# Hubs for Clydes



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

Ok, so we all know that Chris King, Hope, and DT Swiss all make Clyde compatible hubs. 

There's a ton of new players in the game now, so has anyone had any luck with some of the other brands of hubs?

I see on here, that Spank rims get a lot of recognition, but never see anything about their hubs. What about Reynolds, or Easton? Maybe we can get an updated version of what works, and what doesn't?


----------



## ElBorracho62 (Nov 6, 2014)

How heavy are you? I've had awesome luck with my two soon to be three sets Industry 9 wheels.


----------



## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

I'm currently using BHS MTB270 with great results. I'm 250-260#. I have destroyed several Shimano hubs over the years.


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

ElBorracho62 said:


> How heavy are you? I've had awesome luck with my two soon to be three sets Industry 9 wheels.


~235 w/gear. I9 are another one of the known good hubs. I had awesome luck with mine, but unfortunately sold them a few years ago.


----------



## ElBorracho62 (Nov 6, 2014)

If you had awesome luck why wouldn't you just get another set? Especially when dealing with a small US based manufacturer.... if you just have to be different check out Onyx Hubs..... made in the us and have a lot of attractive features.... they are however really quiet.... so I've Been told.... which really sucks something about a noisy freehub soothes the soul


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

I can't really afford another set of I9's right now, and I want to ride my single speed again. I'm on my second rear hub already.


----------



## TooTallUK (Jul 5, 2005)

I have no idea why people see trashing hubs as a badge of honor and not an expensive sign that their technique could do with some attention.


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

TooTallUK said:


> I have no idea why people see trashing hubs as a badge of honor and not an expensive sign that their technique could do with some attention.


Not bragging about trashing a hub. My riding terrain consists of no flat ground, huge rocks and a lot of short, steep hills that require standing to get up. This is what trashes my hubs. Mainly the freehub starts making noise, and then quits all together.

I was looking at wheels on Ebay, and there's a lot of new options out there. There's some good deals on wheels right now, but not many reviews for Clydes on a lot of them. I was hoping some other guys on here might have had some time on some of these other wheels, and wanted to share their opinions.


----------



## woehlckabout (Aug 17, 2012)

Spank have held up for a year at 280lbs in pisgah and around Phoenix. After a year the rear gave out but spank covered it and sent me a new one. I'm not proud of trashing rear hubs but I am currently unaware of it being a technique issue. Isn't it just torque? I'll say i9s are great but pricey my girl loves hers and I've thrashed them a few times. 
I've also destroyed several shimano hubs. Beware a lot of the freehub bodies are aluminum now and get notched pretty bad pretty quickly.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

I weigh about 265. I have Hopes and Bike Hub Store hubs on my bikes. All are doing well.


----------



## B888S (Feb 18, 2013)

I have been running a set of Hadley hubs for about two years and 2K miles. They have never given me a hint of trouble. Plus they have titanium free hub bodies and they also come in gold!


----------



## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

235lb's here & I'm liking a Nukeproof rear hub on my 29er FS... after destroying a heavy duty 'something or other'.

Had a couple of issues with a Deore Free Hub running an ext. cog (650b AM mule), in the past. XT 11-42 has put a stop to that.

:knocks-on-wood:

Sent from my kltedv using Tapatalk


----------



## Bhaalgorn (Jul 16, 2015)

I'm about 230 lbs kitted, and I've been running Stan's 3.30s on my SS and FS for years without issue.


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

Bhaalgorn said:


> I'm about 230 lbs kitted, and I've been running Stan's 3.30s on my SS and FS for years without issue.


That's weird, I've read nothing but bad reviews on the 3.30 hubs for us portly fellers.

I'm also gonna use this on a SS, and never really have this problem on my geared bike. It's got DT Swiss 370's on it.


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

woehlckabout said:


> Spank have held up for a year at 280lbs in pisgah and around Phoenix. After a year the rear gave out but spank covered it and sent me a new one. I'm not proud of trashing rear hubs but I am currently unaware of it being a technique issue. Isn't it just torque? I'll say i9s are great but pricey my girl loves hers and I've thrashed them a few times.
> I've also destroyed several shimano hubs. Beware a lot of the freehub bodies are aluminum now and get notched pretty bad pretty quickly.


Interesting. Spanks are one of the wheels I was looking at. I like the wider rim, and I thought they'd make a nice addition to my SS bike.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

kevhogaz said:


> That's weird, I've read nothing but bad reviews on the 3.30 hubs for us portly fellers.


And i've had nothing but bad experiences with them. I own 2 sets.

I'll happily throw down for some 'investment' hubs. They're cheaper than the OK ones in terms of cost per mile.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Yep. Stan's hubs are not clyde hubs. 

One of my riding buddies that weighs about 170 has no trouble with one.


