Home > Bike Types > Fatbike

Spotted: Prototype 170mm Rohloff Speedhub for Fat Bikes!

10 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Rohloff 170 speed hub fat bike 2

It seems that lately one of the main arguments for offset frame designs on fat bikes is the ability to run IG (internal gear) hubs. That makes a lot of sense considering the hubs have all been limited to 135mm widths, though it looks like that won’t be the case for long. Spotted by Cycle Monkey (who happen to be the sole North American Service Partners and experts when it comes to the Rohloff Speedhub 500/14), this 170mm prototype Rohloff was on display at the Bespoked UK Bike Show. The wider spacing would allow symmetric wheel builds for fat bikes and even other bikes that want to take advantage of the wider rear end for increased wheel stiffness.

Details are still very limited, but perhaps even more exciting than the fact that a 170mm option will exist is the fact that there is a rumor that it will be available as a retrofit option for current Speedhub Owners! If you’ve ever priced out a Speedhub, you know why this is exciting news. It is also exciting news for Rohloff themselves, as it would mark one of the major design changes in years.

More when we have it.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

10 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Andy
Andy
9 years ago

It would be pretty awesome to build up a Wo with this guy…

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

Just as everybody moved on to 190mm.

MB
MB
9 years ago

That is great news. Wish they’d move to 6-bolt rotors sometime… hate that my Rohloff rear ends are always lacking vs the front in braking power.

Cycle Monkey
9 years ago

Rohloff rotors are available in 160, 180, 190, and 203mm sizes, so braking power should not be an issue with a Speedhub. 6-Bolt rotors won’t clear the shifting mechanism on the Speedhub, which created the need for the proprietary rotor interface with a larger bolt circle. This is unlikely to change any time soon.

morpheous
morpheous
9 years ago

170mm will be the standard, 190 is ridiculous as are 5″ tires. Clowns. 😉

Thomas Dibley
9 years ago

So I can’t get a Rohloff for my 142x12mm trail bike, but I can get one for my fat bike? Surely not!?

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

Actually it is 192×12 or whatever that will be the standard. You can run puny 3.8 on the just fine, but no reason to keep real men away from real rubber.

SF
SF
9 years ago

They don’t even made a hub for 12mm thru axle and they would made one for fafbike !? Shameful !

rifu
rifu
9 years ago

@Mindless: did you mean 197×12 ?

leonardo
leonardo
9 years ago

making a 170mm rohloff is simple as all they are doing is making an extended shell and axle, to go 12mm thru axle would require them to redesign the entire hub and gear set around that axle sizing.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.