Rohloff E-14 0 do we need that many gears?

[ava1ar]

Typical 1x7 cog setups have about a 350% gear range
Typical 1x11 cog setups have about a 450% gear range
A Rohloff has a 550% gear range

Yes, you can get a hub pizza like a SRAM Eagle but then you are spending quite a bit of money too. For something that is large and vulnerable and exposed to the environment.

Another big unspoken advantage of a Rohloff is that they do much better in very dusty or muddy environments and in snow -- once snow packs in on your cog (and it will) you can't shift. Also, at least for me there has been much less to break and I've managed with a Rohloff for years without anything but replacing the hub oil once a year. I personally have a low opinion of the e-14 system but the hub itself is awesome.

Totally agree on benefits of IGH over derailleurs in majority of applications and consider this a must for bikes I am purchasing for myself.
I mentioned Kindernay above and I am actually about to receive 7-speed one (438% range) for upgrading my current setup.

 

[PedalUma]

Bike packers go for the Rohloff because it is so dependable and it is sealed from the elements. I think the 14 is part of marketing. There is a market for people who think that more is better. 550% is quiet a range. Impressive. Shimano has nine eBike specific IGHs. Each is a five-speed and has a range of 263%. But, if you really want to impress the Jones's go for the Sturmey Archer three speed cassettte, disc internal hub and install a pizza sized nine-speed cassette. This will give you 27 gears and a ratio range of 680%.

 

[Johnny]

Bike packers go for the Rohloff because it is so dependable and it is sealed from the elements. I think the 14 is part of marketing. There is a market for people who think that more is better. 550% is quiet a range. Impressive. Shimano has nine eBike specific IGHs. Each is a five-speed and has a range of 263%. But, if you really want to impress the Jones's go for the Sturmey Archer three speed cassettte, disc internal hub and install a pizza sized nine-speed cassette. This will give you 27 gears and a ratio range of 680%.
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I was about to ask you why don't you go for a front derailleur with that one. Even 2 chainrings on the front will greatly increase its range and you can still use a thick chain with it.


Pinion's 9 speed offering beats the 14 speed rohloff in terms of range (~570 vs 550) or adding a front derailleur to an 8 speed cassette can also reach or exceed rohloff.

 

[PedalUma]

@Johnny, You are on to something there that I totally overlooked! Use a duel chainring to the Sturmey Archer three hub with a nine speed cassette. That would give you 52 gears. One for each week for an entire year so it could serve as a kind of mechanical calendar. This reminds me of a Disc World character, and inventor called Bloody Stupid Johnson.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A Rohloff has a 550% gear range

Even the widest spaced Shimano 10-51t cassette has only 510% range in 1x12 setup!