/Rohloff rack mounting RHS 2 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

The bike shop decided to fit the goldie looking chain 
.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Hiya Chocolatebike....lovely looking and well done on the magic gearing. I would just throw caution as the chain wears and stretches. Only other thing would be to ask why you have the long torque arm and not a Monkeybone and the OEM2 plate or the Speedbone?

Hey, why not go the whole hog and get a frame builder to fit some sliding dropouts to the back end?!!

LOVE those forks (am having a frame built out of Reynolds 853 to fit them!)


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## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

jonnybags said:


> Only other thing would be to ask why you have the long torque arm and not a Monkeybone and the OEM2 plate or the Speedbone?
> 
> LOVE those forks (am having a frame built out of Reynolds 853 to fit them!)


I'm going to have to read up on the Monkeybone etc.
Damn, just as I thought the bike was finished.......................

Good luck with your new frame !

.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

So I will soon be on my 3rd Alfine-11, I sure hope the third one is the good one


----------



## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Alex backhum said:


> Deleted Spammer quote.


****ing spammers. I wish I could stab every last one of them right in the face.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

3rd as in the first one lost 2nd gear.
The second one had trouble keeping it's oil in. 
Hopefully lucky number 3 will be perfect.

*I don't have the words to express how strongly I do NOT want to go back to derailers. *


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

fellsbiker said:


> So I will soon be on my 3rd Alfine-11, I sure hope the third one is the good one


Keep us informed


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

wow 3 alfine 11's, I am feeling better about getting my fat sand bike with the three speed so I can go with the alfine 8 or nuvinci


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Oh no! Now would be a bad time to say that Mittelmeyer are bringing out a drop bar road levers which work with rohloff and hydraulic brakes huh?! X


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

I bought one Rohloff...........!


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Drew, im horribly jealous of your bike! Id love to own that thing. Beautiful.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

#3 was a dud from the factory, on to #4 . . .


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

fellsbiker said:


> #3 was a dud from the factory, on to #4 . . .


Yikes man. Gettin' the shaft...


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

If I can have all of my bike problems in the off season, i'll never complain about how bad those problems are.
I still think everyone should tear off their derailers and pick up an Alfine-11 or a Rholoff. Maybe in a few years, shimano will come out with an IGH that is more burly than the 11, more like the Rholoff. Maybe it will have an extra gear or two for an even wider range. And maybe they'll call it "XT". But until then, even a problematic Alfine is better than the never ending broken derailers!


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## jpettit (Dec 22, 2011)

*Surly Pugsley w/ Alfine 11*

Here is my Surly Pugsley with an Alfine 11 (21t) setup. It's running a Middleburn RS7 UNO crankset (34t)


----------



## Wryknow (Mar 13, 2012)

*Karate Monkey with Alfine 11*

Just got a new ride! The new bike gods were apparently napping because I got to take it for a ride today as well (and it was 85 and sunny!)


----------



## Mace350 (Mar 22, 2012)

Just curious, what happens when you shift one of these while climbing? Do they shift under load? Do you have to pedal easy like a derailleur bike during shifts, or power up then slow down to shift?


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Depends on the hub.

NuVinci N360 - you can shift under a decent amount of pedaling power, more than with a derailleur.
Alfine 8 - you have to let up significantly when shifting to an easier gear, especially from gear 2 to gear 1... that gear change in particular is kind of annoying. Shifting to a harder gear doesn't require as much easing off.
Rohloff - can't comment, haven't owned one.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

With my Alfine-11's, you can't shift under power while climbing. If you try, you could significantly damage the hub. BUT, it's not really an issue. The shifts are SO fast, once you get your timing down, you can shift between pedal strokes. Even if you are full on mashing it, you only have to ease up for a tiny fraction of a second. As soon as you hit the shift lever, your shift is done and you can get back on it. So the timing takes some getting used to. But once you get the new timing down, you spend significantly more time putting your force to the ground.


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## Mace350 (Mar 22, 2012)

Hmmm may be going to the shop to check this out... I love a straight chain line.


----------



## Wryknow (Mar 13, 2012)

Yeah, it's an almost instant shift, not like a derailler at all. Just pause pedaling and click the button, your're in the next gear. Allegedly Shimano claimed that the Alfine 11 can handle changing gears while pedaling but I have absolutely no interest in seeing if this is true  No point in taking a chance with it and there's really no need to do so in my limited experience to date.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

The 11 can sometimes handle up shifts while pedaling but NOT downshifts. I highly recommend you don't try. You only have to have one bad skip where it slips while you're mashing hard up a hill, and you can destroy that gear.


----------



## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

*Fat Sand Bike with 11 speed*

Well this my Fat Sand Bike with a 11 speed alpine with hid. rear disc conversion from a nexus 3 speed.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

jnl1105 said:


> Well this my Fat Sand Bike with a 11 speed alpine with hid. rear disc conversion from a nexus 3 speed.


So. If you threw that thing in the water, would it float?


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

funny you should ask was considering trying it........


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

If I had to guess, I'd say it will probably float. Maybe less likely since it's steel not aluminum. But that's an awful lot of volume in those tires.


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

actually it is aluminium


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

$10 on "Floats"


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

You don't have to guess. It floats.

surly pugsley floatation test - YouTube

Craig Calfee actually has a thing about traversing Africa on a fat bike, as water crossings often degrade with lack of upkeep, and it's easier to ford those crossings with a bike that floats. I'll see if I can find the video again.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

You know, I've never actually thrown my bike into a lake. So for all I know, my bike might float too. It's aluminum with 2.5" hookworms. But I wouldn't subject my IGH and suspension to lakewater (on purpose).


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## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

My Marin finally got his new chain tensioner. Chain tensioner was provided by Speedskater (thank you!) Fitting it was not easy (i have now 4 different octalink supports and one destroyed crank  and tolerances are very tight, but it works and looks good.


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## crazylemurboy (Dec 12, 2011)

jnl1105 said:


> The trek with a lefty runs a nuvinci, the KHS urban uno is a fixed gear 3-speed, the hooligan i run an alfine 8, the sharkfire is a 7 speed nexus. My preference is the nuvinci


jnl1105,

Love the bikes, some really nice stuff you got there! I was interested in the fixed gear 3 speed myself, but I heard skidding was basically a no go, so I went with a freewheel hub. Nuvinci is sickkk..

Anyways, my question is: how you like that swing fork? I was looking into getting it a while back but I heard that it actuates when you stop quickly, and that just sounds like an endo- inducing scenario if I ever heard of one.


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

well with it on a fixed gear I don't use much of the front brake and with a (if memory serves correct 180 rotor) I don't have to do much to do that worthless thing called slowing down lol

I can still do stoppies but it is a little more tedious........ yes it does like on most front suspended bike it will "de-suspend" under heavy breaking but riding with that in mind it is not much of a problem....


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## crazylemurboy (Dec 12, 2011)

jnl1105 said:


> well with it on a fixed gear I don't use much of the front brake and with a (if memory serves correct 180 rotor) I don't have to do much to do that worthless thing called slowing down lol
> 
> I can still do stoppies but it is a little more tedious........ yes it does like on most front suspended bike it will "de-suspend" under heavy breaking but riding with that in mind it is not much of a problem....


Thanks for taking the time to respond. Where did you get the fork from? Is it really a huge improvement over a rigid fork? Significantly better than a carbon fork? I'm looking looking to get my girlfriend a suspension fork for her bike, but it's a roadie and obviously not too much out there for those kind of bikes. This one popped up during my search.


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## jnl1105 (Oct 3, 2011)

i bought it direct from suntour for $125 if I remember and yes it is I was going to go carbon but really liked the small amount of suspension, as I ride on resiste 700c 45 tires smooth as butter


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## crazylemurboy (Dec 12, 2011)

Whoa! I had no idea that fork had that kind of tire clearance. One last question, how is the durability / how long have you been running the fork? I think my gf will be getting a new fork soon... much appreciated!


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

*Gryphon*

I also posted this in the "29er Rigid" pic thread. Enjoy!

This has been my daily commuter for 2 months now, but I've done the quick switch to offroad mode (remove fenders, rack and 50mm slicks, etc). I've really liked the Nuvinci on the road. Time to give it a proper test.
Maiden trail ride is tomorrow.

<Edit> Post ride report. Excellent offroad capabilities! Great climber, fun handling. I look forward to more. I replaced the Brooks B-17N with a 143mm Specialized Phenom Gel - MUCH better!!!!!!!!!!!!!




























*The clearance with 2.4 Ardents. Not bad.*


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## larryarroyo (Mar 29, 2012)

Love the bikes, mine is a single speed 18t 29er. Do I need a new spokes to build a rear wheel with alfine8 using my existing wheel..Advice is much appreciated....


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## EFMax (Aug 20, 2008)

larryarroyo said:


> Love the bikes, mine is a single speed 18t 29er. Do I need a new spokes to build a rear wheel with alfine8 using my existing wheel..Advice is much appreciated....


Most probably yes, unless your current hub is the same size as the Alfine 8, and even if it is, a new wheel build can always benefit from a new set of spokes.


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

larryarroyo said:


> Love the bikes, mine is a single speed 18t 29er. Do I need a new spokes to build a rear wheel with alfine8 using my existing wheel..Advice is much appreciated....


It is generally a good idea to use new spokes, unless the old wheel is relatively new.
The Alfine has a much larger flange than most regular hubs, so (if the existing spokes are newish) they could be cut to the appropriate length. This also assumes that the spokes, if butted, have enough space on the end to allow the new threads to be cut without hitting the shoulder of the butted section.
Add to these considerations that most bike shops have forgotten the art of spoke cutting (fairly easy to do with a Phil Wood machine and skilled user), so they charge for the inconvenience - sometimes more than the cost of new spokes.

Yeah, go with new spokes. 

If you are new to wheel building, it would be best to have a reputable shop assist you with determining the spoke length, given your hub specs, rim, and desired cross patern (you can go 3x with an Alfine and 29er rim).


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## larryarroyo (Mar 29, 2012)

canyoneagle said:


> It is generally a good idea to use new spokes, unless the old wheel is relatively new.
> The Alfine has a much larger flange than most regular hubs, so (if the existing spokes are newish) they could be cut to the appropriate length. This also assumes that the spokes, if butted, have enough space on the end to allow the new threads to be cut without hitting the shoulder of the butted section.
> Add to these considerations that most bike shops have forgotten the art of spoke cutting (fairly easy to do with a Phil Wood machine and skilled user), so they charge for the inconvenience - sometimes more than the cost of new spokes.
> 
> ...


The existing wheels are new, what spoke size should i get to match with a 29er rim and 3x pattern? Thanks again...


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## larryarroyo (Mar 29, 2012)

EFMax said:


> Most probably yes, unless your current hub is the same size as the Alfine 8, and even if it is, a new wheel build can always benefit from a new set of spokes.


Thanks, now i need to figure out what size of spokes should i get for alfine8 hub and 29er rim..


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

larryarroyo said:


> The existing wheels are new, what spoke size should i get to match with a 29er rim and 3x pattern? Thanks again...


Awesome!

Here's what you'll need:

*Hub specs:* Shimano Alfine SG-S500 (8-spd) 135mm Rear hub dimensions | Freespoke | Freespoke
*Rim ERD:* While all "29er" rims will have the same bead diameter (622), they will vary in "ERD", which relates to the diameter where the nipples will sit. Google your rim name + ERD and see what comes up. This is also (sometimes) on the rim label. Your rim might be listed here
*Number of spokes:* 32 or 36 - MAKE SURE YOUR RIM AND HUB HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF HOLES 
*Cross pattern:* 3x
*Nipple length:* Unless you are using something unusual, this will probably be 12mm

There are a number of online spoke calculators - I always use 2 or 3 and average the results if they are close. The ones I use:
Freespoke - only if your rim and hub are listed (select them in the tabs)
Welcome - select "anonymous usage"
Spoke Length Calculator

If you will be re-cutting the existing spokes, measure them to the base of the threads and ensure that this is at least as long as your calculated spoke length.

If you go this route, you will need to find a shop that cuts spokes (not all do), so I highly recommend that you have them verify your calculation. If you get it wrong, your build will not happen.
Ask the shop what they charge. If it is more than 30-40 cents per spoke, you may as well buy new ones.

Best of luck to you!!!!! I look forward to seeing your project come together.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Man, that is really helpful. Good on ya!


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## larryarroyo (Mar 29, 2012)

Yes, really helpful. Thanks again...


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

jonnybags said:


> Man, that is really helpful. Good on ya!


