Workshop in Sydney you'd trust to install a Rohloff

[Septimus]

Hi there,

Wasn't sure what section to list this under, so apologies if it's misplaced.

I recently got a Rohloff over the internet - ended up being a little over $1000 which is frankly a bargain - and some shifters that will work with drop bars. It's for a big ol' tour in the states next year and I figure I'll kill a fair few birds with one credit card and get a load of components installed to make it ready to cop the miles.

Only problem is there are two shops in Sydney I know of that has experience with Rohloffs: Cheeky Transport in Newtown and Omafiets in Redfern - both pretty pricey.

I know that exorbitant service charges are probably par for the course if one's getting a Rohloff installed, but does anyone else know of any other stores that you'd trust with a hub that costs as much as a bike. I'm looking to incubate a massive bidding war the likes of which this country has never seen?

Cheers all

[open roader]

I'd trust Greg Ryan of TWE to fit it up. Can't vouch for the cost though.

http://www.twebikewheels.com.au/

[rifraf]

G'day Septimus,
welcome to the forum.

Define install.
Do you mean build your wheel or simply do your gear cabling?
I'm wondering if you might get a more informed response in the Touring Bikes and Equipment section where there are some Rohloff aficionados.
viewforum.php?f=77" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If its a wheel build your asking about but Rohloff specific, from memory you want a 2x spoke pattern and the downloadable Rohloff manual give a couple of recommended methods (patterns) of doing it.
I'd say any competent wheel builder than can obey instructions should be fine (though its a big caveat)

I had lots of problems finding such a builder in my locale.

My trailer dynohub wheel was built and I had to strip it myself and get someone else to rebuild it so it ended up costing me double.
My bikes Rohloff and front dynohub wheel build instructions were ignored and the builder did his own 2x pattern and mismatched the rims so the stickers were opposite despite instructions.

One shop tried to tell me the spokes I wanted to use wouldn't work with a Rohloff and nearly convinced me as they had a good wheel building reputation here abouts.
Turned out I was right and they were totally wrong big time and the spokes they wanted to use had too big a j bend.

Again, the correct answers were in the downloadable Rohloff manual.

[Testing386]

I'm in a similar position to Septimus.

I'm looking to get a Rohloff disc brake hub laced to a 20" (406) 32h rim (black preferred).
Wheel will spend time between a Cannondale Hooligan and a Bike Friday.
Tyres will be "balloon" - Vredestein F-Lites in 406-50.

I've yet to find a suitable rim. I've tried various bike stores but most stock BMX rims in 36h drillings.
Greenspeed have some stock of original SIMS (Velocity) rims in silver. BTW very friendly telephone service. I may end up going with them and getting the rims powder coated.

My preference was for SUN CR18 or Velocity Razer/Uriel/AeroHeat rims - as I own wheels with these rims and they have been fault free over a decade of riding.

I've noted new BMX front rims that look the goods - but they all appear to be only available from overseas shops.

Any tips of a good wheel builder in Sydney would be appreciated. I'm based in Hornsby.

Cheers!

PS I dropped an email to TWE yesterday.

[rifraf]

G'day Testing386
have you bought your Rohloff?
I ask as you might not be aware they are available in 36H or 32H

[Testing386]

Hi rifraf,

I picked up a six month old Rohloff kit at a great price. It was 32H... 36H would be overkill for 406 wheels in my application.

[rifraf]

Hi rifraf,

I picked up a six month old Rohloff kit at a great price. It was 32H... 36H would be overkill for 406 wheels in my application.

True enough as the 406's are inherently strong to begin with.
I struggled to find much of a range of 406's a few years ago in Aus.
I ended up getting a US company to supply the rims, customised CX-Ray spokes and do the build after I got my purchased hubs posted to them direct from whom I bought them from.
Wheelbuilder.com did the job and I was very happy with the results.
I went with 406 Aeroheats for my Moulton APB I had at the time, together with Son dynamo hub and Sram Dualdrive.
Enamoured with the extrusion, I got their 622 (700c) versions in Dyad for my Rohloff/Ogre build.
Getting the 29er wheels built over here in WA was a fiasco and if I had to do it again I'd be very tempted to once again use wheelbuilder.com in sunny California.

Good luck with the build and let us know how you get on

[Testing386]

I've got some prices in. There was not much difference between various shops. A couple shops offered wheel building at $50 but could not cut the spokes in house which would have made the total bill more expensive...

Spokes (DT or Sapim straight gauge black, custom cut lengths) with brass nipples $2.00-$2.50 each
Wheel building $90-$100

I've decided to reuse the original rims. They've done almost no work and I might as well get some use out of them.

At the moment I am favouring Cheeky Transport. They are the recommended Sydney Rohloff dealer. Planning to drop the hubs and rims off later in the week unless I hear from an alternate.

[just4tehhalibut]

I had to build a few 20" wheels last year and had trouble as well finding good rims and spokes. I ended up getting some Velocity Aeroheats from JensonUSA (in the scrolldown for models the 20" is the "Black, BMX 20" X 1.5" 32H" and definitely an ISO 406mm rim). For spokes I went to SJS Cycles in the UK, they do handcut spokes in short lengths. Of course JensonUSA and SJS are both sites where you have to watch your postage, so order carefully.

And no, I'm not volunteering to build any wheels.

[Testing386]

@just4tehhalibut - Thanks for the heads up on JensonUSA. I'm considering buying a couple Aeroheats to put aside...

Spokes I will leave to whoever builds my wheels...

[rifraf]

A couple shops offered wheel building at $50 .

Wow, thats half of what I found here in WA.

Then when they find out its a Rohloff, some then wanted to amend their price by a third and not in a downward direction.