HD SS Rear Hub

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Looking for advice on rear SS hub durability. I’m currently riding a 14mm solid axle SS hub with a White Trials FW. It has been totally flawless. I’m building a new wheel and this hub is NLA, so I’m looking at options - should I stick with the White FW, or will a newer freehub hold up???

I don’t accrue a lot of miles, and my riding tends to be 85% basic XC-SS, the other 10-15% is slightly more abusive trials or Urban or even skatepark riding. I’m an old-school BMX/Trials rider, and I do not go total trials on this bike. I like to have fun when I discover a great section while out SS’ing, and will certainly ratchet the hell out of any FW!

So my current research has lead me to the following hubs, Pros & Cons:
  • Surly Ultra New SS Disc — keep White FW, no thru axle, little 10mm bolts in AL axle.
  • Hope Pro 4 Trials SS — Expensive, needs 10x135 thru axle conversion kit
  • Onyx MTB HG SS — Super Expensive, std 10x135 thru axle (or 12/135 thru)
My bike is WAY over-built - it's an old habit. For axle security I instinctively lean toward adapting a 10/135mm thru axle (could do a 12/135 with slight mod’s). I haven't run a freehub since the early 1990’s (when they were trash and I stopped using them!). Feel free to let me know if I missed any other hub options.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
https://paulcomp.com/shop/components/disk-word/

Freewheel hub. Very simple, easily rebuildable. Available for Bolt-On, Quick Release or Through Axle. I'm running one Bolt-On.

I just recently trashed my Echo Freewheel, turns out trials freehubs typically don't have seals and riding in the rain washes out the grease. I rebuilt it with $5 in loose ball bearings but if I bought another one the Monty Race Pro 135 Click freewheel is about $80 and seems to be the best option at the moment.

Why are you looking at a new hub/freewheel? I assume the hub is rebuildable and the Freewheel is definitely rebuildable & new ones are available. Freewheels seem to be much stronger than Freehubs. 9 pawls and everything is steel (or titanium)
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
Actually my old hub and FW are fine, but built into a 36h 24+ wheel. The new hub is for a 32h 26+ wheel.

The Paul Word Disc certainly looks like a good candidate. What is the thread diameter of your bolt-on bolts? I worry about their holding ability in horizontal dropouts.

All of the new Word/disc axles appear to be 17mm OD. Since the 12mm thru axle is 142 spacing, I may call them and ask if they could bore the 10x135 bolt-on to 10mm thru axle, or I could do it myself.

Do you really think that Monty FW is better than a White? My Monty experience is dated, but let’s just say I’m not impressed with Spanish mechanical product quality(!).
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I can measure the thread on the bolts when I get home, but my guess is M8 as there is a brass serrated bushing that slides into the dropout area that must be 10mm. Your frame is 10x135 through axle? The brass bushing holds them on very tight. Wide serrated surface, part that is in the dropout portion doesn't have room to play. I do run Salsa Alternator dropouts so probably less of an issue than horizontal dropouts.

White is probably way more reliable for the freewheel. Aren't they basically the standard for reliable freewheels? Although they are only 72 point, which honestly is probably OK for me, but I'm not doing trials.
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
My frame uses aluminum adapters between the axle and frame, below is the current 14mm solid axle + adapters but I also have 10mm axle adapters. I can also space the 14mm adaptors down to 12mm or 10mm.

Scratch_build5.jpg



Paul states their axle bolts accept a 6mm hex wrench and have 8mm threads, and large knurled brass washers are included with the axle bolts for WORD or Disk WORD hubs. The standard axle bolts are 30mm long, but extra-long 35mm bolts are available for use with rear dropouts thicker than 10mm. They come with extra-long aluminum washers.

Given the combined thickness of my adapters + dropout, and the larger slot to accommodate a 14mm axle, I think a thru axle would be best/easiest/most-secure. Also, by thru axle I mean a 10mm or 12mm bolt.
 
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