Glad to help!
By no means do I consider myself an expert - I'm a hobbyist when it comes to building wheels. :thumbsup:
Rep is certainly appreciated if you've found it helpful, but it was not my intent to fish rep.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

Nice writeup! When I built my alfine wheel, I bought a bag of 50 spokes that cost way too much. I couldn't find them online any cheaper. Later someone sent me this link:

DAN'S COMP - Bmx Bikes, Bmx Parts, Bmx Clothing, Bmx Shoes and Bmx Accessories!

They sell spokes individually and the price is great. Make sure you order a couple of extra ones JUST IN CASE. I like the double butted ones. If you want, buy some colored nipples also to spice up the build.

One other thing - the spoke length for left and right side will be different - but very close - on the calculator. You can buy one size for both sides. Just split the difference between left and right. I think its less than 2 mm and any slack that small can be taken up by the nipple. The taller the wheel, the less of a difference there will be (calculated).


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

Corporal Punishment said:


> Nice writeup! When I built my alfine wheel, I bought a bag of 50 spokes that cost way too much. I couldn't find them online any cheaper. Later someone sent me this link:
> 
> DAN'S COMP - Bmx Bikes, Bmx Parts, Bmx Clothing, Bmx Shoes and Bmx Accessories!
> 
> ...


This is in line with what I found on my Alfine builds (I'[ve only built two). The flanges are pretty close to the same dimension from centerline. When I laced the wheels, I just left one side (the non-drive side with longer spokes) with 3-4 threads showing and snugged the drive side to the point where the threads just tucked into the nipple. That got me pretty close, and made the initial tensioning easier.

I've typically bought my spokes/nipples from Universal cycles (DT Swiss and Wheelsmith). 
Rightly or wrongly (I blame Gerd Schraner  ), I am in the habit of using spoke washers for my wheels, unless the dry fit is REALLY nice and the elbows are snug against the flange.


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## sevencyclist (Aug 3, 2009)

*Coconino Rohloff*

This bike rides great. I am impressed with how well the Rohloff is working. Have to get used to shifting down under load, but otherwise the noise is less than I expected.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

I just got my 4th Alfine 11 back and it failed after ~3 hours of riding. Shimano either sent me back my original failed hub, or these hubs are only suitable for grandmothers riding bikes along paved rail trails. This hub's second gear is completely junk. Any pressure at all and it skips bad. This is just what my first Alfine 11 did, but it only started after 2 months of riding. #4 started after 3 hours of riding. I highly doubt I'm going to get my $900 back and right now I don't have a rideable bike. I'm ****ed.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

The shop I bought it through has been handling everything. Plus why would I go to the UK boss?

#1 - lost 2nd gear
#2 - oil leak
#3 - didn't run smoothly (shop returned it right away, I never road this one)
#4 - lost second hear

This hub sure does work great WHEN IT WORKs.
I wish Rholoff would update their shifter to an XT style trigger shifter. I'd install that and be done with it. 

At this point, I'm looking at riding a singlespeed for a solid half of my season, by the time shimano/this bike shop gets me a bike that WORKS.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Man, that sounds awful. Have you tried going to the UK boss of shimano?


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Oops sorry, your user name has fells in it and there are fells in the UK....anyhoo..... Have a search for the contact details of the shimano boss in your country and tell them what's happenned.....they hate bad press! And I've heard they are a really good hub.

As far as Rohloff goes, Mittelmeyer (a small engineering firm in Germany) should be bringing a thumb shifter out in September - by which time the Rohloff you buy should be worn in ;-)


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

fellsbiker said:


> The shop I bought it through has been handling everything. Plus why would I go to the UK boss?
> 
> #1 - lost 2nd gear
> #2 - oil leak
> ...


Wow. That really sucks. I've been following your "adventure" here. That's just crazy.

There haven't been too many complaints like yours for the 11. I beat the crap out of my 8. I know they're different. I'm wondering if you just haven't been the recipient of some really, really bad luck.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

...


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Hey Fellsbiker , you should start a new thread , lots of people would benefit from reading that and it's not obvious to find that kind of info in a "show your bike" thread.

Shimano doesn't suggest to use Alfine ( 8 or 11) off road. 
They are found under "pavement" section.
Alfine

You can buy a Honda Civic and use it off road but I don't know how long it will last.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

fokof said:


> You can buy a Honda Civic and use it off road but I don't know how long it will last.


That's not really a fair analogy. If a certain riding style - standing on the pedals, shifting under load, etc - are the real contributors to alfine hub failure then they should fail just as easily on the road as the trail. To me, it sounds like fellsbiker had bad luck with multiple manufacturing defects. Especially his #2 and #3 hubs. Its a fair question to ask whether shimano has any kind of quality control on their new 11 speeds, but in my own experience and looking around the IGH forum here, the 8 speed is pretty mature and holds up well as long as you shift "properly".

I'm a year into my 8 speed ownership and I stand on the pedals all the time, huck 3' drops and generally ride the wheels off my bike on the trail but I'm also very conscious of how I shift. No problems yet [knock on wood!  ]

I hope fellsbiker chimes in about his riding/pedaling/shifting style. The general consensus here on the board is that shifting should be gentle and I think that advice bares out pretty well.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

There is a delay shifting on a derailer vs an IGH. Plus a derailer shifts when you release the lever, an IGH shifts when you push the lever. So there was a leaning curve on my first hub. And it is possible that that learning curve is what messed up that hub. But these days, I'm a pro at shifting. My timing is perfect. I shift between pedal stroke perfectly. Yesterdays skip happened nowhere near a shift. I put it in second, went to pedal up a hill and it skipped violently, then went a little crazy for the next half hour. I do stand up and pedal constantly. I'm a mountain biker, that's how you mountain bike. So I would say without a doubt, #2, #3 and #4 were defective. #1... impossible to say for sure. If I did accidentally shift while pedaling, I would get off the pressure, I wouldn't just keep on grinding it out like some people do with derailers when they're trying to shift while climbing a hill. 

What is seems like to me, especially after googling it, is that the 2nd gear in the Alfine 11 is very weak. I think that they break easily, and I think that's what has happened to me twice. after I got home last night, I did a little street ride to figure things out and 2nd gear works until you put pressure on it, then it slips right out and grinds violently. And I suspect every grind makes things worse. Thats what happened with my first hub. I kept riding and it would skip hard when I was in second gear trying to climb. It got worse and worse until it got to the point where it wouldn't take ANY pressure at all in 2nd, and I had to go 1 to 3 every time i shifted. 

So all I can really afford to do now (and I mean that literally $$) hope they replace it again, and hope that #5 is a rare and unusually strong hub. #2 was nice and solid, it just leaked all it's oil.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Another simple solution here is that they use refurbished hubs was warranty replacements, and their refurbishment process is ****.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Firstly, as a disclaimer, I have a rohloff. Secondly, it seems you are jinxed in some unholy way. However you manage to get your hub replaced or refunded, could you sell it and go for something different, such as an 8 speed or stump up the extra cash for the Rohloff (i know they aren't perfect and there are occasional dodgy ones - but their customer service seems sh*t hot and they are fairly bulletproof)


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

I'm trying to buy a house this summer and my bank says I have to pay off my car at the same time otherwise they can't give me a loan. So no, I can't afford to get a rholloff right now. I'm very much not a fan of grip shifts also. And my rim is 36h so I'd need a whole new wheel. If shimano says no more free hubs, I guess I'll try to demand a free full XT 27 speed drive train, in exchange for my never-worked Alfine 11. Even that won't go over well. Its been a year and a few days so I don't know if my credit card company can do anything for me, but that might be my last option. Or my true last option, which is I might be riding a single speed full suspension bike this year. Which will suck more than you know. 35 mile urban rides will be a thing of the past. Riding TO the woods will also be a thing of the past. I am bummin.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

Sucks. Good luck and keep us posted. Also, if they have anything to say about the failures, please post. Thanks.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

I've asked my LBS each time, if Shimano has had any comments/suggestions/explanations/recommendations etc but they never have.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

That is really crap.....I would think the warranty on the hubs should be for each one you have been given, rather than from the original unit. I've done a quick search and found a 2012 attendee list with the vice president of shimano america listed included his email address. A friend of mine used the same tactic when dealing with product or service issues here in the UK - find the boss and talk to them directly. Tell him how all this is affecting you not just the details of hub failures! Worth a try at least! http://www.bicycleconference.com/userfiles/file/2012-BLC-Attendees-List.pdf


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## sevencyclist (Aug 3, 2009)

I have removed rim decals and fork decals to make the bike look less busy and more color coordinated. Enjoy it!


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

sevencyclist, that's a rad bike. And you run more gnarly tires in the front - good choice.


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## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

^^
Nice!


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## MacB (May 13, 2011)

fellsbiker said:


> I'm trying to buy a house this summer and my bank says I have to pay off my car at the same time otherwise they can't give me a loan. So no, I can't afford to get a rholloff right now. I'm very much not a fan of grip shifts also. And my rim is 36h so I'd need a whole new wheel. If shimano says no more free hubs, I guess I'll try to demand a free full XT 27 speed drive train, in exchange for my never-worked Alfine 11. Even that won't go over well. Its been a year and a few days so I don't know if my credit card company can do anything for me, but that might be my last option. Or my true last option, which is I might be riding a single speed full suspension bike this year. Which will suck more than you know. 35 mile urban rides will be a thing of the past. Riding TO the woods will also be a thing of the past. I am bummin.


As a big IGH fan I hate reading this stuff but it does seem you've been really unlucky with the A11. To be honest with you I'm not convinced by the A11 over the A8 for offroad. For example:-

upthread I have pics of my shiny new custom Ti with Rohloff and I quickly realised that was overkill for my offroad needs. So I have the Rohloff on a Ti touring frame now instead, mainly funded by selling the Ti 29er frame. For thrashing around offroad I picked up a Karate Monkey frame and whacked on some Salsa Cromoto 29er rigid steel forks. At the moment that's running an SRAM I-9 hub gear and it's holding up well. But it's not got a great offroad reputation and I may move it to my wifes pootling bike before I kill it. To replace it I'm thinking an Alfine 8 and gearing it pretty low. A 34x21 will give me 25 to 76 gear inches, I can get up everything I need to with 25" and I spin out 76" at about 27mph.

That's a long way of saying could you maybe get a deal with the shop for an A8 plus some money back? It's certainly more likely than being able to get a full refund on the A11. You'd get the same low gear as the A11 and only really lose out on the top two plus a bigger gap at 5-6.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Going from a 27 speed to an 11 speed was already a reduction in range. I got by with it but I wasn't thrilled. Losing even more top end just isn't going to cut it. As much as I love the idea of IGH, if Alfine11 #5 doesn't cut it, I'll be pushing for a 2x9 replacement more than an Alfine8. I figure in a 2x9, if I get a 28 and 40t chainrings, and a standard cassette, that's the same range as I have now with the 11. That will have to do, but hopefully this 11 lives.


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## FlowinFlo (Jan 29, 2012)

A friend of mine has recoloured his grey Nexus Inter 8 and installed a disc brake adapter.











The Nexus "Speedhub" now runs on his every day bike (sorry, no MTB).











Cheers
Flo


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## MacB (May 13, 2011)

fellsbiker said:


> Going from a 27 speed to an 11 speed was already a reduction in range. I got by with it but I wasn't thrilled. Losing even more top end just isn't going to cut it. As much as I love the idea of IGH, if Alfine11 #5 doesn't cut it, I'll be pushing for a 2x9 replacement more than an Alfine8. I figure in a 2x9, if I get a 28 and 40t chainrings, and a standard cassette, that's the same range as I have now with the 11. That will have to do, but hopefully this 11 lives.


Ah, fair enough, I think I took your reference to SS too literally and so thought you may be happy going to fewer gears. Good luck with the next A11 anyway.


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## greg w (Oct 27, 2008)

There is nothing I dont like about this bike... awesome build and finish....


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## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

FlowinFlo said:


> A friend of mine has recoloured his grey Nexus Inter 8 and installed a disc brake adapter.
> 
> The Nexus "Speedhub" now runs on his every day bike (sorry, no MTB).
> 
> ...


 Kind of like putting one of those kits on your Fiero to make it look like a Ferrari? We always made fun of that guy.


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## FlowinFlo (Jan 29, 2012)

The original look of the Nexus is quite lame, so he wanted a new colour. Everyone, who ever saw a Rohloff knows that this one isn´t one. So the decal only is for relaxed people who can handle the fake.


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## finger51 (Jul 21, 2006)

FlowinFlo said:


> So the decal only is for relaxed people who can handle the fake.


LOL.:thumbsup:


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## canyoneagle (Sep 27, 2007)

FlowinFlo said:


> The original look of the Nexus is quite lame, so he wanted a new colour. Everyone, who ever saw a Rohloff knows that this one isn´t one. So the decal only is for relaxed people who can handle the fake.


