# Rohloff rim brake to Disc brake conversion. Help guide ?



## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

Hello. As title suggests, I currently have a Surly Travellers Check with Rohloff hub. I want to adapt the hub to my Cannondale MTB...

TRAIL SL 29ER 3 SS - Trail SL 29er - Hardtail 29er - Mountain - Bikes - 2013

As I understand it, I need to change part of the hub so I can bolt a disc on. And obviously a calipar and disc to suit, which I already have on the Cannondale. My hub has an external gear mech. Im not that much of a bike mechanic, I know the basics, but not advanced. So an 'idiots' guide is what I need.

Can someone PLEASE tell me how I can go about this ? What parts do I need to make the conversion.

Thank you.


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## dru (Sep 4, 2006)

Your search kung fu is weak, my friend!

http://forums.mtbr.com/drivetrain-shifters-derailleurs-cranks/converting-rohloff-non-disc-disc-271537.html

Drew


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## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

Thanks Drew. I did do a search, I guess I didn't go back far enough as that was 6 years ago ! 

I'll work off that link and see how I go.

Cheers


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## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

And hello again !

I just want to jump back in this thread to clarify a couple of things. Hopefully the 'bike mechanics' or 'bike shop owners' may be able to help me out here...

If I were to take my bike into a bike shop, ask them to strip out the Rohloff hub from the wheel, have them send it over to Germany to have the hub re done as a disc set up, then sent back. Then, have the hub rebuilt into a new rim with new spokes, then put onto the bike (Being a Cannondale MTB SL3) and set up with new shifter cables, new Rohloff rotor and disc brake adapter what do you's think it may cost ? Or to put it another way, what should a bike shop charge for this work to be done ? Bare in mind, I live in Australia, so prices may vary here in comparison to the United States for example, as I find most people who chime into MTBR are from the States anyways. Either way, or country, it will give me an idea of what I would expect to pay.

Cheers


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

punchy said:


> My hub has an external gear mech.


Post a pic of the non-drive side of your Rohloff out of the bike and one of the same view in the bike.

If you have the external gear mechanism your hub may be disc ready as is. We can confirm if we see some photos.

You will need a Rohloff disc rotor. You can't reuse the one from your MTB.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes-disc-rotors-dept884/


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## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

Hey Vikb, appreciate your advice buddy, however, the conversion is actually already done !

Im just asking the questions in my previous post to see wether I was looked after by my bike shop. I can give a lot more details into costs, but I thought i'd refrain from doing so and see what others think. 

I would appreciate any feedback on this as my relationship with the bike shop I dealt with has deteriorated to the point where I will no longer be taking my business there. I want to get 3rd party opinions on this because I want to learn from the experience. Could I have handles it better ? Did they charge too much/right price/too little ? etc.

I can go into more detail if need be but I really want to get some opinions on how much I would expect to pay before I comment too much. I also think its best to keep the details of the bike shop disclosed, I don't want to get too hung up or cynical on this. I just want to learn from the experience.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

punchy said:


> *My hub has an external gear mech*. Im not that much of a bike mechanic, I know the basics, but not advanced. So an 'idiots' guide is what I need.


The Rohloffs that I have seen and own with an external gear mechanism are all disc ready and don't need to be sent to Germany. You just need to bolt a Rohloff rotor on them.

The non-disc Rohloffs I've seen don't have the external gear mechanism.

Which is why I asked for photos to confirm what version of hub you started with.

That info is req'd if you want to know if your LBS took care of you correctly.


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## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

Ok Vikb, this is an old photo of the hub in a previous bike, I will have to take a new photo of the current bike to show the modification. The mechanism on the outside where the cables go are the same though, that hasn't changed with the conversion. The torque arm has now been changed. It is a lot smaller and tucks in behind the rotor. It also has a monkey bone I think as a disc adapter. But as I said, I will post up a pic when I get a chance in day light.

Hope this helps.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Your photo is too blurry to get any detail out of the hub, but you do have the external gear mechanism.

Did your hub have the 4 disc rotor mounts [threaded holes] shown in the image above?


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## punchy (Sep 30, 2008)

Nope. no disc holes. It was originally purchased as a V Brake set up. That is how I ordered it specifically. I never thought I'd go disc. But obviously I changed my mind.

That part has been changed over and now of course has the 4 hole set up and the old part is in a plastic bag along with other bits n pieces.

By the way, I actually asked if I could have the hub sent back from Germany in that exact same color you have shown in the pic. I was told that anodising the existing hub (they stated 'according to Rohloff') could be risky and damage the integrity of the hub due to the heat process involved in anodisation. So in order for me to have a red hub I would have needed to swap over the outer hub shell and re fit all the internals off the existing hub which would cost $350 Australian. I declined as I thought it was too much just for a color change.


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