Rohloff chainset ??

[ton]

gonna press the buy button on a rohloff for my ecr.

as a big lump of a bloke, i tend to spin rather than grind. so i am wondering what size chainring i should be looking at ?

and ideas for a crankset too.

thaks.

[pistonbroke]

I use a Middleburn with the adapter to give the correct chainline and a 36t sprocket, gets me up most things.

[RIP]

Well at least a Rohloff should help to turn around your cycling listlessness, as per other thread .

[lune ranger]

I use a Middleburn with the adapter to give the correct chainline and a 36t sprocket, gets me up most things.

This ^^
I have 36t on my 29er and 34t on my 29+
TBH I’d like an even smaller gear in the 29+ for loaded off road crawling but my Middleburn crankset is old ATB pattern 5 arm so won’t take less than 34t.

Check out here for gear sizes:

https://www.rohloff.de/fileadmin/user_u ... _en_fr.pdf

Middleburn now made by BETD.

[woodsmith]

I run a 32t 104bcd steel surly chainring and a 17t rear sprocket with gives the maximium permitted reduction of 1.9 .
On a 27.5 x 3.0 wheel I can't comfortably turn top gear on the flat and bottom gear lets me get up most things seated.
Loaded with the usual camping crap gear 11 gives a comfortable cruising speed on the flat ( its the most efficient as its 1:1)
I don't care if i spin out on the downhills as I'm touring not racing.

For a crankset mounting the chainring on the outer face of a shimano triple crankset gives the correct 54mm chainline ( and lots of clearance on 3.0 tyres). Shimano Zee and Saint cranks will also give the correct chainline.

[lune ranger]

For a crankset mounting the chainring on the outer face of a shimano triple crankset gives the correct 54mm chainline ( and lots of clearance on 3.0 tyres). Shimano Zee and Saint cranks will also give the correct chainline.

Rohloff chain line may be the same as some boost chainsets afaik. This makes a lot of modern 1x chainsets a good bet.
The Middleburn single speed spider was just a neat way of doing things previously.
Outer position on an MTB triple was always what Rohloff recommended.

[woodsmith]

For a crankset mounting the chainring on the outer face of a shimano triple crankset gives the correct 54mm chainline ( and lots of clearance on 3.0 tyres). Shimano Zee and Saint cranks will also give the correct chainline.

Rohloff chain line may be the same as some boost chainsets afaik. This makes a lot of modern 1x chainsets a good bet.
The Middleburn single speed spider was just a neat way of doing things previously.
Outer position on an MTB triple was always what Rohloff recommended.

Boost is 52mm chainline isn't it? Can it be pushed out the extra couple of mm with spacers on the BB?

[ledburner]

I run Absolute black oval 36t chain run, varies between 36T (and 32T, I guess), to a standard 15T rear sprocket.
I don't notice any difference if grinding a low gear or spinning out. Again it's on the outer ring xt chain triple set.

This seems to give me the best ob both worlds.

[lune ranger]

Ok, not bob on then.
Rohloff chain line is now 51-54 (I think) depending on exact spec.
Few mm either way is not going to cause any real issues if you’re not using a belt drive.
I’m using square taper BB still so can adjust accordingly

[ton]

i have a boost slx crankset spare. would that be ok with a 32 tooth surly staiinless chainring ?

[lune ranger]

i have a boost slx crankset spare. would that be ok with a 32 tooth surly staiinless chainring ?

Matched with the correct cog (17t maximum) it’ll work fine. It may not be the exact chain line but a little either way is not going to be a problem at all.
I swap two Rohloff wheels between 4 frames fairly regularly and I know there is some chain line variation. If it’s slightly off the rate of wear will just be slightly more than if it’s perfect.
Nothing like as bad as a conventional derailleur set up.

[Hamish]

gonna press the buy button on a rohloff for my ecr.

as a big lump of a bloke, i tend to spin rather than grind. so i am wondering what size chainring i should be looking at ?

and ideas for a crankset too.

thaks.

One thing to decide is whether to go quick release or threaded/nutted axle. I have QR on my Troll. I think I would go threaded now if I was starting off with Surly 'drop-outs'. Others may have advice.

[lune ranger]

gonna press the buy button on a rohloff for my ecr.

as a big lump of a bloke, i tend to spin rather than grind. so i am wondering what size chainring i should be looking at ?

and ideas for a crankset too.

thaks.

One thing to decide is whether to go quick release or threaded/nutted axle. I have QR on my Troll. I think I would go threaded now if I was starting off with Surly 'drop-outs'. Others may have advice.

Great point.
Yes indeed. If it’s for Surly track ends go nutted. I have had some issues with slipping in the dropouts in my Krampus. Surly Tugnut and a Allen key operated skewer have sorted it, but a nutted axle would provide extra assurance.