I'd have made a decal that said "Lolhoff" to complete the tongue in cheek nod to the real deal. :thumbsup:


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## letmetalktomark (Apr 10, 2008)

Loving my Pace 104 Alfine  

Edit >>> Not enough posts to put up a pic :-(


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## lesoudeur (Nov 3, 2005)

*Alfine 11 upgrade*

Giant Seek 0 2011 bought second hand now under new managment: wheels rebuilt with new alfine 11 speed rear hub and XT front hub, Wellgo magnesium M138 pedals, BB7 calipers and SD7 Ti levers, 25.4mm FSA carbon bar, Poste Moderne Smica seatpost and stem, Continental Grand Prix 4 Season tyres, Ritchey WCS Biomax saddle, ti bolts/nuts. A lot of the changes were from stuff that I had spare. Am pleased with it and it weighs around 24lb. Alfine 8 and 11 are approxiately the same weight. Have dropped to 39t on front chainring (20t rear). Will not be letting it out of sight when parked!!!


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## greg w (Oct 27, 2008)

Thats a nice looking ride...Those Giants are so clean looking.


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## Yoreskillz (Feb 10, 2011)




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## driftn (Dec 22, 2009)

*almost two years and still working*









Keep those yellow marks lined up and the cable friction free as much as possible.


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## KanzaKrūzer (Mar 3, 2011)

Nuvinci 360 has been trouble free since September 2011. Swapped out my Racing Ralphs for some Big Apples and finally added a tangle bag.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

*Nickel 140*

Still trying to figure out a different chain tensioning setup, but I'm putting an Alfine-8 on a Santa Cruz Nickel!


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Its hard to tell without bouncing around on your bike, but it looks like you have lot more chain than you need. What I would do, since you have no chain-stays to worry about, is get the YESS bb tensioner. Its like what you have, but on a spring, not just fixed. Use just the right amount of chain so the chain doesn't restrict suspension travel, but there is minimal extra. A spring-ed tensioner at the BB and nothing at the derailer hanger is really an IDEAL setup, but I could never do that on my Maverick because the chain-stays are huge and right in the way.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> Its hard to tell without bouncing around on your bike, but it looks like you have lot more chain than you need. What I would do, since you have no chain-stays to worry about, is get the YESS bb tensioner. Its like what you have, but on a spring, not just fixed. Use just the right amount of chain so the chain doesn't restrict suspension travel, but there is minimal extra. A spring-ed tensioner at the BB and nothing at the derailer hanger is really an IDEAL setup, but I could never do that on my Maverick because the chain-stays are huge and right in the way.


That's exactly what I'm going for....a sprung roller off of the BB, with no tensioner at the hub. I looked into the YESS bb tensioner, but they say it's not designed for full suspension, and doesn't pick up enough slack. But that set up is designed for bikes with chainstays.

I attempted the high placed, static roller, as an experiment. I found that with a really high roller on the Nickel, it helps with chain growth, because the chain length below the cranks shortens, while chain length above grows. Below the cranks, the chain is angled up, as the wheel travels up, the chain becomes horizontal, and thus a shorter distance.

My plan is a high place, high sprung roller or sprocket, looking similar to what I have. I'm switching to a 36T chainring, to help give more vertical space, and take up an extra 3/4 link that I couldn't remove.

Side note: Yes, the chain is about 3/4 link too long. I let the air out of the suspension, compressed suspension, and then set the shortest chain length at full compression, with no roller. It is about 3/4 link too long. The other option would've been 1/4 link too short at full bottom out. Don't want to blow up the bike. Hoping to pick up the extra slack by adjusting my gearing a bit. Currently, it's 32x22. I'm thinking 36x22 will be nice.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

YESS told me the exact same thing. But every FS bike has a different amount of chain growth. If I were in your shoes, i'd definitely give it a try, If it doesn't eat enough slack, you can always resell it (possibly to me for my singlespeed park bike  ) A static roller won't eat up the tension as the suspension travels though, you really need a spring. I ended up using YESS's other derailer replacement tensioner when I went IGH/SS on my Maverick. Works well but I'd definitely try the BB one. The tighter you make your chain, the easier a job the BB tensioner will have. Just make sure its not too sure. You don't want your chain to explode when you land a big drop. Also if you haven't already, I'd defintely ditch the "middle ring" with ramps and go with a stainless steel chainring with tall singlespeed teeth and no ramps. I never lots my chain with I ran IGH/SS with one of those, and no front guide at all aside from a bash guard. And even now, I run a 1x9 short cage with the surly SS chainring up front and no guide, and I lots my chain one time in a season of aggressive riding. Everyone I ride with has these elaborate chain guides, and they all lose their chain more than me.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> YESS told me the exact same thing. But every FS bike has a different amount of chain growth. If I were in your shoes, i'd definitely give it a try, If it doesn't eat enough slack, you can always resell it (possibly to me for my singlespeed park bike  ) A static roller won't eat up the tension as the suspension travels though, you really need a spring. I ended up using YESS's other derailer replacement tensioner when I went IGH/SS on my Maverick. Works well but I'd definitely try the BB one. The tighter you make your chain, the easier a job the BB tensioner will have. Just make sure its not too sure. You don't want your chain to explode when you land a big drop. Also if you haven't already, I'd defintely ditch the "middle ring" with ramps and go with a stainless steel chainring with tall singlespeed teeth and no ramps. I never lots my chain with I ran IGH/SS with one of those, and no front guide at all aside from a bash guard. And even now, I run a 1x9 short cage with the surly SS chainring up front and no guide, and I lots my chain one time in a season of aggressive riding. Everyone I ride with has these elaborate chain guides, and they all lose their chain more than me.


A spring loaded front roller is definitely what I'm going to end up with. I just attempted the static roller as an experiment. I thought it wouldn't work, but wanted to see it physically not work, instead of visualizing.

I will be running a ramp-less single speed ring, for sure. I was looking at the E-13 rings, because it has a ledge designed to help keep the chain on. You recommend the Surly SS? I was definitely looking for taller teeth, like you mentioned...hoping the E-13 has taller teeth. Chromag offers a single ring with taller teeth, but those are expensive.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Yeah I use the Surly and it's been great. Plus it's steel so it's very strong. Very little wear after a full season of riding. Compared to the aluminum middle ring of a 3x9 setup, where the middle ring is so worn after half a season, that it needs to be replaced. I don't know about the E13 rings though, they may be good too. I actually have a 36t surly i could sell you, it's practically new. Most people go with 32 though, and since you don't have chainstays to look out for, you'll probably want 32t.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> Yeah I use the Surly and it's been great. Plus it's steel so it's very strong. Very little wear after a full season of riding. Compared to the aluminum middle ring of a 3x9 setup, where the middle ring is so worn after half a season, that it needs to be replaced. I don't know about the E13 rings though, they may be good too. I actually have a 36t surly i could sell you, it's practically new. Most people go with 32 though, and since you don't have chainstays to look out for, you'll probably want 32t.


I have some SLX cranks on order, with a 36T middle ring. I want to see if a 36T helps my situation. With the 32t, the tension roller puts the lower chain awfully close to the upper chain, to the point that they might hit each other. I'm hoping a 36T will create more room, take up the extra slack and prevent that from happening.

Once I get all that dialed in, I'm going to order a proper chainring, and one of those rear Alfine cogs, with the plastic chain guide. I don't plan on running a front elaborate chainguide, either. I'm hoping that a proper, straight chainline, the Alfine rear cog and a tall toothed rampless front ring will keep my chain on...plus, a lot of constant tension from that lower BB sprung-roller.

I'm going to attempt to make my own, with a longer swing arm than the YESS device, by placing the pivot closer to the BB. Thinking that will give me more tension travel.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

btw, for all you wheel builders out there, I originally laced the wheel wrong, with brake tension spokes elbows out (as shown in above picture)... Luckily I caught this before tensioning the wheel. I have since re-laced and finished the wheel correctly with brake tension spokes elbows in.... laces out!


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## Tunalic (Feb 13, 2012)

Installed 11 spd alfine a week ago and love it so far! 36X20t...


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

I've made a thread for my new build , but here it goes here too !


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## Ptor (Jan 29, 2004)

fokof said:


> I've made a thread for my new build , but here it goes here too !


I can't use the old line of "great minds think alike" as I'm not one, but there's some real similarity here. I just retrofitted my almost-9-year-old Rohloff'd Black Sheep using a VeloSwap-pickup Lefty Carbon SL/MendonCycle Smith overhaul/Project 321 adapter. The rear wheel will continue to be run as a V-brake, so I've got a mullet setup for brakes, but the balance between the brakes is still great. It weighs 26.2 lbs with pedals. My son's Lefty-equipped Cannodale Caffeine comes in at 24.5 lbs, but the weight savings doesn't make up for the real-world wonders of the Rohloff.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Nice ride !!!
Got to love those Lefty , ain't it right ? 
They are solo damn smooth , with a Ti frame , It's even smoother than any Carbon frame I've tried , I'm really impressed. It's my first Ti.

Mine is 23,1 lbs with those tires. i could loose a pound by swapping the Brooks but my butt is worth that extra pound anytime !! 



BTW : Mendon is the Man !!! He's the only guy touching my forks when I can't do it.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

*The Nickel Lives!!!*

I have completed the build on the Nickel. I have developed a new BB mounted, spring loaded chain tension device, that works on elevated chainstay frames, with internally geared hubs.
If anybody is interested in having one made, feel free to PM me.

The homemade prototype is working great, with no dropped chains and no chain slap...the bike is whisper quite on the trails, climbs great and is a lot of fun for bounding, shocking and gnarling.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

Looks awesome. The dainty little springs found on most dropout tensioners don't hold up well at all. Good idea using a heftier one. Its probably a LOT less likely to break or lose it's tension. Sweet bike too.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Looks great, and nice work on the tensioner. I've tried a Yess ETR-B, you made the right call. Very lackluster tension from that unit.

It's too bad, the Yess ETR-V is pretty awesome. I just don't like the placement, it's essentially a derailleur.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

yes, that is a fine looking ride. 

question though, do you need that much extra chain for the suspension travel? 

or is it a situation where removing another link is too much?


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

dru said:


> yes, that is a fine looking ride.
> 
> question though, do you need that much extra chain for the suspension travel?
> 
> or is it a situation where removing another link is too much?


Thanks for the compliments! Yeah, I'm pretty happy with the chain tensioner. The tension spring is a nice gauge and pretty strong. I certainly wanted strong tension, but it doesn't seem like it's too strong. It took some trial and error, selecting the spring and the location that I bolted the spring. I initially used a longer spring, that attached further out on the swing arm, but this created way too much tension. A shorter spring mounted half way on the arm works perfectly.

The extra chain length is for the suspension travel. If I removed a link, the chain would be too short at full travel. Also, chainring diameter influences this. A 32T ring creates too much slack. A 36T, the chain is too short. A 34T chainring seems to work just right.

I might try a 30T, if I can find one, and remove a full link...if I feel the need for a lower gear.

After riding some rocky trails, I have declared my homemade chain tensioner a success, with no dropped chains and no chain slap.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

Sriracha, is this your 1st IGH? If so, time will tell as to getting hooked. Personally I love the clean look, and resistance to crash damage.

Gotta get me a fully one of these days. They look like fun in the rough stuff.


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## crazylemurboy (Dec 12, 2011)

Srirach, have you considered the use of a half link to achieve a 'near perfect' chain length? I used one with a HT with vertical drop outs and did not use a tensioner until the chain stretched. No chain drops, but the back wheel was most certainly stationary!


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

It looks like he could actually remove at least one full link and still have plenty of chain for the full suspension path.


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## Corporal Punishment (May 26, 2011)

sriracha said:


> The extra chain length is for the suspension travel. If I removed a link, the chain would be too short at full travel. Also, chainring diameter influences this. A 32T ring creates too much slack. A 36T, the chain is too short. A 34T chainring seems to work just right.
> 
> I might try a 30T, if I can find one, and remove a full link...if I feel the need for a lower gear.


You may want to go with the 30T or 32T as a starting point then change the rear cog to taste. And yea, if you find the perfect riding ratio but there's just a touch too much chain then a half link works great. I use one on my magicgear setup with vertical dropouts.

Personally, I would use a 10T chainring if I could - more BB clearance. But there is no cog small enough for even a 22T chainring that would give a useable gear ratio. I guess I'll have to wait until someone invents a lightweight and durable driveshaft system. ;-)


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## Davidbike (Dec 9, 2012)

Hey nice build. I'm trying also to build a bike with an alfine 11 or 8. With drop bars road gear shifter. Do they word well? Any recomendation about what to use?


