Cartridge bearing disc hubs

"Michael" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for MTB disc-brake hubs with cartridge bearings (not loose balls). (I'm not looking to
start a religious thread on loose-but-sealed bearings vs. sealed-cartridge bearings, so I'll just
say that this is a requirement for the wet weather commuter bike I'm building. If it's relevant,
these will be 700c wheels).

For <$250, I've found Grimeca, Hope, Ritchey and WTB hubs with cartridge bearings.

I'm intrigued by the WTB LaserLite Disc hubs. They seem to be lighter than others, with
"relieved" flanges. Any problem with a 200+lb rider on these? Anybody have experience, good or
bad, with them?

I'd like feedback on Hope and Ritchey hubs, and any other suggestions.

TIA

Don't ride the WTBs if you're heavy, unless you want a race-day-only set. You make sacrifices when
you get the weight down that low, and they simply can't stand that kind of abuse. I run them, only
had them for about a week now, and they are nice, but even at 135 lbs I wonder how long they're
going to last me. There have been a few problems with part of the rear axle breaking, but not many.
You'd be asking for trouble as a clydesdale though.

Hope makes some good hubs. And don't forget shimano - the XT hubs are pretty bombproof. Yeah,
they're heavy, but really, will you notice the weight difference while riding? I mean, take it in
perspective: Your bike weighs about 1/9th or so of your weight. Making that 1/8.5 isn't going to
be a huge difference. Heck, if you want to drop that weight before you ride, use the restroom
before you leave. When you can honestly say you don't have an extra couple of pounds on your body,
then start looking at flyweight parts! (BTW, like I said, i'm 135 lbs.... and 5'11)

If you want to spend some more dough tho, and still go light, get chris kings. Super durable. If I
could afford them, I would have gotten those instead of the WTBs.

Jon Bond

[email hidden] (Michael) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for MTB disc-brake hubs with cartridge bearings

Quoted message said:

and any other suggestions.

Another suggestion (I cannot compare with the others you mention as I have not used those)

I have had Woodman BIL LTI for 18 months or so, covering 12000 miles or so in all weathers with
no problems (touring and commuting bike rather than off road). Seems well built, still as smooth
as when new.

see

woodmancomponents.comb lti rs.htmlOpen ↗

Andrew Webster

"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Michael" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I'm looking for MTB disc-brake hubs with cartridge bearings (not loose balls). (I'm not looking
to start a religious thread on loose-but-sealed bearings vs. sealed-cartridge bearings, so I'll
just say that this is a requirement for the wet weather commuter bike I'm building. If it's
relevant, these will be 700c wheels).

For <$250, I've found Grimeca, Hope, Ritchey and WTB hubs with cartridge bearings.

I'm intrigued by the WTB LaserLite Disc hubs. They seem to be lighter than others, with
"relieved" flanges. Any problem with a 200+lb rider on these? Anybody have experience, good or
bad, with them?

I'd like feedback on Hope and Ritchey hubs, and any other suggestions.

TIA

Don't ride the WTBs if you're heavy, unless you want a race-day-only set. You make sacrifices when
you get the weight down that low, and they simply can't stand that kind of abuse. I run them, only
had them for about a

week

Quoted message said:

now, and they are nice, but even at 135 lbs I wonder how long they're

going

Quoted message said:

to last me. There have been a few problems with part of the rear axle breaking, but not many.
You'd be asking for trouble as a clydesdale

though.

Quoted message said:

Hope makes some good hubs. And don't forget shimano - the XT hubs are pretty bombproof. Yeah,
they're heavy, but really, will you notice the weight difference while riding? I mean, take it
in perspective: Your

bike

Quoted message said:

weighs about 1/9th or so of your weight. Making that 1/8.5 isn't going to be a huge difference.
Heck, if you want to drop that weight before you ride, use the restroom before you leave. When you
can honestly say you don't have an extra couple of pounds on your body, then start looking at
flyweight parts! (BTW, like I said, i'm 135 lbs.... and 5'11)

Holy Batshit! You're a freaking rail! I have never, ever in my adult life dropped below 155 and I'm
5.7 (point something down from 5'8"😉. Also, I have low body fat. Ecto-mesomorph if you will.

Quoted message said:

If you want to spend some more dough tho, and still go light, get chris kings. Super durable. If I
could afford them, I would have gotten those instead of the WTBs.

Jon Bond

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]

(Michael) said:

I'd like feedback on Hope and Ritchey hubs, and any other suggestions.

You can pay as much as you like, but I'm not sure that any of your candidates are an improvement
over SunRace JuJu hubs. SunRace and Formula make most of the sealed bearing hubs for the other guys,
so you might wind up with one even if you paid a premium for a "nicer" brand.
gaerlan.comdisk.htmlOpen ↗

The lightest weight hubs I have inspected are often some of the most poorly sealed; you should take
this into consideration for your rain bike. You want some sealing or shielding in addition to the
seal on the bearing, which doesn't do an adequate job when conditions are really nasty.

