REVIEW: Soma Sandworm Fatbike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB and Gates Carbon Drive Belt

Soma Fabrications called us recently and told us they were designing their first fatbike frame named the Sandworm; they wanted us to test out the prototype and give it the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 internal gear hub and Gates Carbon Drive belt drive treatment that we are known for. We were glad to hear they had decided to expand into fatbikes with this frame and potentially bring the fun of fatbiking to more people by filling a hole in the market for an affordable Rohloff/belt drive frame. Once we received the frame, we began mapping out a build kit suitable for this project.

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.

Jeff Jones Titanium Space Frame With Rohloff SPEEDHUB

This bike was built for a local customer who came to us looking for a unique frame that was comfortable and versatile enough for the different types of trails near his home in Oakland, CA. He had his eye on a Jeff Jones Titanium Space frame, which has long been recognized as one of the most distinctive titanium mountain frames.

Our customer planned to explore the Bay Area on various trail rides and weekend trips. From long rides on hilly doubletrack to weekend bike camping trips on paved and dirt roads to quick twisty singletrack, he wanted a bike that would do it all. After talking with him about his riding style, we put together a collection of top-notch components – including a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 – that would match the aesthetics of the titanium frame and last him for years.

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

Vassago Fisticuff with Rohloff SPEEDHUB

Vassago’s Fisticuff is billed as a “monster cross” bike that can handle everything from rough gravel roads to singletrack to daily commuting. Some people may look at it as a cyclocross bike with wider tires and others may look at it as a drop bar mountain bike.  Whatever you call it, the Fisticuff is an "all arounder" that feels just as at home on mountain bike trails as it does on long road rides. It makes you want to take off on an adventure, and pairing it with the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 gives you the drivetrain to do so without any maintenance issues.

The Fisticuff is built from a high quality heat treated steel tubeset, offering a resilient ride that takes the edge off of rough roads and trails. Compared to most cyclocross frames, the Fisticuff is reinforced in high stress areas to handle rougher trail use, making it nearly indestructible in normal road and 'cross riding conditions. Like most cyclocross bikes, the frame geometry offers a blend of road and mountain bike qualities. The front end and cockpit provide a body position similar to a road bike, and the rear end has a higher bottom bracket for trail clearance like a mountain bike. Chainstays are in between a road and a mountain bike, with a fairly short wheel base that can maneuver through twisty singletrack easily. It has both disc and cantilever brake mounts, clearance for 1.8" tires, and 
horizontal dropouts with adjustable chain tensioners, which make SPEEDHUB installation easier. The Fisticuff is one Vassago's more affordable imported models, along with the Jabberwocky, but they also offer Rohloff-friendly U.S.-made frames called the Optimus Ti, TKO, and Verhauen.

We built up this Fisticuff with a sturdy wheelset that is capable of rougher off road riding. Stan’s NoTubes ZTR Flow mountain bike rims are strong and allow for wider tires than most other rims used on cyclocross frames. Sapim Race spokes offer a blend of strength and light weight, and brass nipples offer strength and corrosion resistance. We used a black Toxaholics front hub and a black Rohloff SPEEDHUB in the rear. Schwalbe’s versatile and flat-resistant Marathon Mondial tires offer good mixed surface traction.

As a heavy duty adventure-style bike designed for many different trails and roads, the Fisticuff is well suited for the Rohloff SPEEDHUB. The SPEEDHUB’s shift system is entirely protected within the hubshell, so it is not exposed to road grit, rocks, sticks or anything else that may damage or affect a derailleur system’s shifting on long rides or rough trails. By combining the SPEEDHUB with the solid steel frame, this build offers a nearly bombproof ride that rarely needs to be tuned up even after the roughest rides.

We used a range top shelf components to round out the build. Raceface’s Turbine cranks, WTB Valcon saddle, and Thomson stem and seatpost are very strong with a fairly light overall weight, and Avid’s BB_7 road brakes and Cane Creek Drop V levers provide plenty of stopping power.