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

Corporal Punishment said:


> You may want to go with the 30T or 32T as a starting point then change the rear cog to taste. And yea, if you find the perfect riding ratio but there's just a touch too much chain then a half link works great. I use one on my magicgear setup with vertical dropouts.
> 
> Personally, I would use a 10T chainring if I could - more BB clearance. But there is no cog small enough for even a 22T chainring that would give a useable gear ratio. I guess I'll have to wait until someone invents a lightweight and durable driveshaft system. ;-)


I figured out a way to use a 32T chainring, and still take up the extra slack, without the top and bottom chains touching.

I will have to position the idler pulley closer to the chainring, on the swing-arm, and also use a 13T Dura-ace pulley.

I could certainly use that extra climbing gear.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

dru said:


> Sriracha, is this your 1st IGH? If so, time will tell as to getting hooked. Personally I love the clean look, and resistance to crash damage.
> 
> Gotta get me a fully one of these days. They look like fun in the rough stuff.


No, this is my 3rd IGH...I am definitely hooked!

I first put an Alfine-8 on my Karate Monkey, roughy two years ago. I haven't had a single problem with that hub. After the initial cable stretch, I haven't had to touch it. It's probably due for a rebuild.

I then bolted a Shimano Nexus 3-speed disc IGH on my vintage road bike. I really like that hub too, it's just too bad it has that bell-crank cable pick-up on the outside of the frame. I love how low profile the Alfine-8 is.

I've always wanted an IGH on my full-suspension bikes, but the dropouts wouldn't allow it. When I saw this Santa Cruz Nickel frame for sale on a crazy closeout deal (still going, only $600!!!), and realized the dropouts would allow an IGH, I went for it.

...then, after looking at the bike, I realized I could create a new kind of bottom bracket spring-loaded tensioner. Allowed by the elevated chainstays, I am able to take up a lot more slack than a traditional frame.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

crazylemurboy said:


> Srirach, have you considered the use of a half link to achieve a 'near perfect' chain length? I used one with a HT with vertical drop outs and did not use a tensioner until the chain stretched. No chain drops, but the back wheel was most certainly stationary!


I considered it, but I am a Wipperman fan-boi. They don't offer a half-link for Wipperman chains, and for some reason, I don't want to use another brand's half-link....wouldn't that cause problems, mixing brands, in a chain?


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> It looks like he could actually remove at least one full link and still have plenty of chain for the full suspension path.


Maybe if the chain stretches and the chainring teeth wear in a bit. It's really close. It's more like, if I removed 3/4 link, the chain length would be perfect. If I removed a full link, it would be 1/4 link too short.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

Gold...well, brass plated, 9-speed Wipperman chain dropped 120grams over the single speed chain I was initially using.

After some test rides on rougher trails, and still no dropped chains, I have declared this spring loaded tensioner a success!

Time to develop version 2. I'm going to use a 13T Dura-Ace pulley, for the idler. Revise the design a little bit and see if I can get the weight down without sacrificing beefy-ness. The pulley alone will drop 30 grams over the double-bearing roller. Going to try to remove 100grams total from the tensioner.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

sriracha said:


> Maybe if the chain stretches and the chainring teeth wear in a bit. It's really close. It's more like, if I removed 3/4 link, the chain length would be perfect. If I removed a full link, it would be 1/4 link too short.


In that case I'd definitely go with a half link.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> In that case I'd definitely go with a half link.


Are the half links interchangeable between brands? Can I use a KMC half link on a Wipperman chain?
I was under the impression that frankenchains were not ideal.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

All chains have the same link length so they should all work. The only issues might be plate thickness. The real issue with halflinks is that you are putting a pin back in your chain to install it, which in theory makes it a weak point. I think KMC makes some interesting half links that solve that problem, they have a little cotter pin on the the chain pin. You need more clearance for the chain but it looks like you have plenty of space. And just put all that stuff on the inside of the chain so it doesn't take your skin off.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> All chains have the same link length so they should all work. The only issues might be plate thickness. The real issue with halflinks is that you are putting a pin back in your chain to install it, which in theory makes it a weak point. I think KMC makes some interesting half links that solve that problem, they have a little cotter pin on the the chain pin. You need more clearance for the chain but it looks like you have plenty of space. And just put all that stuff on the inside of the chain so it doesn't take your skin off.


I might pick up a half link, but I think I can pull this off by repositioning the idler pulley, and using a larger 13T Dura-Ace pulley.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

sriracha said:


> I might pick up a half link, but I think I can pull this off by repositioning the idler pulley, and using a larger 13T Dura-Ace pulley.


I use a YESS rear mounted tensioner when I convert my ML8 to singlespeed for downhilling. I find the sound of the chain going over the smooth coaster annoying. I was also using that tensioner for the few months I had an Alfine 11. If you could put a toothed tensioner pulley, that's what I'd prefer if I had that setup. Much smoother and quieter.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> I use a YESS rear mounted tensioner when I convert my ML8 to singlespeed for downhilling. I find the sound of the chain going over the smooth coaster annoying. I was also using that tensioner for the few months I had an Alfine 11. If you could put a toothed tensioner pulley, that's what I'd prefer if I had that setup. Much smoother and quieter.


Nice!

Yeah, I'm going to be putting the 13 tooth pulley on, instead of the roller. Looking at a chain, it seems they are designed to ride on the bushing surrounding the pin, not the outer links. I'm hoping there will be a little less friction with a pulley.

If rollers were superior, you'd think they would use them in some way, on a derailleur...and a lot of chain guide companies use idler pulleys, instead of rollers.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

Yeah generally they use gears on pieces that can be adjusted to line up perfectly with your chain line, and rollers for parts that are not adjustable. Thats why my Yess tensioner has both. The "lower" pulley is adjustable and is a gear, the upper is not adjustable so its just a roller. The other thing I was thinking is that if you do a half link (which I think you should do), that's going to change the location of your tensioner arm and so you'll have to re calibrate it's spring.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

I can dial in the exact chainline of the pulley, with washers. Currently, tension of the device is increased or decreased by "clocking" it around the bottom bracket mount, and re-tightening the BB. Still in prototype mode, but it works.

Surprisingly, the idler swing-arm doesn't have to move that much. Since I'm pushing the chain upward, this decreases the difference in chain growth, as the axle moves up...because the lower chain is a hypotenuse, it shortens a bit as it levels off.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

You ought to take your rear shock out, and post a short video of the system slowly working through all of the bike's travel.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

fellsbiker said:


> You ought to take your rear shock out, and post a short video of the system slowly working through all of the bike's travel.


That's a good idea. I will do that, when I finish the revised version, with 32T chainring, 13T idler pulley and trimmed bits.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

If you think about it, a tensioner that pushes down, like the Yess tensioner, or a Surly Singulator attached to the derailleur hanger pushing down, is always moving up to release more chain. This requires even more chain length and more movement of the tensioner.

Mine flexes down to release more chain, as the axle moves up. The most it moves down is at an angle up from horizontal, at full bottom out.


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

Hi Chaps,

Here is my new Rohloff equipped steed










The frame is steel (853 main tubes) and was built by a friend of mine who is just starting up a frame building company called Swarf Cycles.

I am chuffed to bits with it to say the least. I have had my rohloff for about 6 years, I ran it on a full sus bike with a tensioner, but it is so nice running it with a dedicated frame with out any springy tensioners 

Stu


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Nice!

Is that a KS Lev that I see as the seatpost? (I'm a telescoping post fan, so kudos if so.)


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

Drew Diller said:


> Nice!
> 
> Is that a KS Lev that I see as the seatpost? (I'm a telescoping post fan, so kudos if so.)


Cheers . Yes it is....at first before using a dropper I was like what's the point...they are heavyer and I need to know where the bike is by feeling the saddle on my thigh.....then I tried one and realised I was just plain wrong ....best thing to happen to my riding in years . Amazing how moving the saddle away from your balls at will helps give you more balls


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Stuart B said:


> Cheers . Yes it is....at first before using a dropper I was like what's the point...they are heavyer and I need to know where the bike is by feeling the saddle on my thigh.....then I tried one and realised I was just plain wrong ....best thing to happen to my riding in years . Amazing how moving the saddle away from your balls at will helps give you more balls


Thanks for that feedback dude. I only accept criticism of telescoping posts from people who've actually tried one. I think the naysayers who haven't ridden hard on one are just ridiculing change, and don't know what they're missing.

Hell, my cornering improved with a dropper post. Amazing.

Sorry for off-topic! Sweet bike dude.


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

Drew Diller said:


> Thanks for that feedback dude. I only accept criticism of telescoping posts from people who've actually tried one. I think the naysayers who haven't ridden hard on one are just ridiculing change, and don't know what they're missing.
> 
> Hell, my cornering improved with a dropper post. Amazing.
> 
> Sorry for off-topic! Sweet bike dude.


lol, nothing wrong with spreading the dropper post love 

I like it


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## Stuart B (Mar 21, 2005)

Drew Diller said:


> I finished my 3rd DIY bike frame. Some custom Lefty clamps from MendonCycleSmith and an old clamp style Lefty give a 17.5mm *reverse* Pugsley style axle offset. It's like the Pug's rear end, just the other way. It gives enough clearance to stuff a fat tire on the front.
> 
> I like the Alfine so far. The clutch feeling is a little weird, but not bad weird.


Allow me to return the compliment....that is bonkers....like it!!!


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## C9ollie (Oct 29, 2004)

double post


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## C9ollie (Oct 29, 2004)

Currently in winter campus cruzer mode right now.


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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

*Kinesis Decade Virsa Prestige*

16in frame (rider is only 5'7")
Alfine8 on Mavic 26in EN521's
Deore hydro's
running 32:22

after only recently converting from singlespeed I'm wondering if hub is a bit heavy and I be better off with a nexus sg-3d55 that i've now found out about


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## lukeNZ (Dec 13, 2012)

*GT peace alfine 8*

small gt peace 26in
alfine8 on Mavic XM719's
32:23


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## LukeSPOOK (Aug 27, 2007)

Nice bike - you will probably get used to the weight - just don't focus on it.
I have used a Nexus 3 speed and its not too bad - just not quite as robust as the Alfine 8.


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## uncajohn (Jan 17, 2006)

*Mc sin*

Mountain Cycle SIN frame, Marzocchi 66 front, Marzocchi Rocco rear, Crank Bros seatpost, speedhub & DMR revolver front hub, Magura Gustav brakes, Raceface DH cranks & 36T ring, custom rockring, TIME FR pedals, Maxxis Minion DH 2,7 front & rear tires, old Mavic 321 rims... Spank (!!!) bar & stem, Chris King steelset headset.


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## No Skid Marks (Mar 10, 2010)

rekrutacja said:


> My Marin finally got his new chain tensioner. Chain tensioner was provided by Speedskater (thank you!) Fitting it was not easy (i have now 4 different octalink supports and one destroyed crank  and tolerances are very tight, but it works and looks good.


Could you not make an ISCG, Bottom Bracket or bottom linkage mounted idler to get rid of that bikes chain suck while you were at it. You could run a shorter chain then, and have less slack needed to be taken up.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

rekrutacja said:


> My Marin finally got his new chain tensioner. Chain tensioner was provided by Speedskater (thank you!) Fitting it was not easy (i have now 4 different octalink supports and one destroyed crank  and tolerances are very tight, but it works and looks good.


crazy! I never saw this bike until now, and I coincidentally did the same thing on my Nickel. Who is Speedskater?


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## cobba (Apr 5, 2007)

sriracha said:


>


What's the story with the brake adapter, I hope you've put the proper size adapter on since that photo was taken as you don't seem to have much pad/rotor contact.


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## Pooh Bear (May 25, 2006)

*No mtb, but still IGH bike p0rn*

Two hours ago I unpacked a very large parcel and Voilá! out in the dirt.


Retrovelo Alfons von pu bär auf Flickr


Retrovelo Alfons von pu bär auf Flickr


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

nice...something very appealing about your bike even though not my thing.


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## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

Great photos, lovely bike!
I love the look of retrovelo bikes, but they seem so slow!


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## faxe (Dec 14, 2007)

Van Nicholas Zion









more pics here

Idworx Mountain Rohler










more pics here


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

got upset, started throwing things in the basement at each other, this fell down when I was done.
winter bikie-poo.
need smaller alfine cog to sort out the magic gearing but ah well.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

I've got a 20t and a 22t both very lightly used and for sale. PM me if you're interested.


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

Other direction. have an 18 in there now, a 17 would be me a near-as damn perfect magic gear.
Thanks though!


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

faxe said:


>


other tall dudes riding big 26ers, and 29ers of course.....


