Robust rear hub advice

[bennymac]

I’m an old, untalented, far-from-smooth rider and I ride rough trails as fast as I can. I tend to blow up rear hubs (and wheels but that’s another issue).

A former pro mechanic for the EWS said in passing “yeah that’s cause you’re tall”

I’m 6’3 but only 180lbs so not a clydesdale.

I’m not racing so high performance is not a big priority. I’m a strong climber so no need to be a weight weenie. But having a rear hub that can take mucho abuse and be easily serviced by my home mechanic (my wife) would be great.

Chris King sounds like they last a long time but maybe are harder to service? DT Swiss 350s seem like maybe a good choice? I have Hopes on my enduro bike and have only destroyed one of them in 5 years which seems like a good track record.

Feel free to flame me if this kinda shit question is better for emptybeerers

[toast2266]

Deehubs is gonna be the authority here, but my vote is the 350.

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[bennymac]

Gonna be using these hubs with WAO rims - and if I order them as wheelsets off their site it looks like I can get Hydras or 350s probably for the same price - or I9 1/1 hubs for maybe a little bit cheaper.

There is some chatter about DT Swiss having some hub quality issues of late but that might only be in the 240s which I don’t want/need.

Edit: or can just buy the rims and put whatever hubs I choose (CK, Hopes etc) with them

[rideit]

Hadley.

PERIOD.

https://www.balleracing.com/hadley-1...oost-rear-hubs


(Or DT 350 if on a budget).

[bagtagley]

Hadley x2

[Dee Hubbs]

You can’t go wrong with DT 350. Freehub parts available at every shop, common bearing sizes, and great value for what you get.
The reliability issue was the first issue of the new 240 single sided ratchet system; Ratchet EXP. That was sorted and only effected that new model.

Since you’re in Canada try to see how pricing for Project 321 hubs are for you. Also a very good choice.

[mntlion]

DT. durable AND common.

Hadley is amazing, but no one stocks parts.

Similar with 321.

[El Chupacabra]

Gonna be using these hubs with WAO rims - and if I order them as wheelsets off their site it looks like I can get Hydras or 350s probably for the same price - or I9 1/1 hubs for maybe a little bit cheaper.

There is some chatter about DT Swiss having some hub quality issues of late but that might only be in the 240s which I don’t want/need.

Edit: or can just buy the rims and put whatever hubs I choose (CK, Hopes etc) with them

Another vote for DT 350 from me. And a specific vote against I9, unless your priority shifts from reliability to blingy. For such an expensive hub, they aren't that good.

[LeeLau]

Dt 350. You can't go wrong

[beaterdit]

Onyx Classic. Bomber and the silence is sublime.

[singlesline]

I just took my first ride on a set of We Are One wheels with DT350 hubs and they seem pretty solid...especially now that the 350s come with the 36T ratchet by default. If you are going with WAO rims seems like the easy option is to just let them build you the whole wheel and choose the 350 option. I think it ended up being $80 more than the 1/1 since they were running a sale when I ordered. Big white logos on the 350 are ugly IMHO--I think they do it to get you to upgrade to the 240, but it does at least match the WAO rim logos.

The 240 rear that was on my hardtail held up pretty well...I'm close to 200lbs and didn't own a full squish so that bike rode everything.


Is it normal for DT hubs to have a ratchet sound that sort of warbles up and down as the wheel spins? RRRRRrrrrrrRRRRRRRrrrrrRRRRRRrrrrrrr. Just a nature of the ratchet design vs pawls? My 240 does it too, but I just assumed that it was because it was old...was surprised that the new 350 sounded the same (and was also quieter than I expected).

[bennymac]

Thanks everyone for the help. 350s seem like the best option since I can get WAO to just build them up - plus the benefits of parts being widely available even in butt-fuck nowhere is an advantage.

[zion zig zag]

Is it normal for DT hubs to have a ratchet sound that sort of warbles up and down as the wheel spins? RRRRRrrrrrrRRRRRRRrrrrrRRRRRRrrrrrrr. Just a nature of the ratchet design vs pawls? My 240 does it too, but I just assumed that it was because it was old...was surprised that the new 350 sounded the same (and was also quieter than I expected).

Normal. I was told that it's from grease being packed unevenly but no issue.

[forty]

350s are great for the price, easy to service, readily available parts, etc...
but hadley makes an amazing hub that if you want lifetime quality is a step above the others
ive replaced bearings a few times in my ss hadley and always impressed with how well it holds up to dj abuse

[toast2266]

Is it normal for DT hubs to have a ratchet sound that sort of warbles up and down as the wheel spins? RRRRRrrrrrrRRRRRRRrrrrrRRRRRRrrrrrrr. Just a nature of the ratchet design vs pawls? My 240 does it too, but I just assumed that it was because it was old...was surprised that the new 350 sounded the same (and was also quieter than I expected).

Mine varies depending on how hard I smacked the last rock. Harder smack = louder. Then it gradually quiets down until the next rock.

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[jackattack]

DT 350. I’ve killed every “stock” hub I’ve come across except the dt star ratchet. I believe.

[bamboocoreONLY]

Onyx Classic. Bomber and the silence is sublime.

meh, they're not that bomber. Have had to work on many in the shop and they're a PITA to work on with the million little magnets inside if there's even one that askew. They're warranty folks also weren't super fun to deal with when we sent one in.

I'd vote DT.

[Andeh]

N'thing DT. I had them for a couple sets of wheels with no issues. Then "upgraded" to Hydras on a couple custom sets of WAOs, and had issues with bearings wearing out really fast. Back on 350s for the last few wheelsets. The bearings last forever for me, and the 54t ratchets give me enough engagement. I haven't had any issues with the DT 54t even on ebikes.

I know Hadleys are supposedly superior durability, but like others have said, it's nice to be able to get parts just about anywhere, not from a website that looks like it was made in the 1990s and just shows everything as out of stock.

[beaterdit]

meh, they're not that bomber. Have had to work on many in the shop and they're a PITA to work on with the million little magnets inside if there's even one that askew. They're warranty folks also weren't super fun to deal with when we sent one in.

I'd vote DT.

Hmmm, hesitant to correct an actual shop mechanic but there's definitely no magnets in Onyx hubs. The "Sprawls" in the Sprag clutch aren't magnetic. I could see how it would suck if they got loose though. I'm at four years on my first pair, I haven't had to service them yet but from the videos it doesn't look that bad. They've been around for like 20 years in the BMX world and are known for being robust and reliable. Those guys obviously put down a lot of power. Like a lot of brands they've had a few bad runs here and there. I know the newer design Vesper hub had issues when it was first released and I think they had a bad run run of bearings at some point fairly recently.

You might be thinking of Project321? They're definitely known for their magnetic pawls and it looks like Stan's is using a version of that now in some hubs. Or maybe you just thought the Onyx Sprawls were magnetic? Easy enough mistake to make if you're working on lots of different hubs I guess.

Either way, for simple, available, and reliable, the 350 is a great way to go. They're obviously proven. I just wanted to throw out a unique alternative that I've had great experience with. Maybe not for everyone.

Oh yeah I'm sure Hadley's are awesome too. Might even compete with the Onyx Classic for weight, hahaha.