Rear Hubs

[Mojoman]

Once again my GT is back in the LBS ( I seem to be spending more time driving it to the LBS than riding it!!). The rear hub is apparently now loose. What is a good hub to use?

[Plentipotential]

Once again my GT is back in the LBS ( I seem to be spending more time driving it to the LBS than riding it!!). The rear hub is apparently now loose. What is a good hub to use?

 

I know exactly how you feel. My Anthem spent a lot of time on a workshop stand. I had a DT Swiss hub. Absolute rubbish. Always full of sand and water, the seals are crap, crap seals and the bearings get hammered.

 

Going with a custom build bike now and the hub of choice is a Hope Pro 2 simply because the hub is easily serviced at home and has a better seal system than the DT Swiss as well as a better pawl system. easy to service, clean and lube. Mavic UST rim to boot.

[Weight Weenie]

Plenti which hub did you have ?

I have 240s and got them 2nd hand and they just keep going, despite no maintanence from my side, though I don't really ride that much or in too mucky conditions.

 

Im guessing you did stuff like Sani and Sabie with them ?

[Flowta]

If you don't like them, you can give them to me.

 

Which ones are they?

 

[Mojoman]

What is annoying for me is I told the shop guys before I bought the bike I would just be cycling off road, they saw I am a porker at 110kg and no-one said anything about upgrading the hubs. Of course now I am broke for the month I get told I should think about upgrading!!

[Flowta]

What hubs are they?

 

or at least which model GT is it, so we can look ourselves.

 

 

[AndreZA]

Why do you say it is bust? Are the bearing done or the cones or the hub itself? If it's the hub then it needs replacing. The other two you can buy the worn bits and it will be as good as new.

[Johan Bornman]

Once again my GT is back in the LBS ( I seem to be spending more time driving it to the LBS than riding it!!).

The rear hub is apparently now loose. What is a good hub to use?

 

You don't say what went loose on the hub. It may or may not be the hub's fault, most likely human error. Nevertheless, a new hub may not solve your problem, a bit if DIY knowledge is what you need.

 

Choosing a good hub is a complex issue, especially if you throw availability and colour into the mix.

 

Shimano makes excellent hubs at very reasonable prices. But, you must maintain them properly and understand when they typpically are compromised.

 

Most of the cartridge bearing hubs are OK, but expensive to maintain. Some of the big brand name hubs/wheels are absolute rubbish. Freehub body seals are the particular weak point.

 

Remember, if you change the hub, you also have to change the spokes and more than likely, the rim. It is expensive to do so. I suggest you slowly build up a toolkit and learn the various service skills one by one.

 

 

 

[Weight Weenie]

Mojo that's typical of shops in sa, damn when I was in school bruce reyneke's shop sold me a 21'' mtb (im aorund 1,76 now, ride a medium)

[Mojoman]

Thanks for the replies. It is the 2009 GT avalanche 1. Not sure what hubs they are, I think Shimano Deore? Anyway, a few weeks back I had a constant creaking noise on the pedal strokes. Took it to the LBS who thought it was the pedals, then chain, then BB which they replaced (apparently was also stuffed, less than 600km on the bike at that stage).

But the noise was still there and I made their mechanic ride the bike around so he could hear for himself. After some more time they said they had tightened the rear cassette as it was loose.

 

The noise was then absent and lasted for around 100km. I noticed the noise and the loose cassette again on Saturday when polishing my bike and on the ride the noise appeared more profusely again. I took the bike to another LBs on Sunday and they checked the cassette and said it was tight but that they free-hub may be on its way out.

This morning at the LBS where I bought the bike they said that I should be servicing the bike every 500km (bike is on around 700km now) and that I should think about going up to an XT hub? Unfortunelty they did not have any mechanics to open up and I had to get back to work so hopefully I will pick it up again tomorrow.

[Mojoman]

Johan, you are right, I will be learning how to do my own services ( I service my own cars, bikes, tools and computers so hands on is fine with me). I am just unwilling to touch the parts yet as I don't want an argument with the LBS about warranties and mechanics etc. They said if I touch stuff it will void any warranties. I have had the bike a little over 6 weeks now.

But I am aiming to buy one decent tool a month! I know from servicing cars etc that its best to buy good quality tools, even if they are at a much higher price than cheap stuff.

[rouxtjie]

Mojo, for what is worth, learn to do the work yourself as quick a possible. I had to, purely because it started costing me an arm and a leg. The nice thing about it is there is a sense of satisfaction you get out of servicing your own bike, start by getting basic tools and build your collection up. Go to one of JB's courses and get the Zinn or park tool blue book for a bench reference. The net is also full of resources, you are going to save yourself a packet and buy yourself new tools or goodies after a year with that

[Grim]

Hi

I had deore hubs on my hardtail and did over 2000km without any maintenance and without any problems.

[Super_mil]

Mojo, I can't belive you're putting up with so much *** from your LBS. As others have said, learn to service stuff yourself ASAP. When you're stuck ask Google or raise the question here and start saving money and headaches by ordering parts from CRC or other online stores.

 

 

 

You can join the growing group of people who chuckle to themselves everytime a shop owner whinges about people buying from CRC but continue to offer the same shoddy service and huge mark-ups.

[Weight Weenie]

Super Mil thats what I can't understand.  They complain about CRC but they offer no incentive for us to support them at all.  Quite a daft lot IMO..

[rock]

 

Shimano makes excellent hubs at very reasonable prices. But' date=' you must maintain them properly and understand when they typpically are compromised.

 

?

 

[/quote']

 

 

 

I'm glad you said that for my last wheel build (for big 29", sorry 700c MTB wheels) I went with a very boring looking set of shimano XT hubs, no anodized colours, not funny buzzing noise from the freebody just plain, simple and reasonably priced hubs.....and once I had fitted the rotors with their centre-lock fitting system I fell in love with their simplicity........