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Best DH Hubs

monkeyfcuker

Monkey
May 26, 2008
912
8
UK, Carlisle
The Stealths run on a 1-way locking needle roller bearing. Something similar to this: http://www.mcmaster.com/#ball-and-roller-bearings/=4qwaj9
That's a pretty cool concept for a rear hub, I come across the same bearings installed in the alternator pulleys of some of the diesel cars I work on. Instant engagement and silent, I'd like to try one for sure! One downer tho, when these bearings fail/run dry they don't half lock up solid!
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Nice write up! Agreed HOPE has the best bang for the buck, Im undecided right now (even before review LOL) on Hadleys, hopes or I9s again. I destroyed 6 rear wheels last year and only replaced a few spokes on my I9s. It was hard rocky landings or a REALLY bad line choice that killed the rims butthe hubs never gave me greif. I ran my original set of bearings for a year and a half and it was time to change em. they werent toast but you could feel there pain hauling my butt around for that long! :D

Again nice review and easy to read... Thanks
 

davep

Turbo Monkey
Jan 7, 2005
3,276
0
seattle
Nice review Jeff!

You might want to add that the Hadleys can be serviced with standard tools with a little forethought. The Red handled park cotter pin tool, or any adjustable pin spanner will work on the rear drive side as well as all of the bearing preload collars. The axle end caps would be nice if the wrench flats were wider to take a stock box end wrench or crescent, but you can easily find a wrench (cone wrench or a little filing/grinding to narrow a box) to fit.
The tools make service easier, but they are far from required.
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
Thanks boys. That was one hell of a lot of writing. hhaha

Dave, added in the tool bit. Thanks much. I knew they could be done in a pinch with regular tools, but was undecided if I should put that in lest some hack molests his hubs with a vicegrip and a rubber mallet. I put it in though, because anyone that would do that deserves ****ty scratched up hubs anyhow.



BC, also went in and edited the bit about the bearings. I have 4 pairs of I9 wheels, and 3 are fine. One is pretty rough, but they are older. It was feedback from a number of other riders that showed me the bearings weren't so hot, strangely even on the XC ones. Problem is, theres no pattern. Some of them are fine, some of them not so much. So, edited that in.

Its hard getting in all the details from so many sources, and being impartial too. Buh.

holy crap its 4am.
 

Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
My former co-worker didn't have very good luck with his Stealth hub. The instant engagment was great, but after a few weeks of (xc) riding in wet conditions the one-way bearing began sticking every other ride. The hub had to be pulled apart and the needle-bearings needed to be oiled to (temporarily) remedy the problem. The guys at True Percision were super accomidating, and aknowledged that the hub wasn't lacking care, but was likely being exposed to conditions they hadn't experienced or anticipated. Hopefully the one-way bearing design isn't that sensitive by nature, and the problems I saw were due to a sealing problem, because I personally thought it was a really slick hub.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
do the ceramic bearings make that much of a difference for the Hadleys? i have my bearings on order and im anxious to swap them out
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
I didn't think much of it when I saw my hubs had ceramics, but man are they neat. I am sure they help on some minor way on the trail, but I'm not good/ anal/ preceptive enough to actually notice too much. I just know that my wheels spin forever, longer then all the other hubs in that review. Gotta be the ceramics. I am going to upgrade my I9s next, just for fun!
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
I didn't think much of it when I saw my hubs had ceramics, but man are they neat. I am sure they help on some minor way on the trail, but I'm not good/ anal/ preceptive enough to actually notice too much. I just know that my wheels spin forever, longer then all the other hubs in that review. Gotta be the ceramics. I am going to upgrade my I9s next, just for fun!
yeah i didnt think it would make a huge difference, but since i need new bearings anyway, why not upgrade to ceramics?
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
My former co-worker didn't have very good luck with his Stealth hub. The instant engagment was great, but after a few weeks of (xc) riding in wet conditions the one-way bearing began sticking every other ride. The hub had to be pulled apart and the needle-bearings needed to be oiled to (temporarily) remedy the problem. The guys at True Percision were super accomidating, and aknowledged that the hub wasn't lacking care, but was likely being exposed to conditions they hadn't experienced or anticipated. Hopefully the one-way bearing design isn't that sensitive by nature, and the problems I saw were due to a sealing problem, because I personally thought it was a really slick hub.
w00dy has over a million billion miles on his, and I don't think he maintains it at all. Seriously, kid is hard on components and doesn't break them down wash and wax after every ride like a lot of folks. Maybe he's more anal than I've seen, but I doubt it. He still seems to love his.
 

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
The hub had to be pulled apart and the needle-bearings needed to be oiled to (temporarily) remedy the problem. The guys at True Percision were super accomidating, and aknowledged that the hub wasn't lacking care, but was likely being exposed to conditions they hadn't experienced or anticipated. /QUOTE]

Ya, last I heard they're not really "designed" for xc. More for sprinting type situations and not extended pedaling.
 

