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Alibayexpress parts you love

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,501
6,399
UK
I think having to hold the spoke every time just makes it easier to never have spoke windup
nah. Not really. With experience j bend spoke wind is dealt with easily and intuitively by a simple back off when turning each nipple.
why build custom wheels without bladed spokes anyways?
really?
:doh:

The main benefit of straight pull is ease of lacing for pre built wheelset
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Honestly never understood the (over)excitement about DT hubs.
Fukin PITA to service. and it's not like the ratchet system doesn't wear out.
and straight pull hubs can fuck off forever as far as i'm concerned.

FWIW Those Ryet hubs look way less of a PITA to service
Straight pull hubs should only be used with bladed spokes. I've never seen a DT ratchet wear out or not be capable of working well with a cleaning/greasing. The bearing behind the nut is an issue, unless you've never worn out that bearing.
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
He makes funny videos and has an occasional sober view of 'the industry' and sometimes has practical insights, but I'm pretty skeptical Hambini can actually value any parts for real-world-offroad-usage. He is primarily concerned with low weight and low drag, while riding his roadbike on sunny days.
There are quite a few copycat parts produced in China that seem just fine, but fail alarmingly fast because of poor material choice or through design-failures.
For hubs I keep coming back to Hope and DT Swiss. Very easy to rebuild, spares are easy to find and no weird surprises.
I really like the dt350 straightpull hubs. Light, sturdy, durable and no sensitive EXP ratchet.
I thought 350 & 240 now use EXP. 370 used to be pawl but is now non-EXP ratchet.
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
The main benefit of straight pull is ease of lacing for pre built wheelset
The main benefit of straight pull is eliminating the J-bend with its propensity for stretch, digging into the flange, and breaking. Also replacing the spoke flange on the hub with a stronger, stiffer structure. That's why motos are all staight pull. The side benefit is you can change a spoke without removing the cassette and rotor.
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
Not really an AE staple, but I have used Bitex hubs on my last two wheel sets, and have no complaints.

I used their lightest non-disc road hubs for a few light, budget road builds but always had trouble in the rear with left vs right spoke tension and lateral stiffness. I gave up on them, assuming the spoke flanges aren't in good relative positions/heights. Probably only a problwm on that model hub but if the company can design one hub shell badly I don't trust their others.
 
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Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,501
6,399
UK
eliminating the J-bend with its propensity for stretch, digging into the flange, and breaking.
That's not actually an issue at all unless using poor quality or unsuitable (for intended use) guage spokes or poorly designed hubs.
 
Aug 27, 2023
102
89
Canton, Georgia
I used their lightest non-disc road hubs for a few light, budget road builds but always had trouble in the rear with left vs right spoke tension and lateral stiffness. I gave up on them, assuming the spoke flanges aren't in good relative positions/heights. Probably only a problwm on that model hub but if the company can design one hub shell badly I don't trust their others.
I don’t know enough about building wheels to have an opinion on that, but the company has been around for 100 years, and manufacturers hubs for multiple other brands.

I had https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/ build me a set using the 212 series hubs.
 
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Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
I don’t know enough about building wheels to have an opinion on that, but the company has been around for 100 years, and manufacturers hubs for multiple other brands.

I had https://www.prowheelbuilder.com/ build me a set using the 212 series hubs.
The bad spoke flange geometry is likely only an issue on this weight weenie non-disc road hub, but man was it annoying. Nothing I could do to make the rear wheel not flex into the brake pads with little force. Driveside spoke tension MAXED, non-driveside boarderline loose.
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,637
998
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
I have. and have replaced quite a few
I do avoid the tiny toothed 54t rings because I've heard they're more sensative to dirt. Anything can be ruined with lack of care but I regularly deal with pawl and spring problems in other hubs and haven't personally seen any problem with DT ratchet aside from slipping due to too-thick grease in colder temps.
 
Aug 27, 2023
102
89
Canton, Georgia
The bad spoke flange geometry is likely only an issue on this weight weenie non-disc road hub, but man was it annoying. Nothing I could do to make the rear wheel not flex into the brake pads with little force. Driveside spoke tension MAXED, non-driveside boarderline loose.
Could very well just be a bad design. No one gets it right every time. Of course the hubs I have could just be crap as well, and I am too dumb to realize it. :p
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,501
6,399
UK
Anything can be ruined with lack of care
Yeah of course . But I wasn't really
talking about lack of care. Just plain and simple wear to the ratchet teeth from heavy use. It's a mountain bike product so it's due a hard time. On Ebikes even more so.
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,480
4,210
sw ontario canada
Straight pull hubs should only be used with bladed spokes. I've never seen a DT ratchet wear out or not be capable of working well with a cleaning/greasing. The bearing behind the nut is an issue, unless you've never worn out that bearing.
You should talk to my old 340's. They had an appetite for ratchets. It ate 18's and 36's. Never put a 54 but figured it would be worse yet again.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,918
1,213
DT rims and spokes = great, DT hubs = meh
Star ratchets were never great - slow engagement, high drag, expensive parts, custom tool required to access one of the bearings (behind a proprietary nut that tightens under drive force).

