[Closed] Converting from Rohloff to 2x9 or 2x10. Tell me the basics.

9 or 10sp cassettes will fit on the same hub

reckon youd be fine "trailquesting" on a 34/36 upfront with a 11-36 out back ...... i have trailquested using a singlespeed - very successfully ...

i have a rohloff and conventional 2x9 and an ss bike

i reckon youll notice a big difference - may also stop you snapping frames as youll be able to stand - my rohloff prohibits me from standing - thats the biggest downside of it for me , i really cannot bring my self to stand up with it , it just doesnt feel right. youll also notice the rear end doesnt hook up the same and you roll through the bumpy stuff better !

Any advice ?

I did a similar thing and swapped from a rohloff to 2x9 and can't believe i stuck with the rohloff as long as i did.
I kept telling myself that it didn't drag, but i was wrong it did.

OK thanks. I'll be looking to buy as much as possible second hand, so knowing I can use my existing crankset and any front mech and rear hub is helpful.
I've done one trailquest on a single speed and finished 3rd. 😀
Like Bristol Bike Fest, though, it was an ideal single speed course. I'm off to Suckley tomorrow, which is a sort of Northern extension of the Malvern Hills. Definitely not single speed country for me.

Looking at cassetes, it seems that 11 - 34 is common for 9 speed, with 11 - 36 for 10 speed.
I'll have a look at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/ to see what that really means and how it compares with my 34x13 Rohloff.

I don't have any problems standing to pedal with the Rohloff.
I don't notice the rearward weight bias that other people complain about either, apart from lifting it over gates.
Yes, it does drag a bit, but again, not as much as some people claim.

I'll probably stick with the Rohloff for commuting and a 2x9 for racing.
Does anyone want to try and convince me that 2x10 is a significant improvement over 2x9 ? Is it worth it for that slightly lower gear ?

Depends if you think you want that lower gear. Personally I found little difference between 2x9 and 2x10, but now use and prefer 1x10.

my point is - you dont notice it because you use it alot but there is no doubt in my mind that my bike when its set up without rohloff rolls faster over rough stuff because it hooks up less and im not just the great unwashed commenting on a hub i once rode 10 years ago for 30 seconds - thats prolonged use. you will surprise your self at the difference - i find my rohloff to be like riding an exercise bike at times - but it has a place - it just isnt racing. if i was a betting man id put money on your results improving provided you dont frequently make use of the fact your rohloff has nothing hanging out to be broken :d

i did the same with my rohloff - commuting bike , SS for racing and gears for races that have steep climbs (like the one at evanton SXC that killed me on 2x9)

Yeah, I know what you mean, Trail Rat. There's definitely a difference in drag between a Rohloff and single speed.
Like you, I'm thinking each has it's place. Rohloff durability for commuting, derailleur efficiency for racing.

Anyway, a quick search later and this seems like a good deal.
[url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=55243 ]X9 10 speed rear mech for £49[/url]
It leads to another question though.
24/34 x 11/36. Do I need along, medium or short cage ?
One other beginners question.
Can you use all 20 gears with 2x10, or is it best not to run the chain at extreme angles ?
I suspect these two questions are linked and the cage length will depend not only on the sprocket sizes, but which ones I actually use.

you used sram before ?

i ****ing hate it - it has a tendancy to explode or sieze up (jockey wheels and shifters) im currently in the process of changing mrs trs merida to shimano for this reason ....

on my 29er i run 32x11:36 not felt the need for lower gear even riding in Scotland, doubt you'll need a granny option Graham

In which case 10 speed is pointless, you may as well get an 11-34 9 speed block and save money.

To be honest though, recommendations of what works for other people "even in Scotland/the Alps/Everest" is totally meaningless, they're not you.

If I was buying again, having demo'd a bike with 2x10, I'd go 2x10 rather than 9-speed. If you are use to running the Rohloff you'd probably prefer the ability to run in the big cog more often.

Only real reason I've not changed is cost - as I've a full XTR 9-speed set-up, and to replace it with the equivilent XX/XTR (otherwise it would be heavier) is just too much...

Njee20, yeah, that's why I've been putting different numbers in http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/ to see how the different options compare to what I'm used to.
If it was just for short courses, like Hit The North or Mountain Mayhem, 1x10 would be fine, I hardly use the top 4 gears on the Rohloff on those sort of events.
For trailquests and big loops like HONC or Brecon Beast, where there's steep climbs and fast roads, I reckon I need the wider range of gears from two rings at the front.

b r, that's what I'm thinking. If I'm buying new, I might as well go for 10 speed if there's nothing in the price and it's a bit better. How true are the stories of broken chains though ?

In which case 10 speed is pointless, you may as well get an 11-34 9 speed block and save money.

mine is 9 speed

To be honest though, recommendations of what works for other people "even in Scotland/the Alps/Everest" is totally meaningless, they're not you.

Still not you though, riding style and what not comes into it.

If it was just for short courses, like Hit The North or Mountain Mayhem, 1x10 would be fine, I hardly use the top 4 gears on the Rohloff on those sort of events.

Can't speak for HtN, but Mayhem was hard work on a single ring! SiTS was perfect, but I'd not want to solo Mayhem with a single ring (I run a 36). YMMV.

You're right to stick with the double for events with road involved though, I do find myself in top gear on the road to the trails, were I competing on that terrain I'd want more gears!

you used sram before ?
i ****ing hate it - it has a tendancy to explode or sieze up (jockey wheels and shifters) im currently in the process of changing mrs trs merida to shimano for this reason ....

If there's one thing I'd put money on over and above you being quicker on a derailleured bike over your rohloffed one, is that you'll hate SRAM gears. They just feel cheap tacky and nasty to use. Get yourself a Shimano setup.

As for 9spd versus 10spd, well... For single ring use 10spd deinitely makes more sense, if you're insisting on going with 2 chainrings though it makes little difference. I'd still go for 10spd myself, with multiple rings up front you stay in one ring for longer with a 10spd. 10spd mechs shift more crisply too due to higher pull ratio on the rear mech, it's not massive but you do notice it.

As far as chainrings go, go 26/38 or 28/40. Any lower and you'll run out of speed at the top end as quickly as if you only had a single ring. And you won't need a lower gear than 26/36 gives you ever, it'd be lower than 1st on your rohloff setup anyway with the 34/13 on that, I'd probably go 28/40 with an 11-36 if I were you.

Regarding drag in the rohloff, remember reading somewhere a while ago that a well run in rohloff was measured to be approximately 95% efficient, compared to a derailleur setup which was more than 98% efficient. Having ridden a rohloff when it was brand new for a couple of miles (and it felt like riding through sand!) I can only assume they do free up nicely by comparison, though will still drag a bit. The Alfine I had by comparison was much freer rolling, though still not quite like a good conventional geared setup.