Six bolt or Center Lock discbrake hubs?

[Pedaling Pete]

I am about to lace up a pair wheels with 36 hole Mavic X-618 Ceramic rims, and would like to get a pair of discbrake compatible Shimano XT hubs.
Would be grateful for advice witch one of the two different system offered by "big S" to get:

Centerlock:
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=11317&psid=11303
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=11314&psid=11303
OR
International Standard 6 bolt disc fitting:
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=10776&psid=1
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=10775&psid=1

They will be used with rimbrakes on my MTB-tourer for now, but I want the option to switch to discbrakes in a year or two. Because the Centerlock is lighter and look´s better(when not using discbrakes) it is my favorite.
But my wheels tend to last me a long time so I am worried about getting spares in let´s say five to ten years. Have been told that the Centerlock might take over as the new standard, and that some companies like DT have started selling compatible parts like disc´s!

- So witch one will rule the aftermarket in the years to come?
- Witch one is better for loaded touring?

Many Thanks!

 

[daveornee]

Originally posted by Pedaling Pete
I am about to lace up a pair wheels with 36 hole Mavic X-618 Ceramic rims, and would like to get a pair of discbrake compatible Shimano XT hubs.
Would be grateful for advice witch one of the two different system offered by "big S" to get:

Centerlock:
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=11317&psid=11303
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=11314&psid=11303
OR
International Standard 6 bolt disc fitting:
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=10776&psid=1
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/catalogue/content_prodx.phtml?pid=10775&psid=1

They will be used with rimbrakes on my MTB-tourer for now, but I want the option to switch to discbrakes in a year or two. Because the Centerlock is lighter and look´s better(when not using discbrakes) it is my favorite.
But my wheels tend to last me a long time so I am worried about getting spares in let´s say five to ten years. Have been told that the Centerlock might take over as the new standard, and that some companies like DT have started selling compatible parts like disc´s!

- So witch one will rule the aftermarket in the years to come?
- Witch one is better for loaded touring?

Many Thanks!

Shimano's center lock is currently not being licensed to other manufacturers. The price and availability of rotors for the center lock system is currently higher.
The 6 bolt system has most of the current market.
Neither system is particularly well suited for loaded touring due to interference with racks and brake systems. Also the fork required for disc is not the best for touring. The other limitations are that you reduce the spoke support angles and make the wheels less durable with disc hubs.
Who can tell what will happen is the next few years? ... let alone in 5 to 10 years.
I would build my wheels for the current needs and see what developes with disc brakes for your next bicycle.

 

[Pedaling Pete]

Originally posted by daveornee
Shimano's center lock is currently not being licensed to other manufacturers. The price and availability of rotors for the center lock system is currently higher.
The 6 bolt system has most of the current market.
Neither system is particularly well suited for loaded touring due to interference with racks and brake systems. Also the fork required for disc is not the best for touring. The other limitations are that you reduce the spoke support angles and make the wheels less durable with disc hubs.
Who can tell what will happen is the next few years? ... let alone in 5 to 10 years.
I would build my wheels for the current needs and see what developes with disc brakes for your next bicycle.

Thank you for your answer!
Manny good points made!
But I think that a 26" 36 spoke disc compatible wheel will be strong enough.

According to some people the centerlock rotor have many advantages!
Quote from Cycling + forum(http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30622):
"Centerlock is technically the better design - lighter, less prone to loosening when you don't want it to, and easier to loosen when you do. It does have some downsides - the relative scarcity of parts so far, and it's harder to get custom discs. There is something elegant about using the same tool to fit a cassette or a disc - if only Shimano could go as far as Campag and have that same spline on the bottom bracket too."

DT have started to produce components compatible with the centerlock systems and I have heard other companies are on the way:
http://www.mtbreview.com/hotnews/products/ppr093.shtml
http://www.dtswiss.com/index.asp?fuseaction=hubs.bikedetail&id=22
http://www.dtswiss.com/index.asp?fuseaction=hubs.bikedetail&id=21
http://www.dtswiss.com/index.asp?fuseaction=hubs.bikedetail&id=26

The issue of getting a rack to fit with the diskbrake is relative straight forward issue to solve. Here is one example:
http://www.fastload.net/north/bike.html

Would be glad if someone could shed some light on witch system will outlast the other, witch is a better longterm buy?

 

[dabac]

Originally posted by Pedaling Pete

Would be glad if someone could shed some light on witch system will outlast the other, witch is a better longterm buy?

I think that's an impossible question to answer beforehand. You can analyze something from a purely tech/economic view, but marketing success depends on much more than that.
Look at video and computers for instance, these days it's all VHS and PC's, but if you'd done an anlysis then and there (when these technologies were new) it could just as well have gone the other way.

Centerlock is a sweet design, but people tend to like to pick and choose. If Shimano expands their componentry to allow that (custom discs, different hubs etc), or if others pick up their design, then centerlock is the probable winner. If it remains (almost) only Shimano, then I think we'll see both systems on the market for quite some time.

Keep in mind that Shimano are big enough to keep centerlock viable by themselves even if they don't get any other suppliers to follow suit.

 

[mark_kendrick]

My first real mountainbike was a C'dale with a headshock.


It was the last thing I bought for my bike that is proprietary in design. I try not to rely on any single vendor for innovation.

 

[MidBunchLurker]

My first real mountainbike was a C'dale with a headshock.


It was the last thing I bought for my bike that is proprietary in design. I try not to rely on any single vendor for innovation.

I tour on my MTB with centre-lock 32-hole XTR hubs, db spokes and X517 rims (no disc brakes yet). These have worked well so far for fully loaded touring, as well as lightweight offroad touring. I really don't think durability of these wheels would be an issue. My previous set of non-disc 32-hole lx hubs with Mavic m231 rims lasted over 5 years of MTB racing, fully loaded road touring, and on occasion, fully loaded off-road touring - try doing 50km/h down a rocky downhill with 15kg of luggage!! Anyways, these wheels have handled everything i've thrown at them.

I bought the centre-lock hubs because i expect these wheels will find their way onto a disc-equipped bike at some point. As you said they look neater and they're lighter. In the MTB business shimano sets the standards, so i wouldn't be worried about any short or medium-term obsolescence.