----------



## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

I'm 265 lb and will only buy DT Swiss 350's or 240's. I almost went with hadley hubs on my last wheel build but , I like how silent DT hubs are.
check out universal cycles wheelbuilder program , you can pick and choose exactly what you want.


----------



## Razor Hoof (Nov 4, 2015)

For the money, I can't see how DT 350s can be beat unless you've got a ton of tech on your climbs that you need to ratchet over. Even then, the 36 tooth ratchet should be sufficient. 

I based my wheel building business around Clydes, and DT 350s are all I use. Their ratchet design is superb.


----------



## -Todd- (Jun 13, 2011)

225lbs over here. None of my DT hubs is silent, they buzz like a pack of angry bees. None of my DT hubs has let me down either. 240, 350 BigRide, Roval 240... Simple and strong.


----------



## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

280 here. Hope Pro 3s on my Camber. CK Classics on my Domane. Novatecs on my Monkey.

All said, I would not pay the regular price for Kings (I paid $400 for the wheelset used). The Hopes are really nice, but I wouldn't spend the $ again on them either. I would repeat the purchase of my Novatecs all day long though. Super affordable and REALLY nice.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Knight511 said:


> 280 here. Hope Pro 3s on my Camber. CK Classics on my Domane. Novatecs on my Monkey.
> 
> All said, I would not pay the regular price for Kings (I paid $400 for the wheelset used). The Hopes are really nice, but I wouldn't spend the $ again on them either. I would repeat the purchase of my Novatecs all day long though. Super affordable and REALLY nice.


How long have you had the novatecs? Have you had trouble with hubs in the past?


----------



## Bhaalgorn (Jul 16, 2015)

Knight511 said:


> 280 here. Hope Pro 3s on my Camber. CK Classics on my Domane. Novatecs on my Monkey.
> 
> All said, I would not pay the regular price for Kings (I paid $400 for the wheelset used). The Hopes are really nice, but I wouldn't spend the $ again on them either. I would repeat the purchase of my Novatecs all day long though. Super affordable and REALLY nice.


What model are your Novatecs? I've been thinking about doing a chiner build and a carbon wheelset with Novas are <$400.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

BikeHubStore.com

I'd use these LONG before most other low dollar hubs. They're pretty low buck without actually sucking.


----------



## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

-Todd- said:


> 225lbs over here. None of my DT hubs is silent, they buzz like a pack of angry bees. None of my DT hubs has let me down either. 240, 350 BigRide, Roval 240... Simple and strong.


maybe my 18t is over greased lol.


----------



## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

johnD said:


> maybe my 18t is over greased lol.


My 18t is quiet, its very lightly greased. Guy with a 36t in my groups is noticeably loud.


----------



## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

Before my current set of Hope 4s on Flow MK3s on my RIP9, I had nothing but Formula hubs and never had a single issue.... Cheap, heavy but bullet proof - at least for me, @ 225lbs and over 3K miles.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

D Bone said:


> Before my current set of Hope 4s on Flow MK3s on my RIP9, I had nothing but Formula hubs and never had a single issue.... Cheap, heavy but bullet proof - at least for me, @ 225lbs and over 3K miles.


huh. I've had 2 formula freehubs fail, and they're basically impossible to replace. hard pass.


----------



## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

My Novatecs are the 541 front and 542 rear. I have not had them terribly long, but I have been on a great many other hub set and have no reason to believe these are weaker than anything else. Out of all the hubs I have had, the only one I had issues with was an older Shimano SLX rear hub that the lock nut for the cone nut just would NOT stay tight. 

I also think it is safe to say that a source like BikeHubStore is likely just selling rebadged Novatec hubs. Novatecs are used on a lot of wheelsets under other names. I order my hubs from BDopcycling.com. 6 days from Taiwan to my doorstep in Texas. 

As tootallUK, I think breaking hubs is more of a technique issue or trying to MASH your way through objects instead of pedaling through them. There are some exceptions, I am sure, but I have folded a cassette over on itself by using bad form. You don't see graceful riders TORQUING their way over obstacles. That said, I am FAR from a graceful rider (steamroller says it better), but I have never had an issue with hubs either.


----------



## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

scottzg said:


> huh. I've had 2 formula freehubs fail, and they're basically impossible to replace. hard pass.


Well, like with anything else, everyone has a different experience. Hell, I ran into a guy on the trail (figuratively) a few weeks ago and we were talking about my Hope4/Flow MK3/DT wheelset, and he said he had "nothin' but misery with his Hope 2 Evos".

I'm pretty sure he was the first that I have heard of with a 1st hand bad experience with Hope hubs.... I guess nothing is perfect as they say, not even Hope!