[ledburner]

Qr seems to be aligned to TLS, (Take less stuff).
With a bolt/nutted axle you need a 15mm tool.
IF screw in stops or cam washers we're used, you, could have the fore aft adjustment and the convenience of QR...
I run a, rohloff in a conventional frame (Vert dropouts) and the chain tensioner, it is not ideal but taking a wheel out is not a hassle.
(As, a youth I had a Raleigh horizontal dropout, pre MTB, axles that slipped & bent solid axles, hmm).
Adjustable/sliding vert drops out seem to be the proper solution. But I suppose they also have issues I'm not aware of...
I wonder how the weight of a 15mm Spanner compares to a chain tensioner....

[sean_iow]

With a bolt/nutted axle you need a 15mm tool.

Which would be the perfect excuse to order one of these

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/ti-pa ... h-10-15mm/

Sadly out of stock at the moment

[lune ranger]

I’ve run Rohloff hubs in many frames.
Standard dropouts, Rohloff OEM dropouts with EBB, Salsa Alternators and Surly track ends.
All work fine but have different strengths/weaknesses. My preference is for either an EBB or Alternators - for ease of use and aesthetically.
Surly track ends come second if used with a QR. You can mitigate against slippage as described in my answer above but you can’t guarantee no slips and the Tuggnut thing adds a small amount of flap. I’ve no real experience of it but I reckon a nutted axle would make the track ends equal first place.
There is a shop in the States called CycleMonkey who do lots of custom builds that feature Rohloff’s on Surly bikes. They always use solid nutted axles as far as I’ve seen

https://www.cyclemonkey.com/blog/category

[woodsmith]

i have a boost slx crankset spare. would that be ok with a 32 tooth surly staiinless chainring ?

The Surly chainring uses a 104bcd with the holes spaced 90 degrees. Most of the newer Shimano Hollowtech 11 stuff looks like it has different spacing.

I'd go for the bolt on rather than QR with a tug nut on the drive side. ( I still got slipping without).

You'll need a couple of Surly drop out adapters too

https://www.tritoncycles.co.uk/frames-f ... GiEALw_wcB


I've a set of XT triple cranks ( 175mm) that I've just swapped out of my ECR for some shorter ( but heavier, ugh) Zee ones if you're interested.

[ledburner]

Enjoy your Rohloff. I've not looked back since Oval chain rings. The Roh'ly really has come Into its own...

[lune ranger]

Enjoy your Rohloff. I've not looked back since Oval chain rings. The Roh'ly really has come Into its own...

Interesting.
What are they doing for you that round rings didn’t

[woodsmith]

Enjoy your Rohloff. I've not looked back since Oval chain rings. The Roh'ly really has come Into its own...

Interesting.
What are they doing for you that round rings didn’t

Best explanation I've read is from Sheldon Brown
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html

I like like to think my circular chainrings incorporate the best attributes of both

[ledburner]

The ring is oval and orientated so the 'flatter side' thus smaller chainring comes I to play when the cranks pass TDC top dead centre. So when you have to push hard a stall is less likely. It seems even out power delivery, so skidding out is likely to follow an all out a push to get passed a tough bit, when the cranks at vertical, pedal Upper most /pedal at bottom.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mob ... MEALw_wcB

When I first fitted them I was really surprised I could maintain traction on snowy trails, where I'd be pushing by then on round rings.
I have them on the rohloff & an inner on the Road bike.
The ovality is careful calculated so the chain does not elongate when the cranks are rotated. So not alternating tight / slack chain as the cranks rotate...
They'll be good on a single speed!
(not that I've been that rad)

[lune ranger]

Intriguing but I’m inclined to agree with Ledburner, besides, I have a stash of various rings to fit my old ATB pattern 5 arm spider that won’t wear out anytime soon. All this buying kit that lasts really hampers me from adopting change

[BigdummySteve]

I ran mine by picking a ring which gave me the low gear I wanted, I think it was a 32 which might be slightly outside Rohloff’s lower limit, however that limit is tandem with Elite athletes! I’m never going to get anywhere near that power output. My take on it is go as low as you like.
If you go QR I’d highly recommend a shimano XT quick release, far better holding power than all your fancy stuff including DT Swiss, mine never moved once I fitted one.

[ledburner]

Enjoy your Rohloff. I've not looked back since Oval chain rings. The Roh'ly really has come Into its own...

Interesting.
What are they doing for you that round rings didn’t

Best explanation I've read is from Sheldon Brown
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html

I like like to think my circular chainrings incorporate the best attributes of both

Shimano biopace got in very wrong. So read the rest of the article (TL:RL), very oval Chainring causes whiplash, mildly oval ones do not.

[woodsmith]

Enjoy your Rohloff. I've not looked back since Oval chain rings. The Roh'ly really has come Into its own...

Interesting.
What are they doing for you that round rings didn’t

Best explanation I've read is from Sheldon Brown
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/biopace.html

I like like to think my circular chainrings incorporate the best attributes of both

Shimano biopace got in very wrong. So read the rest of the article (TL:RL), very oval Chainring causes whiplash, mildly oval ones do not.

I did read the article fully . But thanks for insinuatimg that I did'nt. The only thing which it says biopace got wrong was its marketing. Perhaps you should read the article again. A little more carefully this time.,