Rohloff Speedhub Pros vs Cons | Recumbent Trikes 

You covered all the bases David though I would add that those of us who ride in dusty, salty, sandy environments, the totally encased gears are a dream come true and completely overwhelms the cons you mentioned. Yes, even the cost if I could be so bold. Great job.

When you first posted this video, David, I was considering the Rohloff Speedhub for my HP Velotechnik Scorpion Plus FS 26 with the Shimano Steps E8000 e-assist and didn't comment. Well, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered my Ruhloff on Friday. It will take until mid-January, 2022, until my Speedhub arrives at my dealer's shop. I'm so glad I chose an Ruhloff Speedhub for the low maintenance. Thanks for the review. It was a great help in my decision making. Keep on Triking!

Another great video, David! I watched on a 55" hi-def television and I STILL couldn't see any peanut butter or jelly stains! :)

Yes, the Rohloff is amazing and well worth the investment. I use it with just one chainring and love the simplicity. Take care, David!

I’ve got 2,000 miles on my Rohloff and couldn’t be happier. The oil change is simple, the gear spacing is perfect, and Rohloff hubs and simply sturdy and reliable.

Thanks David for sharing the info about the Speedhub. Sounds like a good additions to the trike. Keep those wheels rolling.

Thanks for sharing your positivity!

Excellent and informative vid.. A speedhub is in my future for sure

My best to you Sir and my most sincere compliments. Excellent video and overview. Thank You

I know David has passed away but this rider assesment of the Roholoff Speedhub is a great blessing to me in helping me decide my future upgrades.

Thanks for your review... I'm going to be adding the Rohloff to the build sheet for my soon to come Catrike Dumont. I'm getting back into cycling, in large part, for therapy for Parkinson's.

This hub is a True work of mechanical artistry. The compact nature of the planetary gear system is perfectly designed along with the robust mechanical linkages that lock/unlock the sun gears. The 3rd gearset is used for range change (hi/lo) while the front two are for ratios (7 gear ratios). The first 7 speeds use the reduction aspect of the 3rd gearset while the final 7 speeds use the direct drive aspect. Very nice hub indeed!

Thank you for the information

Thanks David for the video. I was looking at the rolhoff a few weeks ago when I was waiting for my Sprint Tour X to arrive. Since I purchased it preowned, I didn't know exactly what I getting, but since it has a 500W rear hub e-assist with half-twist throttle, I quickly realized that would mean a new mid-drive system in addition to the rolhoff if I went that direction. Additionally, when I was weighing against the pro's I realized that if I did forget to put the trike in an easier gear that I could always use the throttle to take off and catch up to the gear that I had stopped in or downshift to meet it. I am still quite intrigued by the rolhoff, but will have to be happy with what I have for now.

Miss your Greatful dead flag David. Nice bike David. Ride on!

Great review. 👍🏾

David, I had to get rid of my original rear tire on my Catrike Dumont because it was like a slick and I got off into the grass and couldn't go anywhere but spin. I got a more aggressive tire glad I did.

Thanks for the review David. I think all the pros add up to one main thing: peace of mind. The Rohloff just seems to eliminate all the things I don’t want to worry about. The weight gain is minimal compared to the benefits. The cost…….well I think it depends on how much your going to use the trike. I have friends who spent $25,000 on a bass boat they use 20 weekends a year. Again I’m just waiting for ICE to reopen their orders. Problem is I have to get two of them, one for me and one for my wife………….ouch!

Thanks for the educational video. I didn't know that you can only get grip shifters with the Rohloff hub. In fact I knew very little other than many people enjoy using it. Other than the expense it sounds like a no brainer add on.

Nice David thank you:-) I have the rolhoff hub too. I did have the 3 sprockets up front and hated it. I was pretty much stuck using the middle sprocket exclusively mostly because the larger sprocket made the chain too tight and the smallest sprocket made the chain too loose so IMO the rolhoff hub system doesn’t work well with the 3 sprockets up front. I had two options which was a single sprocket with an overdrive gear or the pinion drive and I went with the Pinion 6 speed up front.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts David! I've just completed a 5-week, 814 mile tour on my ICE Sprint and have come away with a few thoughts: 1. Trikes are not as convenient as diamond framed/upright bikes. We cannot easily ride on single-track lanes. We also have to get off to navigate around gates/speed-control devices. 2. Visibility is better on an upright bike - I think this will annoy some recumbent riders but being up higher gives you better views. We have lots of tall hedges by the sides of our roads and I missed what was over them. 3. After getting back I put some miles on my wife's upright hybrid bicycle and it's really uncomfortable! My hands are numb and tingling within 30 minutes of riding and my butt hurts! My trike is supremely more comfortable. 4. I also have the Shimano Steps pedal assist but it's the UK version that's limited to 250 Watts (top speed of 15.5 MPH). I found that I struggled to find the right gear a lot. I also lost traction when the roads were wet and the hills steep. 5. The rear derailleur is low to the ground and got debris caught in it. So, the bottom line is: Do I get an upright and feel uncomfortable or do I find ways of improving my trike? I think the Rohloff would help with points 4 & 5. Also looking into getting a different size crank, arms...

I was surprised to hear that you have to send the hub back to Rohloff for repairs. But I guess that having to do so must be rare because there are those who travel worldwide and rely on the Rohloff for long distance tours. Thanks, David! Happy riding!!

I have been interested in a Rohloff possibly on my next trike. I have a Sturmey Archer 8 speed hub on my Terra Trike which is pretty nice once I learned that if I try to force a gear change, I will be changing the cable soon after. It is very nice to be able to easily change gears at a stop, but it has taken awhile to learn to stop pedaling before I change gears in motion. Especially after I put on a mid drive motor. I really like that the chain doesn't have to switch between gearing sizes with the internal gears

I really enjoyed your video on the Rolhof hub, I especially like the ease of changing gears while fully stopped!! I would have assumed you wouldn’t have as big of gear range as the normal gear setup. If I could afford it I’d have it set up on my trike!!