----------



## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

Knight511 said:


> My Novatecs are the 541 front and 542 rear. I have not had them terribly long, but I have been on a great many other hub set and have no reason to believe these are weaker than anything else. Out of all the hubs I have had, the only one I had issues with was an older Shimano SLX rear hub that the lock nut for the cone nut just would NOT stay tight.
> 
> *I also think it is safe to say that a source like BikeHubStore is likely just selling rebadged Novatec hubs.* Novatecs are used on a lot of wheelsets under other names. I order my hubs from BDopcycling.com. 6 days from Taiwan to my doorstep in Texas.
> 
> As tootallUK, I think breaking hubs is more of a technique issue or trying to MASH your way through objects instead of pedaling through them. There are some exceptions, I am sure, but I have folded a cassette over on itself by using bad form. You don't see graceful riders TORQUING their way over obstacles. That said, I am FAR from a graceful rider (steamroller says it better), but I have never had an issue with hubs either.


No, They are Bitex hubs without the logo.


----------



## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

There are more points to consider, such as the application. For example, I would use Hopes for a DH/park wheelset but not for a trail wheelset. That might sound counterintuitive to some, but you aren't applying a lot of torque riding downhill. You do when you're climbing in your granny gear. I've broken Hope freehub bodies, including steel. For a hub that will see significant climbing duty, I'll never choose a pawl spring design. My personal choices would be DT Swiss, King, or Onyx. If you plot cost versus performance, it's hard to argue against DT, but I'm really pleased with my Onyx hubs.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

huckleberry hound said:


> No, They are Bitex hubs without the logo.


Yep. Bitex. NOT Novatec.


----------



## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

huckleberry hound said:


> No, They are Bitex hubs without the logo.


I thought Novatec based on the shell looks alone. I heard good things about Bitex while I was shopping too.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

D Bone said:


> Well, like with anything else, everyone has a different experience. Hell, I ran into a guy on the trail (figuratively) a few weeks ago and we were talking about my Hope4/Flow MK3/DT wheelset, and he said he had "nothin' but misery with his Hope 2 Evos".
> 
> I'm pretty sure he was the first that I have heard of with a 1st hand bad experience with Hope hubs.... I guess nothing is perfect as they say, not even Hope!


Totally. My real issue with (at least my) formula hubs is that they rivet or weld or something the freehub in to place, so you can't replace the part without a lot of pain. The whole hub is done, which means lacing up a new wheel. That's ********.

Granted, i've destroyed a fair number of hubs. Some models consistently fail under me (like the two formulas i've had) and some go forever without issue. I interpret that to mean that some hubs are built to handle larger loads than others and it's not a technique problem. Only intended to comment on your comment, not refute your experience. :thumbsup:


----------



## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

D Bone said:


> Well, like with anything else, everyone has a different experience. Hell, I ran into a guy on the trail (figuratively) a few weeks ago and we were talking about my Hope4/Flow MK3/DT wheelset, and he said he had "nothin' but misery with his Hope 2 Evos".
> 
> I'm pretty sure he was the first that I have heard of with a 1st hand bad experience with Hope hubs.... I guess nothing is perfect as they say, not even Hope!


How do you like the MK3's ?


----------



## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

kevhogaz said:


> Not bragging about trashing a hub. My riding terrain consists of no flat ground, huge rocks and a lot of short, steep hills that require standing to get up. This is what trashes my hubs. Mainly the freehub starts making noise, and then quits all together.
> 
> I was looking at wheels on Ebay, and there's a lot of new options out there. There's some good deals on wheels right now, but not many reviews for Clydes on a lot of them. I was hoping some other guys on here might have had some time on some of these other wheels, and wanted to share their opinions.


 I'm more of a sit and spin guy. " Sometimes" it is technique. Depends on the rider.


----------



## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

johnD said:


> How do you like the MK3's ?


They're a good rim. I got a little goofy in the park last summer and put my front wheel into a rock outcrop that has a nose-shaped ridge sticking out at about 40% of the wheel's height. According to the GPS I was going 23 mph at the time, so as you'd expect I went up and over the bars. I snakebit the tire but only put a small dent in the rim, and it's still holding tubeless. Considering the impact was pretty localized due to the narrow (<1") rock ridge, I'm impressed by how it handled it.


----------



## schnee (Oct 15, 2005)

Razor Hoof said:


> For the money, I can't see how DT 350s can be beat unless you've got a ton of tech on your climbs that you need to ratchet over. Even then, the 36 tooth ratchet should be sufficient.
> 
> I based my wheel building business around Clydes, and DT 350s are all I use. Their ratchet design is superb.


THIS.

I did loaded touring with DT350's at 280 pounds + gear. Was standing to crank up stuff that was ridiculously steep, in the granny gear of a triple, which is the same way I broke hubs/wheels on three separate occasions on 29er mountain bikes.

But, with more weight, on a road touring bike no less, they've been flawless.

The only hubs I have left on my three bikes are King (on the road bike, 6+ years old) and DT Swiss (tourer and fat bike). I recommend DT Swiss to everyone for the excellent bang/buck.


