[iridebikes]

Hey, anyone know what the WTB laserdisc hubs are like? I have one of the qr disc hubs on my trials bike and It's super light and seems to be working out pretty well. I'm building up a new dh bike and I'm wondering how well their dh hubs work. I've never had any major problems with hubs or wheels other than old cheap freehub bodies that were abused and used for trials when they shouldn't have been... oh well!

So how tough are they? how do the freehub bodies hold up? They're super light so that's why I'm concidering them. That, and they're fairly inexpensive.

 

[iridebikes]

any other suggestions for hubs other than the WTB's? Hadley's are nice, but a bit too heavy for me. How are the DT swiss hubs?

 

[peachy]

WTBs? they are known for blowing up.

 

[iridebikes]

what blows up on them though? I need specifics. Not just, they suck, or they're good. What's bad about them? what's good about them? if something breaks, what usually breaks? do the freehub body's blow up? do the flanges blow up?

 

[bomberboy11]

Buy the new generation of Stealth Hub from True Precision - they're coming soon. If you think the WTB hub is good on a trials bike, wait until you try riding insant engagement.

 

[konastab01]

Its all about I9s

 

[Tame Ape]

I've run the AC hub without any issue and now have the WTB SS hub, also without issue. I have heard some chatter of issues but nothing has yet to materialize in my experience. I did email WTB about the fact that the SS cassette body uses a ghetto alu lock-ring and they got back to me post-haste. If thats not a good sign, I don't know what is.

The weight is right on even if the engagement is nothing fast. It has not slipped once or done anything to cause concern.

Oh, I am only trail riding on these hubs.

AC= American Classic

 

[Tame Ape]

Buy the new generation of Stealth Hub from True Precision - they're coming soon. If you think the WTB hub is good on a trials bike, wait until you try riding insant engagement.

Sweeeeeeeeet, more vapor-ware that will cost a butt-load of cash.

And when it does show up, it'l be well after this fellow has bought, ridden and destroyed his wheelset and moved on to something else.

 

[bikenweed]

The axle just broke on my Specialized Stout rear hub and I'm looking for a new axle/hub. It'll be easiest to put a new axle in, but buying a new hub might be the only option. So these WTB hubs are hard to get out here, but what other hubs besides Hadleys, Kings and Industry 9s would you Monkies sugest? I'm thinking something qr, light, and cheap. Probably Deore. Any more thoughts?

 

[Mike B.]

We sell quite a few WTB hubbed wheelsets and even more American Classic (which are very similar) for xc and trail use. If you're going to have any trouble at all it is probably going to be the end of the spring that engages the cam plate breaking off. The newer hubs have a larger diameter spring wire and I don't believe I had a customer have problems with one yet. The WTB is tough to beat for the price. You might also check out the new Hope Pro II hubs. I've built a few and they seem to be just as good as previous Hope hubs. The rear has 24 points of engagement and 5 sealed cartridge bearings with a weight of about 285g or so.

 

[J]

I personally think Hadley's are worth the extra weight and money since they will last.

Speaking of Hadleys...
Where does everyone buy their new hadley hubs from? Whos got the best prices?

 

[RhinofromWA]

I personally think Hadley's are worth the extra weight and money since they will last.

Speaking of Hadleys...
Where does everyone buy their new hadley hubs from? Whos got the best prices?

http://www.hadley.com/

 

[Chimponarope]

Personally I'd buy the new Hope Pro II's that way you get good quality, cheap (well they are here compared to most other things!), and, most importantly, they can be changed into 150, thru axle etc etc if you ever need to.

I've got a Shimano XT on the back of my Enduro and I really don't like the freewheel, seems to take forever to engage after riding Hopes for 5 years, for what its worth.

 

[Monkeybidnezz]

The axle just broke on my Specialized Stout rear hub and I'm looking for a new axle/hub. It'll be easiest to put a new axle in, but buying a new hub might be the only option. So these WTB hubs are hard to get out here, but what other hubs besides Hadleys, Kings and Industry 9s would you Monkies sugest? I'm thinking something qr, light, and cheap. Probably Deore. Any more thoughts?

I would look in to the Azonic Outlaw set for a cheap wheel build. Pretty good bang for the buck considering you can get the whole wheelset for about ~200-250 on Ebay brand new. Multiple axle options as well. The XT's work, I used it for 3 bikes, but make sure you service it once in a while. Kind of like owning a boxxer, take care if it, and it will take care of you.

 

[Spunger]

I agree, Hope or Hadley hubs are your best bet for not only a light hub/strength wise but you can get parts for them pretty easy. They also both give you options of different axles to run.

The stealth stuff was nice but then everything stopped and left all previous owners with no support/spare parts etc.....which sucks. I don't care how good a company is.....if you support their product and they cancel it then YOU are the screwed one, not them. Hope/Hadley have been around long enough and there's so many of them out there that you'll support probably longer than you'll own the hub

 

[bomberboy11]

The stealth stuff was nice but then everything stopped and left all previous owners with no support/spare parts etc.....which sucks. I don't care how good a company is.....if you support their product and they cancel it then YOU are the screwed one, not them. Hope/Hadley have been around long enough and there's so many of them out there that you'll support probably longer than you'll own the hub

I'd like to clarify this. Production was put on hold because the company had some other priorities (they don't exclusively make bike parts, and in fact, that is a very small facet of the company). The product is NOT cancelled. It is being revised and improved to a higher standard before it is put back on the market, and support will be given in the near future in the form of a better hub.

