Hi guys,
Just searched this forum for 'long term hub reviews' because I am looking for a hub that meets my demands. There is a lot of information to be found here, but a bit scattered, which is just normal.
So first I wanted to share a link with you guys about soms 'longer term' reviews than your average review.
Some hubs (or parts in general) get a bad/good reliability review while a person has been riding it for 100 mile / 160 kilometres...
This link has some interesting tech and reviews:
Czech hub review site (in English)
And I would like to share my reviews/thoughts on some hubs:
Note: some information is copy/pasted, because I like to always ride hard.
But I do not aim to destroy the bike and its parts!
Shimano Nexus 8: (Older model, grey with coaster brake).
Next to this, I find the "coaster brake challenge" website really helpful on coaster brake hubs.
These are my findings, someone could have some bad luck with a new hub and/or buy a badly maintained 2nd hand hub.
I hope to post/update more hub reviews in the future and help/provide people with tips and/or information, because I got stuck aswell trying to find a reliable decent hub for my situation.
Thank you for more tips/reviews! Feel free to ask questions, altough I am not all knowing.
Just searched this forum for 'long term hub reviews' because I am looking for a hub that meets my demands. There is a lot of information to be found here, but a bit scattered, which is just normal.
So first I wanted to share a link with you guys about soms 'longer term' reviews than your average review.
Some hubs (or parts in general) get a bad/good reliability review while a person has been riding it for 100 mile / 160 kilometres...
This link has some interesting tech and reviews:
Czech hub review site (in English)
And I would like to share my reviews/thoughts on some hubs:
Note: some information is copy/pasted, because I like to always ride hard.
But I do not aim to destroy the bike and its parts!Shimano Nexus 8: (Older model, grey with coaster brake).
- Context: I rode with this hub daily (all weather) for about a year and about 1875 miles / 3000 kilometres.
- I rode it hard! Kicked the sh*t out of the coaster brake and rode quite fast on average: 17.5 miles/hr / 28 kilometres/hr.
- Mostly in 2nd and 7th gear.
- I did no maintenance, except for cleaning the chain and hub externals.
- Verdict: Pretty tough hub which can take a beating, some gears are a bit crunchy, even when new. After the distance as mentioned above the 7th gear broke. and short after, the hub locked up. In my opinion not bad, but not for riders that generate a lot of torque on a long term basis. Repacking the hub after about 1200 miles / 1920 kilometres is not a bad idea. The coaster brake is OK, but is not that grabby.
- Context: I rode with this hub daily (all weather) for about a year and about 1500 miles / 2400 kilometres.
- I rode it very hard! Kicked the shi*t out of the coaster brake and shifter sometimes and rode quite fast on average: 17.5 miles/hr / 28 kilometres/hr.
- Mostly in 2ND gear riding fast. Chasing electric bikes.
- I did no maintenance, except for cleaning the chain and hub externals.
- Verdict: I really loved this hub, It proved very reliable to me, even when riding in very cold weather with salt on the roads. Never had any issues and sold it after above mentioned mileage feeling like new. In the future I will put some maintenance time in it. I tried it offroad for mountainbiking aswel, but the way this hub shifts, I did not find it very comfortable on bumpy singletracks, so personally I would not use it on a klunker or mountainbike for serious offroad riding.
- Notes: Never had issues, but the dustcaps seem a little underwhelming when taking it off. Tip: I take the dustcaps off, put some 'thick' grease or ML spray on the inside before putting it back on. So the dirt stays on the grease stuff for a while.
- Context: I use it on my 24x3.0 klunker mountainbike for singletracks. Now about 1400 miles / 2240 kilometres.
- Hard mountainbiking on tree stumps, in mud, snow and sometimes fine sand. Jumps maxing in height about 60 centimetres / 23,62 inches.
- I did not do any maintenance, except for cleaning the externals.
- Verdict: A great smooth singlespeed hub, a step up from the Shimano CBE-110 in feel. The brakes are very grabby which is very nice but has one disadvantage when mountainbiking: When I pull the front wheel up to engage a large tree stump, the brake already reacts... that specific bit takes some time to get used to.
- A note worth mentioning: I did not use this hub on long descents. So I have no information on how it reacts on a long braking session! For your safety.
- Context: I used it on klunker / mountainbikes, cruisers and daily racers.
- Daily: Hard riding on average: 17.5 miles/hr / 28 kilometres/hr. For 3500 miles / 5600 kilometres. In all weather.
- Hard mountainbiking on tree stumps, in mud, snow and sometimes fine sand. Jumps maxing in height about 60 centimetres / 23,62 inches. For about 900 miles / 1440 kilometres.
- I did do maintenance: Repacked every 1000 miles / 1600 kilometres. Just because it is so easy!
- Hard mountainbiking on tree stumps, in mud, snow and sometimes fine sand. Jumps maxing in height about 60 centimetres / 23,62 inches.
- Verdict: A greaty, very durable (when maintained) hub for its price. Quite tough and it can take some abuse. It needs to be re-tightened on the brake side after some hard brakes on grassy/tough surfaces. Dirt/water can get in the hub through the dustcaps.
- Tip: I use a old inner tube as a seal: Measure, cut two times a piece about 10mm / little over 3/8 inch off of it. And lube the hub part a bit and keep the dustcaps dry. Then stretch around it. When it runs dry, spray some WD 40 teflon spray on the hub-part to keep it on the dust cap.
Next to this, I find the "coaster brake challenge" website really helpful on coaster brake hubs.
These are my findings, someone could have some bad luck with a new hub and/or buy a badly maintained 2nd hand hub.
I hope to post/update more hub reviews in the future and help/provide people with tips and/or information, because I got stuck aswell trying to find a reliable decent hub for my situation.
Thank you for more tips/reviews! Feel free to ask questions, altough I am not all knowing.
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