----------



## D Bone (Jul 20, 2014)

johnD said:


> How do you like the MK3's ?


Man, so far they have been bullet proof. I now have over 200 miles on them and they are still as true as an arrow, and have not needed the typical '100 mile retension/retrue' that I'm used to buying factory wheelsets. I'm guessing that has more to do with the quality hand build than the rims, but whatever the reason, I like it.

My Maxxis Forekasters mount without a single lever and they snap into place at 25psi with soapy water on the beads. My builder used Stan's yellow 25mm tape and Stan's valves and they hold air like a vault. I removed all of the decals as I wanted the all black rim/spoke/nipple look with my orange Pro 4s and the red decals didn't fit into my scheme.

I went with 32 hole Hope 4s, Flow MK3s, DT Comp spokes and DT brass nipples as I wanted a bulletproof wheelset vs a light weight one. They are laterally the stiffest wheelset I have ever had. They have had several rock strikes (from rocks flipping up and hitting the rim sides, not from too low psi) and while there are several nicks in the finish, there are no dents of any kind so the newer alloy they are using seems pretty damn stout.

Highly recommended!


----------



## johnD (Mar 31, 2010)

D Bone said:


> Man, so far they have been bullet proof. I now have over 200 miles on them and they are still as true as an arrow, and have not needed the typical '100 mile retension/retrue' that I'm used to buying factory wheelsets. I'm guessing that has more to do with the quality hand build than the rims, but whatever the reason, I like it.
> 
> My Maxxis Forekasters mount without a single lever and they snap into place at 25psi with soapy water on the beads. My builder used Stan's yellow 25mm tape and Stan's valves and they hold air like a vault. I removed all of the decals as I wanted the all black rim/spoke/nipple look with my orange Pro 4s and the red decals didn't fit into my scheme.
> 
> ...


good to know , that's the way I feel about my flow ex rims.
stans offers different color decals now.
I put the stealth color on my rims.

MK3 Decals


----------



## GuitsBoy (Sep 24, 2013)

Another nod for the Bike Hub Store / Bitex Hubs. While I dont have the gnarliest terrain to ride around me, these things have held up well to my 240 lbs ride weight, mashing up walls in 28/42 gearing. I'm no stranger to popped freehubs, broken chains, and tacoed cassette cogs. The BHS hubs have been trouble free so far.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

schnee said:


> THIS.
> 
> I did loaded touring with DT350's
> 
> ...


This. There are a lot of decent hubs these days. The DT's stand out as being among the lightest, among the most durable, among the easiest to maintain, and among the least likely to need maintenance. I use them on all of my own bikes, my wife's bikes, and on the wheels of any/every customer that will let me.


----------



## tigris99 (Aug 26, 2012)

I'll put in another for BikeHubStore (BHS). Got a set for my fat bike wheel build. Been totally awesome and I've been hammering the hell outta it. 280lbs and 26/42.

I advise going the steel freehub body route unless using a top of the line cassette that's on all aluminum carriers, no loose cogs. It's a problem for normal skinny riders to get notches in the freehub splines on aluminum bodies if using a cassette that has mostly loose cogs. We just do it more quickly.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


----------



## bakerjw (Oct 8, 2014)

For a tandem that we are having built, we're using Onyx hubs. Their design is bulletproof. Pricey but bulletproof.


----------



## tbkfan (Aug 14, 2016)

I am also 230 lbs kitted and after blowing through 2 Shimano hubs (one Deore, one XT) on my hardtail, I bought a 2016 Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition in August last year. It came equipped with Stans 3.30 hubs. 525 km and about 30 rides later, the hub is toast. Replacing it with a Hope Pro 4 and hoping for better.

So... based on my experience, I would not recommend the Stan's 3.30 to other riders. Of course there are a whole lot of other variables that obviously come into play.


----------



## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

tbkfan said:


> So... based on my experience, I would not recommend the Stan's 3.30 to other riders. Of course there are a whole lot of other variables that obviously come into play.


not really, you summed it up pretty well, those hubs are junk.


----------



## fumanju (Apr 19, 2011)

I've been anywhere from 280 to as little as 215 on a few different hubs. 

Old Shimano wheelset (m505's maybe?): held up, wasn't super smooth, lame engagement
Spinergy Xyclone Enduro wheelset (hadley hub internals): surprisingly good hub. decent engagement, noticeable but not too loud, smooth rolling
Onyx: dead silent. sort of weird at first but just hearing tire on dirt is kind of neat. little/no resistance - hub spins for ages. instant engagement. 

I'm looking to build a new wheelset for my road/gravel bike and despite the weight penalty (i'll skip a few beers instead), i'll probably go onyx i love them so much on my mtb. they are pricey though


----------



## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

tbkfan said:


> I am also 230 lbs kitted and after blowing through 2 Shimano hubs (one Deore, one XT) on my hardtail, I bought a 2016 Rocky Mountain Thunderbolt BC Edition in August last year. It came equipped with Stans 3.30 hubs. 525 km and about 30 rides later, the hub is toast. Replacing it with a Hope Pro 4 and hoping for better.
> 
> So... based on my experience, I would not recommend the Stan's 3.30 to other riders. Of course there are a whole lot of other variables that obviously come into play.


