[mandown]

I'm looking into building up a new light wheelset to use for lighter trail rides on my big bike. I'd also like to be able to swap the wheel over to my hardtail. For this, I'm looking at some Mavic 521 rims laced to Hope Pro II 32h hubs.

My big bike is a Nicolai UFO ST with a 12mm thru-axle (passes through one dropout and threads into the opposite dropout). My hardail is an On-One Inbred with 10mm QR dropouts. I'm trying to determine which Hope hub to buy. I thought I could get the 12mm hub and get a step down axle to run it on the hardtail. However, I called Hope and they said that wouldn't work and that it would break the axle (I'm not sure why). They suggested that I go with the standard hub and get the conversion kit (from QR to 12mm) to be be able to run the wheel on both bikes. Simple enough... or so I thought. I just noticed there is a 10mm thru-axle and a 10mm bolt-on and a QR hub.

Can someone with experience with these hubs and the conversion process chime in with some advice on which hub to buy and some input on how easy/hard the conversion process is? Am I looking at a quick and easy change, or will I need special tools and a few minutes of concentration time? If it is a big enough pain, I may consider alternatives.

 

[jonKranked]

If the Hope 10mm bolt on is anything like the Hadley 10mm bolt on, you will be able to use it in the same dropouts as a QR without a problem.

 

[mandown]

sure, but is there a difference in the conversion kit to 12mm for the hub? i've seen a few different conversion kits on ride-this.com and a few other sites.

i'd like to run the bolt-on hub for 10mm dropouts.

 

[bpatterson6]

I have a Hope Pro II 12mm x 135mm and it works fine with the Azonic Momentum 12mm to 10mm step down Axle. I haven't had any issues running it on my Transition double. Have others had issues with other frames??

EDIT: would breakage be related to the frame? Or are they just BS'ing you and wanting to sell you a conversion kit?

 

[mandown]

having just a month of my life on a jury in a product liability case, i'm certain they are most likely pulling a CYA move with the "breakage" estimate.

 

[AzN_devil]

the step down 12-10mm axle from atom lab works
my friend is using one on his demo 8

 

[Salami]

I I'm trying to determine which Hope hub to buy. I thought I could get the 12mm hub and get a step down axle to run it on the hardtail.

Buy the 12mm version of the Pro 2 hub and a step down axle. It will work without any problems. I have a Bulb hub that is 12mm and I use a NYC Freeride step down axle to use it on my bikes with 10mm drop outs, works perfect.

 

[Bicyclist]

Can't you just buy any version of the hub, and then buy the 10mm bolt-on conversion kit?

 

[slowitdown]

having just a month of my life on a jury in a product liability case, i'm certain they are most likely pulling a CYA move with the "breakage" estimate.

having talked to a man with a brain tumor, I am now ready to perform brain surgery on everyone -- even though I'm not an MD or a surgeon. I mean, listening to someone talk about a brain tumor is the same as knowing how to operate on a brain... right?

 

[Salami]

Can't you just buy any version of the hub, and then buy the 10mm bolt-on conversion kit?

Yes you can. But the OP wants the hub to work with a 12mm thru axle frame AND a 10mm QR frame.

 

[HAB]

I've never tried a stepdown axle in a Pro II so I'm not going to comment there. I've got a Pro II, and the conversion is pretty easy, but not something I'd want to do that regularly. Basically you pull the cassette off, then take off the cassette body (the whole cassette body will just come off if you give it a tug), take a hammer, pop the axle out, use the same hammer to put the new one in, and you're good to go.

Oh, and the bolt on kit will work with your hardtail, as will the QR. So will the 10mm TA, but you'll need to buy a DT RWS or similar.

 

[mandown]

thanks for the input gang. sounds like the 12mm w/ a stepdown axle is my best option. that change out process sounds painful. i wasn't looking for that much work to swap if i decided to go this route. thanks

 

[juanbeegas]

See if this works for you... http://www.hopegb.com/page_mep_force_37.html It's a how to video on rebuilding a Hope hub. It'll give you an idea of what you'd have to do to convert a QR hub to a 10mm bolt on, 10mm TA, or 12mm TA.

 

[mandown]

nice!