Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

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steve browne
Posts: 155
Joined: 8 Oct 2009, 12:30pm

Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

Post by steve browne »

There are detailed instructions on the Rohbox site for converting Sram and Campag levers. Some people have converted Shimano levers but it takes longer, there are several variations and Georg Blaschke does not offer this as a service. As there are so many variations he said it is not possible to give a general rule except that all the indexing needs to be removed.

I have a fully dismantled Shimano ST-6501 left hand, Flight Deck lever on a tray and I'm ready to try and puzzle things out.

Does anyone know if I am aiming to have the smaller gear change paddle, or the larger brake lever operating the Rohbox? It just requires a cable to be pulled without any ratcheting and then released when one's fingers are no longer pulling the lever sideways.
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

Post by colin54 »

I've not studied this thread from the Thorn Forum and followed all the links within, does this get you any further ( if you haven't already seen it) ?
I'm not over-fond of the standard Rohloff twist shifter myself, it makes my wrist ache by the end of a ride.
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php ... 0#msg98390
Nu-Fogey
steve browne
Posts: 155
Joined: 8 Oct 2009, 12:30pm

Re: Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

Post by steve browne »

Thanks Colin,
I'd not seen any of that on the Thorn Forum and will check it out.
So far I have filed off one set of indexing ratchet teeth as a pawl is now only required to engage in one position instead of three. I am not sure if the Rohbox return springs will have enough oomph to go back to their starting positions without some spring assist at the control lever end - another thing to discover! Hopefully it will all come good in the end.
slowster
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Joined: 7 Jul 2017, 10:37am

Re: Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

Post by slowster »

colin54 wrote: 22 Sep 2021, 9:48pm I'm not over-fond of the standard Rohloff twist shifter myself, it makes my wrist ache by the end of a ride.
Do you have a bit of slack in the cables? I think Rohloff suggest ~2mm, and I do find it better than having no slack: the free play means the hand/wrist does not have to overcome all the resistance from a standstill.

I suspect the shape of the bars could also make some difference, i.e. its influence on the angle of wrist to hand. An angle which was somewhat less than ideal might be unnoticeable for the purposes of just gripping the bars for the duration of a ride, but incompatible with articulating the wrist in that position numerous times to change gear during the ride. I use bars with a lot of backsweep (~45 degrees) on my Rohloff equipped MTB. I only ride that bike for relatively short distances, and would be wary of saying they are better as regards using a Rohloff shifter than, say, typical flat or riser bars, but I would suggest that it might be worth considering the grip angle of your bars.
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Rohbox, Shimano brifter conversion?

Post by colin54 »

Thanks for the info' Slowster, yes plenty of slack in the cables & Thorn comfort bars fitted after flat ones. I've thought about different bars.
I'll start a new thread if I need to discuss it, so as not to drift this one.
Nu-Fogey
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