[Inclag]

I've destroyed my 3rd freehub in as many years, this time ovalizing the hub shell itself. I weigh only 185lbs and frankly don't put nearly the mileage on my wheels a fair amount of you do.

I'm putting in my 3rd warranty claim and we'll see where that leads, but I'm getting sick and tired of this constant headache and am looking at what options are available to alleviate this recurring problem. I've always tried to be value conscious with my purchases and I feels as if I'm struggling here.

This isn't isolated to wheels, but it seems like since 2018, prices have gone crazy and any value aluminum wheelset is effectively $550-600. Otherwise, lower cost options seem to be some flavor of rebranded wtb rim (meh, but decent enough) with swiss cheese Novatec hubs.

Is there any middle ground or value stuff that won't be trashy rebranded hubs or just whatever junk e.13 has out there? Current thinking is to move away from the complete wheelset system and invest in some wheel building tools and get a DT Swiss 350 rear hub. It seems like the most reasonably priced hub system that is serviceable and won't blow up.

Thoughts?

 

[marshalolson]

Yup, just build up some DT’s

 

[Jm_]

I've destroyed my 3rd freehub in as many years, this time ovalizing the hub shell itself. I weigh only 185lbs and frankly don't put nearly the mileage on my wheels a fair amount of you do.

I'm putting in my 3rd warranty claim and we'll see where that leads, but I'm getting sick and tired of this constant headache and am looking at what options are available to alleviate this recurring problem. I've always tried to be value conscious with my purchases and I feels as if I'm struggling here.

This isn't isolated to wheels, but it seems like since 2018, prices have gone crazy and any value aluminum wheelset is effectively $550-600. Otherwise, lower cost options seem to be some flavor of rebranded wtb rim (meh, but decent enough) with swiss cheese Novatec hubs.

Is there any middle ground or value stuff that won't be trashy rebranded hubs or just whatever junk e.13 has out there? Current thinking is to move away from the complete wheelset system and invest in some wheel building tools and get a DT Swiss 350 rear hub. It seems like the most reasonably priced hub system that is serviceable and won't blow up.

Thoughts?

Keep in mind, the DT350/240 freehub bearing is NOT easily serviceable. You need a special splined tool to remove the splined ratchet ring and the tool routinely breaks in half because people have to use 8 foot cheater bars to try and break it free...and it still does not budge. It also puts crazy forces on the wheel during the process. In this sense, a Hope hub with some quality bearings put in is 1000x times easier to service. Those freehub bearings are easily replaced in the Hope.

350/240 hubs ARE quality hubs, the above is the Achilles's Heel. They made 70% of them 100% serviceable...but that remaining 30% is a crap shoot.



Opened up my E13 BB the other day to check on it, they come with NTN bearings, smooth as butter 1.5 years later.

 

[MrBaker87]

I purchased a set of Hope Pro 4s to Hope DH rims on chain reaction cycles for around $500 USD this past Winter. The rims have stayed (surprisingly) true despite my best attempts and I don’t worry about the hubs at all. Even if you do blow up the rims, they are solid hubs to lace new rims to.

they also come in pretty colors

 

[Inclag]

Hope is on the radar certainly. The slightly reduced weight is nice, but not a significant need. I do appreciate that like DT they are designed with serviceability in mind and there are lots of bits and pieces that they produce to address the ever changing shitshow of standards. I do recall @Gary noting that they can fail in various ways, but from my limited knowledge it seems like one of the more reasonably implemented ratchet ring hubs. I guess that's where my slight concern with hope lies. I'm killing hubs at an alarming rate, and granted that's probably due to Novatec, but any ratchet ring is at risk of suffering the same failure modes eventually, and I'm just sheepish about that.

 

[Gary]

ovalizing the hub shell itself

where abouts?
got any pics?

I've cracked many hub shells and flanges, axles pawls and springs (mainly Hope's) but never heard of a hub shell ovalising. Or do you mean the bearing seat has ovalised through seized bearing or bent axle?

Hope hubs are ok, but TBH there's nothing amazing about them in any way. But if you're a hub destroyer (and UK based) they could be a good choice as at least they have every spare part readily available. I bought so many Hope hubs in the past and recommended them to many people because their warranty and customer service was so good. like amazingly good! I still get Hope stuff at trade prices but their warranty is no longer what it once was and dealing with some of their newer staff who don't seem to understand what customer service even is means I haven't bought a single new Hope product for myself in years.

