I just received my custom build stainless steel Norwid Aaland with Rohloff, Gates belt drive, S&S, SON SL disc, Edelux II, TRP Hylex disc brakes and a Tubus rear rack.
Setup for the Gates drive is 55x22.
I rode the bike on Sunday for 144km and compared to by carbon race bike this bike glides like a caddy on air suspension. So smooth, rock solid and the gearing just right. I can go in the 14th gear 45km/h at a comfortable 80rpm, climbing a short, steeper climb at 6 or 7 comfortably. Gear 5/6/7 is noisy and you can feel it in the crank as well. But that's a design feature of the Rohloff planet gears. I haven't tried out gear 1-4 yet, as I have found anything steep enough to have to use that gear. Also the ride was without any gear, just myself. So with an additional 20-25kilo i might have to use the lower gears to climb.
The belt drive has no slack whatsoever. It engages like a chain, hard and crisp. The drive is silent, no noise from the drive train at all. Basically you just hear the tires going over the road surface, that's it.
The S&S couplers are solid, the frame feels as solid as if it had no couplers in it.
Hydraulic disc brakes are awesome. Easy to modulate, and with two fingers you can produce an emergency stop. My well setup carbon road bike does stop on a dime as well, but weighs almost 33% less and when it rains it takes longer for the rim brakes to engage.
Here are a few pics of my new tourer.
Don't mind the front wheel right now. The rim was busted when it shipped, so I had to throw an old 28er from my spare parts bin on it.
Rohloff with disc brakes and Weber coupling
Rohloff with disc brakes and gates drive.
Brushed stainless steel with S&S couplers.
