Does anyone here own a 2018 R&M Supercharger GX Rohloff HS?

DanRichman

Member
Forgive me if I've missed it in my search, but I found none. If anyone has one, I'd love to see many, many pix and hear your reactions and experiences with it. I have one on order.
 
I have one, for my daily 32 km (one direction) commute.

The bike is awesome and has fulfilled my expectations. My goal was to make the 32 km in an hour or less and that's what I did the first time I tried. It is equipped with the dual batteries and I drain slightly more than 50% on the 64 km's.

It's my first Rohloff experience and it was slightly odd. I was expecting a german precision shifter, but it is a rather swampy feeling. The shifter has a lot of play and it is designed to have according to the Rohloff manual. I am not disappointed with this, it just wasn't what I expected. Once used to it, it no longer bothers me.

The negative sides are not with the bike but the legal regulations surrounding speed pedelecs. Licensing and insurance was not cheap at all. In hindsight I would rather have chosen the non-HS model and just added a de-restricting device to it.

The HS model has some features not found on the non-HS model, though. It has brake light and corresponding brake handles with light switches. The front light is always on and I appreciate it. And it has the rear mirror, a feature I like.

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Hi Dan and all.

I have a 2018 Supercharger GX HS Rohloff with Dual Batt and Nyon since begin of July and I made already around 1300km with it.

I live in Vaduz. This is in the Principality of Liechtenstein between Switzerland and Austria in middle of the Alps.
The Rohloff and the Dual Batt is a FANTASTIC combination to go up the mountains here - or to drive along the Rhein River in the flat area...
This bike is really fun! Im sure you will love it!

Here is a VR-Video (360° Video) from me on my daily way to my work, 10km cross country from Vaduz (Liechtenstein) to Haag (Switzerland):


==> You can rotate the video in all direction and see the road, me, the supercharger, the display, the speed-shifter..
==> Please choose the best possible picture quality

Best regards
Stefan
 
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Dan, I have the same drive train, High Speed Bosch drive with the Rohloff hub, on a different bike, the Homage. I have second battery for it that I carry in a trunk bag when I might need it. I also have a Cube with Bosch CX and Shimno Diore xt 8000 11 speed w/ 11-46 tooth cassette, 17 tooth drive sprocket and a Nevo Nuvinci GH with CX. My wife loves the Nevo. The Cube is super lively and fun but lacks the stable ride of the Riese & Mullers. It does give us a spare battery (we have three bikes and 4 with 4 batteries) and a spare bike if one is in the shop or we have a guest that wants to ride with us.

I took delivery on the Homage on July 7 and now have 1,300 miles on it. This drive train is everything I hoped it would be. with its super-low low gears it climbs hills like a billy goat. The hills I have to use turbo and the lowest gear with my Nevo I use sport and 3rd gear on the Homage. At the high end, the Rohloff maximizes the use of the High Speed drive unit. On flat ground 12th gear at a cadence of 80 produces 24 mph. Going down hill at 35 mph in 14th gear the cadence is 95 with room to push harder, in fact at 40mph I am spinning at 104 rmp. However I find speed over 32 or so to be more than a bit worrisome in terms of situational awareness response time and typically slow down.
I really like both the step thru and the full suspension of the Homage. The super smooth, highly controlled ride masks what is actually a very able, quick and versatile bike.
 
Damn i wish the HS was legal in Australia, i'm limited to the GX at 25km/h :(

Just de-restrict your bike. My Delite GX Rohloff is rated for 25kph but derestricted I can reach up to about 55kph. And yes, the Rohloff handles it just fine.

I was expecting a german precision shifter, but it is a rather swampy feeling. The shifter has a lot of play and it is designed to have according to the Rohloff manual.

The mechanical Rohloff shifter leaves a lot to be desired: its cables get damaged at bending points, shifting is very imprecise, it often 'dries up' (I feel like you need to oil it for it to be smooth) and in winter, during freezing temperatures, it starts to really misbehave, going into neutral, getting stuck in a gear, you get a lot less clicky feedback about what gear you're in.

TL;DR you probably want the E-14 shifter. I know I do.
 
Dan, What a great looking bike with such an A-List of components. We should meet up on a trail down there sometime soon for a ride.
 