 

[englertracing]

Keep in mind, the DT350/240 freehub bearing is NOT easily serviceable. You need a special splined tool to remove the splined ratchet ring and the tool routinely breaks in half because people have to use 8 foot cheater bars to try and break it free...and it still does not budge. It also puts crazy forces on the wheel during the process. In this sense, a Hope hub with some quality bearings put in is 1000x times easier to service. Those freehub bearings are easily replaced in the Hope.

350/240 hubs ARE quality hubs, the above is the Achilles's Heel. They made 70% of them 100% serviceable...but that remaining 30% is a crap shoot.



Opened up my E13 BB the other day to check on it, they come with NTN bearings, smooth as butter 1.5 years later.

On the 350 I seem to recall not having to untread anything, while the 240, the ratchet ring reciever has to come out to get to the bearing.
It seems your implying that there are versions of each that threaded, which does suck....

 

[Inclag]

Not sure of the precise term, but the drive ratchet fractured in the hub. The shell in that area and associated flange region is no longer remotely round.

 

[Rhubarb]

I have been on Hope hubs exclusively for the past decade and no issues for me, and never had to deal with their CS. My only gripe is the weak sauce freehub body. I prefer to run the steel body but the one I bought last year seemed expensive, like double in price from the previous one I purchased. Really liking the Fortus wheels I also picked up last year.

I have been interested in trying a hub with quicker engagement, but not at the price of CK or Hadley.

 

[Gary]

Not sure of the precise term, but the drive ratchet fractured in the hub. The shell in that area and associated flange region is no longer remotely round.

Ratchet ring
and yeah, it's properly shat itself.
Was there no indication of something wrong before it failed? loose bearings/sticky freewheeling etc.?

 

[troy]

Superstar components (UK) have an option to build a custom wheelset on their site. You can get a complete wheelsets from them as well, with UK made hubs, mavic rims, etc

Custom Wheel Generator - Pair of Wheels - Superstar Components

Use our custom wheel generator to build the wheelset of your dreams in a few easy steps!

www.superstarcomponents.com

Mavic 2020 V6 Wheelset - Probuild Performance - Superstar Components

Mavic 2020 V6 Wheelset - Probuild Performance

www.superstarcomponents.com

 

[StiHacka]

Hadleys are investment for life.

 

[Electric_City]

Not sure of the precise term, but the drive ratchet fractured in the hub. The shell in that area and associated flange region is no longer remotely round.

What hubs are you trashing? That's a start as what to recommend.

The DT's (340's) on my DH bike are from 2017 and never had an issue.

Hadleys have been on all my pedaly bikes since 2010 with no issues either.

Both need a little TLC, but I never ruined one either.

 

[jonKranked]

Hadleys are investment for life.

Agreed. My oldest Hadley can buy cigarettes and lottery tickets.

 

[englertracing]

Not sure of the precise term, but the drive ratchet fractured in the hub. The shell in that area and associated flange region is no longer remotely round.

What hub is that?
Does that drive ring just drop in?
If so movement and the slots are what destroyed it.

 

[Inclag]

The hub is Novatec under the guise of Nukeproof Horizon. The freewheel started to become draggy. I was guessing/hoping that it was the result of contamination since the freehub seal design is weak sauce.....Nope. The drop in ratchet ring design is laughable.

 

[slimshady]

Superstar components (UK) have an option to build a custom wheelset on their site. You can get a complete wheelsets from them as well, with UK made hubs, mavic rims, etc

Custom Wheel Generator - Pair of Wheels - Superstar Components

Use our custom wheel generator to build the wheelset of your dreams in a few easy steps!

www.superstarcomponents.com

Mavic 2020 V6 Wheelset - Probuild Performance - Superstar Components

Mavic 2020 V6 Wheelset - Probuild Performance

www.superstarcomponents.com

Came here to recommend Superstar too. Good customer service, a decent selection of small parts available, and good prices.

 

[Inclag]

Came here to recommend Superstar too. Good customer service, a decent selection of small parts available, and good prices.

No USA shipment unfortunately for Superstar parts.

Leaning on getting a DT 350. Struggling to rationalize any other option.

 

[slimshady]

Ah, I thought you were at the other side of the pond. Yeah, the downside to Superstar is their stupid courier service. 80 bucks to ship a headset to Argentina... If you have some UK or EU contact who could receive the hubs for you and then send them over to 'Murika it could work. That's what I ended up doing when I got my Slackerizer.

 

[dump]

On a dt/hugi from forever ago... 15 years? Service it once every several years... been so solid.

 

[jstuhlman]

No USA shipment unfortunately for Superstar parts.

