Topic: Have you used these hubs? Add pros, cons, or both for any of the following

[SandPine]

I know there are other options out there so name them.  But I am mainly interested on these five for "normal"  MTB XC riding here in our heck of the woods in east-central florida.  Please provide a bit of info on what you like/disklike about any of these but do state if you have used them or not.  Real life experiances will help.  Thanks.

[Darrinw2001]

The only shop I know that pushes Profile hubs is Casey at AJ's... Hopes are not as expensive as the I9's or Kings, but are a cost effective alternative. I have heard nothing but great things about Kings, but I have known people who have had problems with I9's. You should also look at the DT Swiss 240 hubs with the upgraded 36t star ratchet. I have a DT 340 on my rear and it is easy to service.My only bitch is the freehub body is aluminum and pits easy...

[SandPine]

I had almost settled on I9's until I realized that several of the people that I know that have them, have had issues with them.  I even saw a buch being serviced at a local shop.  Maybe not the enduro versions but the others had the free hub body too thin and seem to craked.  I9 offers ceramic bearings for them but I heard that those are worse than regular steel ones for hubs.  weird... 

[SandPine]

I really like the "no drag" of my AC's.  All the pawns pull back/fall down when coasting.  Seem to coast forever.  But the engagemetn is not near what I9, Profiles are.  Not even Kings. 
 
For those that know... will you agree that the engagement is of this order on them:
I9 > Profile > CK > Hope > AC ?
 
">" = better or shorter engagement

[Redriderpro]

American Classic ( not current ones) they were new 6 years ago.
Held up ok, but did bend a rear axle, used a couple sets of bearings. Were light weight. Bill and Ellen are nearby ( out by airport).
Did not like that they were adjustable, could never get all the slack out of the adjustment without causing bearing tightness.
 
BWW: A year now ( Not on you list ofcourse)but I am very happy with the BWW hubs. Not with the House rims ( PureXCR) but those were replaced with Mavic XM 719s which have about 300 miles on them now and are still streight and true.
Take a look at this link for a teardown ( see what is inside) of the BWW hubs.
 http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/bww-pure-wheelset-arrived-480062.html
 
Yes, they make complete 29er sets as well.
http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/bww-has-done-again-29r-set-757309.html
 
Plus: BWW hubs are available in a buch of colors to better bring out the Bling of that RL, and have faster engagement than AC hubs and Hope standard 240s

[mellowme17]

   Red... the new classic hubs are way better than the old ones.
My list goes classics, and then kings…. End of story… lol

you’re a xc guy,  classics are very nice hub and are very light hubs although they lack the instance engagement  of the king and profile the classics still have a solid connection and feeling that i have been pretty happy with. i haven’t had any skipping or any failing at all and i have not serviced them once. They just keep getting smoother and smoother.
most people know i am pretty hard on equipment....
this being said I already blew up a set of bearings in my road wheels.. (3 weeks yay)

if i break my current hubs i will be going with Chris kings for the rear.

i9 don’t even make my list do the lack of seals and the amount of hubs i have seen and heard with issues and i hate they there sound.(not saying they are crap very nice hubs just don’t think they will cut it for the long haul)

dt swiss 240 hubs are always a good solid option.

[Orion_134]

Engagement is only a problem if you stop pedaling.  I have a solution...

As for drag, Hopes drag like whoa.  The new AC hub is a pretty rad, relatively drag-free design.

[mellowme17]

Engagement is only a problem if you stop pedaling.  I have a solution...

As for drag, Hopes drag like whoa.  The new AC hub is a pretty rad, relatively drag-free design.

plus 1!
pedal pedal pedal

[Pariah]

been riding the I9s for years now.  My first set is bomb proof and those were, at that time, the ultralight wheel set.  only issue I had was after doing a crappy weather ididaride where folks where replacing hubs and bottom brackets due to the rain and wet and crap.  I had to replace the bearings, not a big deal.
 
For the record the ultra set I still have and it has been through  a trip ashvillie and two trips to blueridge, and all the trails the swamp club trips hit.  I am not by anymeans a gentle rider and I've never had any issues with the wheels.
 
Got a set for my 29er SS - no issues at all, got a set for my wife....no issues at all.  use a set now on the Giant anthem for racing and crashing...no issues. 
 
I will say one thing, you do need to have the hubs looked at every so often like any piece of "high performance" gear just like changing the oil on a car.  I9 also makes a standard hub for J bend spokes with the same engagement as their straight pull hubs.
 
At the end of the day any of the choices you have listed should be fine.

[rob_squared]

I don't see Circus Monkey in your list?!?!!??!!?!?

[Darrinw2001]

I don't see Circus Monkey in your list?!?!!??!!?!?

LOL!!! are those still going Strong Rob?

