I'm thinking about piecing together a new set of wheels for occasional use. I've already got the rims and don't really want to spend much on the hubs but I also don't want them to fall apart after 3 rides.

At the moment, I'm finding it hard to see past Shimano. I know there's the whole cup and cone bearing thing which can be a pain but I'm not adverse to getting the spanners out and greasing them. Anyway, have I missed a trick somewhere? Even SuperStar rear hubs are twice the price of XT now.

Ta.

Basic shimano hubs on the winter road bike and are still running well after 3 years and zero maintenance (more like neglect on that bike)

Probably more lateral force if used offroad which may cause things to wear quicker. As long as you keep an eye on them and do a bike of servicing, I cant see why they are anymore trouble that standard sealed hubs.

I'm planning a set of wider-rimmed wheels for my Orbea. Like you, it's hard to see past XT.

I am looking for a certain make of hub which has now gone exponential in price since the pound tanked.
The same manufacturers wheel sets cost more than a bike.
I am looking for a cheap pair of anything wheels that happen to have the hubs on.
Its possible to pick them up cheaper ditch the rest of the wheel and service the hubs.
Its not CK hubs by the way.
If I don't have any luck am going Novatec and upgrading the bearings.

If its cheap hubs you want, I would just go for Shimano XT

Just need to pop them apart every now and then as you say.

I've been going through the same process and edging towards XT. Then I remember exploding non-serviceable freehubs and the pain of servicing the bearings every three months. Novatec from ebay are an option but I imagine the bearings in the cheap China-supplied Novatecs will be rubbish and need replacing in six months anyway.

Ramble over - XT is the answer. Probably.

Charliecres wrote:I've been going through the same process and edging towards XT. Then I remember exploding non-serviceable freehubs and the pain of servicing the bearings every three months. Novatec from ebay are an option but I imagine the bearings in the cheap China-supplied Novatecs will be rubbish and need replacing in six months anyway.

Ramble over - XT is the answer. Probably.

With Novatec just go straight to some quality bearings why wait for them to wear out?

I've had quite some issues with Superstar hubs. Rear hubs with failing freewheels and rather fast develop of play. Front developed early play too. Not an issue after changing to other bearings though.

I had cheap Shimano hubs on my everyday bike and they took more beating. Kind of an n=1 experience though, but I'd go down the Shimano lane if I was after cheap hubs.

And I've had years and years of trouble-free service from Superstar hubs. Weird.

As for switching out the bearings on Novatecs from the off, that's not a bad idea but really good bearings aren't that cheap ...

Charliecres wrote:Then I remember exploding non-serviceable freehubs and the pain of servicing the bearings every three months.

Whilst it is annoying that a new freehub body costs almost as much as a new hub what are you doing to Shimano hubs so that they require adjustment every 3 months! More like 3 years in my experience.

Shimano hubs are cheap, bearings are cheap and serviceable without requiring new bearings every time. (As opposed to say a cartridge hub with no adjustment). Plus they do seem to last well.

They are however heavy.

ctznsmith wrote:

Charliecres wrote:
Shimano hubs are cheap, bearings are cheap and serviceable without requiring new bearings every time. (As opposed to say a cartridge hub with no adjustment). Plus they do seem to last well.

They are however heavy.

The XT Boost rear hub I was looking at is 367 g. The Hope Pro 4 is 311g - with the alloy freehub that gets chewed up with the wrong cassettes. Still a little in it, but not much?

I was going to but a pair of novatecs off ebay last year to build a cheap / light light set of wheels but ended up buyin a whole new bike..... They are supposed to be direct from manufacturer own brand if i remember correctly. Ive looked for the link but cant find it i think they were £ 55 for the pair?

ScotRoutes I was thinking of the cheap 6 bolt 135mm rear hubs that are 420g.

but really good bearings aren't that cheap ...

Depends on definition. If I fit the equivalent of say DT bearings to Novatec I would feel like I had saved money.
6902 sealed seems a popular bearing costs £11.32 @ SKF 4+ price from Simply Bearings.

I have recently had a wheel built up for me using a sram x7 hub.
Its going to be used as a winter wheel with more a mud friendly tyre.
Using an sp hub on the front.
We will see how it holds up.......
Longest lasting wheels I've ever had are mavic crossrides.
Bought in 2006.
Still going strong ! !

i use shimano xt 135mm 6 bolt disc hubs i bought six pairs of them at 40 quid a pair,none of them have failed in 5 years,the freehub isnt field serviceble without a 10mm allen key but they do have a freehub that wont gouge like a alloy one.

just moved over to hope boost 148 and the freehub is swappable in the field with a pair of pliers to pull the end caps off,then the freehub comes off with a twist and pull

i have various sets of wheels for sale with xt hubs 135 rear 100 front

Fyi (or for anyone not aware) you can spec the Hope hub with a steel freehub.

It's an after sales upgrade as well should you so wish. It's only certain cassettes that cause the problem, possibly the 105 or Ultegra road cassettes as the gouging has happened on my road bike. I've only ever used XT cassettes (plus Hope extender) on the HT and have never seen the problem with that combination.

I've had gouging with XT cassettes.

Any idea how much heavier the steel one is?

The sealing on the latest XT is really good and the bearings are good quality steel so last well if kept water free. I drill a 2mm hole in the body pre building and pump them full of grease using one of those dualco grease guns. The freewheels are OK but no longer have 3 pawls like they used to circa 199something. The freewheels do suffer from water ingress and taking them apart, cleaning/ re-greasing and re-assembling requires care and patience. New freewheels are nearly as much as a complete hub. Freewheels on the through axle hubs had a habit of exploding a few years ago and info is scarce as to whether this got sorted. Otherwise for the price they are hard to beat.

Any hub (and indeed anything with a bearing) will last a great deal longer if you get rid of the typical 'photocopier grade' factory grease and get some decent stuff in there. Paper mill grease is said to be the most applicable, but it's difficult to get hold of in small-ish quantities.