tout terrain Pinion + Rohloff Testing - 3000% gear range

April 1, 2018 - Gundelfingen, Germany — After combing through endless emails in their customer support inbox from riders asking whether they should choose a Rohloff Speedhub or a Pinion gearbox for their next tout terrain bike, the R&D team at the German bicycle manufacturer along with Cinq innovations have built a prototype bicycle that contains the shockingly simple answer to this modern-day paradox. “Why choose one or the other when you can have both?” asks project manager Damian Bradley as he downloads the speed and cadence data from the modified City model bike in their facility’s test lab. The bike uses two prototype 'double' Cinq Shift:R units, a Pinion C1.12 gearbox, Rohloff 500/14 Speedhub and a Gates Carbon Drive system with 118-tooth CDX belt and 50T by 24T front and rear sprocket combination. “This gives you a 3000% gear range and 168 gear combinations,” explained Bradley, noting that while not all of the gear combinations are likely to be unique, the number sounds really impressive.

The tout terrain team calculated that with a steady cadence of 90 rpm, the bike will progress from under 4.9km/h in the lowest gear to 124.1km/h in the highest combination. “Suffice to say that this should appease everyone from loaded bikepackers to land-speed record chasers,” Bradley mused. When pressed about whether this bike will might actually come to market, he was noncommittal. “I am sure there are a host of technical reasons why this is a really bad idea, but right now the biggest thing holding us back is what to name it.”

To suggest a name and see a video of the bike in action, visit one of tout terrain’s media channels:

#gcnhack

[TimpBizkit]

Brilliant, now I can cycle down the motorway to that field I need to plough, BUT I feel it's missing triple chainrings and a 52-10 cassette, so now you can have 4 combinations of gears, because sometimes I want to go caravanning in the alps but I don't have a car.

[tomcruz]

Everyone: "this would not be viable"
Me: "i want this on all my bikes"

[dudeonbike]

Love it!
$3, 000 in gearing cost alone. What's not to love???
"My bike's gearing goes to eleven... THOUSAND!"

[teundilles]

Now I'm thinking of adding one of those twelve speed derailleurs and a triple chainring...

[МаксимКондаков-ря]

- You said you gave up those derailleurs, right? - Yes.
- How many gears on your bike?
- Three
- Only three?..
- ..Three thousands of percent😈
- 😮😯😲

[cemizgi]

Just put a front hub electric motor with 9 different assist levels and do the math again. :D

[wcoast_bo]

Rohlion or Pinloff XL-3000. There's no other real option.

[mechpade]

Joke or not, how much for whole the thing? I'm interested.

[fetB]

whatever it takes to make gearboxes more popular xD

I'm sick and tired of derailleurs

[supremeflagship]

And if you combine Rohloff (14 speed) speedhub + Pinion P1.18 (18 speed) gearbox - you will have 252 gears... 😲

[HansKeesom]

Now where can we put an electric motor ;-)

[jonecuntapay]

If someone with a crazy brain would do this set up IRL, I will definitely watch it work through.

[seansutherland]

Woah paddle shifters on a pinion gearbox?

[tonyd.]

The lowest allowed imput / sprocket ratio for the Speedhub combined with 28 wheels is around 38/16.
So bare in mind, the lowest gear / ratio of the pinion is ~0.3.
That means, that you can easily ruin the Speedhub with a to high torque!

[matthias.giessler]

I have the impression that most people here have not yet noticed that this was an April fool's joke. Check out the release date of the video.

[rev_dude]

dont mind me just flying down the highway on my bicycle

[henryk]

You wrote in video description (quote): "...there are a host of technical reasons why this is a really bad idea..." So what are the disadvantages of this (Rohloff + Pinion) setup? Besides the weight.

[MiccaPhone]

More like almost 3350% if my calculation is right. Funny proof of concept LOL :-)

[Martin-xbrz]

You can now drive a car with your legs

[richardmiller]

What would the cost on this beast be? I think the combination would make a grand touring bike. You would have to build the frame up but using oversized tubing would work and the wheels would have to be super strong for the handling of the weight you could stack on the bike. I would however be also a great combination on a recumbent trike for very long touring setup for sure.