Schindelhauer gives their long-running gearbox all-rounder Wilhelm city bike a Wilhelm Gravel bike update, adding 4 alt drivetrain options to suit all types of all-surface adventure riders.
The German bike maker has always specialized in versatile alloy city and commuter bikes, most often with Gates belt drive and Pinion gearboxes or internally geared hubs for their low maintenance functionality. But as more cyclists looked to gravel bikes for the added flexibility of riding on- or off-road, Schindelhauer knew their long-running Wilhelm could be the perfect platform with a dropbar update…
Schindelhauer Wilhelm Gravel alloy belt-drive bike
Schindelhauer knows that the desire to ride a versatile bike with simple clean lines, and that doesn’t require a bunch of messy maintenance isn’t only limited to city commuter bikes. Urban mobility may be their forte, but Schindelhauer still likes to get their tire dirty, too.
Enter the Wilhelm Gravel family…
It’s directly based on their top-tier belt-drive Wilhelm city bike, repurposing that classic aero aluminum frame with integrated seatpost clamp and unique forged fork end dropouts with built-in crocodile belt tensioner. It even already had fat city tire plus fender clearance that could work for gravel, as well. It looks like 40mm fast gravel tires, with plenty of room to spare.
Schindelhauer says, “The Wilhelm frame has just been waiting for its opportunity for an adventure.“
So, what’s new?
The alt-drivetrain solutions really set the new Wilhelm Gravel apart – making it totally unique compared to just about every other gravel bike on the market.
The Schindelhauer Wilhelm Gravel is available in 4 gravel bike build variants:
- 12-speed Pinion C-Line gearbox with electronic Smart.Shift paired to TRP brakes and their Hywire shifter (12.6kg)
- 12-speed Pinion C-Line gearbox with TRP x Tout Terrain Cinq Shift:R mechanical shifters & hydraulic brakes (12.1kg)
- 14-speed Rohloff internally geared hub with Shimano GRX brakes & mechanical shifters to a Gebla Rohbox (11.9kg)
- 11-speed Shimano Alfine Di2 internally geared hub paired to GRX Di2 levers and brakes (11.6kg)
*weight claims for size M/56cm with stock builds
Tech details
The Wilhelm Gravel features a lightweight smooth-weld, triple-butted AL6061-T6 aluminum frame with Schindelhauer’s belt port, dropouts & integrated seatpost clamp.
Either built for a Pinion gearbox or an internally geared rear hub.
On top of that you get a 1.5″ tapered steerer, flat mount 160 brakes, 27.2mm seatpost, and classic semi-internal cable routing. You then can pick from either a matching smooth-weld aluminum fork, or the excellent full-carbon Seido MGV fork that we reviewed a year and a half ago.
The bike inherits hidden mounting for lightweight front and rear racks if you are looking to do some bikepacking. Together with their partners at Gramm, front and rear bags are available specifically to fit the bike. And their Allygn component line can provide the lightweight front pannier rack. You can even get integrated lighting powered by a dynamo as an extra, on request.
Plus, you could fit full coverage fenders too for year-round rain protection. And while all the stock bikes come with 700c x 40mm Continental Terra Trail tires, Schindelhauer offer the option for 650b x 48mm tires, or even other tires on request, too.
2024 Schindelhauer Wilhelm Gravel – Pricing, options & availability
The new Wilhelm Gravel line is available direct from the Schindelhauer website, or from their specialist dealers that can help you with customization. Bikes are slated for availability from the middle of next week.
The bike comes in 5 stock sizes (50-62cm) and 4 standard colors – Alu Pure silver, Garnet red, Midnight blue, and Cream white. You can also get it in the Apricot of the Pinion Smart.Shift build or Moss green of the Rohloff bike for a small upcharge. Or even go for a full custom color if you so desire. There’s also options for shiny silver or black ano finishing kits.
Complete bike pricing starts at 4295€ for Shimano Di2. Then, it climbs from 4595€ for Pinion with Cinq Shift:R, from 4995€ for Pinion with Smart.Shift, and starting from 5695€ with the Rohloff hub option.
