I think a Shand Stoater Rohloff ticks every box for me in what I am looking for in a bike. The only thing that continually stops me from a purchase is the asking price. I appreciate that it is hand crafted to a very high standard and within reason it is built to your exact wishes. I just worry though that although undeniably aesthetically pleasing, perhaps on completion and you rode it for the first time, it did not meet your expectations.
Everybody comments on their amazing looks,I can only find reviews from the washingmachinepost on how you could expect it to ride. I would always want a bike to perform how I wanted over how it looked within reason, nice to have both though. For the same money I may not get a bike to my exact wishes but at least I could tell if it was what ride characteristics I wanted.
So does anyone have a Stoater Rohloff and give an honest appraisal of it and what it’s mainly used for. I really want to move to one bike that is super simple to maintain. (but I obviously still need my SS! :lol:) My rides are mainly 15 mile daily commute. 60+ Tarmac mile rides at the weekend or 40 miles mixed gravel/forest/tarmac rides. Tarmac rides out from my home then singletrack all the way back. Bike packing at least 3 times a year on/off road. ( just done WHW on my CX) most of my other bivi trips are of a similar nature/terrain to this. Perhaps a trail centre with friends once a year. Come the winter I am mainly tarmac miles though, although that may change with less maintenance requirements of the Rohloff. I reckon the Stoater is suitable for all that, just want to hear what other people are using them for. I don’t think I need much more convincing though to swallow the price tag and just get it ordered.

lotto,

2 things, I have emails from owners who’ve given their feedback. I’ll happily share this with you including their contact details if you want more info.

Secondly, I’ll give you in writing, a guarantee that should you not like the bike and want to return it to us within the first month of ownership, I’ll give you a full refund.

Drop me an email, I’m conscious of this turning into an advert.

Steven

Secondly, I’ll give you in writing, a guarantee that should you not like the bike and want to return it to us within the first month of ownership, I’ll give you a full refund.

Beat that!

thumbs up to Shand on that alone!!

If I didn’t have a bike I loved already, I’d be straight round 🙂

I’d love a skinnymalinky. Feel like that represents everything I want out of a road bike.

Hi Steven, sorry for butting in here – I see that you weigh lots of bikes and frames. Do you (or leffeboy?) have a rough weight for a Stooshie frame (with or without forks) in a roughly small/medium (51 – 54) size? I am Stooshie curious but as it will be a race bike, I still value something relatively lightweight.

Cheers

Oooh, so close @ShandCycles, but I’m pretty certain I’d be a medium on your geometry chart so I’m going to have to wait…
(That is one hell of a satisfaction guarantee you offer! Good on you!)

That’s an awesome guarantee right there.

I’m now pawing over the Stoater FT to decide if one of the large discounted frames can fit my requirements as well as the Stoater I’ve always had my eye on..

Steven, could you possibly offer a ball bark price on painted frame and fork?

After popping in to see the lovely chaps at Shand on last week… I’ve finally decided to push the order button on a Stoater.

Question is, rohloff or derailleur?

And, if rohloff, which I’m leaning toward… chain, or belt drive?

I want a bike that I can take anywhere and ride (almost) anything. This is totally a bike for life.

Ill be keeping the mountain bike, and summer and winter road bikes (both lovely steel afairs, with campy derailleur gearing). But I want a bike I can go traveling on, and take traveling with me. Sometimes it’ll be loaded up for long tours, sometime unloaded for big days. Some times skinny slicks, others knobblies.

Reason for the rohloff the simplicity and low maintenance. I’ll be fitting the frame with S&S couplings and the hub gear will make for simple dismantling and reassembling.

I also have 2 derailleur geared rd bikes, one lf which is the light and fast one, and I’m not interested in selling it.

To that aim, I’m leaning to belt drive too…. but I’m a bit nervous of the technology. Steven Shand had a lot of good stuff to say about his belt driven simglespeed, which is starting to sway me.

So, what are your thoughts people?

You can always run a chain on a belt drive frame,but not vice versa.

That’s bloody lovely, that is.The only Fatty I’ve ever desired.

Right – I want all future options available to me, so I’ll be ordering a belt driven, rohloff, stoater plus… with additional dropouts for standard gears, just in case.

or just order two

..is jealous 🙂