Pinion Gearbox Evaluate: A True Bike Transmission!

It’s fairly clear what the most important and most heated battle within the mountain bike trade is at this level. The drivetrain—or transmission, as SRAM is now calling it—is on a shortly evolving trajectory as the 2 main titans try to outdo one another yr after yr, all in hopes of capturing extra of the market share and perfecting the derailleur-based drivetrain. It’s a combat that’s been heating up over the previous few years as 1×12 has taken a agency foothold and SRAM and Shimano leap-frogged each other with 50, then 51, and now 52-tooth cassette cogs.

Nevertheless, regardless of how a lot they evolve technically, even probably the most superior derailleur drivetrains face the identical three shortcomings: 1. Extreme cog and cassette put on attributable to variable chainline and jumps between gears; 2. Want for frequent upkeep and tuning; and three. The truth that a rear derailleur (often known as the cling down in some circles) will at all times be one of the vital damage-prone and weak components of a contemporary mountain bike. Other than spokes and the chain, it’s probably the most inclined to mud, filth, and particles. Let’s face it, it’s a fragile mechanical machine that’s basically hanging off the aspect of your bike, able to be ripped off at will by the subsequent rock or tree department on the path. Much more, with cassette rings turning into bigger and pushing over 52 tooth, this places the derailleur decrease and in an much more weak place. As bikepackers, we’re notably attuned to all of those potential factors of damage and failure.

Because the back-and-forth drivetrain battle ensues, a number of lesser-known internally geared programs have been lurking within the shadows. All of them just about remove all three of the problems talked about above. Probably the most well-known is the Rohloff Speedhub. However, as mountain bikers are fast to level a gloved finger at, the heavy rear Rohloff internally geared hub throws off a motorcycle’s middle of gravity. That is the place the thought of a gearbox is available in. It centralizes the drivetrain on the backside bracket place, which is technically the guts of a motorcycle’s weight middle.

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Theoretically, gearboxes have the potential to overhaul all the trade primarily based on their potential to partially clear up the load distribution problem and upend the frequent woes of a standard drivetrain. I stress theoretically, however gearboxes do make loads of sense. They significantly scale back chain and cog put on by eradicating variable chainline, they keep in tune by design, and so they remove probably the most fragile appendage on a mountain bike—the rear derailleur. Plus, with minimal annual upkeep, they’ll doubtlessly final a lifetime. This particularly resonates within the age of the newest and biggest $500+ substitute cassettes. In addition they transfer the load to the middle of the bike, in between the wheels. Due to this, gearbox bikes aren’t like most different bikes. The bike is constructed across the gearbox, so as a substitute of the standard backside bracket shell, backside bracket, and cranks, transmissions just like the Pinion gearbox reviewed right here have a one piece design the place the body is particularly designed for the gearbox to bolt onto.

For that reason, amongst others, the gearbox has its personal set of hurdles, and it could take fairly an upheaval for it to achieve mainstream success within the mountain biking world. Even so, probably the most promising contender is Pinion, a small German firm based by Christoph Lermen and Michael Schmitz, two former Porsche engineers. And, if their resumés aren’t sufficient to solidify Pinion’s made-in-Germany cachet, the mind-bending inside workings of their totally sealed 12-speed Pinion C1.12 and P1.12 gearboxes ought to do it. To summarize very loosely, the P and C1.12 are really transmissions. Like Pinion’s different fashions, the oil-bath shell homes a sprocket array and a camshaft that shifts by means of 12 distinctive consecutive positions and aligns the 2 sprocket teams in a dizzying show of engineering magic.

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For this assessment, Neil tried each the C1.12 and the C1.9xr gearboxes. Watch under, then scroll down for extra info on how the gearing compares to different drivetrains, together with my writeup of the P1.12 from my time with it again in 2017.

Pinion Gearbox P Sequence vs. C Sequence

Pinion affords two sorts of gear packing containers, the P-line and C-line. The P-line is available in 18 and 12 speeds and is housed in a machined aluminum case. The lighter C-line is available in 12, 9, or 6 pace varieties and have the identical normal innerworkings, though Pinion claims they’re 33% lighter as a result of extra compact Magnesium case.

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Neil examined the C-line within the 9 pace C1.9 that got here on the Viral Derive. Pinon additionally despatched the 12-speed for him to check. Oddly, I examined the P1.12 on the Viral Skeptic a number of years in the past, so we’ve just about coated most of them. We’ll dig into the weights, costs, and gearing within the subsequent sections.

Pinion Gearbox Ranges In contrast

The largest distinction between the Pinion gearbox and a standard derailleur drivetrain is the leap between shifts. With a cassette, the selection in how the gear leap happens relies on how the cassette is specced, with greater (smaller) gears being extra ruled by the variety of tooth. Like if you go from the smallest 10-tooth cog to the subsequent cog on a typical SRAM Eagle cassette, you must go to both an 11-tooth cog which might solely be a ten% bump, or a 12-tooth cog which is a 20% bump. There is no such thing as a such factor as an 11.5 tooth cog for an ideal 15% bump. So you’re restricted to gear jumps on a cassette, and the leap could be fairly drastic. However with the Pinion gearbox, you’re getting the identical leap between gears with each shift. The 12-speed Pinions have a 17.7% leap throughout all gears and the 9-speed C1.9 has 24.3% between gears.

