First trail wheelset advice

[HamboCairns]

U call a spade a spade until you have to the diggin


And you can go to the closest SKF bearing shop and buy replacements at $7 a pop. It’s great.
I’ve never understood the want for super high engagement hubs unless you’re doing trials.

What what you class as super high engagement vs high engagement?

 

[Flow-Rider]

U call a spade a spade until you have to the diggin


And you can go to the closest SKF bearing shop and buy replacements at $7 a pop. It’s great.
I’ve never understood the want for super high engagement hubs unless you’re doing trials.

Have you tried their MTB specific bearings ? I used their upper end bearings a few years ago, and they wore out quicker than the OEM on the Halo wheels. Quick engagement for XC climbers I suppose.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Hard to see but is that a crack in the rim that is leading down to that sticker bubble?

Looks like the rim joint.

Yes, it's just the rim joint.

 

[PJO]

Yeah, it's where the rim join is.

So not a welded rim. Would've thought sealant would seal that.

EDIT: Also, looks like it's time to get that prescription for reading glasses filled!

 

[Flow-Rider]

I'm probably damning myself by even saying it but I don't understand what's wrong with Hope bearings.
I've had 3 sets of their wheels with no issues on bearings at all.

No doubt they're preparing to grenade themselves as I write this...

Probably has something to do with the way the wheels are ridden and looked after. I don't think much would last for the @frenchman , a lot of force on the wheels when you get the height to do a flip and land the bike, maybe sometimes a large case.

 

[frenchman]

I'm probably damning myself by even saying it but I don't understand what's wrong with Hope bearings.
I've had 3 sets of their wheels with no issues on bearings at all.

No doubt they're preparing to grenade themselves as I write this...

There’s nothing wrong with them. Bearings are a consumable. They cost $7

What what you class as super high engagement vs high engagement?

I thought the hope hubs were high at 44

Have you tried their MTB specific bearings ? I used their upper end bearings a few years ago, and they wore out quicker than the OEM on the Halo wheels. Quick engagement for XC climbers I suppose.

didn’t know they had them. I’ve only run the ones with the dual lip seal that are amber in colour.

 

[HamboCairns]

I’ve never understood the want for super high engagement hubs unless you’re doing trials.

Most of my riding is technical and as I'm a heavy bugger, I stall on various rooty climbs as I can't put down the power quickly enough.

I'd assume as much engagement as possible would be useful to me.

 

[moorey]

44 is plenty on my pro4. 40 on the evo upgrade was still plenty. Numerous older sets still running the 24. It’s lower, but fine, and better than some.
I’ve got a set of i9 with 104. I still much prefer Hope hubs.

 

[HamboCairns]

44 is plenty on my pro4. 40 on the evo upgrade was still plenty. Numerous older sets still running the 24. It’s lower, but fine, and better than some.
I’ve got a set of i9 with 104. I still much prefer Hope hubs.

Loving your new handle by the way!

 

[moorey]

Most of my riding is technical and as I'm a heavy bugger, I stall on various rooty climbs as I can't put down the power quickly enough.

I'd assume as much engagement as possible would be useful to me.

It’s about quality as much as quantity. If you’re buying high engagement, but on cheap hubs, you’re doing a Hambo.

 

[moorey]

Loving your new handle by the way!

Thanks. I finally feel at home.

 

[Minlak]

Most of my riding is technical and as I'm a heavy bugger, I stall on various rooty climbs as I can't put down the power quickly enough.

I'd assume as much engagement as possible would be useful to me.

Not true - Lack of engagement would only result in a clunking sound from the freehub as it catches up to the engagement point - would not stop you from putting any power down - You have a lack of skill or power or both the engagement will not magically fix this.

 

[Mattyp]

You have a lack of skill or power or both.

Ouch...

 

[PJO]

Ouch...

I think the key word missing there is "if"

 

[HamboCairns]

Not true - Lack of engagement would only result in a clunking sound from the freehub as it catches up to the engagement point - would not stop you from putting any power down - If you have a lack of skill or power or both the engagement will not magically fix this.

I guess I better keep up my glute work then!

 

[HamboCairns]

It’s about quality as much as quantity. If you’re buying high engagement, but on cheap hubs, you’re doing a Hambo.

Funny considering everything I've bought so far is quite the opposite of 'doing a Hambo'!

 

[Oddjob]

You were talking about cracking freehubs and XT spiders, chubs.

Them too. Short of Peter Sagan and Adam Brayton I'm probably pretty close to the worst use case outside of e-bikes and tandems.

The wheelset that had the cracked XT spider is on my road bike, so it sees the most miles. I've got a power meter in it so I know that my threshold power is 375 watts (2.5w/kg, so Ineos aren't calling me any time soon) and peak is touching 2,000 watts. I've also managed to enlarge the bearing seat on the steel freehub on this wheelset to the point I need to use retaining compound.

It's not just this wheelset that munches the oem bearings though. I've had a pretty short life out of the inboard freehub bearing with every set of Hopes I've owned going back to the Pro2s and Pro3s. Normally the inner freehub bearings will be the first to go followed by the main bearings in the hub shell. The front bearings and the outer freehub bearings go forever. I think it's related to the choice of stainless steel bearings which pit more easily and then destroy the balls.

I now have Japanese KSM 6803 bearings for the inner freehub bearings and a mixture of KSM, Enduro and ceramic 6903 bearings for the hub shell and this seems to working well.

For comparison an I9 Torch freehub uses an Enduro 3803 which is essentially a double row 6803 for the inboard bearing and a 6903 and 6804 for the hub shell.

DT 240s use 2 of their own 6802 bearings in the freehub and 2x 6902 in the shell.

I haven't noticed a pattern of bearing wear in my I9 or DT hubs but I haven't had near as many kms on them either. The weak point on the I9s are the pawl coil springs, and for the DTs it's getting the drive ring off to change bearings.

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

 

[beeb]

You have a lack of skill or power or both the engagement will not magically fix this.

As someone who lacks both skill and power - Strong agree.

Lower engagement might mean a little freeplay before the power hits, but IMO any hub with 36 POE or more is perfectly fine to get you up anything you can pedal up. 70 POE or more feels quicker, but doesn't change what I can climb (if only!).

The only difference I notice with Hopes is they're definitely solid when the ratchet engages/is engaged. Some freehub mechanisms feel softer if you "ratchet" while pedalling, or stomp the pedals after coasting - Hopes just slam into place with zero give. It occasionally feels sort of harsh, but is really just 'not flexy'.

 

[moorey]

Funny considering everything I've bought so far is quite the opposite of 'doing a Hambo'!

Everything you have done, are doing or ever will do is doing a Hambo. I don't make the rules, I just play by them.

 

[HamboCairns]

Everything you have done, are doing or ever will do is doing a Hambo. I don't make the rules, I just play by them.

Hambo gonna do Hambo things I guess!

Enjoy your 29er, I guess we can all change our ways for better or for worse.