Sometimes a bike is defined by the components that are on it. The Rohloff Speedhub is one of those components. The bike needs to be designed around it and that’s why a lot of Rohloff rear hubs are on custom frames. There are several different variations on the Rohloff hub and we decided to get the one with the external cable box. That way when traveling, the box can be removed, cables wound up, and stowed neatly in the shipping case. The frame has couplers built into the top and down tubes so the bike can come apart. As a travel bike, more details need to be thought through before building. The Rohloff cables are mounted to the frame with custom machined quick release double cable guides. The custom quill stem has a removable faceplate so the carbon Jones bar can be fully removed and packed flat. I was skeptical of the Jones bar at first but after experiencing the initial ride with it, I can understand why it would be a bar of choice for a serious tourer.
Although this bike looks understated, there are a lot of details built into it as well. The bike was fillet brazed but I used some Rivendell lugs to create a bi-laminate construction on the head tube. The Pacenti MTB fork crown was carved to complement the smaller points on the sides of the lugs. The frameset was built for a 26″ wheel which is the most sensible wheel size for international touring. There’s a set of replacement spokes on the drive side chainstay if one was to break while far from a bike shop. Many of the components on the bike were anodized black to keep with the bike’s color theme. The end result is a serious touring machine ready for all the miles Bryan can put on it. To read more about Bryan’s adventures, check out his blog on crazyguyonabike.com.
See the full slideshow of pictures.
Bryan’s Rohloff touring bike
October 19, 2015
Sometimes a bike is defined by the components that are on it. The Rohloff Speedhub is one of those components. The bike needs to be designed around it and that’s why a lot of Rohloff rear hubs are on custom frames. There are several different variations on the Rohloff hub and we decided to get the one with the external cable box. That way when traveling, the box can be removed, cables wound up, and stowed neatly in the shipping case. The frame has couplers built into the top and down tubes so the bike can come apart. As a travel bike, more details need to be thought through before building. The Rohloff cables are mounted to the frame with custom machined quick release double cable guides. The custom quill stem has a removable faceplate so the carbon Jones bar can be fully removed and packed flat. I was skeptical of the Jones bar at first but after experiencing the initial ride with it, I can understand why it would be a bar of choice for a serious tourer.
Although this bike looks understated, there are a lot of details built into it as well. The bike was fillet brazed but I used some Rivendell lugs to create a bi-laminate construction on the head tube. The Pacenti MTB fork crown was carved to complement the smaller points on the sides of the lugs. The frameset was built for a 26″ wheel which is the most sensible wheel size for international touring. There’s a set of replacement spokes on the drive side chainstay if one was to break while far from a bike shop. Many of the components on the bike were anodized black to keep with the bike’s color theme. The end result is a serious touring machine ready for all the miles Bryan can put on it. To read more about Bryan’s adventures, check out his blog on crazyguyonabike.com.