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## the_desh (Mar 5, 2013)

Might be the wrong thread but id like your opinion of running a Truvativ HammerSchmidt AM Crankset with a Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

the_desh said:


> Might be the wrong thread but id like your opinion of running a Truvativ HammerSchmidt AM Crankset with a Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub.


I wouldn't.

For starters, while I like the Alfine well enough, and my time on the Hammerschmidt was also pretty good, consider that there are mechanical losses in an internal gearing setup that are higher than a conventional derailleur drive train. Efficiency losses get multiplied, so if the Alfine is, say, 95% efficient, and so is the Hammerschmidt, and your straight chain is 98% efficient, then, (and this is really unscientific)

.95 x .95 x .98 = ~.885

vs one internal gear source:

.95 x .98 = .931

So you're losing a few extra bits of efficiency.

Second, I'd like to keep my weight penalties in one place.

Third, the Alfine 11 is (admittedly vague) generally regarded as less durable than an Alfine 8. If you were to abuse either of those hubs with a lower-than-recommended input ratio via the Hammerschmidt, you'd be better off with the 8. Big asterisk here, I haven't owned an 11.


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## fellsbiker (Jun 17, 2006)

the_desh said:


> Might be the wrong thread but id like your opinion of running a Truvativ HammerSchmidt AM Crankset with a Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub.


 In addition to what the other guy said, there's just no reason to do it. The 11 speed hub already gives you a very wide range of gears. If you really need more, the cost of an Alfine plus hammerschmidt is probably the same as a rholoff 14 speed. Which would be way better in terms of performance and definitely durability.

If you break out a spreadsheet and do the gear ratio math, keeping the low front gear above the 1.9 input for the A11, I'm sure you'll find the ratios for the high front gear to be silly and useless. By my quick math, that will give you nearly a 7:1 top gear. Compared to a 4:1 top gear on a regular 3x9 derailler drivetrain. There's no point.


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

*Internal hub Colson*









'36 Colson frameset, headbadge, Wald Aero stem.
The rest NOS or new.
8 speed Shimano hub.
Love it.
Thanks for looking.

DAvid


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

colson said:


> '36 Colson frameset, headbadge, Wald Aero stem.


That looks fun! More pics please!

Might want to add a post here too: http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/cruiser-thread-154717.html


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## ekcyclops (Mar 13, 2013)

Wow, impressive!


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

That raises an interesting question about the definition of cruiser. I have a '55 Schwinn Red Phantom, my wife rides a '58 Schwinn American, and I have a '36 Elgin I'm putting together. I know the stock bikes would be considered cruisers, but I didn't think this one would be since it's used off road. Maybe the old frameset is what determines the type name?
I have pictures of this build from the bare frame up, I should gather them and post, it would be fun to see other member's builds from the ground up too.



J_Westy said:


> That looks fun! More pics please!
> 
> Might want to add a post here too:


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

ekcyclops said:


> Wow, impressive!


Thanks!


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

colson said:


> That raises an interesting question about the definition of cruiser.


True, but that VRC thread has cruisers, 26" bmx cruisers, klunkers and bombers. Yours would be a great addition.

But, to tell you the truth, this thread would be better:
http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/lets-see-your-klunkers-661357.html

Regardless, I'd say your bike deserves it's own "build" thread and a post in the klunkers thread.

Again, strong work!

P.S. There's a decent klunker thread here too: ★ RATRODBIKES.COM ★ • View topic - SHOW US YOUR KLUNKERZ


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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

colson said:


> I have pictures of this build from the bare frame up, I should gather them and post, it would be fun to see other member's builds from the ground up too.


Here are a couple prewar bike builds with modern IGHs if you haven't seen them:

My '39 DX: View topic - 1939 DX Schwinn Ace -- Finished | Retrobike

sandmangts's ca '36 Elgin: http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/how-far-can-you-take-pre-war-frame-819888.html

sandmangts's '36 Mercury: http://forums.mtbr.com/vintage-retro-classic/pre-war-mercury-project-587994.html


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## OFFcourse (Aug 11, 2011)

Alfine8 on my 907FB, loaded and rolling in the mud.


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## synthesis (Feb 24, 2006)

Fresh build, waiting for delivery.
Still needs tweeks...

Shay and the crew at Freewheel Cycles are the best.

d


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## finch2 (Nov 13, 2009)

nice looking bike....what cranks and brakes are those?


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## synthesis (Feb 24, 2006)

finch2 said:


> nice looking bike....what cranks and brakes are those?


Thanks finch2,

Surly MWOD crankset.
Shimano CX75 short pull calipers, work with Versa shift/brake levers.

d


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## colson (Mar 7, 2013)

I wondered about that. I have a Nexus and have been timid about getting it wet and muddy, but it looks like I have nothing to worry about, you get it that muddy with no ill effects?



OFFcourse said:


> Alfine8 on my 907FB, loaded and rolling in the mud.
> 
> View attachment 784221


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## OFFcourse (Aug 11, 2011)

That was my first big mud up (it's summer here, still...) but it's on the beach and in the salt water often enough that I would have expected ill effects already if they were coming, probably due for a service tho lot of miles on it.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

A pic from today's ride:


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

hey sriracha looks good. what kind of chain tensioner is that?


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

biketuna said:


> hey sriracha looks good. what kind of chain tensioner is that?


It's a homemade chain tensioner, that I prototyped and built it in my garage. 
Want one? I am in conversation with a machine shop about doing a limited run.


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## biketuna (Mar 28, 2008)

I might need one for a future project. I don't like the rear derailleur type.
Does it move? Do you have more pics?


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## synthesis (Feb 24, 2006)

I am interested in the tensioner as well. Will it attach to a standard frame?

I have a Moonlander.

d


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Yo synthesis (fellow fatty rider here), if you have a Moonlander, why not just use the horizontal "dropouts"?


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## synthesis (Feb 24, 2006)

Drew Diller said:


> Yo synthesis (fellow fatty rider here), if you have a Moonlander, why not just use the horizontal "dropouts"?


Honestly Drew,

The shop that built it recomended it. Said it would be easier to change wheel or swap rear cogs. So I am running a Paul unit now. Maybe I'll take it off and see how she runs.

d


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

The version I have created currently only works on bikes with elevated chainstays, as it pushes the chain up.

I will eventually work on a version that pushes the chain down.

My chain tensioner attaches to a standard bottom bracket, the same way a chain guide with rollers would attach, by being sandwiched between the BB and frame.


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## rekrutacja (Jan 16, 2011)

Speedskater:
Speedskater - Benutzeralbum - Fotoalbum auf MTB-News.de
MTB-News.de - IBC


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

rekrutacja said:


> Speedskater:
> Speedskater - Benutzeralbum - Fotoalbum auf MTB-News.de
> MTB-News.de - IBC


^^^Nice looking chain tensioner! Looks like it might be reversible by switching the springs. I also like the giant bearing used. My tensioner uses a brass bushing.


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## RockySpieler (Jan 8, 2012)

*Carver 96er Alfine 11*

Here's my Carver 96er Alfine 11.........apologises about the goofy pose!

EBB is good, running a 1/8" single speed chain, 32/23.

The Alfine 11 is still a bit jumpy, but it is getting better.









In my quest to improve slipping in addition to playing with the tension and cable length I switched to seat stay cable routing (from chain stay) using Bue / Green non-turn washers plus I flipped the cog's dishing inwards (to avoid the rubber cable housing rubbing the wider 1/8 chain).


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

You poor bastard! Where are you that you still have snow?

Drew


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## RockySpieler (Jan 8, 2012)

dru said:


> You poor bastard! Where are you that you still have snow?
> 
> Drew


Old'ish photo taken on the 17-March-2013 on Dartmoor in the U.K.

I just got back from a business trip to Madrid and took the photo to wind up a Spanish cycling colleague who cycles in the sunshine near Barcelcona,


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Finally got an 8sp Alfine hub on the Coco, added 3 lbs to the ss weight but I am spinning up climbs I had to walk before. :thumbsup:


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

synthesis said:


> Honestly Drew,
> 
> The shop that built it recomended it. Said it would be easier to change wheel or swap rear cogs. So I am running a Paul unit now. Maybe I'll take it off and see how she runs.
> 
> d


While you're still fiddling with the bike getting ratios right, I highly recommend running a chain tensioner until you sort everything out, just so you don't have to keep adding or removing links. After that, it's a matter of personal taste - I still have mine, but I won't cry myself to sleep when I remove it.


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## synthesis (Feb 24, 2006)

hunter006 said:


> While you're still fiddling with the bike getting ratios right, I highly recommend running a chain tensioner until you sort everything out, just so you don't have to keep adding or removing links. After that, it's a matter of personal taste - I still have mine, but I won't cry myself to sleep when I remove it.


I switched to a 23T and got rid of the tensioner. Runs great now and no extra parts to get full of sand and grit. Was worried about the axle slipping in the dropouts but I torqued it to 32lbs (I think it was) and it hasn't budged. Very happy with the setup.

d


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

*Trek District Carbon Belt Drive Rohloff Road Bike*

Here is my newest project. A district carbon with a a rohloff and belt drive. There had to be a few very unique solutions to make this possible and im still not done. I am just finishing up a drop shifter that I have been fabricating and then I have to find a more elegant way to route the cables. The front wheel will match the rear, just waiting on my philwood hub. Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions. Cheers.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

WOW !

Please report back your impressions.

Curious about the feeling of the IGH on a road frame and if the extra weight in the back is annoying on a road rig.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

fokof said:


> WOW !
> 
> Please report back your impressions.
> 
> Curious about the feeling of the IGH on a road frame and if the extra weight in the back is annoying on a road rig.


Actually Santos bicycles make a Rohloff road bike.
Race Lite | Santos - Custombuilt Bicycles

I just convinced Bill, one of my rando buddies, to add one to his bike. The biggest issue to solve is how to route the cabling for the shifters from the handlebars. I think the Santos solution is the cleanest, nicest solution, however it will probably add resistance to the shifting. It also removes the ability to easily grab the bottom of the drops.

This district has taken an approach I haven't seen in a while - stem mounted. Nicely done.


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## kustomz (Jan 6, 2004)

bsieb said:


> Finally got an 8sp Alfine hub on the Coco, added 3 lbs to the ss weight but I am spinning up climbs I had to walk before. :thumbsup:


That is a very nice looking rig! Mind if I ask what the cost of converting was? And also, did you purchase a pre-built Alfine wheel or build yourself? Thanks for any info you can give.


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

I tested it out on the weekend, it rides really well! You dont notice any extra weight in the back although when you are in the lower 7 it does have a pretty loud hum. I am running a 60T ring and 19T cog so the hub RPMs are always pretty high.

@hunter006 thanks  . . . The stem shifter is a temporary fix though. I have modified a campy chorus(campy uses a duel ratchet system so when modified can pull 2 cables) shifter to pull the cables. . im just putting the finishing touches on it and ill get it installed.


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## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

justilew said:


> I tested it out on the weekend, it rides really well! You dont notice any extra weight in the back although when you are in the lower 7 it does have a pretty loud hum. I am running a 60T ring and 19T cog so the hub RPMs are always pretty high.
> 
> @hunter006 thanks  . . . The stem shifter is a temporary fix though. I have modified a campy chorus(campy uses a duel ratchet system so when modified can pull 2 cables) shifter to pull the cables. . im just putting the finishing touches on it and ill get it installed.


Great build! I would like to try Rohloff on road bike, and the belt makes a super clean bike!

What is the weight?


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## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

...and please post some nice outdoor photos!


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

kustomz said:


> That is a very nice looking rig! Mind if I ask what the cost of converting was? And also, did you purchase a pre-built Alfine wheel or build yourself? Thanks for any info you can give.


I had to shop around for my components, there seemed to be a shortage last winter. I have ~$275 in the hub, shifter, small parts kit, and cog. The rim, spokes, nipples, and tubeless liner were ~$175. I built the wheel myself, used the same size cog and the same centerlock rotor as I was running ss. My frame was built with cable clamps for this setup, so installation was simple. I set up the disc brake with the bare hub before I built the wheel, pretty much a drop in deal.

Pacenti TL28 rim w/ Carver tubeless liner
Wheelsmith black DB14 spokes and aluminum nipples


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## kustomz (Jan 6, 2004)

bsieb, thanks for the details. I am not sure why I am so hung up on an IGH? Especially when my 1x9 Deore works absolutely flawless, but this helps me know that I am on the right track cost wise. Decisions, decisions...


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

justilew said:


> I tested it out on the weekend, it rides really well! You dont notice any extra weight in the back although when you are in the lower 7 it does have a pretty loud hum. I am running a 60T ring and 19T cog so the hub RPMs are always pretty high.
> 
> @hunter006 thanks  . . . The stem shifter is a temporary fix though. I have modified a campy chorus(campy uses a duel ratchet system so when modified can pull 2 cables) shifter to pull the cables. . im just putting the finishing touches on it and ill get it installed.


