Tout Terrain Metropolitan Commuter Bike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 and Cinq Trigger Shifters

This decked out Tout Terrain Metropolitan was built for a customer in Sacramento, CA as his daily commuter. He had ordered the frame with a few customizations and picked out most of the parts he wanted to use, then came to us for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 internal gear hub and Gates Carbon Drive belt system as well as to fill in a few missing parts for the build kit. He is a heavier rider who wanted a bike that would be reliable under the strain of daily commuting, and this Tout Terrain frame is a perfect fit, having been designed with durability in mind as well as being Rohloff and belt ready and having many commuter-specific features built in.

Tout Terrain is a company based in Germany with a passion for incorporating bicycles into an everyday cycling lifestyle. Tout Terrain translates from French (the company is located on the German/French border) to mean "all terrain", which they apply to their design philosophy in making excellent bikes for daily transportation and extended tours. They design their various models to meet requirements for a specific type of riding, but also include features intended to afford flexibility for multi-purpose riding.

Their frames are all built from steel for the strength and durability to handle a bit of everything and have a number of innovative design features that set them apart:

• Built in racks for improved strength and stiffness when carrying heavy loads
• Flexible cable routing for configuring various drivetrains
• Multi-purpose dropouts that allow for running derailleurs, internal gears hubs, and belts
• Conducting plates on the forks to use Schmidt's connector-less dynamo hubs
• Taillight wire routing through the rear rack to keep the wires away from panniers
• Steering stops on the head tube to prevent bars from spinning around and damaging the top tube or lights from hitting the down tube and getting damaged
• Steering locks that prevent the fork from moving when the bike is parked to reduce the chances of it tipping over
• Eccentric bottom bracket design that allows for lateral adjustment to achieve precise belt alignment

3 in 1 dropout - inserts available with or without a derailleur hanger - separates to install a belt into the rear triangle

We had the frame and all the components, but every great build needs a set of custom wheels to get moving, so our wheel house got to work. We met this customer's needs by spec'ing Velocity Cliffhanger rims for their strength and durablility, and double butted Sapim Strong spokes with Sapim brass nipples.



For the front wheel, the customer chose a Schmidt SON28 SL dynamo hub for connector-less, self-powered lighting of both the front and rear tail lights. This top quality dynamo ensures that the bike will light up every time he pedals, so he can head for any destination safely with the road lit and knowing he can be seen by cars.

The rear wheel was outfitted with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14, which is a great fit for any commuter because of its durability, wide gear range, and consistent, maintenance-free shifting. With the addition of the Gates Carbon Drive belt, which has a usable lifespan at least twice as long as a conventional chain (and typically much longer) and does not require lubrication, this is one of the most low maintenance and dependable drivetrains available. This set-up is perfect for a hassle-free commute every day of the week. Whether you are heading across town or out of town, you can get on and get going without worrying whether the shifting is working.

This customer knew exactly what he wanted and had very specific setup details in mind. For the cockpit configuration, he decided on a café style riser bar for a swept back hand position, comfortable upright riding position,  and because it has space for a second hand/riding position option on either side of the stem. We added a second set of brake levers and grips to make the second hand position comfortable and safe to use. SpurCycle's modular Grip Rings provided some additional color highlights through their individually installed rings, which are available in multiple colors to customize grip width and aesthetic. He was also excited about using the Cinq trigger shifter system with his new Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14.

The Cinq shifting system is a new way to shift the Rohloff SPEEDHUB. The system is comprised of two shift levers - one for each hand, with one shifting into a harder gear and the other into an easier gear - and a ratchet box that connects to the external shift mechanism, replacing the Rohloff cable box. The shift levers are simple spring loaded levers that pull and release a small length of cable, with the ratchet box being the heart of the system. The ratchet box allows the shift lever to pull the small amount of cable, advance the SPEEDHUB to it's next gear, then release and reset. The system allows 1-2 gear changes per lever throw (2 when shifting in the same direction, 1 when changing direction due to the backlash in the system). All and all, this is an exciting new shifting option that offers SPEEDHUB users a choice in how they operate their hubs. If you are interested in riding a SPEEDHUB or already do and want to explore your shifting options some more, take a look at our blog, Tech Talk: Shifter Options for use with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. 

This customer came to us with most of the parts of his new commuter. He had us take the pieces he had chosen for his perfect commuter and asked us to complete the puzzle with a custom set of wheels, dynamo hub, and the ultimate drivetrain. Once complete, this bike was everything he dreamed it would be. This Tout Terrain is a solid, sturdy, and refined commuter that is ready to hit the road.

If you've bought a frame and/or some components to go on your next bike build but need help turning it into a reality, we are here to help.  Give us a call and we will help you get your next bike build in motion.

Build Details:

• Frame: Tout Terrain Amber Road
• Fork: Tout Terrain Amber Road
• Headset: Chris King NoThreadset
• Stem: Nitto
• Handlebar: Nitto
• Shifters: Cinq
• Grips: SpurCycle Grip Rings
• Seat post: Paul Components Tall and Handsome 
• Saddle: Gilles Berthoud
• Front Hub: Schmidt SON28 Dynamo
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim Strong
• Nipples: Sapim Brass
• Rims: Velocity Cliffhanger
• Tires: Schwalbe Marathon Almotion

• Cranks: Middleburn RS8
• Pedals: Ergon
• Bottom Bracket: Enduro XD-15
• Chain ring: Gates Carbon Drive
• Rear Sprocket: Gates Carbon Drive
• Chain/Belt: Gates Carbon Drive
• Brakes & Levers: Paul Components Klampers & Love Levers
• Rotors: Magura

• Front Light: Busch and Mueller Luxos

• Tail Light: Toplight Line Brake Plus

• Basket: Brooks Hoxton Wire
• Bell: SpurCycle