Soma Wolverine 4.0B Gates Carbon using Rohloff SpeedHub

[flymeaway]

It's been a while....haven't felt the need to build another bike after the Titanium/Rohloff/BBS02. Need a project, so why not a Gates Carbon driven Rolhoff combination? Pictures to follow, the bike is about half assembled.

 

[Clyde]

Your IGH costs more than my entire build.

Someday, after I've sold off my human bride and her spawn...

 

[flymeaway]

Your IGH costs more than my entire build.

Someday, after I've sold off my human bride and her spawn...

The advantage of being 65 years old. That's all in the rear view mirror.....Bikes essentially done, just need rear brake cable and a 35C tire for the rear wheel.

 

[Jack Lyons]

The advantage of being 65 years old. That's all in the rear view mirror.....Bikes essentially done, just need rear brake cable and a 35C tire for the rear wheel.

Photos? Price? Specs.?

 

[flymeaway]

Hello Jack,

Pictures will be forthcoming, I'm waiting on the belt and brake cables. Here's a cost breakdown

Soma Wolverine 4.0 B - $520
Luna (Bafang) BBS02 750W - $450 (had this motor as spar bought 2 years ago)
HL Battery 52V @ 13 AH - $380
Handlebar - $80
Stan's NOTUBE rim - ZTR Grail MK3 - $105 (rear)
Mavic Z19 - Guessing $80 (front) had the rim for quite a few years
Rohloff SpeedHub $1,290
Gates Chainring - $93
Gates hub gear - $82
Gates Belt - $76
California EBike Chainring adapter-BA130 BBS02 - $39
Front Fork - $100
Seat & Post - $50 (guessing)
Schwalbe Marathon 35C rear $43
Kenda Kourier 32C front ??? had the tire for a while $25??
Steering tube extension $30
Handlebar mount $22

Nice round number about $3,500

The link below has pictures and process of the bike I'm currently riding, Titanium frame, nice light commuter.

My Next Build

Looking good. Any new plans on the battery compartments different than the rectangular box in the triangle? I suggest a shark or dolphin pack, which look great and have good performance. Dan

electricbikereview.com

 

[Jack Lyons]

Many thanks. Will look forward to pics.

 

[flymeaway]

Here are some pictures. Have everything but the drive belt, due Monday. Really a simple straight forward build. The only "tricky" part was making the piece to attach to the Rohloff SpeedHub and the dropout that prevents the Rohloff axle from rotating. I had to make a custom piece in my machine shop to fit.

Court J

 

[Clyde]

It would be Ferrarri red...

/drool

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Very nice build!

Care to share the details of the Rohloff dropout?

May be you can explain to future readers how you were able to get the chainline perfectly straight. This is something that most DIY people struggle with because each bike has different chainline and Rohloff requires ~54.5 mm chainline.

 

[flymeaway]

"May be you can explain to future readers how you were able to get the chainline perfectly straight."

Put a machinist 24" scale on the chainring and hub gear. If the drivetrain is out of alignment it would show as either a gap at the rear gear, in which case you need to add spacers to the Rohloff, or gap at the chainring in which case add spacers behind the chainring mount. Fortunately for this build the alignment was very good.

 

[flymeaway]

"Care to share the details of the Rohloff dropout?"

If you are referring to the piece I made to prevent the axle from rotating refer to the two pictures:

Picture on the left - The metal piece I machined is thru bolted on top of the bike dropout screwed into the brake mount with 5mm socket caps. The third socket cap (furthest right) is a 1/4-20 socket cap in a clearance hole that screws into a stand-off nut that rides in the plate attached to the Rohloff.

Picture on the right - If you look below the bottom brake mounting bolt and to the right of the brake cable you'll see the Stand-off (coupling) nut. It's sitting in the slot of the Rohloff plate, preventing axle rotation.


If you copy the pixs and paste them in paint, zoom in, you can see the detail better.......

 

[flymeaway]

Final pictures...Now I know why people who use the Gates Carbon Drive swear by it!!! I have never ridden one, but all I can say is WOW, absolutely no noise from the drive train, and smooth as butter! The bike rides extremely well, handles bumps well, stiff frame which I like. For the $3,500 it's a great ride. Doubt I'll ever build another bike without the Rohloff/Gates combination. Final weight; 51 lbs.

Have fun!!!!

 

[Clyde]

So your Rohloff came in that color? Can't find anything like it online, not that I'm quite ready to sell off my youngest. Wonder if I could tint my humble Sturmey. Super impressed with that look.

 

[flymeaway]

So your Rohloff came in that color? Can't find anything like it online, not that I'm quite ready to sell off my youngest. Wonder if I could tint my humble Sturmey. Super impressed with that look.

SPEEDHUB 500/14 - Rohloff AG

www.rohloff.de

This is the seller I've bought all my SpeedHubs from

Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 CC DB OEM2 8025Z 8026Z 8027Z 14-Speed Internal Gear Hub | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 CC DB OEM2 8025Z 8026Z 8027Z 14-Speed Internal Gear Hub at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Clyde]

She's a beaut! Thanks!

 

[Senninha]

Hi - fantastic build!
Can I ask, does the Gates chainring connect directly to the BBS02?
I have an existing gravel bike which is a Gates Carbon with a Rohloff hub. I wanted to convert it to an E-Bike, but I couldn't find a chainring that would (a) be Gates Carbon, and (b) connect to the BBS02.
Does the existing chainring just directly connect to the BBS02?
Many thanks!

 

[flymeaway]

Hi - fantastic build!
Can I ask, does the Gates chainring connect directly to the BBS02?
I have an existing gravel bike which is a Gates Carbon with a Rohloff hub. I wanted to convert it to an E-Bike, but I couldn't find a chainring that would (a) be Gates Carbon, and (b) connect to the BBS02.
Does the existing chainring just directly connect to the BBS02?
Many thanks!

Yes it does with the California E-Bike Chain Ring Adapter listed, you can see the assembly clearly in one of the pictures. I can provide part #'s for the Carbon Drive components. The cog is 20 teeth and the Chain ring is 50.

A word of caution, the Soma frame geometry allows the cog and chain ring to be in almost perfect alignment plus or minus 1.5 mm, it works. You should check to make certain your frame will accommodate the cog and chain ring in a similar manner because the assembly at the BBS02 doesn't have clearance for spacers to move the chain ring location.

CMJ

 

[Senninha]

Thanks, appreciate that.
What would I need to check on my frame to confirm that alignment ? At the moment it's already set up with a Gates belt and 55T chainring.

 

[flymeaway]

Thanks, appreciate that.
What would I need to check on my frame to confirm that alignment ? At the moment it's already set up with a Gates belt and 55T chainring.

Gates refers to this alignment as the belt line. Since you already have the Gates system installed and you have the Rohloff installed I will measure my belt line offset from the center of the bottom bracket to the center of the chain ring. I'll also measure my bottom bracket and let you know the dimensions. If your bottom bracket is the same dimension and your measurement from the center of the BB to the center of the chain ring is the same the BBs02 setup I used would work. I'll measure those dimensions later today and post them for you.

CMJ

 

[Senninha]

Many thanks, much appreciated. My BBS is a BBR60 BSA, and I can check the belt line off your measurements, thanks