If you are interested in a “monster cross” bike of your own, contact us to talk about a Vassago Fisticuff build.

Build Details:

• Frame: Vassago Fisticuff

• Fork: Vassago Fisticuff

• Headset: Cane Creek Forty

• Stem: Thomson Elite X4

• Handlebar: Salsa Cowbell

• Shifter: Rohloff

• Grips: Profile Design cork bar tape

• Seat post: Thomson Elite

• 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 Marathon Mondial

• Cranks: Race Face Turbine

• Pedals: Shimano XT Touring

• Bottom Bracket: Race Face Turbine

• Chain ring: Race Face Wide/Narrow

• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff

• Chain: Wipperman Connex 808

• Brakes & Levers: Cane Creek SCR-5 levers, Avid BB_7 Road

• Rotors: Magura Storm 4-bolt

Vassago Optimus Ti Lightweight Adventure Racing Bike with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14

Racing for 72 hours straight through the jungles of South America on mere hours of sleep is not for the faint of heart. It’s also a task that not just any bike can handle, which is why the members of Team Odyssey Adventure Racing are big proponents of the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. Recently, more and more members of the Virginia-based race team have been exchanging their derailleur systems in favor of the SPEEDHUB because of its durable and low maintenance design. In the extreme conditions of adventure races, drivetrain issues can mean the difference between a winning effort and dropping out of the race. We built this titanium Vassago Optimus Ti for a Team Odyssey member to get him through his races comfortably and reliably.

Monkey Ride: Neil's Oxide Battleaxe All-Mountain Bike

Neil has been searching for the holy grail of long travel full suspension mountain bikes for quite a while. He has had a number of frames over the years that have worked fairly well, but they all had one or more key issues that he hoped to resolve. Most mainstream suspension frames are essentially the same design with different branding and slightly different aesthetics. They are also designed without any consideration towards use of the Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14.

Neil was looking for a frame that was at least designed with the SPEEDHUB in mind and ideally was optimized for this internal gear hub. Since nothing in the mainstream was meeting this criteria, he had been looking for a custom frame builder who could work with some of his ideas for the perfect Rohloff setup. Unfortunately, most of the details that he wanted to try were too different from what other builders were doing already for them to want to take on the project.

Then, last year at NAHBS, Neil bumped into Alan Klarc, a longtime shop-owner customer of ours and Rohloff SPEEDHUB fan. He was showing a prototype of a downhill frame he had built under his new frame brand, Oxide Cycles. The frame was set up single speed and used two chains and a pair of idler sprockets that spun around a high forward pivot with separate tensioning mechanisms for each chain. This arrangement gave the bike a nice rearward wheel path through the initial part of the travel without the large amount of chain growth that would result from connecting a single chain between the chainring and rear sprocket. The tensioned chain and lack of chain growth also meant there would be no chain bounce noise or derailment.

This setup promised to offer an ideal setup for use with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14. Neil asked about making a 150-160mm travel version of this bike for aggressive trail riding, and Alan said he had started working on something, but it wasn't quite ready. Fast forward ten months and the first Battleaxe off the assembly line showed up at our door.

Oxide’s Battleaxe is a 160mm travel frame designed for aggressive trail riding including drops, rock gardens, jumps, and high speed stutter bumps that you would normally find in all-mountain style riding. This one has 29" wheels, but 27.5"/650B wheels are also an option. It is one of relatively few full suspension bikes made of steel, and is designed to be strong enough to handle the abuse of riding rough trails with a little chassis flex to keep the wheels from chattering through bumpy corners.

Like the downhill frame that was shown at NAHBS 2013 (named the Valkyrie), the Battleaxe also uses a single pivot suspension design with a fairly high downtube-mounted main pivot. A pair of idler sprockets attached to the main pivot function as a jackshaft to redirect the chain force. A short chain runs from the chainwheel on the crank to the outer idler sprocket, and a second, longer, chain runs from the inner idler sprocket to the sprocket on the hub. The first chain is tensioned by an eccentric bottom bracket and the second chain is tensioned by sliding dropouts. No additional chain tensioner is needed, as is the case when using the SPEEDHUB on more convention frames.

