Cheap hub shoot out.

[bicycletricycle]

I have been looking for a 28h hubset for a friend, I was hoping to pick up a used set of something nice (DA, ultegra, DT, WI) but ebay and here has been slim pickings. The wheels are for a friend and I have a budget of around $150. I have started to look at new hubs for around this same price. Here is what I have found so far-

Ultegra 6800- Originally I assumed that I could get ultegra 6800 hubs in 28 hole but it seems that I was wrong and that they only come in 32 and 36, is that really true?

Bicycle Hub Store Super light hubs- The new rear hub has steel pins to keep cogs from digging in to the splines which is a nice touch. They also have a larger bearing wide flange front that looks okay. A lot of people seem to have good luck with these and at $150 dollars a pair they seem nice. SL210 rear and SLF85W

Miche- These hubs are kind of ugly but not the worst I guess. I don't know much about these. Educate me?

I am sure I missed something, you guys have any ideas? Can you share some experience good or bad with these?

[icepick_trotsky]

Dimension hubs are a pretty good value. They get rebranded as Origin8 or (gasp) All City.

[AngryScientist]

the ultegra hubs are good, but tankishly heavy. they will build a reliable wheel, but notably heavier than other options. correct: no 28h drillings. the 6800 series have a tool free system to dial out bearing play which is nice.

the current bhs hubs do look good, and are probably made by novatech or bitex. i have a ton of miles on bitex hubs and think they are just excellent, but it's not known specifically what the bhs hubs are, i dont think.

prowheelbuilder sells bitex branded hubs and they are a safe bet, a bit more than 150 for a set from them.

has anyone tried cicrus monkey hubs? pretty available in many drillings and colors on ebay, but i have no personal experience with them.

for a good, solid budget build at reasonable price and weight, i'd go novatech all day. buy them from bdop. good dude.

http://www.bdopcycling.com/HUBS-ROAD.asp

[hollowgram5]

Pickings have been slim for sure. I keep my eyes out most of the time and haven't come across anything that screamed "Buy Me" for a bit.

You are correct on the Ultegra side of your conversation, 32 and 36 only for the 6800 series. Maybe something will change with the R8000 stuff, but I'm not holding my breath. I can only imagine Shimano is trying to push people that want less spokes up to Dura Ace or into one of their prebuilt wheelsets.

I have a set of Miche hubs (28h) laced to V2 SL23 rims. They are a great riding wheelset built by a buddy out in the San Diego area.

A couple of my observations. They typically ship with a Campy FHB (at least sourced from QBP). This can be swapped to Shimano, but the aluminum is prone to notching. Also, stickers around hub center can be removed and have them be silver only.

Not sure if weight is a concern, but Shimano does offer the Tiagra/Sora level hubs (RS400 series) in a 28H count. Seem cheap to purchase: $35 front, $55 rear or there abouts.

[isaacneff]

Do you already have 28h rims? If not, I'd maybe just go 32h.

That said, I have had reasonably good luck with Bitex hubs.

[GregL]

Bicycle Hub Store Super light hubs- The new rear hub has steel pins to keep cogs from digging in to the splines which is a nice touch. They also have a larger bearing wide flange front that looks okay. A lot of people seem to have good luck with these and at $150 dollars a pair they seem nice. SL210 rear and SLF85W
Built up two wheelsets with these exact hubs this spring. Very pleased with the quality of the hubs and price. They are also backed by a reputable retailer.

Greg

[ikecycke]

the current bhs hubs do look good, and are probably made by novatech or bitex. i have a ton of miles on bitex hubs and think they are just excellent, but it's not known specifically what the bhs hubs are, i dont think.

http://www.bdopcycling.com/HUBS-ROAD.asp

Definitely Bitex.

http://www.bitexhubs.com/htm/pd_list.php?bi=&sp=&cs=MjI%253D

The standard rear BHS hub is the RAR12, and the 85 wide front is the RAF12.