Hiya. I hope you realise what you have done if you get a brifter working with a Rohloff?!!!! If you can let me know how you did it or do another one, I would buy it from you! There are a LOT of people itching to get their hands on one and NOBODY is making any!


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

kustomz said:


> bsieb, thanks for the details. I am not sure why I am so hung up on an IGH? Especially when my 1x9 Deore works absolutely flawless, but this helps me know that I am on the right track cost wise. Decisions, decisions...[/QUOTE
> 
> I find that the IGH works well. It has some idiosyncrasies, like backwards shifting, can't shift under pressure, some gears make a little noise, and the available shifters are disappointingly cheesy. Mostly just things to get used to in return for a geared low maintenance drive train.


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

I'd gladly share what I have. I just need to find a spring to return the thumb shifter, the one that came with it won't work. I have attached some pictures describing how it works. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers.


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

I will post some outdoor photos shortly. The bike weights 18.2 lbs right now but I still have to add the front wheel (the one on there now is pretty heavy) and change out the shifter. I anticipate it will be somewhere in the 17s..


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## Chocolatebike (Feb 15, 2011)

jonnybags said:


> Hiya. I hope you realise what you have done if you get a brifter working with a Rohloff?!!!! If you can let me know how you did it or do another one, I would buy it from you! There are a LOT of people itching to get their hands on one and NOBODY is making any!


What jonny has said !
The shifting is the 1st thing that I'd change on my Rohloff.

.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

That makes a lot of sense - however my own skills do not reach to this. If it works, would you be able to adapt another unit for me? Beyond that, if you create a blueprint/patent, you would have a decent shot at production runs and making some money/refining the unit to be a purpose built one. Also, only a kilo over UCI weight limit is an epic bike!

Just think of the acceleration on the thing using the sequential possibilities of the hub!


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## EFMax (Aug 20, 2008)

Recently upgraded my bike, had an IGH before but since last posting here is the latest incarnation..

I decided that I wanted the dull black hub to match my red front hub and the red theme on the bike, so after a strip down and service of the internals - I had it resprayed.. I am pleased with the end results.



















All built up and using the Shimano Centre Lock was able to fit my Hope 203mm rotors.









Opted to run a triple ring up front (44-36-22) on a 18T rear ring. I find these ratios give me everything I need - I had previously tried 42-32-26 on a 20T but found the ratios not spaced out enough for my riding style.. most of the time it is in the middle ring (36) but overall I now have 3 extra gears below and two extra above my middle ring. An 11 speed Alfine would cure this but better the devil you know..










All in all the bike does just I have always wanted - 60% of my riding is off road and off road it gets riden hard but other than a few rider errors and accidents, everything has served me very well.

Weight wise, on a back to back (rear wheel only) I am giving up 0.9Kg over a non IGH dérailleur system and when I add in the batteries to run my monster lighting system, then at 17.4Kg, I can live with that.

*FULL SPEC..*
* Frame: ROCKY MOUNTAIN ALTITUDE CR90 
* Fork: X-FUSION VENGEANCE 170 HLR
* Shock: FOX Float RP23 (PUSHED)
* Brakes: HOPE 203mm M6 & M4 - CERAMIC PADS
* Cranks: SHIMANO SLX
* Front Mech: SHIMANO DIRECT MOUNT 
* Rear Mech: SHIMANO ALFINE 8-speed
* Pedals: CRANK BRO ACID 3
* Stem: EASTON MTB Vice
* Handlebar: EASTON
* Seatpost: RACEFACE TURBINE
* Saddle: SELLE ITALIA
* Bottom Bracket: HOPE 68mm CERAMIC
* Headset: HOPE + 2x Head Doctors
* Front Tire: MAXXIS ADVANTAGE 2.40
* Front Rim: BRAVE DLUX 32mm
* Front Hub/Skewer: HOPE PRO II (20mm conversion)
* Rear Tire: MAXXIS ADVANATAGE 2.25
* Rear Rim: BRAVE DLUX 32mm
* Weight 17.4Kg (with two sets of lights and 8x Li-ion batteries)

In this guise and with the bike's overall geometry, it flies on the flat, climbs well though there is a tendency to lift up at the front - but this makes clearing obstructions easy but on the way back down, it is very sure of itself and is much more planted without having to stick my bum out too far.


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## jonnybags (Jan 14, 2010)

Hiya - got to say I'm itching to see how your build (ESPECIALLY THE SHIFTER!!!) is going! What news do you have?


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## 2088bob (Aug 9, 2008)

here is mine


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

It's not an IGH, but a gearbox - Nicolai Helius AC Pinion.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

Oh you suck! I so want one of those!

Drew


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

How do you like the Pinion ?
Can you compare to IGH ?


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

fokof said:


> How do you like the Pinion ?
> Can you compare to IGH ?


A Pinion gearbox review...

The reason I went for a Pinion gearbox was because I went through a period of 18 months where I destroyed 6 rear derailleurs on the different bikes by either catching sticks in them or in one case slipping between some rocks and wedging the derailleur in between. The other option was Rohloff IGH but I didn't like the idea of the weight being located at the wheel. So I waited nearly 8 months for a frame with a Pinion gearbox.

The set up was pretty straight forward. I gave it to the bike shop and they did it! The mechanic who worked on it said it was okay except for trying to grab the ends of the cable to secure when there is very little space available. The frame came with the cable already threaded through the gearbox.

After the first ride I adjusted the cable tension at home. I thought it would be a good idea to set it up myself to make sure I could do it. The instructions were very clear, with excellent diagrams. The cable is a single piece about 3m long. I did not go through the process of winding it though the gearbox but it looks easy enough. I secured the cables at the shifter, as per the instructions, and it all worked well. There is very little space in the shifter for grabbing the cable ends, especially after they have already been cut. I had to grab the end with some tweezers, then some long nose pliers to pull them firmly and them tighten the clamp up. Overall, about a 15 minute job including removing and replacing the cover. The barrel adjusters have to be in a specific location to start with and they have plenty of thread on them to adjust in both directions as needed.

All of the online reviews I'd read discussed shifting to an easier gear had to be done by reducing the load on the pedals. This didn't quite prepare me for the change in technique I'd have to make. You can shift to an easier gear under a very, very slight load, but generally you have to back off completely. It's taken me a few rides to get used to and I was very skeptical about how it would ride in technical terrain, but I didn't miss a shift on the last techy ride I did. You do lose a little momentum when climbing and trying to shift, but it's about the same as when I'd shift a derailleur now. Shifting to a harder gear can be done at any time without any issues.

There is a little bit of noise in the 7th and 13th gears. A quiet clicking. This is discussed in the manual as being normal and it doesn't seem to affect the performance at all. It isn't distracting either. There is also a distinct feel of the gear engaging when you start pedalling. If I have been rolling along and then start pedalling you can feel the gears engage again. This is apparently normal as well, just a little odd feeling after riding derailleurs for so long.

The shifter itself feels really well made. I haven't used gripshift since Gripshift was the actual brand! It took no time at all to get used to. 2 minutes in and I was shifting freely in the correct direction each time. The change between gears is a consistent 11.5% and changes are almost undetectable! It is super smooth. The ratios all feel good so far without feeling like a jump has been too large or too small between gears. Low gear is low enough to climb everything I would normally climb when my Firebird was set up 1x10 (32t chainring 11-36 cassette) and with the 2x10 Liteville (26/38 chainrings 11-36 cassette). The other end of the gear range is sufficient for fats fireroad stuff as well.

The weight of the gearbox is located low in the frame and the only time I really feel it is when trying to lift the rear wheel. It's not the same heavy feeling of a Rohloff at the rear wheel, but it's a noticeable difference to a standard rear derailleur. Changing direction quickly doesn't seem to be affected by the position or weight of the gearbox. It actually feels a bit more stable when plowing through rougher stuff.

The whole unit feels very stiff as well. I can't feel any flex in the cranks coming from Shimano Saints and XTR cranks on the other bikes. The bb area feels very firm. I do think that the gearbox has had an affect on the rear tyre size I can run, as the position of the bb pivot has been moved slightly from the regular model frame to accomodate the gearbox and the 2.2" Conti RQ/TK doesn't have heaps of extra space like the Liteville or Firebird have. I wouldn't run a larger tyre in the rear due to the space, but I wouldn't run a larger rear tyre anyhow.

Being able to shift without pedalling is a great feature. I can go into a corner in whatever gear I want and come out in the right gear for that surprise pinch climb that has popped up. It can change as many gears at once as you can shift.

So overall, I can't see me going back to a regular derailleur if I don't have to! If Pinion or someone else was able to keep the current or expand the gear range in a lighter weight package that would be fantastic. If something could be retrofitted to current frame designs and maintain the stiffness and functionality that would be great too. A light weight version for road bikes would even see me move away from Di2! The only negative for me has been getting used to shifting under load but now that is all good.

Gearboxes have to be the way forward. I was hoping for a full carbon Firebird with a Pinion gearbox, but the Nicolai has certainly done a great job replacing the old Firebird.


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## Andy R (Nov 26, 2008)

bsieb said:


> kustomz said:
> 
> 
> > bsieb, thanks for the details. I am not sure why I am so hung up on an IGH? Especially when my 1x9 Deore works absolutely flawless, but this helps me know that I am on the right track cost wise. Decisions, decisions...[/QUOTE
> ...


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## Trees115 (May 2, 2009)

Just finished an Alfine 8-speed hub install (by my LBS) on my Norco Judan. The Gates belt drive system did not work with the Alfine hub. No amount of tweaking could get proper alignment from front chainring to rear cog and the belt just wouldn't stay on after many tries. So... I went to chain... New X9 crankset 170mm plus a 30-tooth mrp bling ring. It works like a charm!!!


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## OFFcourse (Aug 11, 2011)

For shifter options there is also Zerodebikes - , SRAlfine shifter

Wish I knew about them before buying a grip then a trigger and being disappointed with both.


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## Andy R (Nov 26, 2008)

OFFcourse said:


> For shifter options there is also Zerodebikes - , SRAlfine shifter
> 
> Wish I knew about them before buying a grip then a trigger and being disappointed with both.


That's what I'm using - photos a couple of posts up ^^


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## 2088bob (Aug 9, 2008)

this is my other IGH bike this is my in town cruiser and shopping bike I use it to pull one of my many trailers sturmey 3 speed coaster but use the v brake to help when trailer load is heavy


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## runaway64 (Sep 9, 2013)

My Kona Unit with Alfine s700:


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## gilly_mtb (Feb 11, 2012)

Nice! I've got a '13 Kona Unit too. How does it ride compared to standard? I was considering going Alfine but not sure how all that weight on the rear would feel.


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## runaway64 (Sep 9, 2013)

Well, you can feel the added weight in the back, but the lighter rim with tubeless tyre definetely makes feel the bike more responsive.
When you try to go uphill, or downhill or whatever, the single speed has no match to the 11 speed hub.

At the moment, I am only concerned it seems there is some oil leaking, I am going to make the hub oil service and see how much is still inside, before I worry too much...


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## Vic-20 (Apr 18, 2013)

My Carver 420Ti c-w Marzoch Corsa Superlegarra (don't you just love the Italians) fork; Truvativ carbon cranks & seat post; XT brakes.

Took awhile to get used to the tall BB and short chain stays, but it's a fun bike!


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## MJS95 (Jan 8, 2013)

*Quick Question.*

Hey all,

I don't have an IGH bike yet, but am almost certain that my next rig will have one. I am thinking of going with an Alfine 8. I have never had a hub with a threaded axle before; Can those of you who have been using an Alfine long term (specifically in a steel frame with vertical dropouts) chime in as to whether or not the axle causes any damage to the dropouts? Superficial or otherwise?

Thanks a bunch.


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## hunter006 (Jan 20, 2012)

MJS95 said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I don't have an IGH bike yet, but am almost certain that my next rig will have one. I am thinking of going with an Alfine 8. I have never had a hub with a threaded axle before; Can those of you who have been using an Alfine long term (specifically in a steel frame with vertical dropouts) chime in as to whether or not the axle causes any damage to the dropouts? Superficial or otherwise?
> 
> Thanks a bunch.


Yup. At the very least, it will strip the paint at the points where the nuts contact the frame. Typically that's the end of it and it's not really compromising the frame even over a very long time period.

The exception to this is you have a frame where the manufacturer made a mistake, e.g. the Kona Bike had horizontal fork ends, but the fork ends were not steel plated or steel reinforced (i.e. steel plates bolted to an Aluminium frame, as they did on the Kona Major One). As such the bolts would bite in to the aluminium, which was too soft, and would just strip the frame down repeatedly when you pedaled hard, and the hub would move forward. That would eventually destroy the dropout over a very long period of time. That kind of mistake is pretty rare though.