I'm right there with you. I'm around 230 and I went through three Specialized Stout free hubs under warranty before getting a new wheelset. My LBS recommended WTB wheels with Shimano XT hubs based on my budget, and I've already blown out two XT freehubs. The last one had less than 65 miles on it. I'm going to go with a DT Swiss 350 this time.


----------



## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

XT hubs are great for kids, or very light riders, or very casual riders. They absolutely are not clyde hubs! If you dont beat up hubs, they're terrific hubs.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

One Pivot said:


> XT hubs are great for kids, or very light riders, or very casual riders. They absolutely are not clyde hubs! If you dont beat up hubs, they're terrific hubs.


I don't actively sell XT (or any Shimano) hubs to clydes. But I often (think 50+ times per year) get a 275 -> 350# guy that can't afford anything else. I sit him down, shine a real bright light in his eyes, explain that it might cost a lot more in the long run to go cheap at the beginning, and then explain why.

Of these, probably 40 will have me build them an XT-based wheelset. And of these, maybe 2, per year, will experience a freehub failure. One guy, maybe 10 years ago, actually had his front 20mm XT hub explode.

All of which is to reiterate that they aren't my first choice for clydes, but they emphatically can and do work for many.


----------



## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

One Pivot said:


> XT hubs are great for kids, or very light riders, or very casual riders. They absolutely are not clyde hubs! If you dont beat up hubs, they're terrific hubs.


I had A bike with shimano hubs so my lbs put a slx on it to not have to replace the spokes.

First one lasted a month, one light sprint up a small steep hill and gone.

Its replacement lasted one ride! Another steep short hill, pedalling up to it before standing up and torquing and bang. What a joke.

Now im dt 350 or 250 only. Might try hope 4s on my gravel grinder next.


----------



## Arebee (Sep 13, 2012)

mikesee said:


> I don't actively sell XT (or any Shimano) hubs to clydes. But I often (think 50+ times per year) get a 275 -> 350# guy that can't afford anything else. I sit him down, shine a real bright light in his eyes, explain that it might cost a lot more in the long run to go cheap at the beginning, and then explain why.


You should do this with the guy's wife!

I should have my rebuilt wheel this weekend, complete with a DT Swiss 350 hub. Can't wait to ride and not have to think about it.


----------



## schnee (Oct 15, 2005)

I used to only buy Chris King, but now I only buy DT Swiss.

To me, the bling, cool buzzing noise and quick pedal engagement is outweighed by much lower cost, lower maintenance, and cheaper service. 

Also, I feel bad about Chris King the company now. Don't read their entry at Glass Door unless you want to be disillusioned.


----------



## Rmplstlskn (Sep 18, 2015)

Just built a Clyde-friendly 29 Plus wheelset using 32-spoke White Industries BOOST XMR+ hubs with 42-point engagement. Used Easton ARC45 45mm rims and Sapim Strong 2.3/2.0 spokes with Sapim Secure nipples. Run it tubeless with Bontrager Chupacabra 3.0" wide tires.

Hubs are sweet and strong. Bearings are industry standard and cheap, compared to Chris King. No buzz, just lots of clicks.

I have also built 26" rims with Hadley hubs, which are super sweet and my favorite. I just got a good deal on eBay on the White hubs, otherwise I would have built on Hadley.


----------



## KTMNealio (Jun 17, 2016)

I gave the Framed PubHub a try. I figured with 6 pawls it would be Clyde approved. It only lasted 12 rides and then 4 of the 6 paws tore out of the freehub. 
So I got smart and went with the DT 350. I was concerned with the lazy engagement at first but now I don't even notice the difference.


----------



## goforbroke (Nov 11, 2008)

B888S said:


> I have been running a set of Hadley hubs for about two years and 2K miles. They have never given me a hint of trouble. Plus they have titanium free hub bodies and they also come in gold!


x2 My Hadleys hubs are 4 years old now and have never given me any trouble. I weigh around 250-255lbs suited and booted. 
I'm going with Hope Pro4's on my new HT build.

I'm not one to blow up hubs though.


----------



## Bike Whisperer (Aug 7, 2012)

One Pivot said:


> XT hubs are great for kids, or very light riders, or very casual riders. They absolutely are not clyde hubs! If you dont beat up hubs, they're terrific hubs.


I'm not a Clyde who is particularly hard on hubs, but I wouldn't use XT hubs. I do however use SLX hubs and so far have had no issues.


