Salsa Mukluk Fat Bike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL

A couple in Maine contacted us to build up a his-and-hers set of fat bikes, both with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 XL internal gear hubs. Living on the East Coast, they deal with with lots of snow and wanted bikes ready to handle the winter riding conditions they face every year. Both wanted a comfortable ride that would need very little maintenance. He chose a Ventana El Gordo, and she picked this Salsa Mukluk, which is a great platform for building a Rohloff bike.

Ventana El Gordo Fat Bike with Rohloff Internal Gear Hub, Gates Belt, and Rock Shox Bluto Fork

Meet the Ventana Mountain Bikes USA El Gordo fat bike in Team Blue Sparkle that we built for a customer in New Zealand. This customer came to us looking for an adventure bike to take him off the beaten path, far beyond the limits of where traditional mountain bikes can go. Because the large tires on a fat bike would allow him to pedal through terrain and riding conditions that push the limits of where bikes can be ridden, he needed a drivetrain that was up to the task as well. He came across our Ventana El Gordo fat bike packages built around Rohloff's fat bike-specific SPEEDHUB XL 500/14 internal gear hub and Gate's Carbon Drive belt system, which are well suited for the adventures he had in mind. He got in touch with us to discuss a build tailored to his needs. He customized his build with a suspension fork, dropper post, and the largest tires available for the best all-terrain performance. As outfitted, his new fat bike is ready to ride through anything, will require little to no maintenance, and will keep him free from worry over mechanical setbacks. 

Ventana El Gordo Fat Bike Packages - 2016

Overview

For fall of 2015, we have revamped our Ventana El Gordo Fat Bike packages.  These bikes have proven to be solid performers for many types of riding over the past year.  We made updates based on new parts introduced in the past year as well as introducing suggested builds for snow/sand, trail, and touring use.  The frame, Rohloff SPEEDHUB XL gear hub, and Gates Carbon Drive belt system carry forward.  See chart below for details.

Introduction

We've worked with Ventana Mountain Bikes USA to create a special Cycle Monkey edition of their US-made El Gordo fat bike frame. The Cycle Monkey edition will feature dedicated cable routing for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB and stealth dropper seatposts. These frames are also belt drive compatible through Ventana's clever adjustable dropout system for the most maintenance-free fat bike drivetrain available. Options are available to build the bikes up with a suspension fork and dropper seatpost for trail use or with a rigid fork and post for sand/snow use.

Contact us at info@cyclemonkey.com or 510-868-1777 to place an order.

Ventana El Gordo Fatbike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB and Gates Belt Drive

El Gordo hardtail build in Orange

This sharp looking orange Ventana El Gordo went to a happy customer in Delafield, WI. He had been running a Gates Carbon Drive belt system on a Trek Sawyer set up single speed and loved the low maintenance aspects of the belt but wanted additional gears. He had considered putting a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 on the Sawyer to get more gears, but he really wanted to run wider tires than the Sawyer would allow. He was excited when Rohloff introduced the SPEEDHUB XL - the fat bike version of their gear hub - last fall and contacted us to put together a no-fuss fat bike for year round trail riding including his snowy Midwest winters.

Ventana's rocking dropouts provide solid wheel positioning for tensioning the belt

Vassago Optimus Ti with Rohloff SPEEDHUB

Vassago’s Optimus Ti is a great example of a high-end titanium hardtail that is optimized for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. It features cross country inspired geometry that also works well for more technical trail rides. Its titanium construction provides a comfortable ride quality that reduces vibrations yet remains stiff when you push it hard. The frame is hand built in Vassago’s Phoenix Arizona factory, and represents one of the best values on the market for a U.S.-made titanium frame. It's also one of the lightest Rohloff-equipped mountain bikes we've built, making it a favorite of racers or anyone who appreciates a lightweight, nimble ride.

Rohloff SPEEDHUB XL & Ventana El Gordo Belt Drive Fat Bike Packages - Fall 2014

We've worked with Ventana Mountain Bikes USA to create a special Cycle Monkey edition of their US-made El Gordo fat bike frame. The Cycle Monkey edition will feature dedicated cable routing for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB and stealth dropper seatposts. These frames are also belt drive compatible through Ventana's clever adjustable dropout system for the most maintenance-free fat bike drivetrain available. Options are available to build the bikes up with a suspension fork and dropper seatpost for trail use or with a rigid fork and post for sand/snow use.

Contact us at info@cyclemonkey.com or 510-868-1777 to place an order.