Leaning on getting a DT 350. Struggling to rationalize any other option.

why not hope? perhaps slightly cheaper...in my experience, easily serviceable, adaptable to various standards, and durable

 

[6thElement]

why not hope? perhaps slightly cheaper...in my experience, easily serviceable, adaptable to various standards, and durable

I think I've got 10k+ miles on a 2009 pro2/arch 29er wheelset. Recently updated the rear hub to a new axle so it could take an XD freehub.

 

[englertracing]

I would hadley or 350

 

[kidwoo]

The hub is Novatec

Gee, I wonder why you're having so many issues.



Buy a real hub. That includes dt swiss complete wheelsets.

CK
Hadley
Hope
I9
dt-swiss


Just include one of those words

 

[Kurt_80]

I've destroyed my 3rd freehub in as many years, this time ovalizing the hub shell itself. I weigh only 185lbs and frankly don't put nearly the mileage on my wheels a fair amount of you do.

I'm putting in my 3rd warranty claim and we'll see where that leads, but I'm getting sick and tired of this constant headache and am looking at what options are available to alleviate this recurring problem. I've always tried to be value conscious with my purchases and I feels as if I'm struggling here.

This isn't isolated to wheels, but it seems like since 2018, prices have gone crazy and any value aluminum wheelset is effectively $550-600. Otherwise, lower cost options seem to be some flavor of rebranded wtb rim (meh, but decent enough) with swiss cheese Novatec hubs.

Is there any middle ground or value stuff that won't be trashy rebranded hubs or just whatever junk e.13 has out there? Current thinking is to move away from the complete wheelset system and invest in some wheel building tools and get a DT Swiss 350 rear hub. It seems like the most reasonably priced hub system that is serviceable and won't blow up.

Thoughts?

What bike is this wheel going on?

I've got a Hope Pro 4 DH with a steel freehub body on the back of my V10. It's been solid for 4 + years. I'm not a fanboi - the sale price on CRC sold it most for me - but no regrets and I would recommend that for a DH sled.

Laced to LB carbon rims in a DH layup FWIW.

 

[HardtailHack]

I learned to not buy light weight parts a few years ago but a closeout sale on Syntace hubs saw me grab a set.
I have killed a set of pawls, I contacted the distributor saying that I did not purchase the hubs through them and that I put a touch of Slick Honey in it to shut it up which was not recommended.

Turned out that they have an international warranty and I was sorted out with some even louder pawls that are supposedly stronger. I bought some other parts from the local distributor because I felt like an asshole after getting warranty, hub is still going strong after a year and the knock off star ratchet looks like new.
I'm moderately impressed as the Syntace hubs are around 20% lighter than Hopes and I am a fat bloke with a hardtail, something should have given by now.

 

[Sandwich]

I have a couple of novatec setups and they're fine unless you do anything challenging on them...like mountain bike.

I'd get yourself a sixer of the finest schlitz (or 4loko) and build yourself a wheel. I got chiner carbons on onyx hubs for way less than the fancy guys...but there are plenty of good hubs out there without spending as much.

 

[djjohnr]

I switched to Hope hubs ~10 years ago after breaking a 240. No regrets. I love the fact that they prioritize coming out with adapters for every new standard that comes along.

 

[Inclag]

What bike is this wheel going on?

Long shocked Mega 290. It's my one and only.

Gee, I wonder why you're having so many issues.

Buy a real hub. That includes dt swiss complete wheelsets.

Bit the bullet this morning and just grabbed a 350 rear hub, e532 rim, brass nips, and spokes. As far as I could tell, it was the law of diminishing returns for anything priced higher than the 350.

Obviously the Novatec products are trash, but the experience has made me skeptical or running a ratchet/pawl setups moving forward.

Now that that's resolved, hopefully CRC does a solid as they have done in the past and warranties this 3rd set of wheels so I can sell them and offset the cost... was hoping to scramble together minimal funds for some other goodies/updates.

 

[dump]

Nice. I built a 350 wheel about 6 years ago and it’s been flawless. Solid kit imo.

 

[schwaaa31]

... was hoping to scramble together minimal funds for a riding trip next weekend.

Fixed that for you.

 

[Inclag]

Fixed that for you.

So I can get waxed by all ya'll that been putting in the miles this spring and probably destroy my newly laced up rim??? How is it that you fuckers can get a year+ out of wheels baffles me. Is it the porters and apple juice? I'd happily hop off the IPA train if the tradeoff is a wheel that remains round....

I'd truly love to go, but in all likelyhood probably not happening. It isn't so much the Covid, but just trying to be a bit more sensible with the cash monies with Kate furloughed and us taking on a sizable (for us) renovation project. Bummed about the collateral with reduced riding earlier this year since I was essentially working a second job, but I'm totally down for getting out now that we're at the stage of paying others to do the rest of the work....