Just de-restrict your bike. My Delite GX Rohloff is rated for 25kph but derestricted I can reach up to about 55kph. And yes, the Rohloff handles it just fine.



The mechanical Rohloff shifter leaves a lot to be desired: its cables get damaged at bending points, shifting is very imprecise, it often 'dries up' (I feel like you need to oil it for it to be smooth) and in winter, during freezing temperatures, it starts to really misbehave, going into neutral, getting stuck in a gear, you get a lot less clicky feedback about what gear you're in.

TL;DR you probably want the E-14 shifter. I know I do.
Yes i know i can de-restrict it however:
If i were to be involved in a crash with a Ferrari the following =could= happen:
Get done for not having a registered/insured motorcycle.
Might have to pay for damage to the Ferrari.
Get done for not wearing an approved motorcycle helmet.
All warranties associated with R&M and Bosch would be void.

I would love it but at the moment it's not worth the risk.
 
Mine arrived two weeks ago . . . and it is amazing! Questions happily answered.
View attachment 25067
Looks like you have the newer Rodi Tryp35 Rims and also a cover over the front sprocket, i've got Alex Rims and an exposed front sprocket.
Curious to know if they fixed the problem of when you fit a bottle cage to the front down tube you can't open the charging socket lid.
 
My bike is identical to yours. The main problem I've had with mine is with the battery covers. Both have fell off after the wind blew them open. The flimsy rubber strap just snapped. I never take the batteries out to charge them, I just charge them in-situ. When I spoke to the dealer he said the magnet isn't the main method of holding the cover in place but the cover fixes in position like the lid of a Tupperware container. They must have different Tupperware to me. I now use a couple of velcro straps to stop the covers opening but it's not really a solution. Am I missing something? Has anyone else had this problem?
 
My bike is identical to yours. The main problem I've had with mine is with the battery covers. Both have fell off after the wind blew them open. The flimsy rubber strap just snapped. I never take the batteries out to charge them, I just charge them in-situ. When I spoke to the dealer he said the magnet isn't the main method of holding the cover in place but the cover fixes in position like the lid of a Tupperware container. They must have different Tupperware to me. I now use a couple of velcro straps to stop the covers opening but it's not really a solution. Am I missing something? Has anyone else had this problem?
I haven't had a problem (yet), there is a bit of a knack to closing them and could be damaged if not done right, hinges also seem weak. Without the magnets it would be definitely worse, and it's definitely not like Tupperware. I may run into a problem as soon as i start using a frame bag around them, and on a super long trip i've got some elastic strapping just in case. Your's may have been damaged from the start?
 
I've replaced them both (top-tube and down-tube). I've even tried them in either direction. The top-tube one just rests on the frame. I couldn't get it to "click" into place in any way. If I seat the far side first then the other side won't move down because the rubber hinges stick out. I've solved the problem with a couple of pieces of Gorilla tape. Not elegant but those covers won't move now. I contacted R & M and all they said was "we will inform our design department" and contact your dealer. My dealer has provided me with replacements but they are getting fed-up like me.
 
I have one, for my daily 32 km (one direction) commute.

The bike is awesome and has fulfilled my expectations. My goal was to make the 32 km in an hour or less and that's what I did the first time I tried. It is equipped with the dual batteries and I drain slightly more than 50% on the 64 km's.

It's my first Rohloff experience and it was slightly odd. I was expecting a german precision shifter, but it is a rather swampy feeling. The shifter has a lot of play and it is designed to have according to the Rohloff manual. I am not disappointed with this, it just wasn't what I expected. Once used to it, it no longer bothers me.

The negative sides are not with the bike but the legal regulations surrounding speed pedelecs. Licensing and insurance was not cheap at all. In hindsight I would rather have chosen the non-HS model and just added a de-restricting device to it.

The HS model has some features not found on the non-HS model, though. It has brake light and corresponding brake handles with light switches. The front light is always on and I appreciate it. And it has the rear mirror, a feature I like.

View attachment 23473
Hi Tompat,

I was told by one of the vendor that the de-restricting device wouldn't work for the bike that equipped with the dual batteries. I just installed the device on mine which with built-in bluetooth, and I am pleased with it. However, I only activated if I want to paddle fast like 35 to 40 mph off road. On the flat pavement, I don't use it, i can cruise at 15 to 19 mph comfortably.
 
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