Ventana El Gordo Build Kit Options

The new SPEEDHUB XL (left), and the original SPEEDHUB 500/14 (right)

Rohloff SPEEDHUB XL features

• 14 gears with a 526% overall change in gear ratio offers the same range as most three by nine mountain bike derailleur systems.
• Same proven hub internals as the SPEEDHUB 500/14 provides 100,000+ miles of reliable service.
• Shifting mechanism is completely protected within the hubshell and sealed from the elements.
• Shift reliably in sand, snow, mud, and other riding conditions that are harsh on traditional drivetrains.
• Shift between gears at any time, even when coasting or while stopped.
• Hub needs no maintenance other than an annual oil change.
• Large diameter, symmetrical hub flanges build into strong wheels.

Ventana El Gordo frame features

• Ventana tapered head tube (1-1/8" to 1.5")
• Ventana proprietary three bolt swinging adjustable dropouts
• Belt drive compatible - drive side dropout separates from seat stay to insert belt into rear triangle
• Cycle Monkey edition has dedicated cable routing for Rohloff SPEEDHUB shift cables and stealth dropper seatposts
• 170mm rear axle spacing
• Symmetric frame can be built with any fat bike rim size, including 29+
• Chainstay yoke provides ample clearance for large volume tires (4.8" tires on 100mm rims)
• Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL (see geometry chart here)
• Custom geometry available upon request for additional charge.
• Carbon Black or Mango Tango
• Additional colors available for additional charge

Ventana El Comandante Bike Packing bike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB and BeltDrive

Riding the Divide is one of the most awe-inspiring and grueling cycling challenges in the world. The 2,700 mile, 200,000 foot elevation gain ride goes from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, traversing the whole length of the United States along the Continental Divide. The Divide is also the route of the annual Tour Divide, a famous unsupported endurance race. The record for the race is 15 days, but the ride is also done at a more leisurely pace by non-competitive riders who want to enjoy the beautiful Rocky Mountain scenery along the way. We built this Rohloff SPEEDHUB-equipped Ventana El Comandante for a customer who is planning to ride and train around his home near Columbus, OH with the goal of eventually gearing up for a Divide ride of his own.

Ventana El Gordo Fatbike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB XL and Gates CarbonDrive belt

We were very excited when Rohloff called at the start of the summer to tell us they were sending us a pre-production sample of their new fat bike-specific SPEEDHUB XL. We had learned they were considering producing this 170mm wide hub only a few months prior, and now prototypes had already been built and tested and they were on to a pre-production run. Our sample hub showed up a week later and we marveled at how it dwarfed the standard SPEEDHUB 500/14.

The only problem on our end was finding a frame to use to build the new hub into a bike. Since we don't get snow in the San Francisco Bay Area, we planned to set the bike up for trail riding, which has become an increasingly popular use for fat bikes. This meant that the bike would be getting a suspension fork and dropper seatpost. It also needed to be belt drive compatible since we prefer the maintenance-free aspect of belts.

Vassago Verhauen with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14

We put together this Vassago Verhauen with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 to showcase a 29er hardtail made in the U.S. from premium True Temper steel. With a butted, heat treated tubeset that is light and strong, this frame offers the lively ride that steel bikes are known for. Traditional cross country geometry makes the Verhauen right at home on tight, twisty singletrack, and paired with a SPEEDHUB, it is sure to satisfy riders looking for a fun, minimal maintenance mountain bike.

Vassago is based in Phoenix, Arizona, and hand builds their Black Label frame models right here in the United States, including the Verhauen. By using True Temper's OX Platinum tubing and frame parts from Paragon Machine Works, Vassago is able to offer a completely US-made frame. The inclusion of Paragon's sliding dropouts makes the frame compatible with a wide variety of drivetrains and axle interfaces, including a clean SPEEDHUB installation. True Temper's OX Platinum tubing is made from high strength modern steel that is shaped to provide more material in high stress areas and less material in low stress areas to save weight.

The Verhauen frame offers the same quality as meticulously built frames from the most renowned small frame builders, but at a price that is much more approachable than these artisan frames.  Along with the Verhauen, Vassago also offers the titanium Optimus Ti and TKO models as part their Black Label series. Additionally, the company offers imported frames for those looking for a much lower pricepoint, including the Jabberwocky and Fisticuff.  All of these frames are well suited for use with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB.

For the wheels, we started with Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Flow rims, which are a light, trail-oriented option with a medium width. We then added Sapim Race spokes and brass nipples to lace up a black Rohloff SPEEDHUB rear hub and Toxaholics front hub. After the wheels were built, we mounted Schwalbe’s Smart Sam tires, which have low center knobs that roll fast in hard-packed dirt as well as taller side knobs to grip in loose conditions.

While many cross country-oriented bikes prioritize light weight, they often do so at the expense of being delicate. Light components can be desirable for racing, but they are often not designed to last more than one season and typically need regular maintenance to keep running smoothly. The combination of the Rohloff SPEEDHUB and lightweight steel Verhauen frame gives this bike the responsive feel of a lightweight race bike, yet does not need a mechanic's special touch after each ride. Quality steel frames are known to last for more than a decade, and the SPEEDHUB has an undefined lifespan with the only routine maintenance being a recommended annual oil change.

