Shimano hub high spoke count

[MergeForTheKill]

Anyone have any insight into why Shimano doesnt seem to make lower spoke count hubs, even at the higher end. i know you can get low spoke count hubs on their own wheels but looking at the whole sale site right now and the lowest spoke count for Dura Ace hubs is 24/28.

[sales guy]

Because they don't like to deal with people lacing them wrong and them breaking.

Also, it pushes people to buy a complete wheelset.

Lots of companies stopped doing low spoke counts due to warranties. Builders were putting too much tension on them or putting 'heads in' and breaking flanges.

[Gummee]

They want you to buy wheelsets.

Some of it is probably $$ and some of it is since the original Helium, the 'art' of wheelbuilding is dying

M

[Kontact]

Actually, the lowest is 24/24 front and rear.

[11.4]

You could get 16, 20, and 24 hole drillings in 7700, 7800/7850, and 7900. I haven't looked at 9000 or 9100 but I suspect they have them. There just isn't all that much demand for esoteric handbuilt wheels in low spoke counts.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Actually, the lowest is 24/24 front and rear.

That's what I've seen for 9000.

[false_Aest]

IIRC 9000 had 24/24 available but I don't remember seeing a spoke count less than that (and it's not available through their EP program).

Also, I don't think Shimano made 9100 hubs -- at least I don't remember seeing them in Taipei and they're not on the website.

[oldpotatoe]

Anyone have any insight into why Shimano doesnt seem to make lower spoke count hubs, even at the higher end. i know you can get low spoke count hubs on their own wheels but looking at the whole sale site right now and the lowest spoke count for Dura Ace hubs is 24/28.

Do you have rims and trying to use DA hubs? BUT remember, 20/24, 8 less spokes, weigh a whopping 2 ounces less, 60 grams, about what a PowerBar weighs. AND, at least for aluminum rims, they had better weigh more for 20/24 or an unreliable wheel may result. IMHO, of course.

BUT kinda surprised shimano and others make hubs at all, since they would rather you buy their wheels..

[11.4]

As with other components, Shimano makes more parts than they make available to the general public. We've all seen custom chainring sizes, crank arm lengths, and so on. Hubs in different drillings seem to appear after a couple years of a model life, I'd guess because unwanted extras are released to shops without formal distribution, or just become gifts from team managers or mechanics who don't want to be burdened with them any longer.

[Mackers]

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[sales guy]

9000 front is also available in 18H.

Not in the US. At least not thru Shimano USA. 24 thru 36 for 9000 series. 9100 has no hubs. They are pushing the completes.

[Kontact]

9000 front is also available in 18H.

Why doesn't Shimano list it?

[11.4]

Why doesn't Shimano list it?

Many reasons. They have many products that aren't listed, or listed only in the US and not in Europe, or in Europe and not here, or only in Japan. Some are made in limited quantities only for pro teams, some for special promotions, some because they have a customer who will underwrite a few hundred of something (like a special hub drilling), and some because they just make variations to see what will sell. Shops don't want to have to deal with all these extra SKUs, even as special orders, and Shimano doesn't want to pay for distribution of all of them. Especially when Shimano is selling through distributors, they don't want to pay distributors the distribution margin on low volume items. Many reasons.

[Kontact]

Many reasons. They have many products that aren't listed, or listed only in the US and not in Europe, or in Europe and not here, or only in Japan. Some are made in limited quantities only for pro teams, some for special promotions, some because they have a customer who will underwrite a few hundred of something (like a special hub drilling), and some because they just make variations to see what will sell. Shops don't want to have to deal with all these extra SKUs, even as special orders, and Shimano doesn't want to pay for distribution of all of them. Especially when Shimano is selling through distributors, they don't want to pay distributors the distribution margin on low volume items. Many reasons.

So if an 18h hub is only available in the woods and no one is around to buy it, are 18h hubs available?

[Mackers]

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[11.4]

I got mine from a contact at Shimano.

If you want one for yourself, they're all over ebay.

Yes.