How To Video: Rohloff SPEEDHUB Oil Change

We're excited to introduce a series of videos showing you how to set up and service your Rohloff SPEEDHUB. The first video covers the oil change process and can be viewed above.

Monkey Ride: Ventana Zeus with Rohloff SPEEDHUB

Last fall we built up this full suspension Ventana Zeus for Xan, a friend of Cycle Monkey who helped us out part time over the summer and is now in college in Colorado. Chief Monkey Neil coached Xan on the El Cerrito High School Mountain Bike team and watched him progress from a novice cross country rider to an experienced, technical rider favoring all mountain-style terrain. Xan planned out this build over the summer and we got it together just in time for him to take with him to Colorado Springs, where he knew he would be riding challenging and technical terrain regularly. Xan has been riding his Zeus hard, including on a trip to the famed trails of Fruita, and said the Rohloff SPEEDHUB is perfect for his riding style.

Monkey Ride: Neil’s Rohloff/Belt Drive-Equipped Moots 29er

In preparation for the 2008 North American Handbuild Bicycle show in Portland, OR, Neil worked with Moots on this custom 29'er soft-tail as a test bed for the then-recently-launched Gates Carbon Drive belt system. The previous fall, Gates released the belt system, which promised improved durability with comparable efficiency to the tried and proven metal chain. In terms of improving overall drivetrain reliability, the new Gates belt system looked like a great complement to the highly durable Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14.

Surly Pugsley Fat Bike with Suspension Fork, Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14, and Gates Belt Drive

Fatbikes are known for their wide tires’ ability to provide grip and traction in just about all trail conditions. We've built many of these bikes with Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 gear hubs and several with a Gates Carbon Drive belt system as well, but how would a fatbike be improved if you added a suspension fork to the equation? That was the question we intended to answer with this Surly Pugsley build. Apparently the same question had been on many other peoples’ minds because the bike attracted plenty of attention when we showcased it in our booth at the Interbike tradeshow last September.

The goal for this Pugsley was twofold. First, we wanted to experiment with a more aggressive handling trail-specific fatbike. We also wanted to create a bike that would pique the interest of bike shop owners and industry insiders at Interbike, which is the bike industry’s largest trade show. Like the Surly Krampus build that also drew people into our booth, this Puglsey is one of the few Monkey Lab creations not built for a specific customer but rather as an experimental show bike.

Moots CoMooter with Rohloff SPEEDHUB

This Moots CoMooter came in to us recently for help with some of the final setup details and was such an appealing bike that we had to get a closer look. The customer had recently purchased this titanium dream commuter from Moots to get around town with style and speed. It features nothing but top-shelf components and is one of the most lust-worthy commuters we’ve seen. Best of all, it’s custom-built for use with a Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14.

When this customer started shopping for a new commuter bike he knew he wanted something he could use reliably for many, many years to come. The durability made possible by a Rohloff SPEEDHUB was a large part of his criteria, but he also wanted a bike that could handle speedy commuting as well as occasionally hauling groceries and other gear. He chose Moots' only commuter model, the CoMooter, which was designed around the SPEEDHUB and hand-picked boutique parts to customize the bike to his tastes.

The build is centered around Moots’ CoMooter frame, which is designed for getting around town quickly and comfortably. It features a geometry that strikes a balance between an upright and leaned-over seating position, lending itself well to both speedy riding and leisurely cruising. Like all of Moot’s frames and components, it uses US-made titanium tubing, which won't rust and the raw metal offers a very durable finish. Special touches include Rohloff-specific cable routing and sliding dropouts to tension the chain.

The wheel build consists of a Rohloff SPEEDHUB in the rear laced to Mavic’s Open Pro CD, a lightweight road rim. The front wheel uses a Chris King ISO disc brake hub on the same Mavic rim. Sapim spokes and nipples were used for both the front and rear. The resulting wheelset is light and fast.

The SPEEDHUB drivetrain is well suited for daily commuting. Whether you need to depend on your bike to get you to work every morning, haul food from the grocery store, or get to an appointment across town, reliability is key in a commuter bike. The SPEEDHUB needs no service other than an annual oil change, so mechanical problems or delays are almost non-existent. When you need to be able to jump on your bike to get somewhere at a moment’s notice, the SPEEDHUB is an ideal choice.

Image and aesthetics were important with this build, so components were carefully selected to match the classic look of the bike. Instead of the normal Rohloff shifter, our customer chose a Gilles Berthoud twist shifter. This aftermarket Rohloff-compatible shifter will fit on curved handlebars or those with a lot of sweep, and has a polished finish that matches the other components. Other top-of-the-line parts in this build include Formula R1 Racing hydraulic brakes, A chrome Chris King headset, a Gilles Berthoud leather saddle, and Phil Wood Track Cranks and chainring.

If you’re interested in a top notch commuter bike that you can rely on to ride day-in, day-out for many years to come, contact us to discuss what we can build for you.

Build Details:

• Frame: Moots CoMooter Titanium
• Fork: Wound Up Composite Team X Carbon
• Headset: Chris King
• Stem: Moots Open Road Titanium
• Handlebar: Nitto Albatross
• Shifter: Gilles Berthoud
• Grips: Brooks Slender 
• Seatpost: Moots Cinch Titanium
• Saddle: Gilles Berthoud
• Seat Clamp: Integrated
• Front Hub: Chris King ISO
• Rear hub: Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14
• Spokes: Sapim Race
• Nipples: Sapim Brass
• Rims: Mavic Open Pro CD
• Tires: Vittoria Randonneur Hyper
• Cranks: Phil Wood Track Cranks
• Pedals: White Industries Urban with titanium toe cages
• Bottom Bracket: Phil Wood
• Chain Ring: Phil Wood
• Rear Sprocket: Rohloff
• Chain: D.I.D.
• Brakes & Levers: Formula R1 Racing
• Rotors: Magura Storm rear, Shimano Ice Technology