Aside from the unique aesthetic of the suspension and drive train setup, Oxide's signature dual top tubes help the frame stand out as does the matte black paint job from Spectrum Powder Works that matches the Rock Shox Pike suspension fork. The grey Oxide logo on the down tube is bead blasted steel showing through clear coat with some white highlights for the Battleaxe and "Cycles" logos. Screw-on cable guides along the down tube and swingarm provide clean cable routing, and an exit hole in the seat tube allows use of a stealth dropper post. A razor-blade shaped headbadge gives a finishing touch.

Neil’s wheels consist of a Rohloff SPEEDHUB in the rear and a Chris King ISO disc hub up front, both laced into Sun Ringle MTX 33 rims. Neil tends to be very hard on rims and has a rim graveyard in our workshop full of 29er rims with broken and dented sidewalls. The Sun Ringle MTX33 rims have held up fairly well for him, although he has even detroyed a few of these. These wheels are one of the strongest All Mountain builds we offer and are well suited for the type of riding that this bike is intended for.

The Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 is also well suited for all-mountain style riding which can be especially hard on derailleurs. Rough trails can often cause a rear derailleur to shift inadvertently as the derailleur bounces around. These trails are also prone to rocks and sticks getting kicked up that can bend or break derailleurs. Since all of the shifting components of the SPEEDHUB are housed inside the the hubshell, it handles rough trails with ease. The hub also has the advantage of being able to shift into any gear at any time, even while stopped, and as fast as the shifter can be moved. This is particularly useful when transitioning from a high speed pedaling descent to a steep climb and need to downshift many gears rapidly.  It also offers the advantage of being able to separate braking, shifting, and cornering when tackling switchbacks with large braking bumps.

On the front end of the bike, Neil installed his Rockshox Pike fork, which has became an immediate favorite.  It has proven to be very smooth and compliant over big and small bumps over the past 8 moths of use. A Chris King inset headset provides smooth steering, and a Thomson stem holds the fork and handlebars in place. Neil is using Salsa’s 17-degree sweep Bend 2 handlebar because he prefers bars with more backsweep than most. Magura’s powerful MT4 brakes and ESI foam grips complete the setup on the handlebars.

So far, Neil thinks the Oxide Battleaxe is looking very promising on its first rides through the local trails in Northern California. The lack of chain noise was a welcome addition that was easy to get used to. Likewise, the lack of the chain bouncing off the sprockets or getting jammed in a chain guide makes for more enjoyable rides. Climbing feels smooth an efficient, and descending is plush.

Neil is looking forward to taking this bike on trails in California, Oregon, Utah, and Colorado over the coming months. Stay tuned for a full report once Neil has ridden the bike extensively to find out if it is indeed the holy grail. If you’re looking for an aggressive mountain bike of your own, contact us to see what type of Rohloff-specific build we can put together for you.  If you want to test ride a Battleaxe, we will have medium, large, and XL demos available later this spring.

Build Details:

• Frame: Oxide Cycles Battleaxe
• Fork: Rockshox Pike
• Headset: Chris King Inset
• Stem: Thomson Elite X4
• Handlebar: Salsa Bend 2
• Shifter: Rohloff
• Grips: ESI Foam
• Seatpost: Rockshox Reverb Stealth
• Saddle: WTB Devo
• Front Hub: Chris King ISO Disc
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim Race
• Nipples: Sapim Brass
• Rims: Sun Ringle MTX 29
• Tires: WTB Dissent 2.5
• Cranks: Middleburn X-Type
• Pedals: Shimano M636 SPD
• Bottom Bracket: Race Face
• Chain ring: Middleburn Direct Mount
• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff
• Idler Sprockets: Surly fixed gear cogs
• Chain: Wipperman 9SB
• Brakes & Levers: Magura MT4
• Rotors: Magura Storm