Rohloff just unveiled their most sophisticated shifter yet – just not for normal bikes. Dubbed the E-14, the electronic shifting system is destined for production 2018 Bosch e-bikes that should be arriving later this year. However, just because it’s limited to e-bikes for now, doesn’t mean it couldn’t be hacked for regular use or even made available aftermarket in the not too distant future…
Created to work with the 14 speed Rohloff Speedhub 500/14, Rohloff claims the Speedhub is a natural fit for e-bikes given the impressive 526% gear range which is bigger than a SRAM Eagle or e*thirteen trsr cassette. Add in the added advantages in maintenance and their claimed efficiency and it does seem like a pretty good match. Available with an e-bike drivetrain package in collaboration with Bosch, the system is designed to integrate with the Bosch e-bike system through CAN-Buss connectivity. That means that the motor will synchronize with the shifting process to prevent too much torque from being applied during a shift. It also means that on eShift compatible Bosch models, the gear will be indicated on the Intuvia and Nyon displays.
As for the E-14 system itself, the electronic shift box is controlled manually through a simple two button shifter with up and down arrows. Shifting can be as simple as one press for one shift, or you can hold the two buttons down for three seconds to enter Multishift mode which shifts “three gears at a time, in sequence, until released.” There is also an auto downshift mode that will allow you to choose a preset gear that the bike will automatically shift down to when at a stop. This should allow you to be perfectly set up to attack those green lights off the line as you make your way through your commute.
Pricing is not currently available as it looks like it will be for complete bikes only, which will be arriving this fall.