----------



## Nubster (May 15, 2009)

I find no reason to use anything but Hope. I've been riding them since 320 pounds and as low as 238 pounds and currently 255 pounds and stronger than I've even been since riding. They just keep on working. Never had an issue. And from what I hear, Hope is really good to deal with if you do have a problem. My second choice for performance to cost ratio would maybe be DT Swiss but I find that their lack of POE to be a real downside and the upgrade star ratchet put the cost up there with Hope and then you'll still be better off with Hope, IMO.

I'll also add that 2/3 of my bikes are single speed and see a lot of high torque standing on climbs and the Hope hubs on those two bikes haven't missed a beat.


----------



## donalson (Apr 13, 2004)

I loved my hope pros on my old 29er... never had an issue with them.

on my road bike I have dt swiss 240s, very simple ratchet design and also very solid and simple/quick maintenance...


----------



## mowmonster (Sep 28, 2012)

evasive said:


> There are more points to consider, such as the application. For example, I would use Hopes for a DH/park wheelset but not for a trail wheelset. That might sound counterintuitive to some, but you aren't applying a lot of torque riding downhill. You do when you're climbing in your granny gear. I've broken Hope freehub bodies, including steel. For a hub that will see significant climbing duty, I'll never choose a pawl spring design. My personal choices would be DT Swiss, King, or Onyx. If you plot cost versus performance, it's hard to argue against DT, but I'm really pleased with my Onyx hubs.


I can anecdotely confirm this with my pawl/I9's. I'm on bearing set #3 and freehub body #2 for a one year old set of I9's. I'm kind of regretting not building up a set of wheels of DT250's. 220lb's on I9.


----------



## shaquille_o'wheel (Sep 27, 2015)

mowmonster said:


> I can anecdotely confirm this with my pawl/I9's. I'm on bearing set #3 and freehub body #2 for a one year old set of I9's. I'm kind of regretting not building up a set of wheels of DT250's. 220lb's on I9.


Have you sent them in to the factory have them evaluated? Give the service guys a call and between myself and them we can get to the bottom of your issues


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

I've got 585 miles on a set of DT Swiss 370 hubs. They've been on two FS bikes, and now reside on my single speed. Never had one problem with 'em. I beat the crap out of 'em. too. 230+ with gear, SS is full rigid.

I put a set of Spank Oozy 295's on my Pivot. I've got almost 200 trouble free miles out of 'em, and yes, I beat the crap out of those too!!


----------



## solarplex (Apr 11, 2014)

Nubster said:


> I find no reason to use anything but Hope. I've been riding them since 320 pounds and as low as 238 pounds and currently 255 pounds and stronger than I've even been since riding. They just keep on working. Never had an issue. And from what I hear, Hope is really good to deal with if you do have a problem. My second choice for performance to cost ratio would maybe be DT Swiss but I find that their lack of POE to be a real downside and the upgrade star ratchet put the cost up there with Hope and then you'll still be better off with Hope, IMO.
> 
> I'll also add that 2/3 of my bikes are single speed and see a lot of high torque standing on climbs and the Hope hubs on those two bikes haven't missed a beat.


Its looking like $250 for a hope 4 fatsno canadian. 44t

A 350 with a 36t is $450 from UC can...

I paid $380 from LTP at my lbs for my 350 177 on my current fatbike.

Frick. I think ill go 197mm fatsno and get my lbs to put it on. I love my lbs but their suppliers are ****ing scam artists.

They really are bomb proof hey?


----------



## Barflyrocks (May 17, 2013)

After having 2 Novatechs fall apart on me I've switched to a SRAM XO. So far so good.


----------



## spaztwelve (Apr 14, 2006)

Last night, I completely overwhelmed my Formula hub (spec'ed on a Commencal Meta AM V42). It lasted longer than I expected, which is not to say it's a good hub. I'm building up a DT Swiss 350 wheel now.

Side note: I also cracked a SRAM free hub (XD Driver) earlier in the year. I didn't know that was possible. Clyde torque is nothing to be trifled with...


----------



## Uwibami (Apr 26, 2017)

Anybody have experience with the Hope Pro 4 hubs?


----------



## goforbroke (Nov 11, 2008)

Uwibami said:


> Anybody have experience with the Hope Pro 4 hubs?


I'm running them now, but I only have a little over 100 miles on them. 
Also I don't blow up hubs either, I spin instead of mash mash mash. 
Should be interesting to see when I convert over to single speed though.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

Uwibami said:


> Anybody have experience with the Hope Pro 4 hubs?


Best hub i've owned once i had a steel freehub body.


----------



## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Same here. I've hurt the alloy freehub body. Now I have steel on all my hubs. Been fine.


----------



## Uwibami (Apr 26, 2017)

Thanks guys


----------



## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

Uwibami said:


> Anybody have experience with the Hope Pro 4 hubs?