To finish off the build, we used a selection of high performance, yet durable components including a Rockshox SID fork, Magura MT8 hydraulic disc brakes, Salsa Bend 2 handlebars, ESI latex foam grips, Thomson stem and seatpost, and Race Face Turbine cranks. With these race-worthy yet reliable parts, this Verhauen is a fast and fun build for nearly any trail style.

If you are looking a trail bike in the same style as this Verhauen, contact us to start a conversation about a Vassago bike of your own.

Build Details:

• Frame: Vassago Verhauen

• Fork: Rockshox SID

• Headset: Cane Creek Forty

• Stem: Thomson Elite X4

• Handlebar: Salsa Bend 2

• Shifter: Rohloff

• Grips: ESI foam

• Seat post: Thomson

• Saddle: WTB Valcon

• Seat Clamp: Vassago

• Front Hub: Toxaholics

• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14

• Spokes: Sapim Race

• Nipples: Sapim Brass

• Rims: Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Flow

• Tires: Schwalbe Smart Sam

• Cranks: Race Face Turbine

• Pedals: Shimano XTR SPD

• Bottom Bracket: Race Face

• Chain ring: Race Face Single

• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff

• Chain: Wipperman Connex

• Brakes & Levers: Magura MT8

• Rotors: Magura Storm

Spot Honey Badger Mountain Bike with Schlumpf Mountain Drive Crankset

  

Singlespeed mountain biking has gained a devoted following in recent years, as more and more riders have been thinking outside the box and opting for simple, stripped-down bikes that let them focus solely on the experience of the ride. The flipside of that simplicity is that the gearing limitations of a singlespeed just don’t suffice on some trails, especially in steep hilly areas. We put together this belt drive Spot Honey Badger for a customer who told us he enjoyed singlespeeding but needed a gearing boost to get up the steeper hills on his local trails in Santa Rosa, California. We added a Schlumpf Mountain Drive to give him an ultra-low gear to get up the most extreme grades on the trail while still retaining the simple singlespeed aesthetic and belt drive compatibility.

Spot’s Honey Badger is designed as a comfortable, capable trail bike, with a good combination of stability and responsiveness. Like all of Spot's bikes, the Honey Badger was designed to be compatible with a belt drive system. Interchangeable dropouts allow for single speed/internal gear hub or derailleur use. The dropouts slide to adjust chain or belt tension with a single speed/internal gear hub or to adjust wheelbase with a derailleur. The steel frame has a few interesting features that set it apart from most hardtail frames, including curved seatstays and a time-trial style cutaway seattube that flex to provide some compliance and make the ride more comfortable. The downtube is also stamped into a wave design where it meets the headtube, creating a stronger weld that serves as a strengthening gusset. Overall, the frame is designed to be as versatile and robust as its namesake Honey Badger, a weasel-like animal with extremely tough skin that roams the plains of Africa.

This customer wanted to retain the same essential feel of singlespeed riding while also eliminating the hike-a-bike portions of his ride that were necessary with only one gear. To meet his criteria we installed a Schlumpf Mountain Drive, which has a 2.5 reduction ratio, to offer a low gear for super steep climbing. To shift to the low gear, a rider simply has to tap a button in the middle of the right side crank arm with their right heel. To shift back to the high gear, the rider taps a matching button on the left crank with their left heel. This heel-activated shift system eliminates the need for a shifter and cable on the handlebars, keeping the bike’s cockpit uncluttered.  It also provides a simple, adjustment free option for changing gears.

The bike comes stock with a Gates Carbon Drive belt drive, which was a priority for our customer. He loved the fact that the belt drive system lasts at least twice as long as a chain and doesn't require any maintenance aside from periodic silicone spray to resist squeaking in dry, dusty conditions. For mountain biking in particular, the belt drive is ideal because muddy and dusty trails can take their toll on a conventional chain much quicker than on the road.

If you’re interested in a Schlumpf-equipped mountain bike of your own, contact us to start a conversation about what type of bike is best for you. We have installed Schlumpf cranksets on just about any type of bike, including mountain, commute, fixed gear, cargo, and recumbent bikes/trikes. Schlumpf units can also easily be combined with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB to create even more gear range for people riding steep hills or carrying heavy loads.

