Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
Tiberius
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Joined: 31 Dec 2014, 8:45am
Location: North East England

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Tiberius »

Bonefishblues wrote:Seller has an unusually short Rohloff service interval, I note!


Hmmm...500 miles, should be 5,000 Kilometres - About as wrong as you could get it... :mrgreen:
doodah
Posts: 164
Joined: 9 Aug 2008, 2:26pm

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by doodah »

Tiberius wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:Seller has an unusually short Rohloff service interval, I note!


Hmmm...500 miles, should be 5,000 Kilometres - About as wrong as you could get it... :mrgreen:


You beat me to it - a typo..
doodah
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Joined: 9 Aug 2008, 2:26pm

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by doodah »

For the benefit of the OP re new price and 2nd hand price, here is an easy to make comparison:-

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/bikes/thorn ... 20l-black/

This has the same saddle, transmission, brakes, mudguards and expedition racks - totally bombproof!

It has no pedals, dynamo, lights, T accessory bar or computer. These prices are easy to source and add on.

If this bike were to fit the OP it doesn't take much working out how much to bid on eBay for that Yellow Nomad. Could he buy now?

It is also at Darlington which is at the better end of the country for him as regards travelling.

You could say that bike was a steal. :lol: These puns are getting worse.

Hope you all enjoy the weekend. :wink:

Cheers

Doodah
Tiberius
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Joined: 31 Dec 2014, 8:45am
Location: North East England

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Tiberius »

Nothing wrong with the bike suggestions so far, but if I was genuinely (not just spouting off) going to ride a push bike around the world, then I would build a bike up myself.

There has never been a better time to build things yourself, what with YouTube and internet forums etc, there is a mass of infiormation and support out there. It's no good saying 'I'm not mechanically minded' as I reckon that at some point you will have to be, maintenance is vital and breakdowns inevitable. If you've put the thing together yourself, you will know every single nut and bolt on the bike which I think would reap benefits on the trip.

It really isn't difficult to build a bike.
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matt2matt2002
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Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by matt2matt2002 »

doodah wrote: 3 Apr 2021, 9:05am
Tiberius wrote:
Bonefishblues wrote:Seller has an unusually short Rohloff service interval, I note!
Hmmm...500 miles, should be 5,000 Kilometres - About as wrong as you could get it... :mrgreen:
You beat me to it - a typo..
And beat me to it as well.
Also, I don't think the front ring and rear sprocket are listed?

Nice bike btw.
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
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matt2matt2002
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Joined: 25 Oct 2009, 7:45pm
Location: Aberdeen Scotland UK

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Oops.
34/16.
I ride a Raven with 38/17 and a Chainglider.
Set for touring loaded. A little under powered for daily use.
2017 Ethiopia.5 weeks.
2018 Marrakech 2 weeks.
2023 Thailand 8 weeks.
Always on a Thorn Raven/Rohloff hub.
BikeBuddha
Posts: 52
Joined: 11 Aug 2019, 6:15pm

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by BikeBuddha »

Thanks everyone for the links to SJS and eBay.

I've been looking at the Thorn and they are priced roughly the same as an OBW, once you upgrade to a Chris King Headset.

I like the thorn frame because they accomodate upto 2.5 " wheels. Is that even important?

Also, the frame is made from Reynolds 725 steel, as opposed to 525 on the OBW. Again, is this a game changer?

These second hand bikes are going for £2000, and as an equivlaent new is £3000, I am unsure what is best.

The OBW looks good in terms of spec (as far as I can tell), but the narrower tyre allowance and inferior steel puts me off.

Still a bit clueless, but taking my time and not rushing. Still haven't decided whether disc brakes are a good thing or bad thing.

Its absolutely fabulous, all the help I have got. But I question, what's wrong with the OBW spec? What would you change?


The foillowing is the spec for a non-roloff verstion


Frame: Oxford Bike Works 26” cromoly touring/expedition frame (Reynolds 525)

Forks: Oxford Bike Works cromoly touring forks

Steering stabiliser: a modified Hebie 695

Colour: Choice of Grey (RAL 7026), Red (RAL3020) or Olive green RAL7013 (custom colours available)

Headset: Chris King NoThreadSet 1 1/8”, black

Rear Mech: Shimano Deore RD-M592, top normal, long cage, black

Front Mech: Shimano Deore FD-T6000, dual pull, low clamp, black

Cassette: Shimano CS-HG41-8sp, 11-34T, 8-speed

Shifter Levers: Microshift SL-M08, friction front, 8sp indexed/friction rear with cable adjuster

Chainset: Shimano FC-M361, 170-175mm, 22-32-42T

Bottom Bracket: Shimano BB-UN300, 68mm, English thread

Chain: KMC X8.99

Rims: Ryde Sputnik 26” (559), 36H, Schrader drilled or Andra 30 36h

Front Hub: Shimano Deore HB-T610-S, 36H

Rear Freehub: Shimano Deore FH-T610-S, 36H

Spokes: Sapim Race DB (front, rear non-driveside), Sapim Leader PG (rear driveside)