Polandspring88

Superman
Mar 31, 2004
3,066
7
Broomfield, CO
my couple year old Hadleys also spin forever. 5x as long as my King hub. When did Hadley start supplying ceramics?
They don't, at least not that I know of. Ceramic replacement bearings (6804RS if I remember correctly) are easily found on ebay and I believe even Enduro offers them.
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
The Stealths are a super cool hub. You'd think after riding Chris Kings and Industry Nines that you'd have an idea of what Instant Engagement feels like, but when you actually feel it its not like anything else. Its kind of weird at first, but its really cool.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
Sounds like a way to explain a design flaw.
Not a design flaw. Their hubs were originally designed for BMX racing, which is a lot of stop-start pedaling over a short distance, not spinning circles for miles. In BMX racing, the kind of instant engagement offered by these hubs is beneficial. Same with slalom/4x, and to a certain degree DH - which is why I'm guessing they eventually introduced the hubs in MTB frame spacing options.
 

davec113

Monkey
May 24, 2009
419
0
I got Hopes for my trail bike last year, mostly because they were cheap at CRC, $320 for Pro IIs, 719 Disc rims, DT Spokes and XT Cassette, shipped.

One issue with the Hopes is bearing drag, it's slightly noticeable compared to hubs with very little friction. Will ceramic bearings solve this problem?
 

ZoRo

Turbo Monkey
Sep 28, 2004
1,224
11
MTL
I got Hopes for my trail bike last year, mostly because they were cheap at CRC, $320 for Pro IIs, 719 Disc rims, DT Spokes and XT Cassette, shipped.

One issue with the Hopes is bearing drag, it's slightly noticeable compared to hubs with very little friction. Will ceramic bearings solve this problem?
Wow, that's a hell of a deal for wheelset. Can you still get that kind of special price over at CRC?
 

davec113

Monkey
May 24, 2009
419
0
Wow, that's a hell of a deal for wheelset. Can you still get that kind of special price over at CRC?
That was when the pound tanked after the financial crisis began. I think the exchange rate is not as favorable right now...
 

dexter

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2001
3,053
99
Boise, Idaho
Great write up and info! Just a heads up the stealth hubs would BLOW for street use like you say in the article, and i think the same would be applied to trials. In both there is lots of back pedaling and reverse action which is not a strong point of the stealths
 

Patan-DH

Monkey
Jun 9, 2007
458
0
Patagonia
I've been on this hub (laced to a 729 with champions) for 3 seasons , the only thing that i did once was pulling ot the cassete body to clean-regrease the pawls-springs and engagement points.....

An is only 88 dollars at jenson.
I think is made by novatec:
www.novatec.com.tw/

and mine is not exact like the one pictured i have more slots on the cassete body so maybe lighter like this, that caomes in gold (for the bling-bling crew)
this is nice! http://cgi.ebay.com/Novatec-DH12SB-150mm-x-12mm-Rear-Disc-Hub-32H-FR-DH-NEW_W0QQitemZ320390163007QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item4a98bdea3f
 
Last edited:
Nov 11, 2007
64
0
norcal
Probably shouldn't even bring it up cause I can't remember the details, but I remember 2 customers that had trouble w/their Stealth hubs. Sticking engagement problems or some such thing. True Precision took care of them both, but I think one guy had the problem crop up again and ended up selling his hub on e-bay after he got it warrantied. When those hubs worked they were amazing to ride though! I thought the company dropped off the map, this is the first I've heard mention of them in 5-6 years.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
From the diagram and description it seems that the Stealth freewheel mechanism should have much less drag than pawls but reports are otherwise. Anyone own one and care to comment? Do they only have a lot of drag when the bearings get dry/dirty.
 

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
I have a set here thats just perfect, and although they do drag a bit its by no means terrible. Its just a little more then say, a King hub, or I9. Backpedalling is not so good. But that instant engagement is absolutely insane. You really gotta try it to beleive it.
 

Lelandjt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 4, 2008
2,508
822
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
I guess some people put more importance on instant or quick engagement while other's (me) care more about minimal drag while coasting and light weight.
That's why there is no perfect hub. The lightest, fastest coasting hub isn't also the quickest engaging.
 
Last edited:

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I've been on this hub
I think that's the Azonic Outlaw hub...I have an outlaw wheelset and I will say they are great hubs. They aren't light, but they engage reasonably fast and are certainly stout. No damage to either rim in a season of riding, so that's cool...but I really like the fact that they engage quick, and were super cheap. not the best hub by a mile, but certainly OK.

I'd love to get a faster engaging hub when possible. These aren't bad, but something like hadley's 72pts would be great.
 

OB1

Monkey
I guess some people put more importance on instant or quick engagement while other's (me) care more about minimal drag while coasting and light weight.
That's why there is no perfect hub. The lightest, fastest coasting hub isn't also the quickest engaging.
Well put! I've found engagement to matter more on the bmx track than in DH. BTW, I'm reviving this thread because a couple hubs have been mentioned that have now had time to be tested. And things change. So...any revised opinions?
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Precision might win based on this line from their manual

8) Please avoid riding through dog doo doo while enjoying your new Stealth hub. Although this will not affect our hub, the rider may suffer socially.