I've used these quite a bit, as well as the centerlock disc versions (BX106F/BX106R) purchased via BHS, and have nothing but good things to say. Good combination of cheap, light, and easy to service, plus the durability has been good.

[jtbadge]

BHS hubs are Bitex and are a great value. I have a set laced to Archetypes that are on their 5th or 6th frame at this point. My only complaint was that the alloy freehub body is easily chewed up, but they've since added a little steel 'anti-bite' block to mitigate that issue.

[bicycletricycle]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I am going to go for the BHS ones. I like that they have the pins on the freehub to keep spline damage to a minimum.

[R3awak3n]

+ 1 on the BHS hubs. I ran one for a long time, it was great, no complaints. Sure its not as nice as a DT but worked great for what I wanted it for.

[ColonelJLloyd]

+ 1 on the BHS hubs. I ran one for a long time, it was great, no complaints. Sure its not as nice as a DT but worked great for what I wanted it for.

I love my DT and SRAM 900 hubs and wouldn't trade them for Bitex (though I will probably build with Bitex soon enough), but everyone should have a steel bite guard on their Shimano freehub body now and those two do not. I don't get it. Many brands have offered this for a few years or more at this point.

[bicycletricycle]

The fact that a bunch of people buy hubs with aluminum freehub bodies is really confusing to me. Only applied to regular shimano splines.

I love my DT and SRAM 900 hubs and wouldn't trade them for Bitex (though I will probably build with Bitex soon enough), but everyone should have a steel bite guard on their Shimano freehub body now and those two do not. I don't get it. Many brands have offered this for a few years or more at this point.

[jtbadge]

The fact that a bunch of people buy hubs with aluminum freehub bodies is really confusing to me. Only applied to regular shimano splines.

Grams, bro.

[ColonelJLloyd]

The fact that a bunch of people buy hubs with aluminum freehub bodies is really confusing to me.

No need to remain confused as there's a very simple explanation for it. Hubs with steel freehubs are very heavy and hubs with titanium freehubs are very expensive. Many of those titanium freehub equipped hubs lack features some may want these days. It's a matter of checking boxes and making compromises on some things most times. My point is that a bite guard is a cheap and effective solution and a head scratcher that they're not ubiquitous at this point.

I've never (knocks on wood) had to scrap a hub or replace a freehub body because said freehub body was aluminum. But, I still don't like having to take a bastard file to a freehub spline after removing an 11-42 cassette.

[Cat3roadracer]

Pacenti uses Bitex hubs as well. I have a new set and they are quite nice.

[bicycletricycle]

No need to remain confused as there's a very simple explanation for it. Hubs with steel freehubs are very heavy and hubs with titanium freehubs are very expensive. Many of those titanium freehub equipped hubs lack features some may want these days. It's a matter of checking boxes and making compromises on some things most times. My point is that a bite guard is a cheap and effective solution and a head scratcher that they're not ubiquitous at this point.

I've never (knocks on wood) had to scrap a hub or replace a freehub body because said freehub body was aluminum. But, I still don't like having to take a bastard file to a freehub spline after removing an 11-42 cassette.

I stand by my claim of confusion on the subject :)

I am doubly confused that all companies that use aluminum freehub bodies have not converted to "bite guards"

except for super weight weenie hubs of coarse.

[MaraudingWalrus]

Aivee hubs are not offensively expensive, and I quite like the ones I built with for a customer, and he seems stoked with them too. Going to buy a set of their MP hubs to rebuild some old Edge tubular rims I got off of Maddox on here.

More expensive than say a BHS set, maybe on par with some DT hubs, but more unique/not as likely for your buddy to have the same thing on the ride next to you.

[ColonelJLloyd]

I stand by my claim of confusion on the subject :)

Maybe your friend in search of budget hubs can explain it. ;)

You're fortunate that your particular hub requirements and budget are most often met with Dura Ace and White Ind hubs. Sweet choices when the shoe fits for sure!