American Classic make some ridiculously lightweight disc hubs, but I'm not sure I trust their
longevity or the shielding they offer their bearings. They cost more than simple hubs made in Taiwan
should IMO. amclassic.comMTB Disc Hubs.htmlOpen ↗

Phil Wood hubs have a reputation for excellent durability and smoothness, but they are heavy and
ludicrously expensive. philwood.compage1.htmOpen ↗

White Industries make very nice disc hubs. They're probably the best value in a USA-made cartridge
bearing disc hub. whiteind.comrx hubset.htmOpen ↗

Chalo Colina

"Robin Hubert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Michael" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hope makes some good hubs. And don't forget shimano - the XT hubs are pretty bombproof. Yeah,
they're heavy, but really, will you notice the weight difference while riding? I mean, take it
in perspective: Your

bike

Quoted message said:

weighs about 1/9th or so of your weight. Making that 1/8.5 isn't going

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be a huge difference. Heck, if you want to drop that weight before you ride, use the restroom
before you leave. When you can honestly say you don't have an extra couple of pounds on your
body, then start looking at flyweight parts! (BTW, like I said, i'm 135 lbs.... and 5'11)

Holy Batshit! You're a freaking rail! I have never, ever in my adult

life

Quoted message said:

dropped below 155 and I'm 5.7 (point something down from 5'8"😉. Also, I have low body fat.
Ecto-mesomorph if you will.

Yup, I am quite the twig. I was a coxswain in high school (just over a year ago), racing weight was
down around 120. I was a bit shorter though, I started out at about 5'4" and 90 lbs, and by senior
year was just about 5'10" and 124. I'm still a twig, although I've been packing on a bit more muscle
now that I'm doing more than sitting in a boat and shouting.

I'm one of those people who can eat anything and not put on a pound. Massively fast metabolism. I
also have never been able to put on much musculature, I just get stronger. Back about 4 years ago
while I was still doing karate (and a black belt) I could easily do 40 or so pushups in a minute
- good ones, too. I think the most I ever did in one sitting was about 110. I could also do about
70 complete situps in a minute. I probably can't do that anymore, but I certainly bike a lot
faster now. I've been trying to put on more weight, and its still not coming. I figure I'll
probably lose my metabolism by the time I'm 40, and be kinda fat, but sometime in my 20s or 30s
I'll be dead on perfect.

Jon Bond

"Chalo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

(Michael) said:

I'd like feedback on Hope and Ritchey hubs, and any other suggestions.

You can pay as much as you like, but I'm not sure that any of your candidates are an improvement
over SunRace JuJu hubs. SunRace and Formula make most of the sealed bearing hubs for the other
guys, so you might wind up with one even if you paid a premium for a "nicer" brand.
gaerlan.comdisk.htmlOpen ↗

The lightest weight hubs I have inspected are often some of the most poorly sealed; you should
take this into consideration for your rain bike. You want some sealing or shielding in addition to
the seal on the bearing, which doesn't do an adequate job when conditions are really nasty.

American Classic make some ridiculously lightweight disc hubs, but I'm not sure I trust their
longevity or the shielding they offer their bearings. They cost more than simple hubs made in
Taiwan should IMO. amclassic.comMTB Disc Hubs.htmlOpen ↗ snip<

Just an FYI: WTB licensed the AC design, which is why they are almost identical. The pawl system is
exactly the same, and the hub body is almost identical. They do have a nicer finish, though, and
cost a lot less, thanks to WTB's larger production lines and so on. They may not be 100% as nice,
but I'd say (having held both in my hands side by side, ridden on one set once, and the other set
for about a week now) they're almost identical, with the slight edge towards the American Classic,
probably. However, that very slight edge is definitely not worth the extra cash!

Jon Bond

"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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"Robin Hubert" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Jon Bond" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Michael" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Hope makes some good hubs. And don't forget shimano - the XT hubs are pretty bombproof. Yeah,
they're heavy, but really, will you notice the weight difference while riding? I mean, take it
in perspective: Your

bike

Quoted message said:

weighs about 1/9th or so of your weight. Making that 1/8.5 isn't going

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

be a huge difference. Heck, if you want to drop that weight before you ride, use the restroom
before you leave. When you can honestly say you don't have an extra couple of pounds on your
body, then start looking at flyweight parts! (BTW, like I said, i'm 135 lbs.... and 5'11)

Holy Batshit! You're a freaking rail! I have never, ever in my adult

life

Quoted message said:

dropped below 155 and I'm 5.7 (point something down from 5'8"😉. Also, I have low body fat.
Ecto-mesomorph if you will.

Yup, I am quite the twig. I was a coxswain in high school (just over a year ago), racing weight was
down around 120. I was a bit shorter though, I started out at about 5'4" and 90 lbs, and by senior
year was just about 5'10" and 124. I'm still a twig, although I've been packing on a bit more muscle
now that I'm doing more than sitting in a boat and shouting.

I'm one of those people who can eat anything and not put on a pound. Massively fast metabolism. I
also have never been able to put on much musculature, I just get stronger. Back about 4 years ago
while I was still doing karate (and a black belt) I could easily do 40 or so pushups in a minute
- good ones, too. I think the most I ever did in one sitting was about 110. I could also do about
70 complete situps in a minute. I probably can't do that anymore, but I certainly bike a lot
faster now. I've been trying to put on more weight, and its still not coming. I figure I'll
probably lose my metabolism by the time I'm 40, and be kinda fat, but sometime in my 20s or 30s
I'll be dead on perfect.

Jon Bond

I was like that till I turned 30 Jon, now I'm filling out. I never weighed enough when I was playing
ice-hockey and now I have 5kg to lose in the next couple of months.....