EDIT: Now that Surly has the Hurdy Gurdy (new for 2014), if this was happening to you on horizontal dropouts you could use a Hurdy Gurdy to hold it in place and not worry about it anymore.


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## MJS95 (Jan 8, 2013)

hunter006 said:


> Yup. At the very least, it will strip the paint at the points where the nuts contact the frame. Typically that's the end of it and it's not really compromising the frame even over a very long time period.
> 
> The exception to this is you have a frame where the manufacturer made a mistake, e.g. the Kona Bike had horizontal fork ends, but the fork ends were not steel plated or steel reinforced (i.e. steel plates bolted to an Aluminium frame, as they did on the Kona Major One). As such the bolts would bite in to the aluminium, which was too soft, and would just strip the frame down repeatedly when you pedaled hard, and the hub would move forward. That would eventually destroy the dropout over a very long period of time. That kind of mistake is pretty rare though.
> 
> EDIT: Now that Surly has the Hurdy Gurdy (new for 2014), if this was happening to you on horizontal dropouts you could use a Hurdy Gurdy to hold it in place and not worry about it anymore.


Thanks very much, I appreciate the response. Any input as to whether the threads of the axle itself (rather than the axle nuts) dig into the dropouts at all? This again would be for a steel frame with vertical dropouts.

Thanks.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

No, they don't. My Alfine's been on a Salsa El Mar since '09. Frame's fine, no damage from the hub.

Drew


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## MJS95 (Jan 8, 2013)

dru said:


> No, they don't. My Alfine's been on a Salsa El Mar since '09. Frame's fine, no damage from the hub.
> 
> Drew


Awesome. Thanks Drew.


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## crank1979 (Feb 3, 2006)

I was lucky enough to have this given to me today.



It all has about 14k commuting km on it, so the Rohloff has just broken in! It's bloody heavy too. The frame has a few marks in the surface coat but otherwise looks good. The forks seem okay. The wheels need looking at with a few split nipples. If I can fit a 700C/29" rear wheel in there I'll rebuild the Rohloff wheel in that size and turn it into a commuter.


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## justilew (Aug 6, 2004)

*Rohloff Road Bike Update*

Hey, sorry for the delayed response. I got to be honest I haven't put much more work into it since I last posted here and am actually going to sell the bike. You can see some picts of the finished product, or at least as far as I have finished it here.


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## Fuglio (Jul 15, 2011)

EGF168 said:


> First ride was Sunday, with its extras like a Surly Singleator chain tensioner, Race Face bash guard which I probably didn't need and Sram SS chain which again I probably didn't need it weights quite a bit more than the old XT/XTR setup but so long as it stays as good as the first ride I wouldn't change it for anything. The bike feels a bit weird at the moment because I've now got a strong, solid feeling rear rim and a front rim best described as flimsy that you can physically see flexing on tight corners but I'll have that fixed soon and I'll have some lighter bits to compensate for the weight increase. Anyway, as others have said the shift is so slick you hardly notice it, all the gears feel super smooth, the hub is completely silent which I love, to my surprise it spins freely after hardly any use, it always shifts when pedalling although it does take a little longer if your really pedalling hard, the shifter works in reverse of a normal derailleur type shifter in that you release the smaller lever get into easier gears etc which I think I will be able to get used to, the highest gear is just about perfect for the fast XC riding in my area but I haven't had a chance to take it to more challenging terrain to try out the lower gears yet. I'm running 18T rear cog and 32T front and I also put a set of Hutchinson Toro 1.85 & 2.15 tires on to improve mud performance over the Michelin dry weather tires previously on there.:thumbsup:


Lovin it


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## Fuglio (Jul 15, 2011)

Drew Diller said:


> I finished my 3rd DIY bike frame. Some custom Lefty clamps from MendonCycleSmith and an old clamp style Lefty give a 17.5mm *reverse* Pugsley style axle offset. It's like the Pug's rear end, just the other way. It gives enough clearance to stuff a fat tire on the front.
> 
> I like the Alfine so far. The clutch feeling is a little weird, but not bad weird.


Thats sick!!


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

Fuglio said:


> Thats sick!!


Hey, thanks bud. Frame is still fine. Wait'll you see my next frame... it's going to make this thing look pedestrian.


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## ladljon (Nov 30, 2011)

*Rohloff*

Moots Zirkel FS


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## shwinboy (Jan 13, 2004)

*Haro Sonix with Alfine 8*


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## dacosta (Jul 23, 2010)

Here is my recently completed project:

Fooly's Major Glory - 650b Titanium Soft Tail, Rohloff/Gates belt drive.

You can read the full story in the frame building forums, or click on the link below.
http://forums.mtbr.com/frame-building/foolys-major-glory-822434.html

Dan "Fooly" Acosta


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## Carlos Fandango (Mar 14, 2013)

What is it with Americans and their creepy flag worship?


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## Fuglio (Jul 15, 2011)

Carlos Fandango said:


> What is it with Americans and their creepy flag worship?


That rear wheel definitely falls under the "not for everybody" catagory


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## Andy R (Nov 26, 2008)

Fuglio said:


> That rear wheel definitely falls under the "not for everybody" catagory


Not for me, that's for sure, but each to their own, I suppose.....


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## JediSith (Sep 11, 2004)

223


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## dacosta (Jul 23, 2010)

JediSith said:


> The wheel graphics seem a bit distracting. I like US flags. I do not like the graphic. It looks childish.


Guilty as charged

And why not, we are only as old as we think we are.

Mountain biking is my hobby as well as my passion. It is also my creative outlet. This bike is a product of my own design. A bike that could not or should not be built. With all the blood, sweat and tears that goes along with a project like this. If I should build such a bike, why not make it wacky and outlandish as to be noticed unique among all the bikes out there? For if you see this bike on the trails or at the races, you will take note, and if you see me again you will definitely remember.

Fooly


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## Dami (May 4, 2006)

*Kona Bass Rohloff*

Hi guys!

Here's a picture of my rig from last summer in the Finnish wilderness. It's a Kona Bass frame with Rohloff, Magura Thor front and Mavic XM819 UST's. I even got its weight to stay quite low at about 28,5 lbs. It works like a charm as my all-rounder!


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## JediSith (Sep 11, 2004)

123


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## Lars_D (May 24, 2011)

Awesome thread...


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## tom c (Jul 29, 2014)

Voodoo Bokor frame with sliding dropouts, manitou r7 pro forks, sturmey archer srk3 3 speed disc hub, SLX brakes with 180mm rotors, no problems yet!


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## Duratai (Nov 13, 2007)

*Here's my titanium drop-bar (soon) 29er&#8230; rollin with a Rohloff.*

Built this up at UBI a couple years ago. Still rides great.


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## shwinboy (Jan 13, 2004)

2010 Haro Sonix Frame. This is MK 2 for me.


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## hikernks (Aug 21, 2012)

New bike on the way, pics to follow. 

Salsa Ti Fargo frame
Rohloff (38x16)
Co-Motion Drop-Bar shifter for Rohloff
Raceface crankset
Chris King headset
White Bro's Rock Solid carbon fork
DT Swiss rims and spokes
700x40c Vee Rubber XCX setup tubeless (for gravel)
or
29x2.0 Geax Saguaros tubeless (for this one race that starts in Canada)
Brooks Ti Swift saddle
Salsa Ti seatpost
Avid BB7s
Shimano M-540 SPD pedals


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## Ginz (Jan 28, 2004)

*Inbred Urban Mtb.*

Here we have a Rohloff equipped urban mtb build almost entirely from craigslist and the parts bin.

I ran this Rohloff on my hardtail for a few years and got tired of the weight of the thing. So -- I tracked down one of these On One Inbred frames with singlespeed track ends and a chainstay brake mount.
The Jandd Expedition rack is absurdly heavy as is the sprung saddle. These are some of the things I'll have to rethink.

For now -- here it is. I'm running a single Surly Tugnut on the drive side which seems to be working just fine. I'm quite happy about that because I don't think I can fit one more doo-dad on the non-drive side.


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## 69clunker40CWC (Aug 12, 2014)

*Will the Nexus 3 last?*

Only time will tell, only 50 miles trail on it.


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## DUBOW (Jun 13, 2013)

*My Dialled Alpine with a Nuvinci*

I am new to posting on this site , I have a Dialled Alpine with a Nuvinci hub ,I ride this to work . I have tinkered with the components and have had many different components on the bike . Hated chain tensioners and bottom eccentric brackets seemed a half measure . I altered the frame myself made my own dropouts and welded them on .Mush happier with this set up .The main gripe I have is with Nuvinci but I am working on that ,I know I will not be happy until I get a Rohloff

Dubow 
New York


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

*My custom Kocmo*

I have this built for two years now , it's the third frame for the Rohloff in it's tenth year.

Love the belt ; silent , light and clean.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

Dami said:


> It's a Kona Bass frame with Rohloff!


With the concentric pivot bearings about the BB, I always thought this frame was a good candidate for an IGH!

Good call!!! Looks like a fun bike!


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Laced my 10 year old Speedhub for my Fatty , and got a new one for my MTB !!!

Makes for a very nice setup for deep snow conditions!


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## Carlos Fandango (Mar 14, 2013)

*Here's mine, feast your eyes*

Oh yeah, that's right, it doesn't work any more. Thanks Shimano! :madman:

On the plus side, a spangly new Rohloff Speedhub is on it's way from Germany. Perhaps I should have waited before posting but I'm simply too emotional about the demise of my Alfine 11.


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## wadester (Sep 28, 2005)

Carlos Fandango said:


> Oh yeah, that's right, it doesn't work any more. Thanks Shimano! :madman:
> 
> I'm simply too emotional about the demise of my Alfine 11.
> 
> ...


Details of it's demise? Brutal abuse? JRA? Looks good except for the shift mech in the last pic.


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## Carlos Fandango (Mar 14, 2013)

wadester said:


> Details of it's demise? Brutal abuse? JRA? Looks good except for the shift mech in the last pic.


I don't think I abused it other than transgressing Shimano's pathetically high minimum gear ratio. I'm not generating lots of torque or crashing the gears. The rest I have described in my post, a work in progress.


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## wadester (Sep 28, 2005)

wadester said:


> Details of it's demise? Brutal abuse? JRA? Looks good except for the shift mech in the last pic.





Carlos Fandango said:


> I don't think I abused it other than transgressing Shimano's pathetically high minimum gear ratio. I'm not generating lots of torque or crashing the gears. The rest I have described in my post, a work in progress.


Thanks for the links to the A-11 thread.

I'm running a Sturmey Archer S3X 3 spd fixed gear hub. It failed on me once, because the "shift key" was gnawed away. On that hub, the key moves along the axle to engage different gear sets - and apparently the engagement teeth on the inside of the sun gears nibbled away at the key during shifts until it was gone. S-A cheerfully sent me a whole new set of guts which has operated well for about the same amount of use as the original. Time for a service/inspection?

I note that I do "unload" the hub before shifting, but with a fixed gear the load can come from accel or decel - and the parts are always turning.


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## shwinboy (Jan 13, 2004)




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## tosca (Aug 14, 2011)

*Singular Hummingbird Rohloff 96*

lousy indoor pic,
but its a start for me as a "never taking a picture of anything" person









singular hummingbird, rohloff knawing on a monkey bone, gd turbo lp, bb7, sks fenders (nothing cool about a muddy back after every ride), yada yada

this is my favorite bike - lot of muddy riding (min. 180 km every week) and almost no service time for the drivetrain and anything else (less than my last road bike)

so i guess i have to take the camera with me next time to do it some justice

cheers


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## selin (Nov 20, 2009)

Carlos Fandango said:


> Oh yeah, that's right, it doesn't work any more. Thanks Shimano! :madman:
> 
> On the plus side, a spangly new Rohloff Speedhub is on it's way from Germany. Perhaps I should have waited before posting but I'm simply too emotional about the demise of my Alfine 11.
> 
> ...


The worst thing is that you can not replace only the broken part! This is the major drawback for the shimano IGHs.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

I usually ride SS, but I got fed up of long rides to more distant trails so I built up this to be competent on the road, and added gears because doing 30 - 40 miles of road work on a mtb SS ratio plain sucks. 



The tyres are Big Apples slicks, a compromise for the road miles, but they work pretty well off the road except in slick conditions. Who would have thought it? Slicks ain't good for slick... 

Or, in other words, riding offroad just got more "interesting". 



Overall I'm happy with it. It's taking me to trails that are in that too close to be bothered putting it in the car category, and best of all I don't have to return to a car, I can come out on the road elsewhere.

