The Sachs Elan was an
epicyclic internal
hub gear
A hub gear, internal-gear hub, internally geared hub or just gear hub is a gear ratio changing system commonly used on bicycles that is implemented with planetary or epicyclic gears. The gears and lubricants are sealed within the shell of the ...
for
bicycles, developed and manufactured by the bicycle division of the German company
Fichtel & Sachs. It was considered heavy and production units were plagued with quality issues. The gear hub was discontinued before the turn of the 2000 millennium.
History
The Elan was introduced in 1995 and manufactured until 1998. With its 12 speeds and an overall range of 339%
[DEALER TECHNICAL MANUAL](_blank)
, SRAM, 1999 it was the most advanced epicyclic hub gear at the time, and the first hub gear commercially available with more than 7 speeds.
After
SRAM Corporation took over ownership of the German bicycle component manufacturer, the Elan was sold under the name Spectro E12.
The Elan received a blow with the introduction of the
Speedhub 500/14 by the then small
family-owned company
Rohloff AG
Rohloff AG is a German company from Fuldatal near Kassel that manufactures hub gears, bicycle chains and tools that are known for their durability and high performance. The company’s logo is a black silhouette of a raven on a yellow background ...
of Hessen, Germany, a technically more advanced product, and was discontinued before the turn of the 2000 millennium.
Specifications
Weight was a full 3.4 kg (7 1/2 pounds) and 4 kg with an integrated
coaster brake
A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents it from moving. The three main types are: rim brakes, disc brakes, and drum brakes.
Most bicycle brake systems consist of three main components: a mechanism for the rider to apply th ...
.
Gear ratio
A gear train is a mechanical system formed by mounting gears on a frame so the teeth of the gears engage.
Gear teeth are designed to ensure the pitch circles of engaging gears roll on each other without slipping, providing a smooth transmission ...
s
Versions
*MH 12110 with coaster brake
*MH 12010 without coaster brake
See also
*
Comparison of hub gears
References
{{reflist
External links
Technical documents
Hub gears
1995 introductions
Discontinued products
Epicyclical gearing
SRAM Corporation