Rohloff to introduce 170mm fat bike hubs

Fat bikes and internally-geared hubs go together like peanut butter and chocolate, but as of now, options are limited. Currently the only option is to build an offset (or even non-offset) wheel with a standard 135mm hub and use a corresponding frame like Surly’s Pugsley. But as tires get every wider and hub spacing follows suit, fat bike riders have been left out in the proverbial cold.

Until now.

Cycle Monkey, the sole distributor of Rohloff products in the US, has announced it will offering a 170mm version of the classic Speedhub 500/14. Named the Speedhub XL, it is the first and only fat bike specific internally geared hub on the market and the first substantial change to the Rohloff Speedhub since it was introduced in 1998.

With all the same internals as the original Speedhub, the Speedhub XL should offer the same level of quality and reliability. It should be available at the end of August through Cycle Monkey.

The Speedhub XL will initially be offered only in a black 32-hole disc brake version, and will have the same 100mm spoke hole diameter, quick release or threaded axle options, and existing axle plate options (OEM, OEM 2, or torque arm) as the original. It will differ from the existing Speedhub 500/14 with its 170mm axle spacing, 71.5mm chainline, and 93mm flange spacing. Expect a small price premium over the original of about 10 percent.