 

[schwaaa31]

So I can get waxed by all ya'll that been putting in the miles this spring and probably destroy my newly laced up rim??? How is it that you fuckers can get a year+ out of wheels baffles me. Is it the porters and apple juice? I'd happily hop off the IPA train if the tradeoff is a wheel that remains round....

I'd truly love to go, but in all likelyhood probably not happening. It isn't so much the Covid, but just trying to be a bit more sensible with the cash monies with Kate furloughed and us taking on a sizable (for us) renovation project. Bummed about the collateral with reduced riding earlier this year since I was essentially working a second job, but I'm totally down for getting out now that we're at the stage of paying others to do the rest of the work....

The door will be open if the stars align.

I chewed through the Novatec that came on my Vitus. Scored a set of wheels off Dupes that had Hope hubs. No more issues while I had them. Lamp is on his 3rd rear hub in 3 months. He keeps buying cheap shit though. I just got him a 350. Getting laced up this week

 

[englertracing]

destroy my newly laced up rim??? How is it that you fuckers can get a year+ out of wheels baffles me.

Try unweighting over rocks vs riding through them?
Maybe aim for the back of some rocks rather than dead center on top of the pointy ones?

Also using enough pressure and the proper casing for the task at hand helps too...

 

[Jm_]

Since about 2010, the "in" thing has been running not-enough pressure to prevent rim contact with the terrain.

 

[englertracing]

Since about 2010, the "in" thing has been running not-enough pressure to prevent rim contact with the terrain.

View attachment 147211

I recently had the gf take some high speed video running over some 2-4" trail crap, some small roots and rocks, basically shit you dont need to worry about and can just mow down with your eyes closed, was studying rebound for a 2 stage rebound shim stack.... blah blah.
Anyways I was shocked to see the amount of deformation the maxxis dh case tire has at 30psi on a 30mm id rim, on tiny insignificant nothing trail trash. Really blew my mind that the dh case was such a pushover and surprised me that i don't hear more pinging on actual rocks

 

[Gary]

I'm shocked you think 30psi is a high enough pressure for a 2.5 tyre that it wouldn't deform over trail trash.
Deformation and conforming to surfaces is kinda the point of a pneumatic tyre

 

[Wuffles]

I've had bad luck with DT Swiss hubs, like JM has. Destroyed both a 350 and a 240. The ratchet teeth get stripped and worn, and then you get a big KA-CHUNK and usually something else cracks. Parts are easy to get, and warranty support is great, but replacing the ratchet sucks and really I shouldn't have to do that on a quality hub.

Hope, I9, CK, or Hadley are good, doesn't seem to be any big issues with them. You can probably get a good deal on an "old" I9 torch hub now that the new Hydra is out.

But in my book, Onyx is king. Yes, pricey. Yes, slightly heavier. But dead silent, fastest rolling, and I've never had to do any maintenance to them. Replaced the grease once on the assumption that after three seasons of riding w/o maintenance it would be dirty. It wasn't.

Hubs should be a "buy once, cry once" deal as long as they have interchangeable endcaps for whatever BS slightly different axle standard is coming, and get moved from bike to bike and wheel to wheel.

 

[englertracing]

What were you lubeing your dt with?
Was it grease?

 

[ZHendo]

But in my book, Onyx is king. Yes, pricey. Yes, slightly heavier. But dead silent, fastest rolling, and I've never had to do any maintenance to them. Replaced the grease once on the assumption that after three seasons of riding w/o maintenance it would be dirty. It wasn't.

Honestly, I used to subscribe to the "any hub with decent bearings" mindset until I bit the bullet and tried an Onyx hub. The silence is truly bliss, they're absurdly easy to service, and a full 2 seasons of PNW riding has the bearings still running completely smooth. According to Onyx, the clutch mechanism is greased FOR LIFE, so unless you contaminate it somehow, it doesn't ever need service. I recently pulled my Onyx hub (well, it's a NOBL (very slightly lighter), made by Onyx) and was absolutely blown away by how clean the internals were. There are high-quality and very low drag seals all over the axle system. Despite the weight and all the seals, it's the fastest rolling hub I've ever had. It spins forever in the truing stand, and the locking end-cap means that hamfisted clamping it in the dropouts of your bike doesn't affect the bearing preload and slow things down.

The bonus is that with Onyx recently releasing their Vesper hub, you can find the older, heavier (but burlier) model used for fairly cheap. I've seen a few posted somewhat recently, they go quickly but can be had for a reasonable price. Downside of the older model, like what I have, is that there is no Microspline driver available, nor will there be, plus it's heavy.