The favourite amongst many long distance tourers is the Rohloff speedhub 500/14.

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It's chosen because of its ultimate reliability particularly in extreme environments where its protection of the gearing mechanism from sand, mud, salt and dirt is of real benefit.

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We use the Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 CC OEM with an external gear mech. With the external gear mech the shifter cables run directly from the twist shifter to the cable box so a separate cable stop isn't necessary. For quick and easy removal of the rear wheel, the cable box can be removed from the external transfer box. The sealed gearbox ensures reliability and durability even under the toughest conditions.

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The overall range of the 14 gears makes sure that you have the right gear in every situation. We have selected appropriate gearing for touring with panniers so the 1st gear is equivalent to that on the derailleur Skyelander.

 

We fit the Skyelander Rohloff Disc with Thorn cranks which enables us to get the perfect belt line for the Rohloff hub.

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The Rohloff gear range is 526%. This is higher than the Alfine 11 speed hub gear (409%) but slightly lower than the Skyelander with a triple chainset (617%).

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On this version of the Skyelander we use the Gates Carbon Drive belt. Belts have been used on high horsepower motorbikes for years and Gates have now perfected it for bicycles. The Gates belt is 11mm wide and made from carbon-fibre so it’s very strong. The drive is completed with the Gates front sprocket and the Gates rear sprocket which attaches to the Rohloff hub.

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We only use the Gates CDX set up as it’s tougher and more durable than their CDN offering.​

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