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Rohloff vs Pinion: Gearbox Shifting on Rennstahl and Falkenjagd Gravel Bikes on Review

07.02.2025
by Julian Schwede
Falkenjagd Rennstahl Pinion vs Rohloff Getriebe Test 69 2000x500


A journey to the end of the earth. The nearest bike shop? Hundreds of miles away. If you’re diving headfirst into a self-supported cycling adventure, there’s one thing you’ll want from your drivetrain: reliable shifting performance with zero maintenance hassle. With their sealed design, gearbox systems are renowned above all for their durability. But how big are the differences between different systems? We’ve put the Pinion Smart.Shift and the Rohloff SPEEDHUB with SternShift through the wringer to find out. Both are fully electric and yet fundamentally different.

Falkenjagd Rennstahl Pinion vs Rohloff Getriebe Test 73
Falkenjagd Aristos R Rohloff Gravel | Weight: 12.6 kg | Price: € 9,638 | Rennstahl 853 PI Gravel | Weight: 13.5 kg | Price: € 4,999 | Manufacturer’s Website

Minimal maintenance, no worries about wear, and still no breakdowns? Sounds like the dream of the perfect touring bike… but is it even possible? We wanted to find out and tested two high-end bikes: the Falkenjagd Aristos R Rohloff Gravel and the Rennstahl 853 PI Gravel. Both use a belt drive and electronic gearbox shifting – yet the technology behind them couldn’t be more different.

At the heart of the Falkenjagd’s rear wheel lies the Rohloff SPEEDHUB, a 14-speed internal gear hub that has been electronically upgraded with the SternShift system. The Rennstahl, on the other hand, features the Pinion Smart.Shift gearbox positioned at the bottom bracket. This system offers some exciting extra features via its dedicated app. Two concepts that look similar at first glance but reveal crucial differences upon closer inspection. Time to uncover the secrets hidden within these gearbox systems!

You can find the full review at our sister magazine GRAN FONDO.

Falkenjagd Rennstahl Pinion vs Rohloff Getriebe Test 75 1

Words & Photos: Julian Schwede

About the Author

Julian Schwede
Freelance Editor

Juli is used to dealing with big rigs. Besides working on his bike, he also tinkered and worked on buses after completing his training as a vehicle mechatronics engineer. Since the development of large-scale electric motors was too slow for him, he went on to study technical business administration while building carbon fibre tables on the side. Though his DJ bike is welded from thick aluminium tubes, his full-susser is made of carbon and it's already taken him to the top of numerous summits. Apart from biking, he likes climbing via ferratas or vertically on the wall. Nowadays, his personal bike gets ridden less as he tests the bikes that get sent to us, pushing them to their limits to see what they're capable of. In addition to bike reviews, Juli also takes care of the daily news and thinks of himself as the Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent.

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