15 January 2014

Rohloff-Equipped Mikkelsen Touring Bike


A local customer recently brought this Rohloff SPEEDHUB-equipped Mikkelson touring bike in for some routine service. It's about as purpose-built as any bike we've seen. With S&S frame couplers, three water bottle mounts, Nitto racks, a special-edition Brooks Professional saddle, and a variety of other top shelf parts, this bike is deluxe.


There are plenty of interesting details on this Mikkelsen that demand a closer look. One of the most unusual components is a 3-piece handlebar that allows the stock Rohloff twist shifter to be mounted in the center. The handlebar is made from two halves and a center sleeve that clamps onto them and into the stem. 


The Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 is the perfect drivetrain choice for a loaded touring bike like this Mikkelsen, providing an adjustment-free system that will handle any kind of riding the owner can dish out.


This Mikkelsen has cantilever rim brakes but also utilizes a bar-end shift lever to control a tandem-style disc drag brake on the rear wheel. 


The rear end of the bike manages to fit everything without interference. Chain tension is controlled with an eccentric bottom bracket and vertical dropouts allow easy wheel removal. The disc drag brake is mounted between the seat and chain stays to keep it away from racks and bags, and the rack mounts are located far enough up the seat stay to allow easy access to the cable box. Finally, the inside of the seat stay has a boss welded to it that the OEM2 axle plate on the hub keys onto.


This bike was obviously built with careful consideration and looks quite ready to take on anything from leisurely rides to serious adventures. S&S couplers allow the frame to be split and packed into a much smaller container than a standard bike box, usually eliminating any extra airline baggage fees.


If you're considering building up a Rohloff-equipped touring bike or your SPEEDHUB needs service, contact us and we will be happy to help.

Build Details:



Frame: Mikkelsen Touring, S&S coupled and lugged
Fork: Mikkelsen Steel
Headset: Chris King NoThreadSet
Stem: Custom steel, painted to match
Handlebar: Custom split drop handlebar
Shifter: Rohloff
Grips: Cork tape
Seatpost: Nitto Jaguar
Saddle: Brooks Professional, Limited Edition
Front Hub: Chris King
Rear Hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
Spokes: DT Swiss
Nipples: DT brass
Rims: Mavic A719
Tires: Continental Top Touring 2000
Cranks: Sugino 75
Chainring: Sugino
Rear Sprocket: Rohloff sprocket
Chain: Sram PC58
Brakes: Paul Touring Cantilevers F/R, Avid BB7 disc rear
Brake Levers: Cane Creek/Paul Components Cross Top
Rotor: Galfer 203mm




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