Another excellent video David. I would love to have a Rohloff Speedhub but I would lose my scalp (compliments of my wife) if I spent the money involved.

Hello David.. I also ride a recumbent trike but not with a Rohloff..However, added the Bosch Active Line Plus 350W motor and kept the Sram 10 spd rear derailleur and cassette.. I enjoyed your video describing the Rohloff 14 spd hub with all the pros and cons.. Being from the old school it would take some serious convincing to convert to a Rohloff..I like doing my own maintenance and changing and replacing parts when and if needed..What was missing from your video was how the Rohloff shifts when climbing steep grades..If you could focus on how it feels like on the legs and how it affects cadence..

Nice video David expanding on of many great options for trikers. I kind of prefer my 3x10 I have on my Catrikes and don’t experience any difficulty or inconvenience in shifting. The added expense is significant when put on top of the high cost of high quality trikes. Put the Rohloff on an expensive trike and add in an e assist and you have a very expensive, very heavy unit. I guess I am old school. Give me a sports car with a five or six speed, not an automatic!!

Having just ordered an HPVelotechnik trike with a Rohloff hub and e assist, I am greatly reassured by your pros and cons.

Can a Rohloff be used on a totally manual ICE trike?

The rohloff is now also available with normal shifters as well

I'd love a Roloff hub for my tourer but the price to import it to Thailand is eye watering. I'll have to stick to derailleurs.

Thanks Dave….

Thanks again for another informative video. Even though the IGH is expensive, my problem is not with making the payment but with deciding whether or not I really need it. I have discovered that on my rides I rarely shift. If I come to a hill, I can boost the e-assist to TURBO mode and zoom over the top with no downshifting needed. But...I will probably get one 'cause it seems like fun. BTW - Is the added weight a negetive?

According to Wikipedia: "Rohloff hubs generally require a break-in period to function optimally. The manufacturer suggests this may require 500-1000 miles of active riding. For some riders the break-in period may be longer. Until the hub is broken in the rider may experience some noise or vibrations when the reduction-gear is in operation (gears 1-7)."

Great review as always David. Was the Enviolo hub available when you were ordering your bike? Seems like an interesting option and I believe it is about half the price. Never needs oil changed either. I’m asking because I did test ride an Ice trike with the Enviolo AutomatiQ hub. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Do you have to use the pedals on these

I have a Rohloff on my trike; I like it so much I want to put one on my bike.

I like my rohloff hub , i would have them on all my bikes except for the cost.

⚔️💪😎(stroke)

I want to put one on my trike too.

I have been a big proponent of Internal Gear Hubs mainly because I think derailleur systems are archaic. I had looked at Rohloff before choosing my Alfine 11 speed at 1/3 the cost & it has almost as good a gear spread as the Rohlly with a 20 inch drive wheel. 14.8 to 108 Gear Inches, compared to the absolute best spread on the Rohlly although it is out of recommended spec: 12 - 109.6 Gear Inches. I rationalized in my mind if I only got 5 years out of the Alfine I could replace it & still be hundreds of dollars ahead & quite possibly get the latest model if they had any product improvements. Fortunately, it has been well over 5 years & the Alfine is as good as the day I got it. This brings me to a Pro you could consider for other IGH's but maybe not for a Rohloff. Should you develop a problem with the internals of your hub, it is simply a case of installing a new internal hub assembly in your wheel & hub shell at a cost of $350. I don't think you could do that on a Rohloff.

Ever since I heard of the roloffs I've become very interested it,. I want to convert my old Aluminum Bike,. the only thing is I'll have to put in a belt splitter on the frame. My next thought is I had a car accident and Swinging my leg up over the frame isn't going to be something I don't want to do forever so my next frame is going to be what everybody calls a girl's bike and it may not make sense to a lot of people but it'll get me out there and riding the bike and I'm definitely thinking of belt drive.

Speaking of trike prices mine is 3900 base and after accessories I paid 9100

Youre a peanut-jelly- hero David. Yes thats a thing, at least in my head

When my SRAM DualDrive2 hub crapped out after 14 years, I knew I had a tough choice to make - either a Rohloff, a Shimano Alfine 11 or a derailleur. My brain said, “Get the Rohloff!”, my wallet said, “Get the Alfine!” I listened to my wallet, and the Alfine lasted FIVE FREAKING WEEKS! It was under warranty, or so I told myself, completely disregarding the fact that it took MONTHS to get all the Alfine parts from Shimano! To keep riding, I ordered a $50 wheel/Capreo hub from Utah trikes, which IS ABOUT AS INEXPENSIVE A COMBO AS YOU CAN FIND, and it is still going strong!!! I have NO IDEA when, if ever, I will see that Alfine hub and wheel again! So, I’m ordering the Rohloff! I guess I will go through life having 2 backups - kinda like the Bears and their quarterback situation!

I don't like the twist shift. Period. The plastic piece inside it can wear down from repetitive shifting over time. The bar-end shifting levers are much truer and reliable in the long run. I'm the type of person who likes to be able to visually see what may be malfunctioning or needs to be fixed. Most everyone likes driving a automatic transmission. I don't, for many reasons. They are much more expensive, more things can go wrong with a automatic transmission than a Standard transmission. And a standard transmission keeps me on my toes so to speak. The same is true with a standard cog derailleur system. WAY EASIER to fix and repair. Way easier to get parts for. WAY CHEAPER! I'm very mechanically inclined, so I like the old standard. ROLOF no thanks.

Grape Jelly - basic!!