"dan baker" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "ivan milun" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<
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> > Hi !
> >
> > does anyone have some experience with these hubs?
> -----------
>
> I cant compare to too much, except they are certainly lighter than my other shimano hubs. I bought
> a pair of bontrager race x-lights that are built with these hubs I believe (although they are
> marked bontrager).
>
> The cassette is weirdly quiet, but I kinda like it that way. They sure do roll nicely....
They've changed something, then, 'cuz all the Hugis I've come across were incredibly loud. The Hugi
sound is well known...
IMO the design is not as good as Shimano. First, it doesn't move the bearings out to the ends of the
axle like Shimano does. Second, the ratchet mechanism has many times more friction area than Shimano
hubs', which usually isn't a problem except when water/dirt gets in there, causing it to stick.
Water and dirt *do* get in there, because of the big seal diameter which isn't sealed all that well.
These hubs sticking was a common problem with mountain bikes. Finally, if you do need to service the
hubs, the bearings are sealed units which have to be replaced, rather than just plain old ball
bearings that can be cleaned and reassembled like Shimano.
Hugi hubs came about as an answer to a question few people were asking, namely broken pawls from
really high loads imposed by tandem riders. The Hugi design may or may not have solved that problem,
while introducing other ones. MTB riders took to them because of the misconception they need extra
heavy duty equipment, and later because they thought they needed lightweight stuff (spend $300 to
save a couple of ounces).
Matt O.