Optima Baron with Rohloff Speedhub - good setup?

Hi,

I am thinking about using a Rohloff Speedhub on the Baron I am going to build soon. However, I don't
know if the 13.5% step from one gear to the next is ok... Comments?

Greets

Arno

 

Arno Seitzinger wrote:

>I am thinking about using a Rohloff Speedhub on the Baron I am going to build soon. However, I
>don't know if the 13.5% step from one gear to the next is ok... Comments?

An excellent combination! I should know, got one myself Put an derailleur on a Baron and you'll
end up adjusting the shifter every other day, because of the rather long cable. If you're building
up a frameset, I wouldn't use the standard Baron handlebar stem (the one with holes for routing the
brake/shifter cables through); they're quite fragile (broke two, one at 40kmh, and I don't have much
upper body strength!).

Mark van Gorkom

 

Mark van Gorkom wrote:
>
> ... If you're building up a frameset, I wouldn't use the standard Baron handlebar stem (the one
> with holes for routing the brake/shifter cables through); they're quite fragile (broke two, one at
> 40kmh, and I don't have much upper body strength!).

The cable housings may also become cut from rubbing the edge of the hole in the riser where they
exit - I have seen one example of this.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

Mark van Gorkom wrote:

> Arno Seitzinger wrote:
>
>>I am thinking about using a Rohloff Speedhub on the Baron
>
> An excellent combination! I should know, got one myself

Hi Mark,

nice to hear from someone really using the speedhub, because in the german bent forum I just startet
a dicussion whether the baron is a low or semi low racer...

Do you have a spring loaded chain tensioner od is a fixed setup adequate? I could imagine that frame
flexing makes a spring loaded chain tensioner a necessity.

Arno

 

Arno Seitzinger wrote:

>Do you have a spring loaded chain tensioner od is a fixed setup adequate? I could imagine that
>frame flexing makes a spring loaded chain tensioner a necessity.
>
Tried without tensioner, but that's a bit impractical; I was constantly adjusting the front boom to
keep the chain tension more or less right (no problem on a FWD bent, or on an upright, but a Baron
has a somewhat longer chain...) Ended up with a custom made chain tensioner in place of the middle
chain roller, pushing down on the returning chain. This way the chain picks up less road dirt than
with a derailleur/Rohloff tensioner, doesn't make two 180 degree turns, and you lose two chain
sprockets. The chain tensioner is made of a Brompton's tensioner arm and spring, a chain roller, and
a few pieces of aluminium. Can send you some pics if you want. (Or try and see if I can explain
better in German??)

Mark van Gorkom.

 

Mark van Gorkom wrote:

> Arno Seitzinger wrote:
>
>>Do you have a spring loaded chain tensioner od is a fixed setup adequate?
>
> Tried without tensioner, but that's a bit impractical; I was constantly adjusting the front boom
> to keep the chain tension more or less right (no problem on a FWD bent, or on an upright, but a
> Baron has a somewhat longer chain...) Ended up with a custom made chain tensioner in place of the
> middle chain roller, pushing down on the returning chain. This way the chain picks up less road
> dirt than with

Yes, I thought of replacing the roller under the fromt part of the seat with a chain tensioner, too.
Would be great if you send some pics.

Arno

 

Arno Seitzinger wrote:
> ... Yes, I thought of replacing the roller under the fromt part of the seat with a chain
> tensioner, too. Would be great if you send some pics.

Here are a couple pictures that show a chain tensioner, although not on a Baron.

< ftp://www.ihpva.org/incoming/2002/sunset/Sunset001.jpg > <
ftp://www.ihpva.org/incoming/2002/sunset/Sunset005.jpg >

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

Tom Sherman <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Mark van Gorkom wrote:
> >
> > ... If you're building up a frameset, I wouldn't use the standard Baron handlebar stem (the one
> > with holes for routing the brake/shifter cables through); they're quite fragile (broke two, one
> > at 40kmh, and I don't have much upper body strength!).
>
> The cable housings may also become cut from rubbing the edge of the hole in the riser where they
> exit - I have seen one example of this.
>
> Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Yep, I saw this once, too.(-; To be fair, I found that my habit of turning the bars completely to
one side, to be seated or dismount, aggravated this problem. By making sure that I do not turn the
bars so far as to place undo strain on the cable housing, I have not had that problem since.

I have never broken the handlebar stem but did break the upper section of the handlebar, where the
cables enter, one time. Again, to be fair, it was my fault. I tried to do some fine tuning on the
bars by twisting them, without loosening the adjustment clamp, and cracke the bar where the hole for
the cables is located.

Also, I will disagree with Mark's contention that the long cable run to the rear deraileur causes
more frequent adjustments. The cable is actually only about 10" longer than a standard rear
deraileur cable. In three years, my Baron's rear deraileur cable has not needed any more adjustment
than any other bike I have owned and I have no problems with precise shifts using a Shimano XTR
deraileur and Quickfire shifter.

Harry Jiles

 

harryo wrote:
>
> Yep, I saw this once, too.(-; To be fair, I found that my habit of turning the bars completely to
> one side, to be seated or dismount, aggravated this problem. By making sure that I do not turn the
> bars so far as to place undo strain on the cable housing, I have not had that problem since....

Yes, it was Harry's Baron that I saw the cable abrasion problem on.

If I owned a Baron I would add a hinge (RANS Flip-It or the one from Terracycle) to the riser. This
was done to my Sunset by Earl Russell (when "Little Barbie" owned it) and not only does it make
getting on and off the bike much easier, but walking the bike is much more convenient since with the
riser tilted forward I can hold the handlebars without bending over.

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

 

I've not had any problem with the gears going out of adjustment on my Baron, and it appears that a
standard-length gear cable will work of a couple of inches of the outer cable loop at the rear
derailleur are removed.

No problems with the stem either - yet - but the similar one on my Speedmachine did break. HP
Velotechnik now do one without internal cable routing; instead there's a bolt-on cover beneath the
stem to keep the cabling tidy.

Dave Larrington - http://legslarry.crosswinds.net/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================

 

Arno Seitzinger wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I am thinking about using a Rohloff Speedhub on the Baron I am going to build soon. However, I
> don't know if the 13.5% step from one gear to the next is ok...

Thanks for all the comments. I have already test-ridden a halfbike with Rohloff. So I will oder a
hub for the baron this week.

Arno