18T was a slow joke, 36T slipped under some, 54T slipped under many.
The one cool hub they made wasn't a rear (20mm 240s front, weightweenies rejoice).
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,838
4,881
Champery, Switzerland
DT rims and spokes = great, DT hubs = meh
Star ratchets were never great - slow engagement, high drag, expensive parts, custom tool required to access one of the bearings (behind a proprietary nut that tightens under drive force).

18T was a slow joke, 36T slipped under some, 54T slipped under many.
The one cool hub they made wasn't a rear (20mm 240s front, weightweenies rejoice).
Hi Udi
32h j-bend 240 front and rear are my favorite hubs. I never broke any ratchets though.
 

two-one

Monkey
Dec 15, 2013
204
210
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Speaking of breaking 54t star ratchets, didn't somebody here order some Chinesium replacement ones with good results?
I rode with a 60t Fovno version (gold colored) without any issues... but all the riding was in relatively clean XC circumstances.
Switched back to 18t because the damn things are so noisy, and I like a more tranquil eveningride experience.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
I'm having a discussion at Vital's new tech thread with a guy who claims these Lewis brakes are da shizz on rollerblades, and when I pointed out they're just expensive, pimped-out generic Trickstuff knockoffs, he jumped at me saying they're completely different.

I mean, their site IS Chinese, just look at the top right!!!

1695208945440.png


Go ahead my boy, if you want to pay 315 bucks a piece for something you can find for $90 shipped to your door as a front/rear set, be my guest :rofl: .

1695209015914.png

1695209116756.png
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
I wonder if those are actually any good? The aliexpress ones.
There is a thread on them at emptybeer, most guys seem to be pretty happy about the power/reliability. They also use Shimano compatible pads, and come with an extra set of olives/barbs in case you need to cut the lines.

A guy down here has them in his trail bike, and he said they're pretty consistent and powerful. I haven't had a chance to test them.

EDIT: Here is some info from somebody with some engineering background:

insanityofgravity: #1.1 Scrap or Not? - ZRace BR-M1 (ONIRII) CNC gefräste Bremse von Aliexpress l Viel Schatten, wenig Licht l Was würde ich anders machen? (insanityofgravity-blogspot-com.translate.goog)
 
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toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,829
5,206
Australia
1698785447938.png


Just ordered these for $14 AUD shipped. Will report back

MTBDIRECT here wants $55 AUD for them which is a fucken joke.
 

jrewing

Monkey
Aug 22, 2010
417
289
Maydena Oz
View attachment 202921

Just ordered these for $14 AUD shipped. Will report back

MTBDIRECT here wants $55 AUD for them which is a fucken joke.
everything lustys distributes is super-margin added. Everyone wants to bro down with the company but i dont buy anything they do.
maxxis went up big time when they got it, santa cruz, tld, all of it. Albek bags is his own brand and fark me theyre pricey.
They sting the sports they supposedly support. Yewwww
 

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,917
21,433
Canaderp
So New Zealand has the same bullshit distributor system that Canada has? As in a brand will generally only be available from a single source, so they friggin' hose you on the price if you want it?

And then they make it an absolute chore to warranty anything on the flip side.

Yeah fuck them.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,829
5,206
Australia
So New Zealand has the same bullshit distributor system that Canada has? As in a brand will generally only be available from a single source, so they friggin' hose you on the price if you want it?

And then they make it an absolute chore to warranty anything on the flip side.

Yeah fuck them.
Dunno about NZ but in Australia yeah. Plus we're on a big island so makes it a bit tricky to nick across the border to grab something from another supplier.

For some bike brands it is literally cheaper to fly to the US or Canada, buy a frame yourself and bring it home than it is to buy one here.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,829
5,206
Australia
View attachment 202921

Just ordered these for $14 AUD shipped. Will report back

MTBDIRECT here wants $55 AUD for them which is a fucken joke.
Grips arrived, dimensionally identical to ODI Elite Pros - except they don't have the convex shaping on the palm side. Its flat instead across the back. Will give them a try and report back, but not bad for $14. The lock collar and construction all look pretty similar. Will see how they last.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,501
6,399
UK
Dunno 'bout you. But "not bad" isn't really where I'd be aiming for with the main contact points on my bikes.
 

Leafy

Monkey
Sep 13, 2019
636
410
Dunno 'bout you. But "not bad" isn't really where I'd be aiming for with the main contact points on my bikes.
I can’t believe it but I agree with Gary. Unless the grips are free like from my pile of nearly new takeoffs. There’s a good reason to pay whatever it costs to get the grips you want, especially on my DH bike.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,829
5,206
Australia
Dunno 'bout you. But "not bad" isn't really where I'd be aiming for with the main contact points on my bikes.
Oh yeah, I'm a stickler for the ODI Elite Pros - they just work with my hands well. I'll chuck the Ali ones on the DJ or something I'm less fussy about. Was worth the gamble to see if they were a viable option.
 

Gary

my pronouns are hag/gis
Aug 27, 2002
8,501
6,399
UK
Apparently not in peaty bogs.
No.it means exactly the same here too.
Somewhat unbelievable anyone here'd need an explanation as to why a set of Not bad/quite good grips wouldn't exactly fill me with glee. ESPECIALLY in our climate.