[rob_squared]

I "retired" the rear last year just before TD when the freehub gave me a problem. Rode the front hub till about 3 weeks ago. The hub is still good and I have it... I just wanted that wheel relaced with my Dynamo hub so I could start thinking about another adventure.

So - Don't buy Circus Monkey Hubs... I was your lab rat test subject on those.....

[chisel]

CK...    My set has been shredded for 11 years on 5 different bikes. Many mountain trips, even dj's and hucking. The only thing i have done is had them opened twice and cleaned. All original bearings. They are truly the shizzzz

[SandPine]

So nobody here has had the Profile racing Elites yet?  I know they seemed a bit marked up and don't yet have the longevity of the CK but time will tell.  They seemed to be very easy to service (if you need to).  They also don't seem to come back to the shop as often as the I9's.  DUnno how Pariah has been the only exception  .
Anyways, good stuff guys.  Thanks for the input.  Leaning toward some weiked red/white build with the Profiles and Flows Stans rims.

[Singletrack Samurai]

Hi there. I like to ride long hard miles in all sorts of environments from wet to dry from flat to mountainous. I like to do zero maintanence. For five years I have rode my xtr  hubs. No problems no service done on them at all and they are still working perfectly.  Sounds like a winner to me.

[Alan]

After a lot of research I ended up with the Hopes.  They seemed like the best match for me with cost ($270 shipped for the pair), durability, weight, and ease of service.  They are a tad loud but whatever.

[SandPine]

After a lot of research I ended up with the Hopes.  They seemed like the best match for me with cost ($270 shipped for the pair), durability, weight, and ease of service.  They are a tad loud but whatever.

Did you fix the issue you were having with them?  What rim type of spoke did you use?  Also, what is the total weight of the set? also, who laced them for you?

[Alan]

It just needed some lube on the brake side seal.  No biggie. 
 
Hoops are WTB Frequency i23 laced with DT Comps and brass nipples.  Not really sure on the weight.  He used a regular desktop scale and had problems getting them to balance on the scale to weigh them correctly but it was right around 2000g for the set (ss/trials hub with bolts and steel freehub body).  Not exactly the lightest but these should be bulletproof which is what I was going for.
 
Matt at Olivers built them up for me. 

[chainslap]

I had I9's with Flows on my Epiphany for over 3 years with no hub issues and never serviced them. I had to fix a bent spoke once, thats it.  Now on the Superfly 100 I run I9's with Crest rims using the I9 spokes as I did with he previous set.  No hub issues what so ever, this set is a bit quieter.  Im past due for the post break-in retension.  With the lighter rims and bigger wheels, I will have it done this time.  Bottom line, the engagement is benchmark for the industry and with the straight pull spokes they are very stiff.  You can pick them up for under a grand new if you shop around.  Also note that Crest and Arch rims take tha same spokes, so if you gamble on Crests, you can go to Arches if need be without a huge extra expense.  CK certainly makes a great hub, but I think I9 makes a better wheel as a whole.  I had a short experience with Hope Pro II's on the SS.  For the money they were a good value but the noise was a deal breaker.  As far as the Profile hubs go check with Forest and crew, I believe they have several sets in use.

[mellowme17]

anyone actually logging miles on there hubs/wheels?
time is great and all but actual miles are the true selling point...

i know gregg loves his i9hubs and he racks up the miles each year.... not sure how often he has rebuilt though...

whats the difference between xt and xtr hubs besides some weight differences are they still loose ball and cone hubs??

I am just curious to know how important engagement is for our riding here in central Florida…..we don’t have any super long climbs…. Or impossible like cranking technical trails…  I would assume a secure solid engagement and low drag hub with super tight seals would be the best option for our environment especially if you occasionally ride in gross conditions.

Have you looked at the Hadley hubs I head good things about them but have yet to see them in person.

[BillT]

anyone actually logging miles on there hubs/wheels?
time is great and all but actual miles are the true selling point...

I've had my Kings since about mid '98 and on average I ride once a week for about 12 miles = approximately 9000'ish miles (very rough math).  My alloy cassette body wore enough that certain gear combos would cause the cassette to wobble about 2 years ago so I replaced it with a stainless steel version from King.  I also think that one of the bearings in the rear is starting to go bad.
 

i know gregg loves his i9hubs and he racks up the miles each year.... not sure how often he has rebuilt though...

Gregg has gone through 2-3 sets of bearings and is due for another set soon.  He did have catastrophic failure on Gatorback (if I remember correctly) but that was right after a service and the cause was traced to an improperly tensioned wheel and I believe all was taken care of by the bike shop/i9.
 

whats the difference between xt and xtr hubs besides some weight differences are they still loose ball and cone hubs??

XT and XTR share the same basic design but XTR uses nicer materials (ti free hub body).
 