 

[wingman24]

Its all about I9s

yes it is, and for $850, it should be.

 

[iridebikes]

I've owned hadley's. they're good hubs. bearings got pretty bad pretty fast though... at least faster than they should have. I was pretty much sold on industry nines until i realized that I could lace up my own wheelset for less money and still have them be lighter(using WTB hubs). The engagement doesn't matter that much... it's a downhill bike... I'm not riding trials on it, that's what my king is for. My hadley on my current canfield F1 is more than enough. I'm running an xt on my dirt jump/4x bike and I'm totally fine with having 15 engagement points.

Has anyone had any experience with the front 20mm WTB laserdisc hub? it's pretty much the lightest thing out there that I can find, and super cheap. I think I might cave, and buy an Industry nine for the back... But if I'm doing that I might as well get the matching set shouldn't I? I guess I have way too many options. Now I need to figure out if I want to run the mavic 823's or the mavic 721's with the ghetto tubless system... so many choices!

 

[konastab01]

yes it is, and for $850, it should be.

You Knows it mate

 

[bikenweed]

*attempts to order an axle for a Stout rear hub, and realizes no one in Spain, even the distributor, knows that Specialized makes hubs, let alone rear hubs, or bolt-on rear hubs. Throws brick through window and screams to the god of hubs.

 

[iridebikes]

So i'm pretty much assuming that the WTB hubs are to be avoided then? are there any other light options out there other than the indy9's?

 

[scottmeister]

I wouldn't touch WTB hubs if someone paid me. I had a Laserdisc DH rear, and the freehub (specifically the engagement system) was stuffed every few weeks. Just wouldn't engage. Bearings were average too. I've seen numerous others stuff up too, same circumstances. The inside if the freehub looks like the inside of a grandfather clock- clunky, old, outdated design.

Owning, and having owned DT Swiss 440s, Hadleys, and numerous others, I only have praise for Hadley and DT Swiss. The DT bearing seem to be smoother, but Hadley's attention to detail on hub and quality machining (not to mention nice 108 pt engagement system, rock solid) is excellent. If you are going to be cheap and get a cheap hub, you can't complain when it blows up

 

[iridebikes]

If you are going to be cheap and get a cheap hub, you can't complain when it blows up

I never said cheap, just light. The WTB's seemed to fit both of those however. I'm just going to stick with the indy 9's.

how are the DT swiss rims? Every 6.1 I've seen has been dented all to hell, and i've heard rumors taht the 5.1's are a fairly good rim and they're quite a bit lighter. I'm thinking either those or the mavic 721's. those are proven and fairly bombproof. I'd be running the ghetto tubeless system, or should i just go with the 823's? Any advice?

 

[DirtyMike]

any other suggestions for hubs other than the WTB's? Hadley's are nice, but a bit too heavy for me. How are the DT swiss hubs?

DT swiss Hubs are awesome, Youll like those

 

[wingman24]

I never said cheap, just light. The WTB's seemed to fit both of those however. I'm just going to stick with the indy 9's.

how are the DT swiss rims? Every 6.1 I've seen has been dented all to hell, and i've heard rumors taht the 5.1's are a fairly good rim and they're quite a bit lighter. I'm thinking either those or the mavic 721's. those are proven and fairly bombproof. I'd be running the ghetto tubeless system, or should i just go with the 823's? Any advice?

I'm not to stoked on the fact that they come with the FR6.1, but to buy the wheels without the rims will only save you $50, so I would say get the factory wheel and kill the 6.1's, than put your rim of choice on those bad boys (as of now I9 can't get Mavic rims at a good enough price to make it worth while). they can get pritty much any rim from Sun, If you want a Bombproof wheel, *get the DH wheelset built up with a pair or Mag 30's , I know they're heavy, but with the I9 system straped to them they weigh about the same as Hadley/823. **thats what I'm going to do****

 

[wingman24]

*****keep in mind that I9 wheels take 4-5 weeks, so if you want them for spring you should order them early.**********

 

[iridebikes]

Ya, I had a feeling it would take a while, but I don't have my frame yet. I actually just sold my "old" frame this morning, so I have the cash to place the order for the wheels and pay for most of the frame as well. I know they do special builds so I think I'm going to call them tomorrow and see what it would take for a set of mavic rims. I might end up buying a set of rims so i can figure out the ERD, and then have them build the correct size spokes. I'm thinking black hub red spokes with the black mavic rims would match my custom painted canfield brothers F1 with a black rear triangle, powder coat white links, red front triangle painted to match the red decals on the '06 boxxer world cup that will be on the front. Along with my juicy carbons and my x.0 it will be real perdy! All black white and red!

 

[SCABRIDER]

i have the wtb laser disc dh wheels/hubs and they suck, stealth hubs are so much better, instant engagement is like no other...

 

[maxyedor]

Bikenweed look at Shimano axles they should be the same.

The issue with WTB hubs was that recently they lightened the cassette carier and got it to light, well they started to brake, but WTB has remidied the issue and will ship free replacement parts to anyone who has a problem.

 

[bomberboy11]

Scabrider, I just noticed the True Precision link in your sig - do you have any affiliation with the company?