I will add the steel freebody soon enough, but I have had a Hope Pro4 for over a year. I love the hub. I am also a spinner though... I don't mash. The last time I mashed (to avoid falling on roots), I bent three of the gears on my cassette over on themselves..... mashing is expensive, spend the time to learn how to pedal better.


----------



## fumanju (Apr 19, 2011)

ElBorracho62 said:


> If you had awesome luck why wouldn't you just get another set? Especially when dealing with a small US based manufacturer.... if you just have to be different check out Onyx Hubs..... made in the us and have a lot of attractive features.... they are however really quiet.... so I've Been told.... which really sucks something about a noisy freehub soothes the soul


When i built my new bike last year, I had a set of NOBL wheels laced up to Onyx hubs. These hubs wheel forever be on any wheel I have going forward. The instant engagement on them is nothing short of fantastic. The are dead silent, so if you like a noisy freehub, they're not for you, but if you riding a trail on your own with no one else's noisy hubs around, the sound of just your tire on the dirt is kind of magical.


----------



## RAKC Ind (Jan 27, 2017)

Knight511 said:


> I will add the steel freebody soon enough, but I have had a Hope Pro4 for over a year. I love the hub. I am also a spinner though... I don't mash. The last time I mashed (to avoid falling on roots), I bent three of the gears on my cassette over on themselves..... mashing is expensive, spend the time to learn how to pedal better.


This is why light weight cassettes are bad.

Im 285lbs and can mash all I want, never an issue. But I stay away from exensivr, feather weight parts.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


----------



## Sasquatch1413 (Nov 6, 2008)

In my experience, keep the aluminum freehub and ride it for a while. It'll crack or bearings will blow up and Hope will send you a steel freehub as a free replacement


----------



## Knight511 (Nov 26, 2010)

RAKC Ind said:


> This is why light weight cassettes are bad.
> 
> Im 285lbs and can mash all I want, never an issue. But I stay away from exensivr, feather weight parts.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


I would not conisder the SRAM 1050 to be a lightweight cassette at all. ;-) The HG81 that replaced it has been rock solid though.


----------



## OneBadWagon (Mar 29, 2007)

I had a rough go with a couple of shimano hubs, but I've had zero problems with a hope SS hube, a couple of Hadleys, a couple of kings, and I'm just getting my first rides in with a new I9 rear. Most of the miles were SS, so lots of mashing, but not with super low gears.


----------



## askibum02 (Jul 7, 2005)

My last two bikes had Hope Pro2s and DT 350s. At 400 lbs I didn't have issues with either of them. I didn't make it a habit to stand up and mash, but I did occasionally with no ill effects. At 250lbs now, I'm looking for a new bike now, wondering if the Bontrager Alloy hubs are any good. Even the Stache 9.7 has them, which I actually find a little disturbing.


----------



## sgtrobo (Aug 19, 2014)

ElBorracho62 said:


> How heavy are you? I've had awesome luck with my two soon to be three sets Industry 9 wheels.


I'll second the I9 torches.


----------



## notso (Jan 22, 2015)

Just turned a Sram freehub into a multi-speed fixed gear yesterday. Didn't even bother taking it apart to get a look at what happened. I just dropped it off at the shop for warranty repair. If they refuse, I'll have to build up a wheel with a better hub (I've had good luck with a Hope pro II on my other bike). I am pretty surprised that the 24 spoke rim has actually held up quite well for over 9 moths of riding.


----------



## *OneSpeed* (Oct 18, 2013)

notso said:


> Just turned a Sram freehub into a multi-speed fixed gear yesterday. Didn't even bother taking it apart to get a look at what happened. I just dropped it off at the shop for warranty repair. If they refuse, I'll have to build up a wheel with a better hub (I've had good luck with a Hope pro II on my other bike). I am pretty surprised that the 24 spoke rim has actually held up quite well for over 9 moths of riding.


That's the difference between the cheap Shimano stuff and cheap Sram stuff. At least when the Shimano hub dies you can get parts for it and get it going again. When a Sram hub dies your building a new wheel.

Instead of rebuilding it with the free warranty Sram hub, I'd see if your shop will rebuild the wheel with a Bitex hub for a few more dollars. Or at least use a comparable Shimano hub.


----------



## notso (Jan 22, 2015)

I'll certainly wait to see what they say, but I was kind of hoping for a credit toward one of the new wider Bonty wheels with the DT-350 hubs.


----------



## notso (Jan 22, 2015)

Walked into the shop this evening to see what they found on my bike. The mechanic says "it exploded" & shows me a paper towel covered with little pieces of steel. I thought they were ground up pawls. Turns out the ring in there had disintegrated..


----------



## scycllerist (Jul 31, 2017)

TooTallUK said:


> I have no idea why people see trashing hubs as a badge of honor and not an expensive sign that their technique could do with some attention.