I am just curious to know how important engagement is for our riding here in central Florida…..we don’t have any super long climbs…. Or impossible like cranking technical trails…  I would assume a secure solid engagement and low drag hub with super tight seals would be the best option for our environment especially if you occasionally ride in gross conditions.

Quick engagement is nice for slower, technical riding...more stop and go, cut and thrust, type stuff (i.e. Rattlesnake Ridge at Santos).  If you don't stop pedaling, then engagement doesn't really matter as much.  The thing I like about Kings is that they have 72 points of engagement and all are in contact to deliver power vs 3-4 points of contact on a typical rachet/pawl design hub.
 

Have you looked at the Hadley hubs I head good things about them but have yet to see them in person.

I run a set of Hadley's on my Intense and I love them.  Great quality, pretty good engagement...they are a bit on the burly side especially with the 10mm bolt on rear axle they have as option.

[SandPine]

anyone actually logging miles on there hubs/wheels?
time is great and all but actual miles are the true selling point...

I don't really count miles but hrs on the saddle.  I've been averaging about 40-50 hrs / month.  I have had my 1650 grams C29ssmax Mavics for over 3 years now.  Only one time serviced and never had to true them.  But engagement stinks and only 4 or 2 pawls and no bling factor.  I have had my AC's for almost a year now and true rear rim destroyed once and new one already out of true.  The engagement is not as good as the 9 or 3 degrees of the CK or I9.  But the pawls fall back for 0 drag.  great for coasting.  For price, i would have gotten better I think.

I am just curious to know how important engagement is for our riding here in central Florida…..we don’t have any super long climbs…. Or impossible like cranking technical trails…  I would assume a secure solid engagement and low drag hub with super tight seals would be the best option for our environment especially if you occasionally ride in gross conditions.

Profile Elites have INSTANT (or so they claim) engagement with 204 POE.  Better than 3 degrees of I9 or 6 (? not sure) degrees of the CK's.  when I am coasting down and start pedaling to make it up on the many drops we have with my AC is very noticeable that I have to pedal at least 1/8 of crank turn before it engages.  This is more noticeable on my Mavics.  Specially if I am standing to pedal up a climb.  If I catch the downstroke starting at the 12'oclock position sometimes my foot hesitates to get that downstroke started.  Specially if hub has not engaged.  One time in Georgia's Pinhoti my foot actually got stuck and I my pedal stroke went backwards instead of forward.  Was doing about 2mph up a climb and really grinding it.  Stopped pedaling a bit to rest and caught that 12 oclock positon. I was standing leaning forward over the bars on a steep climb. Anyway, just my novice views.

[chisel]

i have not tracked my miliage on the ck's over the last 11 years but i know it is a ton.

[rob_squared]

Did you decide on a hub SP? I'm interested in what you might have to say on the Profiles....

[Ejreyes6]

 I have been Running flows with profile hubs for about the last 300 miles or so.
I just pulled the hub apart ( super simple) for a cleaning and everything
Looked great inside. Their was a small bit of grime inside but that was about it.
The sealing on the mechanism could be better. That  being said all I have to do is a
Pull the wheel, lift cassette and your done. The plus is the 200 plus Points of engagement.

Ck, i9 and profile are all great hubs. You won't go wrong picking any of them.

E

[SandPine]

Did you decide on a hub SP? I'm interested in what you might have to say on the Profiles....

Yes I did.  I walked into AJ's with my order for a full I9 red hubs/spokes on white flows.  Walked out with white flows, red profile elites, black and white spokes, and red nips.  Same if not slightly less cost.  A tad bit over 1900 grams.  They are slightly heavier than what I have now.  The white powder coat on rim and flows weight a bit more than Arches.  But I hope not having to rebuild my wheels often (as I've done with my all mountain AC rims).  I've only done one ride on them.  The tire seems to quiet down the hub noise a bit but they are still very loud.  BIG difference on engagement feel compared to my AC and Mavic C29Max.  I like how the AC's coast but the profile elites blow them away on engagement.  It's instant.  As soon as you start to move the foot forward you are moving the wheel.  Often when standing up on FL small climbs, I can feel the slight delay on engagement on my other wheels.  Also coasting down a drop and pedaling at apex to climb back up.  No waiting now.
 
Thanks all for the input.  I still like the clean shinny look of the I9 but we'll see how the profile stand up.

[Pariah]

good deal.  Long as they work for you...you made the right call.

[jbrazinski]

Another Flows/Elites person here.  Followed Casey's advice at AJS and so far very happy.  I was a little concerned with the dirt/grime I found in them after 6 months so I'll probably pull them apart every few months now to clean and oil.  No wear noted from the dirt though.  I'm only one year into mountain biking so very little experience to back up my opinion.