What is the deal with Rohloff internal geared hubs and HammerSchmidt cranksets?
These systems are set up to eliminate external moving parts. The Rohloff rear hub gives you 14 useable gears enclosed within the hub body to insulate the system from mud, snow, rain and a certain amount of maintenance. It is a well-engineered example of the kind of system that made 3-speed English bikes so popular. The high end Rohloff system has been a popular subject in emails over the years at Dreamride due to the attention paid to it by bike magazines, and now that we are starting to hear more about HammerSchmidt (HS) cranksets, here is the jest of what we communicate to those who are thinking of the non-derailleur systems: If you are riding in mud constantly, commuting in rainy conditions for distances less than 20 miles a day, or snow is your favorite surface to ride a bike on, then the Rohloff should be a consideration. What the marketing of this product does not say is that it LITERALLY adds 3 pounds to a bike, requires a frame designed to accommodate the system, has substantia
