SternShift brings the convenience of electric shifting to bikes with a Rohloff 14-speed hub.
For those who aren’t aware, the Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 is an internally geared rear hub that has been servicing the demands of bike travellers for a few decades now. Inside the oversized hub shell are 14 gears that offer a wider gear range than most derailleur drivetrains.
The gears all sit inside an oil bath that’s sealed away from the elements. These hubs work great when the riding conditions are good and even better when they are not!
Rohloff hubs are especially popular amongst bike travellers and commuters who ride year-round. This is because they are very low-maintenance (especially when combined with belt drive), easy to clean, and impervious to dirt, mud, salt, and snow.
But one downside to the Rohloff hub has always been the necessary twist shifter which can be slippery when wet and hard to twist if you have sweat, mud, or sun cream on your hand. The twist shifter is also less ideal for those with limited hand or wrist mobility as it requires a lot of grip strength.
In addition, this shifter has always been awkward to fit to a drop bar bike.
While many aftermarket solutions have become available over the years, everything comes with compromises to either the ergonomics of the shifter (awkward shifter location), shift performance (long lever throw) or reliability (added shifter complexity).
The neatest and most popular solution is the Gebla Rohbox which allows you to use modified SRAM or Campagnolo shifters with your Rohloff hub. That said, some dislike the long lever throw, and find it slow to change multiple gears in quick succession. Users have reported shifting glitches too.
Now we have a new aftermarket electronic shifting kit for Rohloff hubs that promises instant gear changes with very little effort, and neat integration with drop bar gravel bikes.
Let’s take a closer look at the SternShift system.
SternShift Electronic Shifting For Rohloff Hubs
This shifting kit comprises three main components:
– An electronics box that contains the battery and the control board
– A set of gear shifters at the handlebar
– A rear gear mech that attaches directly to the Rohloff hub
This shifting kit is not wireless like you might expect. The system is instead fully wired from the shifters to the Rohloff hub. There is, however, a quick-release cable attachment at the rear wheel for quick and easy removal.
Mechanical engineer Hans-Hermann Herms spent three years developing the SternShift electronic shifting system. Approximately 50% of his time was focused on the hardware, and 50% on the software.
Flat or Drop Bar Electronic Shifting
The SternShift electronic shifters are available for both flat bars and drop bars.
The flat bar shifter clamps to the handlebar in the typical location and offers thumb shifting with dedicated up and down buttons.
The drop bar shifters are extremely compact and are designed to be mounted to the curved areas of drop bars. They are intentionally separated from the levers so that you are not tied to any specific brand of brake lever. To change gears, you use the sides of your thumbs to change gears (see video below).
Pressing the shifter buttons briefly changes one gear at a time. You also have the option of pressing and holding the shifter for a double-gear shift.
Hub Dynamo Powered or Battery Powered
You can choose whether you want a dynamo-powered or battery-powered SternShift system.
The dynamo-powered version is the neatest and most convenient, as the hub constantly supplies power to a small battery at the handlebar. The battery itself is capable of between 600 and 1800 gear shifts and can be optionally charged from a power bank while you’re cycling too. The charge level of the battery is displayed in green, yellow and red via an LED at the rear gear mech.
The system can also be used without a dynamo hub, although this is much less convenient as it will require frequent charging from a battery bank.
Pressing the shift buttons for more than three seconds deactivates or activates charging. This could be useful if you have a separate USB charger wired into your dynamo setup, or if you want to send 100% of your dynamo power to some bright lights.
After 20 seconds of inactivity, the system switches to ‘sleep mode’ to save power. It will switch back on automatically when you move the bike or press a shift button.
If the gears are changed more than 20 times while stationary (presumedly by accident), the system can even switch to ‘protection mode’ until you start cycling again.
SternShift Stem or Electronics Box
The central element of SternShift is the electronics box, which contains the battery and the control board. It’s also the place where all of the cables come together.
You can hide these electronics inside a specially designed stem with ports for the three cables. The stem is currently only available in a 90mm length and it has a ±6° angle.
Alternatively, there is an electronics box that’s mounted underneath your handlebar. This water-resistant tube houses a larger battery that can make three times more shifts between charges – if you aren’t powering the system from a dynamo hub, you’ll likely want this option.
Does SternShift Require A Special Frame?
Unfortunately, it does. The frame must have the long, non-drive side Rohloff OEM dropout to anchor the rear gear mech. That means you cannot use SternShift on a Rohloff frame that relies on the disc brake mount for its torque anchoring.
Is The SternShift System Waterproof?
SternShift is protected against water splashes, but not against full submersion. It also cannot be cleaned with a high-power pressure washer.
Can The SternShift Change Gears Under Load?
SternShift will change your Rohloff gears quickly and precisely, but not with full pedal force.
It shifts the same as any Rohloff hub, which means that you must ease your pedal force for a fraction of a second to make gear changes.
How Much Does The SternShift System Cost?
The SternShift kit has just hit series production.
The retrofit kit is €799 and can be configured for dynamo or battery power, and drop or flat bars. If you want the electronic components hidden inside a specially designed stem, the kit price jumps to €949. You can also buy the SternShift stem by itself for €199.
And if you have particularly deep pockets, SternShift is available with all Rohloff gravel bikes from Falkenjagd and Rennstahl and can be ordered in the configurator.
For more information on this Rohloff hub electronic shifting kit, make sure to check out the SternShift website.