Each Neil and I examined the 12-speed Pinion gearboxes, that are most likely the most typical. The 12 gears of the Pinion P and C1.12 ship a large 600% gear vary. In comparison with the 526% gear vary in a Rohloff Speedhub, the 520% vary of the SRAM Eagle 1×12, 491% from a 2×10 (36/24 chainset/11-36t cassette), and the common 435% vary of a 1×11 setup, the C1.12 is unmatched. It’s noticibly spectacular whereas using, too and virtually exhausting to make use of the entire vary on many rides, though it’s good to have the additional granny gear whereas bikepacking. Even the C1.9 has a 568% vary, which is greater than the opposite drivetrains talked about. For reference, listed below are how the 9- and 12-speed Pinions evaluate to a SRAM Eagle drivetrain and the 14-speed Rohloff Speedhub.

Pinion Gearbox Weights and Costs

As utopian as a gearbox drivetrain might sound, the Pinion nonetheless faces two huge hurdles within the higher market: weight and value. At 2,350 grams for the gearbox alone, Pinion’s P1.12 continues to be significantly heavier than the Eagle X01 12-speed drivetrain—and even the Rohloff. And that doesn’t issue within the crank arms, cogs, chain/belt, or the added weight the mounting plate creates over a standard BB shell. These bits add as much as at the least an extra 600 grams. To match, the Eagle X01 group weighs about 1,500 grams with the chain and cranks included. So, comparatively, the Pinion P1.12 virtually doubles the load of the 12-speed Eagle drivetrain. Nevertheless, the Pinion C1.12 shaves off about 250 grams utilizing a magnesium alloy casing. Right here’s a listing of weights. Precise weights are famous with an asterisk. Be aware that we didn’t embody shifters or cables solely the gearbox plus crank arms for Pinion models, The internally-geared hub for the Rohloff, and derailleur/cassette/crankset (w/32T ring) for the Eagle drivetrain.

• Pinion P1.12 2,887 grams
• Pinion C1.9 2,596 grams*
• Pinion C1.12 2,693 grams*
• Rohloff Speedhub/14 grams
• SRAM Eagle GX 1,388 grams*

The value of the Pinion gearbox is difficult, regardless of the mannequin. First, you possibly can’t merely purchase one. And even in the event you may, shopping for a field and not using a body can be ineffective. As such, Pinion gearboxes are solely bought by means of bike producers and body builders. In 2017, Steve Domahidy identified, “… for me, the Pinion represents about $2,000 of the retail value of the $4,999 body equipment [for the previous Viral Skeptic]. This contains the gearbox, CNC cranks (that are dearer), shifter, the entire mounting {hardware}, a spacer equipment for the only pace rear cog to suit on a full-size cassette physique, the lock ring instrument, and one oil change.” He additionally defined that the titanium bridge that the Pinion mounts to is an costly a part of the body. It’s a single-cast piece of titanium with CNC ending. In comparison with different builders making metal or titanium Pinion frames, “[They] are utilizing a plate after which welding the mounting holes onto that, which to me [for accuracy] isn’t the best method to do it.”

Upkeep (or lack thereof)

Just like a Rohloff, one of many largest attracts to the Pinion system is the very minimal upkeep required. Pinion recommends a easy oil change within the gearbox each 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), or annually, whichever comes first. Moreover, it makes use of a belt drive and the cogs used for belts final for much longer than a standard chain drivetrains. In addition they don’t require any lube, and work properly in hostile circumstances. Merely put, the sealed unit means a way more dependable drivetrain. Plus there is no such thing as a ongoing tuning that should occur that requires tinkering with excessive or low limits, b-tension, or a bent derailleur hanger.

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Pinion Gearbox Evaluate (P1.12)

so as to add to Neil’s findings, right here’s the crux of my assessment from my time with the P1.12 Pinion gearbox in 2017 on the Viral Skeptic…

Just like the C1.12 that Neil reviewed above, the P1.12 shifts between gears at a rise/lower proportion of 17.7%. These are dramatic gaps between gears in comparison with the 13.6% of a Rohloff or most derailleur drivetrains. This took a minute to get used to, particularly skipping two or three at a time to leap all the way down to decrease gears for fast upcoming steep climbs. Hastily, my legs would begin spinning just like the Roadrunner. After getting used to the step proportion, it was no drawback, and I fairly preferred the extra constant and dramatic gaps. Be aware that some derailleur gaps are inconsistent, particularly when contemplating new cassette expansions and extra-large excessive gears.

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As Neil talked about, one of many largest complaints of us have concerning the Pinion is which you could’t shift beneath load. Certainly, it takes getting used to when coming from a derailleur drivetrain. However, contemplating that I’ve a little bit of expertise with a Rohloff and that I don’t even shift beneath load with a derailleur system, it wasn’t an excessive amount of of an adjustment interval for me. In truth, I instantly beloved the way in which the Pinion shifted and thought it was impressively snappy. I discovered it notably smoother and faster than the Rohloff, though it labored equally with the twist shifter. Including to its nice usability was the Trade 9 Torch hub specced on the Viral, which gave it a fast audible bzzt to accent the shift time.

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The Pinion has noticeably much less drag than a Rohloff. Whereas the gears on the Pinion are spinning, solely two are engaged at any given second. This appears to scale back friction and makes it a little bit extra environment friendly than the Rohloff, the place a number of gears are continuously in touch to supply the gear ratio.

As for sturdiness, neither of us examined the Pinion over sufficient miles to determine how lengthy it lasts. That might require a number of years. Pinion means that gearboxes can have a lifetime of over 100,000 kilometers in the event that they’re maintained usually. Additionally, Pinion affords a three-year producer guarantee on every gearbox.

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