Hi,

I'm a 205lb rider who has several bearing and cluster problems in just one season. My terrain is rooty singletrck with plenty of logs to get over. I admit my technique needs work and have been focusing on it all season and watching the usual UTube vids. What else would you recommend?


----------



## cunningstunts (Sep 1, 2011)

BTW, if you do go DT 350's and want faster than the 18 point engagement (which is an embarrassment for mtb, they should discontinue these IMO), your options are the 36 or 54 tooth ratchets. 

i emailed DT directly for advice and they said the 54 is not as strong as the 36 and for very heavy and strong riders on technical terrain, they recommend the 36.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

cunningstunts said:


> 18 point engagement (which is an embarrassment for mtb, they should discontinue these IMO)


You don't speak for everyone. I choose to ride the 18t stock ratchets on all of my off-road bikes.

I've tried 36t and 54t. I don't notice the increase in engagement, but I do notice the increase in noise when coasting.

Same with King and Hope.

I've also tried Onyx. I love how quiet they are. Couldn't care less about the engagement.


----------



## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

I destroyed a stock bontrager drive ring in less than 400mi so I just bought a race face turbine. The drive ring is splined instead of pressed like the bontrager, so it probably won't have the same failure mode if it fails at all.


----------



## KTMNealio (Jun 17, 2016)

cunningstunts said:


> BTW, if you do go DT 350's and want faster than the 18 point engagement (which is an embarrassment for mtb, they should discontinue these IMO), your options are the 36 or 54 tooth ratchets.


Before I bought my DT's I kept reading stuff like this and thought that 18pt ratchets would be horrible. Well I decided to just try the 18's for a while before I bought the 36's. Maybe 1% of the time I can actually notice difference between the DT swiss 18 and a high POE hub. So I just left them. I think they are fine for most people, especially if you are concerned about reliability....
YMMV


----------



## scycllerist (Jul 31, 2017)

The $64,000 question is....why are we having problems in this day and age when we didn't 25 years ago? Is it the 29er wheels?

My 1996 trek 930 wheels were never touched and working well.


----------



## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

scycllerist said:


> The $64,000 question is....why are we having problems in this day and age when we didn't 25 years ago? Is it the 29er wheels?
> 
> My 1996 trek 930 wheels were never touched and working well.


The larger wheel definitely has a longer lever arm against the hub drive ring to tear it up.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

A crappy hub is a crappy hub, regardless of year, make, or model. You get what you pay for.


----------



## cunningstunts (Sep 1, 2011)

scycllerist said:


> The $64,000 question is....why are we having problems in this day and age when we didn't 25 years ago? Is it the 29er wheels?
> 
> My 1996 trek 930 wheels were never touched and working well.


the internet happened.


----------



## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

mikesee said:


> A crappy hub is a crappy hub, regardless of year, make, or model. You get what you pay for.


Well I broke the hub before 400mi on my $3200 2018 Trek while even today the wheel on my $550 1998 Trek is still intact.


----------



## huckleberry hound (Feb 27, 2015)

I broke my first Shimano hub in 1991, my second in 1994, third in 1996. Then I bought a Hugi hub (now DT Swiss) and it lasted years. Then I bought a 29er with cheap hubs(Formula?) and they lasted maybe a month. I didn't have much money so I bought a wheelset with Deore 525 hubs. They lasted a year before the freehub went out. I have since replaced them with BHS/Bitex M270 and they hay been going strong.
So yes there were bad hubs 26 years ago.


----------



## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

scycllerist said:


> The $64,000 question is....why are we having problems in this day and age when we didn't 25 years ago? Is it the 29er wheels?
> 
> My 1996 trek 930 wheels were never touched and working well.


New bikes let you load the rear wheel in ways that were impossible on goofy-ass 90s mtbs. Through axles expose bearings to loads that QR hubs simply can't. Trails now are built with berms and doubles, and even an average rider will hit 5' jumps on an XC ride; the average ride/rider loads the hub more.

I remember in the 90s there was a lot of crap that fell apart, and manufacturers would react by building the next iteration stronger. I think it's just taken until now where even an average user taxes a hub and the industry has needed to respond.

All that said, if for whatever reason you don't load up your rear wheel very much you'll probably never have trouble with hubs and it will seem absurd when other people have problems.


----------



## shrek janitor (Apr 1, 2018)

*phil wood hubs*

I been using phil wood hubs. Sealed cartridge bearings. Big axles. Wide flanges , 36 hole, 14 gauge spokes. Louder free wheeling noise but durable


----------



## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

A lbs has recommended that I get a DT Swiss rear hub for my AM 29er HT...

I run 2x wheels on both my bikes i.e. roughly spend half my riding time bouncing between the two bikes & 1/4 of the time on each particular wheel.

Both rear hubs on the AM HT developed issues...

I am planning to get the DT Swiss 350 & give it a crack o_0 or not (hopefully!)

'We'll all make it to the top... Some of us, might not make it to the bottom'


----------