Build Details:

• Frame: Spot Honey Badger
• Fork: Manitou Tower Comp 29er
• Headset: FSA integrated
• Stem: Truvativ Stylo T20
• Handlebar: Spot 700mm
• Shifter: N/A
• Grips: WTB
• Seatpost: Truvativ Stylo
• Saddle: WTB Pure V Race
• Seat Clamp: Spot
• Front Hub: Sun Ringle Charger
• Rear hub: Sun Ringle Charger
• Spokes: Wheelsmith J bend
• Nipples: Wheelsmith
• Rims: Sun Ringle Charger
• Tires: WTB Bronson 29x2.2”
• Cranks: Schlumpf Mountain Drive
• Pedals: Shimano XTR
• Bottom Bracket: Schlumpf Mountain Drive
• Chain ring: Gates Carbon Drive
• Rear Sprocket: Gates Carbon Drive
• Chain: Gates Carbon Drive
• Brakes & Levers: Avid Elixir 5
• Rotors: Avid

Rohloff-Equipped Civia Hyland Adventure Road Bike

We showcase a lot of new Rohloff-equipped bikes on The Monkey Lab, but we also do Rohloff retrofits and refurbs on existing bikes from time to time. This Civia Hyland was originally built for a friend of ours for commuting and wet weather road rides. He has been thinking about replacing the frame but hasn't found something he likes better yet, so he decided to redo his existing bike to make it new and exciting again before taking off on a "credit card tour" down the California and Oregon coasts this summer. We outfitted the bike with a shiny new paint job, a brand new hydraulic disc brake system, a fresh wheel build, and a handful of other component upgrades.

The frame is the now-discontinued Hyland model from Civia, which was originally conceived as a higher-end commuter with well-though out geometry and design details like the heavily manipulated tube shapes that hide brake and shift cables, including the cables for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB. It was one of our favorite off-the shelf commuter options for using a SPEEDHUB. Civia sold their complete bikes as flat bar commuters, but our friend prefers to use drop bars, which turns the bike into an ideal comfort-oriented road bike. Over the past several years, he has ridden the bike back and forth to work and on longer rides and likes the geometry and handling. Based on his time on the bike, he knew it would be able to comfortably handle his upcoming trip.

The frame was originally a matte navy blue color with mostly silver parts and Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes. Our friend decided to change the color to a flashier, hot rod-style paintjob in shiny candy apple red and swapped some of the silver parts for black, including powder coating the cranks. The mechanical disc brakes were also swapped for a hydraulic system from TRP for improved power, control, and lever feel.

The original wheels had silver spokes and nipples, Velocity Deep V rims, Rohloff SPEEDHUB in the rear, and a Hayes by DT Swiss hub in the front. For the refurb, our customer decided that black rims and spokes would look better with the red paint job, so we rebuilt the wheels using the same hubs with a pair of Velocity’s Dyad rims and black spokes. The Dyads are wider than most road rims and are strong enough for moderately loaded touring. We finished off the wheels with Sapim Race spokes and brass nipples, and installed a pair of Continental’s flat-resistant Duraskin K tires to keep flats to a minimum. The resulting wheelset is well-suited for commuting, light touring, or comfortable road rides.

The Rohloff SPEEDHUB has developed a reputation as the ideal drivetrain for touring or long distance riding. The 14 speed internal shift system uses very robust gearwheels that mesh together in different combinations to produce the varying gear ratios. The gear wheels are nearly impossible to break and do not wear down because they sit in a sealed oil bath within the hubshell. As a result, the SPEEDHUB is one of the most durable shift systems available, and favored by touring cyclists who may not cross paths with a mechanic or bike shop on their route. Tellingly, there are SPEEDHUBs from the original production run still on the road, having logged nearly 120,000 miles.

Along with the changes, our friend maintained a few parts from the previous build. The full coverage fenders will keep him dry in the event of rain, and the rear rack will allow him to carry some gear. He plans to stay in motels each night on his tour, so he needs to have enough room to carry a few changes of clothes but doesn’t need room for much food or a full set of camping gear.

When the build was complete, our friend said he was newly energized for his tour and now can’t wait to get out on the road. If you’re looking for a lightweight touring or commuting build with a nearly indestructible drivetrain, contact us to see what Rohloff-specific build we can put together for you.

Build Details:

• Frame: Civia Hyland
• Fork: Winwood Muddy Disc Cross
• Headset: Hope
• Stem: Easton EA90
• Handlebar: Easton EA70
• Shifter: Rohloff
• Grips: Black bartape
• Seatpost: Easton 
• Saddle: Shimano PRO Turnix
• Seat Clamp: Salsa Liplock
• Front Hub: Hayes Elite by DT Swiss
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim Race
• Nipples: Sapim Brass
• Rims: Velocity Dyad
• Tires: Continental Gatorskin 700x28c
• Cranks: Shimano Ultegra
• Pedals: Look Keoblade Carbon
• Bottom Bracket: Shimano Ultegra
• Chain ring: Surly stainless steel 48t
• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff
• Chain: Rohloff SLT 99
• Brakes & Levers: TRP Hylex
• Rotors: Avid Cleansweep
• Extras: Elite water bottle cages, rear rack, fenders