[bicycletricycle]

Maybe your friend in search of budget hubs can explain it. ;)

You're fortunate that your particular hub requirements and budget are most often met with Dura Ace and White Ind hubs. Sweet choices when the shoe fits for sure!


Name me a hub requirement that can not be met with a solution that prevents cogs severely digging into the freehub body.

I double dare you :)

Also, I have found my friend a cheap solution with a free hub that prevents spline destruction, well, I hope that those pins on the BHS freehub work.

[oldpotatoe]

[QUOTE]Ultegra 6800- Originally I assumed that I could get ultegra 6800 hubs in 28 hole but it seems that I was wrong and that they only come in 32 and 36, is that really true?

Correct also with 5800 hubs..32/36 only but very nce hubs

Bicycle Hub Store Super light hubs- The new rear hub has steel pins to keep cogs from digging in to the splines which is a nice touch. They also have a larger bearing wide flange front that looks okay. A lot of people seem to have good luck with these and at $150 dollars a pair they seem nice. SL210 rear and SLF85W


Yup they are light but don't let the 'superlight' name fool you. Good, asian made, essentially private label hubs. Ohh, colors too. I built many wheelsets with them

Miche- These hubs are kind of ugly but not the worst I guess. I don't know much about these. Educate me?

Also great hubs..might be tough to find a shimano type FHB..most are Campag. RH flange a 'little' close to centerline of hub but OC rims and locking nipples..with proper tension, and they work fine..built many with these as well.

[oldpotatoe]

[B]
[QUOTE]the ultegra hubs are good, but tankishly heavy.

NOT trying to get into a weight-match here but a reality check..DA rear hub is 89 grams lighter than an Ultegra hub..89 grams..I don't think that makes Utegra 'tank-ish' nor 'notably' heavier..on most 85,000-90,000gram bike and rider 'packages.

Even the BHS 'superlight' is only 110 grams heavier than Ultegra..weight of about 2 powerbars, about 12 spokes...:)

[giverdada]

I like the BHS hubs in general, and have liked working with Brandon for shipping my wheelbuilding parts.

One caution (https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=196381): I built a radial-laced front wheel with a BHS front hub, I think it's the wide, ultralight one, and I think it was a 24h, with Sapim Race spokes (love those) to an Archetype rim with brass nipples. Kinda the best wheel I've built yet. Roundest, truest wheel I have ever put together, and stayed true forever. Rode beautifully. I used linseed oil on the spoke threads and lubed the spoke holes with Phil's waterproof grease before dropping the nipples in. Anyway, it was a study in process, and it felt like I finally did something right.

A couple of years later, I was on my commute home, and had just left the building. Dropping off the sidewalk curb to enter the street, I heard the heart-rending 'PING', and figured I had broken a spoke. Nah. Tore one or two spokes out of the hub flange. Effin radial lacing. Never shoulda done that. Did it as an experiment. Now I know.

Anyway, maybe builder-error or user error or that one crappy hub flange, but I just wanted to caution against building with radial lacing, in case your experience ends up similar to mine. Otherwise, love BHS.

Nick.

[Davist]

+1 I have used BHS and been very satisfied, worked well. I built a 24/28 set n archetypes and 2x front 3x rear with Sapim race spokes alloy front / brass back.. they've been absolutely bulletproof. I figured radial would look like "everybody else", so crossed the front. Sorry to hear about experience above with radial. I did have cassette bite using Al cassette, but nbd as others mentioned.

[oldpotatoe]

Another 'BHS' Bitex type hub note. The spoke holes are GIGANTIC so when calculating spoke length, 'might' round down a bit..for info.

[bicycletricycle]

Another 'BHS' Bitex type hub note. The spoke holes are GIGANTIC so when calculating spoke length, 'might' round down a bit..for info.

I really don't like giant spoke holes.