Show off our bikes! (page 5 of 9)

Since the fork arms have some thickness, why not drill them and attach the rack with two screws (especially if the frame is steel)? All you need is a good metal drill bit and two screws of the same diameter, about 2 cm long. In my opinion, a 0.5 cm drill bit does the job for adding two eyelets to this fork. On my Surly racks, I did a mix—Allen screws and regular screws—so anyone trying to steal my racks would need the right tools. 😄

For me, it's a Trek 7.3 aluminum frame with a rigid fork, 11.6 kg empty. Here's a photo after a long week of rain—you can even see a pair of cycling shorts and socks drying off. 😎

Derailleur: Shimano Deore (not original), adjustable stem X-Tray (not original), Schwalbe tires x2 (not original)

I’ve only tested this bike on a 565 km trip, so it’s a bit early to judge. I’m planning a longer trip for this summer, hopefully. I also had a mountain bike for a long time, a Scrapper 5.1, which I used for quite a few adventures.

Mine ready for the 11th!

And how do you handle water bottles?

Mine ready for the 11th!

And how do you handle water bottles?

One on the diagonal tube and two others with this thing that also helps stabilize the saddle bag: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0098/7407/9791/products/woho_saddle_bag_stabilizer_no_words_1296x.jpg?v=1574056440 https://www.wohobike.com/collections/xtouring-bikepacking-gear/products/dhl-express-xtouring-anti-sway-anti-sway-brooks-b-vision-dhl-express

Otherwise, I can also add two more on the fork

Hi David,

I suggest that your rear rack be attached to the fork arms rather than the top mount (JDD), as shown in your edited photo below.



If there are no eyelets, you can improvise with zip ties, like what I used to install the front rack (Blackburn Outpost Front) on my wife’s bike with a suspension fork (next 3 photos).



Anyway, you’ve got a great bike, and I hope you enjoy many long and beautiful rides with it.

This issue is fixed to the fork crown and each of the fork legs. You can see it very clearly in the photo provided by Scouty. I’ll add that the mounting points aren’t the reason for the discomfort you’re feeling—you should really question those Schwalbe Marathons instead. These tires are extremely stiff, and that rigidity prevents them from deforming and filtering out vibrations. Several of us on this forum have explained that these tires are uncomfortable, don’t grip well, and have terrible efficiency. The only possible use for them is for round-the-world tourers who are afraid they won’t find replacement tires in the middle of Balochistan!

For any other use, you should choose something more flexible and accept that the tires won’t last as long. At the opposite end of the spectrum from the Marathons, you have ultra-light tires like the Compass (René Herse), which still last around 5000 km!

Some criticize it because it's expensive

That’s a bit short. Criticisms of the Rohloff go far beyond the price:

no control over gear spacing—you’re stuck with MTB gearing even if you ride on the road; if any part of the wheel (hub, rim, or several spokes) breaks, you can’t replace it with a wheel bought locally; oil change requirement; risk of losing lubricant on a flight; can’t fix issues yourself if something goes wrong; manufacturer’s limitation on the minimum gear ratio to avoid excessive torque.

All this needs to be weighed against the positives. Price is just one factor in everyone’s choice. I don’t know the cost of a Rohloff, but I’m sure it’s much less than a high-end derailleur groupset for a road bike (Super Record EPS).

Several of us on this forum have mentioned that these tires are uncomfortable, don’t grip the road well, and have terrible efficiency.

... and they’re super heavy too! 😉

Several of us on this forum have mentioned that these tires are uncomfortable, don’t grip the road well, and have terrible efficiency.

... and they’re super heavy too! 😉

Yeah, and on top of that, they’re expensive! 😉

Some criticize it for being expensive

That’s a bit simplistic. Criticisms of the Rohloff go far beyond the price:

No control over gear spacing—you’re stuck with MTB gearing even if you ride on the road; If any part of the wheel (hub, rim, or several spokes) breaks, you can’t replace it with a wheel bought locally; Oil change requirement; Risk of losing lubricant on a flight; Can’t fix issues yourself if something goes wrong; Manufacturer’s limitation on the minimum gear ratio to avoid excessive torque.

All of this needs to be weighed against the positives. Price is just one factor in everyone’s decision. I don’t know the cost of a Rohloff, but I’m sure it’s much lower than a high-end road bike derailleur system (like Super Record EPS).

Regarding the prices I’ve seen for bikes, the same models sold with derailleurs or Rohloff have a difference of about 800 € more for the Rohloff version. That’s equivalent to: - 5 rear and front derailleurs - 5 cassettes - 10 chains - 5 sets of pulleys Enough to last a while!

So the economic argument doesn’t hold up. Maybe the "peace of mind" argument put forward by its fans is the most valid one?

Without wanting to dive into the Rohloff discussion (there are posts for that), the Rohloff is guaranteed for 100,000 km. How many times would you have changed a conventional drivetrain over that distance? Don’t think it’s impossible—at a campsite, I met a German guy whose Rohloff had 95,000 km on it with no issues at all! There have been problems, but they’re very rare (the Solicycle world tourers, if I remember correctly, and Rohloff fixed the issue far from Europe, I think). For MTB gear range, that’s not an argument—who hasn’t found themselves on a dirt trail or similar with a steep gradient while traveling, where the MTB gearing comes in handy? As for the highest gear, I don’t ride at 40 km/h (except rarely on descents, and even then), I’m just cruising and enjoying the scenery. I’ll leave it at that on this topic.

