# Brompton Rohloff conversion ordered.



## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (8 May 2016)

Decision has finally been made, hooray. I've ummed and ahhed over which direction to go for a Rohloff bike. Either a kit for my fixie, a Van Nicholas Ti dream one or B conversion kit from Ben at Kinetics. 

I've decided that as I have ridden and got the most use out of my B's over years, that's the one I've chosen. It comes with disc brake options and new stainless steel rear frame it isn't cheap at over £1500 but I feel it's worth the cost considering the price of Rohloff hub. 

I wonder how long it'll be before it'll be ready.


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## srw (8 May 2016)

Another change of user name in the offing?

Enjoy it. I love the simplicity of the Rohloff on the touring tandem, and was tempted by the Rohloff conversion for Brompton too.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (10 May 2016)

50% deposit paid and Ben reckons it'll be 2 weeks or so. Quite looking forward to this.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (12 May 2016)

srw said:


> Another change of user name in the offing?
> 
> Enjoy it. I love the simplicity of the Rohloff on the touring tandem, and was tempted by the Rohloff conversion for Brompton too.


Already requested


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (13 May 2016)

Surprise email, ready to be fitted next week.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (13 May 2016)

We have agreed on next Friday. So Friday night this thread will be pic heavy v


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (20 May 2016)

Just waiting for the train and then on my way to Ben's.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (20 May 2016)

Fitted. I've ridden a few miles around Glasgow city centre which is surprisingly hilly in parts.

1st impressions....LOVE IT....though I will need to either get rid of the grips or H/M bars and put in risers. The Rohloff gear changer is chunky to say the least.

The ability to sequentially change gears is just such a bonus. Need to up the front crankset to 54t, I mistakenly thought that came with the kit and left the 44t on.

Ben is a nice fella and his rep for sometimes being tardy on deliveries has never proven to be true whenever I've used his services.
First impressions are very favourable at this time. Glad I pulled the pin on such an expense.

Photos when I get home.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (20 May 2016)

On way home. So easy with a folder like the B. Locked the bag n bike so I can snooze.


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## Melvil (21 May 2016)

Wow...disc brakes!


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (21 May 2016)

Rear only, I've a SON on the front and too end up with front disc and SON is another £800. The rear should suffice to take the speed out of descents.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (21 May 2016)

Rear only, I've a SON on the front and too end up with front disc and SON is another £800. The rear should suffice to take the speed out of descents.


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## snorri (21 May 2016)

just_fixed said:


> his rep for sometimes being tardy on deliveries has never proven to be true whenever I've used his services.


I'm glad to hear it worked out well for you.
It took a few phone calls for me to keep him going and even then the bike (not a Brompton) wasn't ready for uplift on the appointed day which meant I had to book into a B&B. After suffering several broken spokes on a tour I had to send the hub to another place to get the wheel built properly with the right rim.


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## potsy (21 May 2016)

That's a lot of dosh to spend on a toy bike


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (21 May 2016)

snorri said:


> I'm glad to hear it worked out well for you.
> It took a few phone calls for me to keep him going and even then the bike (not a Brompton) wasn't ready for uplift on the appointed day which meant I had to book into a B&B. After suffering several broken spokes on a tour I had to send the hub to another place to get the wheel built properly with the right rim.


Hmmm, well, tonight I've erm had to get the spokes into tune and true the rim.

The brand spanking new Schwable M+, which I put on by hand only, onto a pre-2013 rim the night before so I didn't need to carry it, was rubbing on the guard. I'd just assumed the stays needed bending a bit, they've needed doing sometimes in the past. 
Tonight I had a look and it wasn't seated right in the bead. So I deflated and found an alarming amount of shredded rubber between the tyre and rim. I Carefully removed the tyre, with the original Brompton plastic levers, it was tight to be fair. But using the wave method I got it off with no dramas, only to find the bead showing on a third of the tyre on one side wall. The tyre is farked and in the bin.

I'm going to chillax about it tonight and email him in the morning. He seems a nice enough bloke and I'm sure he'll sort me out a new tyre. It's just overly annoyed me for some reason.

The new frame is really well made and thought out, though the guard stays bolt could do with being 1/2" higher for a bit more clearance on the middle stay. I just took it out and it seems ok and the clearance is good now.
Removing and refitting the wheel is a dream now, QR and undo the click box thumb screw. It's so easy I'll probably run B tyres anyway. The Sun rim looks well, but the box shape requires a little patience when putting on a tyre, but no more than the original B rims.
Overall very very happy, a few niggles but nowt worth really fretting over.

And considering the price of a Rohloff on its own, the kit is a bit of a bargain as the frame is stainless and won't rot through.


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## T4tomo (21 May 2016)

More photos please


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (22 May 2016)




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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (22 May 2016)

I've got it pretty much as I'd like. The gearing isn't silly anymore (I put on a NOS 54t crank I had). I know the guard is high but that'll settle down after a few folds.

I've done about 8 miles now and it's a revelation, I've never really bothered about close gears on a B, but I have to say I'd miss them now, it really does make a difference on long drags having options close together.

I've managed to get full grip width Brooks on AND gel bar ends and it still folds no issues. I've gone slightly wider on the a Rohloff gear changer side, it is chunky and bites into my hand.

Things to do, probably change the front tyre to match the back and B greens roll a bit better than M+. I don't really need M+ now as the rear is easier to change than the front - honestly.

Another revelation is the rear disc, I've had BB7's before but on this bike, the improvement is ridiculous. Funny how I've just made do with what I had.

Overall very very happy now, and the fettling I've had to do after a pro mechanic will soon be forgotten.

Cannot recommend it enough....just fit it yourself...


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