Gears are Alfine 8, dead reliable. I wouldn't touch an Alfine 11, and the pics in the previous posts above confirm that to me. (Don't ignore input ratio recommendations folks!)


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## firedfromthecircus (Oct 4, 2012)

Looks great that Brian. Glad you have found a use for the frame. :thumbsup:

Now I have to admit that I didn't even know this forum existed on here! But I am another Alfine 8 fan, so here are my two.

First up the Moonie. Changed from the dangly gears about 18 months ago and no regrets. These things should run hub gears.










And next the Genesis Fortitude adventure. They sold this bike complete with the Alfine 11 but I bought this one as a frameset and built it with an 8. I use it as an NCN bike.


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## Drew Diller (Jan 4, 2010)

^ Cool bikes! A fellow "I don't have time to talk to you about rolling resistance, I need traction" fatty rider, I see.


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

Karate Monkey bike packing rig, just returned from a long weekend away in the Sarawak highlands, mostly logging trails and some shared use single track, but thoroughly deserted at this time of year.

This is my multi day bike and also works pretty well as a hard tail. This set up (together with a 14 Liter hydration) pack will cart enough for a long weekend, in the tropics where no sleeping bag / cold weather gear is needed. I use a sweet roll and seat bag when needed

I have a few tweaks to make to the cockpit, thud buster and new saddle and also probably going to ditch the Ergon touring grips and experiment with different bars but otherwise it's pretty much spot on


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## spooky_b329 (Oct 2, 2005)

*2006 Yeti 575*

2006 Yeti 575 w/ RS Revs, ZTR355 rims, SLX brakes and a Gravity Dropper post.

XT Cranks w/ Works Components NW 34t chainring
Alfine 8 with a 20t sprocket
On-One Doofer tensioner (was running a jury rigged rear mech)










Love this set up, used to alternate my slidey dropout Kona Explosif between SS and the Alfine, but it became a permanent SS and with a wornout drivetrain on my Yeti and the Alfine lying in the parts box, I couldn't resist trying it.

Works fantastic, the result is a nice quiet bike with great chainring clearance, low maintenance and as a bonus, the solid axle Alfine has stiffened up the carbon rear end a treat.

And when I say low maintenance, my chain has been on there for perhaps three years, its so sloppy the 1% chain wear checker waggles back and forth 2mm and it just keeps on going, the drivetrain has had one gear cable change and after a particularly disgusting gritty ride in the UK I had to clean up the sticky shifter ring on the hub, about 5 minutes in all!


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

View attachment 1022509
View attachment 1022510


Home-made belt drive conversion. Almost six months on it so far, and no problems to report. Loving it. Can't see ever going back to external gears, or a chain.

Build thread here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/internal-gear-hubs/new-build-alfine-belt-26er-911058.html


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## longroadhome (Aug 27, 2014)

firedfromthecircus said:


> Looks great that Brian. Glad you have found a use for the frame. :thumbsup:
> 
> Now I have to admit that I didn't even know this forum existed on here! But I am another Alfine 8 fan, so here are my two.
> 
> ...


Can you tell me what chainring/cog combo you're running on your Moonie? Thanks!


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## rigtenzin (Mar 1, 2004)

*Redline Monocog 29er Released*

This bike was stolen from me in 2007 after I had it for about 2 months. A couple weeks ago, a guy told me he bought it from Craigslist for $100. He said he wanted to just give it to me, but I paid him what he paid and got my bike back. He found my info by searching for "Nexus hub" and "Redline Monocog" he said. It seems plausible. Then he found me on a local mountain bike forum.

I just added the drop bars the other day and the Jtek shifter, but I had installed the 8-speed Nexus back in 2007.








I got to ride it about 30 miles yesterday and really like the bars. I got used to the shifting right away. I have a couple other bikes with bar-end shifters that use derailleurs so I thought it would be weird to have the backward action of the Nexus.


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

This is my Sturmey Archer C-50 5-speed on a BD Deadeye Monster. I am using a homemade 34t sprocket with a Luna 30t chainwheel. It has about 350 miles and is breaking in nicely. Very quiet with zero freewheel clicking.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Upgraded my Fatbike with my third Rohloff


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## BareNecessities (Nov 21, 2012)

I've been after a Rohloff for over 10 years now and as my singlespeed was getting too much for longer trips, I finally got one. Also got Matt at Talbot Frameworks to add the cable guides and sort out a fancy new paint job.

It's so nice being able to cruise up hills now!









More photos here: Pete?s Rohloff 29er | Talbot Frameworks


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

My three Rolhoff'ed bikes
From skinny to Fat

Missing in the photo , my Nexus red band commuter


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

WoodlandHills said:


> View attachment 1088040
> View attachment 1088041
> View attachment 1088042
> This is my Sturmey Archer C-50 5-speed on a BD Deadeye Monster. I am using a homemade 34t sprocket with a Luna 30t chainwheel. It has about 350 miles and is breaking in nicely. Very quiet with zero freewheel clicking.


Is that an electric motor I see on the front of that BB housing?


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## rggomez (Jan 1, 2017)

*My custom Stanton*


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## saccades (Apr 4, 2009)

saccades said:


> Frame: Prototype On-One Inbred 456EBB (there is another one out there somewhere)
> Forks: Pace RC-41F
> 
> 
> ...


7 and a half years later and I've finally thought I'd better replace the hub (pitted cup and cones) and give the bike a bit of an update as the de-bonded the fork lowers from the legs doing a way too steep tranny.










Now has a set of 15mm RS XX Revs and WTB i25KOM rims.

Still on the same brakes, cranks (LX Hollowtec 1) and other finishing kit (the pedals need to be swapped out but appear to be welded on now).


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## wschruba (Apr 13, 2012)

_CJ said:


> Is that an electric motor I see on the front of that BB housing?


Looks like a Bafang mid-drive unit. From everything I've read, they're fairly dependable, as long as you don't red-line the unit all the time.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

My Salsa El Mariachi Ti in its (almost) final 2017 Tour Divide Configuration.

The biggest change from last year (when I scratched) has been the Rohloff Speedhub. I had some serious mechanical problems on the race and decided to trade some extra weight for reliability. Although nervous about the decision I have not regretted it. I feared the extra drag that had been reported by many riders but, after close to a thousand miles of riding,it just doesn't seem to be a problem.

I also replaced the Niner Carbon Fork with a Salsa Cutthroat fork. It brought the front end up about an inch but the bike seems to ride better like this. First big ride with the Cuthtroat is today and I'll let you know what I think.

The Niner fork was fantastic, by the way, but I want to carry my sleeping bag and my tent (a Tarpent Rainbow) on the fork freeing up my frame bag for a water bladder (lack of water was a big problem for me). The Cutthroat has mounting points for cages; the Niner would have required pipe clamps and duct tape and other things I really don't want to do to a carbon fiber fork.

I also ditched the SP PD 8 generator hub and wheel. I really didn't need it on the race as I was never that far out of range of batteries. I carry a portable charger for my Niterider Lumina 750 (that will charge it twice) if I'm away from a socket and I kept my iPhone off most of the time. My GPS uses (eTrex 30) uses AA batteries so this is not an issue.

I've switched to an Easton Haven Front Wheel with a 15mm Thru-axle (not on the bike yet, saving it for the race).









Business End:









Original Configuration with Stan's Rear Wheel.

SRAM 2x9









On the Tour Divide; Wheelbuilders 40 spoke rear wheel, White industries XMR rear hub.


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

Yes


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## WoodlandHills (Nov 18, 2015)

_CJ said:


> Is that an electric motor I see on the front of that BB housing?


Yes, CA class 1 legal and welcome all over the Santa Monica mountains. As far as reliability goes, time will tell, I have between 600 and 700 miles on this one and about another 400 or so on a different one. I did have a controller fail early on, but it was replaced under warranty by the vendor, Luna Cycle.

Top speed under power is 20mph and range under power is about 35 miles in the mountains. My usual loop from the valley to the ocean overlook is 18 miles and I've never come close to using 1/2 my battery.


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

NuVinci 360 1350W and love it!


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## Rob_E (Nov 22, 2010)

geckocycles said:


> NuVinci 360 1350W and love it!


How long you been running that and which version of the hub? I've been thinking of a Nuvinci, bike build, but I thought over 500w, and you were in danger of breaking the hub.


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

I have only about 450 miles on it. 99% dirt and lots of hills. 500wBBS02 Luna 52v 20ah. My watt meter shows 1350w going up my 200' rock drive. You cannot shift under big loads with out letting up on the power for a second. With the new gearing I try to keep the load at about 14A with short spurts of 26A. 28mph tops with no pedaling but way more trail friendly now.
It showed signs of seeping out the seal at first but not anymore. Maybe dirt just stuck to build oil residue.
Under max load it makes a slight clicking sound, so I just don't tax it. 44t x 30t


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## Carlos Fandango (Mar 14, 2013)

geckocycles said:


> I have only about 450 miles on it. 99% dirt and lots of hills. 500wBBS02 Luna 52v 20ah. My watt meter shows 1350w


I wonder what sort of torque these hubs are rated at. The engineering developers must have been working to some spec of the average rider usage/worst case scenario, etc. I read that a pro rider can sustain around 600W for an hour and a sprinter can probably double that briefly but I doubt that a consumer grade hub is going to last long at the levels an electric machine can generate. You could mitigate the load by gearing up but then you probably take a hit in motor efficiency. No free lunch. 
My Alfine 11 died after 2 years just from pedaling it and I am a long way from an Olympic sprinter. I've been running a Rohloff Speedhub for 3 years now but I still gear it below their minimum to get the low range for offroad riding. The mechanical tech doesn't seem to have caught up quite yet. If I had deeper pockets I would give the Pinion system a go.


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

I think I read that they are rated for 350w.

Only time will tell how mine holds up. I have a Rohloff wheel on deck. I prefer the variable action of the NuVinci but the gearing of it has lots to be desired for my uses. Need two chainrings


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## geckocycles (Sep 3, 2006)

Really I am pretty happy with how this has held up so far. I have 1.2 miles of trail on my property. There are 4 short climbs exceeding 30% with hair pin turns at the start climbing out of gullies. This trail has several parts that are too steep to ride without the motor for sure. I have looped this bike more times than I can remember going up these steep parts. I am 6'2" 246lbs and can't put any power to the pedals but can spin so I would say these 450 miles are a pretty good hard test. Our whole subdivision is hilly and dirt with very little flats as the trails around here are.


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Recent photo of one of my Rohloff'ed bike.
(double post from FatBike sub-forum)


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## wmtv (Feb 7, 2018)

excellent work, in 10 years distance of time


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## btl68 (Nov 18, 2010)

I guess photosuckit screwed up my linked pic from back in 2010 of the LaSalle, so I'll have to find that picture...

Another one I built up with a Sturmey Archer 8 speed drum brake hub set back around the winter of 2016.


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## btl68 (Nov 18, 2010)

Here's the pre-war LaSalle with a Shimano Nexus 7 coaster brake hub, from 2009. Still being ridden monthly.


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## Rob_E (Nov 22, 2010)

Oops. Drive side in. You can't even see the Sturmey Archer 2 speed hub hiding behind the disc rotor. Built the wheel to put on a Karate Monkey frame I don't yet have, but I've been playing with it on my Troll.









Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk


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## Nube on a Tube (Oct 25, 2016)

This is an ongoing project. I originally converted it from 3x9 to 1x9, with the WTB rims, I had a third rim and found the Alfine on Pinkbike for a good price. Chain tension was originally done by a Surly Singleator but there wasn't enough chain wrap for my liking and I picked up the Sturmey Archer on eBay. The original entry level no name fork was just about seized and was probably dangerous for me to ride on. I picked up a newer trail bike so this was converted to a fully rigid with the Surly 1x1 fork. I also had an Origin8 Space Bar OR on this guy which, now that I'm riding a wider bar on my trail bike, felt a little small; so, I've got a newer short stem and wider bar. Currently, it has the cable brakes employed by Tektro and Shimano but I'm considering upgrading to hydraulics for the convenience of consistent brake adjustments. If I can find some good used Hy/Rds I'll go with those. I just got rid of the ISIS crank set and installed a Shimano 2 piece, the splines on the ISIS were getting sloppy and there was rotational play when I stood on the pedals. 32 tooth chain ring, 22 tooth cog, makes for a little over 20 gear inches in first gear with 26er wheels. This hub has been getting ridden off road for about 3 years and works great. Not as much these days but it gets used from time to time for wet weather rides, the odd commute, and just for fun. It cruises the beaches in Tofino very well. I'm debating to fit it with a rack as I would also use this bike to make runs to the grocery store and probably bikepacking when I get friends that are in to that.


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