Without wanting to dive into this Rohloff discussion (there are posts for that). The Rohloff is guaranteed for 100,000 km. How many times would you have changed a conventional drivetrain over that distance? Don’t think it’s impossible—I met a German at a campsite whose Rohloff had 95,000 km and had no issues! There have been problems, but they’re very rare (the Solicycle world tourers if I remember correctly, and Rohloff fixed the issue far from Europe, I think). For MTB gear range, that’s not an argument—who hasn’t found themselves on a dirt trail or similar with a steep gradient while traveling, where MTB gearing comes in handy? As for the highest gear, I don’t ride at 40 km/h (except rarely on descents, and even then), I just cruise around admiring the scenery. I won’t go further on the topic.

Hi Claude, I’m not debating the quality of the Rohloff—its reputation is well-earned, and there are plenty of testimonials to back it up. What I’m pointing out is that the lifespan of such a system costs 800 €, and with that amount, you could easily replace the wear parts of a conventional drivetrain to match the same mileage as a Rohloff. The financial benefit is therefore highly debatable. That’s the only point I’m questioning—otherwise, it’s a matter of taste and usage, so it remains a very personal choice. Best regards,

Regarding the vibration issue, I completely agree with you. My Marathon Plus tires in 26/2 are still quite heavy and stiff! I almost regret my Victoria Randonneurs tires from my old bike—they might have been less durable, but they were much more comfortable and had better efficiency. Still, I got the bike without the front rack, which I added myself two months later. I really noticed a difference before and after the rack. I’ll definitely try removing the top fork mount to see! :)

No control over gear spacing—you have to put up with MTB gearing even when riding on the road; Impossible to replace a broken wheel component (hub, rim, or several spokes) with one bought locally; Maintenance constraint of oil changes; Risk of losing lubricant during air travel; Inability to fix issues yourself in case of problems; Manufacturer’s limitation on the smallest usable gear ratio to avoid excessive torque.

All of this should be weighed against the positive points. Price is just one factor in the choice everyone makes. I don’t know the cost of a Rohloff, but I suspect it’s much lower than that of a high-end derailleur system for a road bike (like Super Record EPS).

Hi,

Regarding the risks of rim or spoke breakage, it’s worth noting that a wheel built with a Rohloff hub is actually stronger than its equivalent with a traditional derailleur: the spoke pattern is symmetrical, and the flange is larger in diameter. This means stress is better distributed, with better balance than on a wheel with a cassette. Rigidity and durability are improved as a result. Another point: Spokes can be easily replaced (without having to remove the cassette), and you don’t need to carry two different spoke sizes.

On the other hand, if you break a rim in the middle of the African savanna, whether you have a Rohloff or a traditional derailleur doesn’t make much difference in my opinion... In either case, you’ll have to figure out how to reach a town where you can get a new wheel or order one from a supplier or Rohloff (their customer service is very efficient and doesn’t hesitate to ship a complete wheel). Getting a wheel sent from Germany isn’t a deal-breaker for long-term travel, in my view. Small detail: some current Rohloff-equipped bikes have a derailleur hanger, which simplifies potential repairs. To wrap this up, you can find plenty of testimonials from travelers who’ve covered tens (or even hundreds) of thousands of kilometers with a Rohloff without major issues.

As for gear spacing, you can adjust the sprocket and chainring to suit your riding style—it doesn’t seem like a deal-breaker to me.

When it comes to cost, saving money isn’t the main reason for buying a Rohloff. That said, it’s still worth considering the long-term return on investment.

Hi there,

Thanks for the details. The Rohloff system does seem really reliable—all the cyclists I’ve met seemed happy with it. But on really long trips, doesn’t that rim with its unique spoke pattern wear out just like regular ones?

L.

For mountain biking range, that’s not really an argument—who hasn’t found themselves on a dirt trail or similar with a steep gradient while traveling, where the mountain bike gearing comes in handy?

This part is probably in response to my post. I was talking about the Rohloff’s gear range, which is similar to a mountain bike’s and, more importantly, fixed by design. Not the smallest gear ratio. End of my Rohloff tangent. There are actually dedicated threads about this system.

hi there, some old photos of a bike still going strong after 24 years and 80,000 km on the clock. it was made by a bike manufacturer in Rive-de-Gier (Notar). For maintenance and simplicity reasons, we wanted: gear shifting on the frame, a 7-speed cassette, triple chainring. The rear racks were custom-made, Ortlieb panniers... still going strong 24 years later!!

Your "vintage" bikes look really cool!

Some really nice bikes. "The best jam comes from the oldest pots." I can't even imagine the sentimental value of your rides.

Got it—my bike had been retired from big trips for 11 years (3,000 km in Madagascar). After 2 months at home, I decided to hit the road again for a big journey (Mexico to Ushuaia). The bike’s actually on its last legs (there are even holes in the frame), but personally, as long as it doesn’t split in two, I’ll keep going with it. Not many bikes have seen the Andaman Islands, Sikkim, Bora Bora, Easter Island, or crossed the Wadi Rum desert…

So, I’ll try to patch up the hole and off we go!

as long as it doesn’t split in two...

It still kinda depends on the moment and the situation if it *does* split in two! Like hitting a pothole on a steep downhill with traffic...🤪