Rim Tape: Schwalbe 19mm rimtape

Skewers: 5mm Allen key non-QR

Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tours 26x1.75” with SmartGuard

Innertubes: Schwalbe AV12, 26”, Schrader valve

Brake Levers: Shimano BL-R2000, black

Brake Calipers: Shimano Deore BR-T610-L, black

Brake Shoes: Shimano S70C with cartridge shoe inserts (re-order code Y-8A2 98030)

Pedals: MKS MT-Lite pedals (Shimano PD-M324, combination SPD/flat available as upgrade)

Saddle: Brooks B17 Brown or Terry Fisio Gel (Man or Woman)

Seatpost: Ergotec 5 Black 350mm 27.2mm diameter

Handlebars: Ergotec 57-63cm

Stem: Ergotec 60 - 130mm

Grips: Ergon GP5

Bar-Ends: Ergon GP5

Rear Carrier Rack: Tubus Logo

Front Lowrider: Tubus Tara

Mudguards: SKS Black, 26x1.5-2.2”,

Extras: Marine-grade stainless steel bolt replacements, , OBW steerer-tube bell, spares package
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Bonefishblues »

A couple of points: OBW will make a frame, via Lee Cooper, with whatever tyre clearance you want, I'm sure. Is the Reynolds 525/520 steel 'inferior'? IIRC Thorn uses 'no-name' chrom-moly steel of similar spec on their Exped. bikes.

I've always found this a useful primer:

https://www.bretonbikes.com/homepage/cy ... ike-frames
Last edited by Bonefishblues on 9 Apr 2021, 2:20pm, edited 1 time in total.
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by simonhill »

Interesting. Now an 8 speed (still x3).
Bonefishblues
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Joined: 7 Jul 2014, 9:45pm
Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Bonefishblues »

simonhill wrote: 8 Apr 2021, 5:26pm Interesting. Now an 8 speed (still x3).
Again IIRC for Expeds they spec 8-speed for extra reliability, but go 9 on lower spec models
simonhill
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Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by simonhill »

I see thanks, cos last time, some pages up, he was talking 9 speed. I commented then that I didn't think they made Deore 9 speed anymore, same goes for 8 speed.

Am I wrong, or does OBW have a stock of fairly old components.
Bonefishblues
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Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Bonefishblues »

simonhill wrote: 9 Apr 2021, 8:17am I see thanks, cos last time, some pages up, he was talking 9 speed. I commented then that I didn't think they made Deore 9 speed anymore, same goes for 8 speed.

Am I wrong, or does OBW have a stock of fairly old components.
That's still the spec., so I guess so - albeit they do offer 10-speed 'as an upgrade'. They have deleted their previous text re 8 speed offering best reliability (which is probably correct, though)
markjohnobrien
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Joined: 4 Oct 2007, 8:15pm

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by markjohnobrien »

Dave Yates was very clear that, in his opinion, he preferred Reynolds 525/520 (one made in Britain: the other under licence in Taiwan but the same tubing) for touring bikes as having thicker walls (compared to 725) made it more resistant to dents that some touring bikes pick up.

He said that 725 was nice, built lots of bikes with it, but absolutely nothing wrong with 520/525 and he custom built enormous amounts of frames.

So, not a game changer.
Raleigh Randonneur 708 (Magura hydraulic brakes); Blue Raleigh Randonneur 708 dynamo; Pearson Compass 631 tourer; Dawes One Down 631 dynamo winter bike;Raleigh Travelogue 708 tourer dynamo; Kona Sutra; Trek 920 disc Sram Force.
Bonefishblues
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Location: Near Bicester Oxon

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Bonefishblues »

markjohnobrien wrote: 9 Apr 2021, 8:45am Dave Yates was very clear that, in his opinion, he preferred Reynolds 525/520 (one made in Britain: the other under licence in Taiwan but the same tubing) for touring bikes as having thicker walls (compared to 725) made it more resistant to dents that some touring bikes pick up.

He said that 725 was nice, built lots of bikes with it, but absolutely nothing wrong with 520/525 and he custom built enormous amounts of frames.

So, not a game changer.
Your post made me revisit the link I posted a few posts earlier. I posted the wrong one!

Here's what I meant to post, which is touring specific:

https://www.bretonbikes.com/homepage/cy ... e-tourists
Greystoke
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Location: Lincolnshire

Re: Drive Belt vs Chain, Rohloff Hub vs Derailler, and other questions.

Post by Greystoke »

My mid 90's drop bar MTB tourer conversion is basic Tange cro-mo tubing.
With racks, dynamo hub etc it weighs 16kg. Similar but much better spec new tourers are about the same weight so what's changed?
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