A hub is a hub is a hub. This one isn't as well-made or as light as some, but it's strong and the wheels spin. With regular rebuilding these ones have lasted 12 years. The front will spin forever, the rear has just now reached the end of its life (a heavier than normal landing has cracked a cup).
Similar Products Used: Deore DX hubs (yes, I'm old)
Bike Setup: Abused 12 year-old ridged cro-mo framed GT with various bits replaced as and when I brake them. If this bike wasn't so robust I could be riding a nice new full-sus by now...
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
John
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
My 1996 GT Ricochet came stock with a Shimano Acera X (front hub) & Shimano Alivio (rear hub), I then had to replace the rear wheel with a Shimano Acera X (rear hub) as the Mavic M-238 rim cracked on the stock rear wheel. I've used this bike from mid Oct.1996 with no problems whatsoever (front hub) & no problems with the rear hub since I got the wheel in 2001. They have always been quiet, smooth operating, a good weight to handle a clydesdale rider like myself & the colour blends in well with the silver spokes, nipples and Mavic M-238 rim. I've used these hubs for 9,000kms+ on the front & 2,000kms+ on the rear. Bottom Line: For a $1,200 bike that I got at the end of season sale for $800 back in Oct.1996 (1996 GT Ricochet) with an assortment of Shimano Acera X, Alivio & STX parts it was well worth the price.
Purchased At: Stock on my 1996 GT Ricochet, replaced rear wheel from a Bike Shop in Scarborough, ON, Canada
Similar Products Used: Shimano Alivio (rear), Shimano Deore XT Disk (rear) & Rolf Dolomite Disk (front + rear).
Bike Setup: 1996 GT Ricochet.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Genital Apparatus
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: November 14, 2004
Strengths: Very strong, races have not suffered any damage yet.
Weaknesses: Freehub sucks, blew up within three months. The hub is a little heavy and not very pretty.
Bottom Line:
I'll admit, this hub is doing pretty well, and seems to be spinning pretty well. The original freehub is gone, and I have now replaced it with a XT. Not the lightest or flashiest hub around, but it has survived and is doing well. I think it deserves a really good value rating.
Submitted by
Aaron McGraw
a Cross Country Rider
from Oil City, PA, USA
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2003
Strengths: Regardless of what these posers below say, it spins, spins well, and is pretty darn durable.
Weaknesses: Sort of plain-jane, no Shimano or Acera logos. Unimpressive QR (but servicable)
Bottom Line:
Hey, despite what some of these pseudo-elitists say, this hub works and works quite well. Not the most attractive hub out there, but it is certainly fine for bike-trail types (I don't take this bike off the beaten path all that frequently). The seals seem fine, obviously this hub isn't in the same category as LX, XT, or XTR, and those boneheads that say "Go out and buy XT" don't realize that not everyone needs bombproof and $$$$ components. Should work just fine for weekend forays on dirt. The price is great.
Bike Setup: 1988 Fuji Cadenza Chromoly Frameset with Weinmann rims, Acera 36 hole hubs, DT Swiss spokes w/ brass nipples, 1.75 inch slicks, Rock Shox Judy TT fork, Diacompe Aheadset, Nashbar threadless stem, Kalloy Silver Ano, flat bars, Shwinn grips, SRAM MRX shifters, Nashbar-branded Tektro brake levers, Tektro front Linear pull brake, Dia-Tech rear U-brake, Exage M350 crank with Syncros black ano. outer ring, Sugino middle ring, and Specialized steel inner ring, Old-style cup and bearings BB, KMC Z-chain, Exage Trail M350 front and rear derailleur, Falcon 7-spd freewheel, Kalloy seatpost, SDG saddle, Nashbar Special Clipless pedals
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Han Jai
a Weekend Warrior
from Surrey, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003
Strengths: (none, but it at least waorks)
Weaknesses: -not sealed -cups bend easily -need to be overhauled -unsmooth
Bottom Line:
I think that this hub is just a hub body, ball bearings, cups, axle, and a few fittings. All shimano hubs are like this even those XTR's that are meant for racers. I tried to overhaul it and it didn't make the hub become smoother. Worst of all, the cups came off after a ride after it was overhauled. There isn't really a seal. You can't really re- overhaul these hubs because it just starts falling apart. They just want you to get another hub. I wouldn't recommend this to ANYONE even LITTLE BABIES.
Go check out the formula cartridge(sealed bearing) hubs at www.formulahubs.com and go to the install/maintain section and click on one of those good hubs and see what those have inside.
This hub and all other Shimano hubs may be light but they're not meant for lifetime. If for some reason you got these hubs with your bike don't even spend one extra penny on over-hauling this hub. Just ride it until it doesn't work.
These QR's wear off on trainers.
Even though I used these for over three years it doesn't mean it is good. I used it until the whole thing came apart.
Similar Products Used: Formula Cartridge Disc hubs, LX, Exage
Bike Setup: LX drivetrain, Z5 100mm Bomber, 7005 frame
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Russ Grier
a Weekend Warrior
from Aberdeen, UK
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2002
Strengths: Cheap.... err... that's about it. Front hub's ok and looks cool.
Weaknesses: Needs a lot of maintenance, the seals are pretty rubbish and the insides aren't very 'hard-wearing'.
Bottom Line:
Surprisingly I serviced the front wheel about two years ago and it still spins freely like a perpetual motion device. No complaints with the front hub! However, the rear hub is another story all together. I've had to replace bearings in it several times and if I spin it by hand I get a lovely grinding noise and then the wheel stops after a short time - I think the rear hub could be modified into an effective brake.
Bike Setup: Saracen Hardtrax, factory spec front and back wheels.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
RICHARD WEST
a Weekend Warrior
from BEDS ENGLAND
Date Reviewed: January 12, 2002
Strengths: LIGHTWEIGHT AS SUMMAT REET LIGHT.
Weaknesses: LOOKS BAD WITH DODGY MACHINING LINES. NOT MUCH SEALING TO TALK ABOUT.
Bottom Line:
I GOT THESE ON MY OLD KONA WHEN I WAS STARTING OUT. THEY WORKED WELL ENOUGH FOR A YEAR BUT THEY THEN BECAME KNACKERED.OK PERHAPS I DIDNT CLEAN OUT THE GUTS OF EM FOR TOO LONG. BUT AFTER A YEAR YOU EXPECT TO FIND ALL THE BALL BEARINGS IN THERE SOMEWHERE. OH NO WHERE DID THEY GO???. SH*TE APOLLOS HAVE LONGER LASTIN HUBS.
Bike Setup: 98' giant warp ds1 frame with mix matched parts
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Brian
a Cross Country Rider
from London, Ontario
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2000
Strengths: sorry what?
Weaknesses: The free wheel was not so free for very long
Bottom Line:
Shimano hubs seem to be going downhill. My beater mountain bike had those old shimano alloy mountain hubs, you know the ones, real skinny with nice curves and polished finish. then I got this used bike without a backwheel, so I bought a cheapo wheel built up with nice DT stainless spokes and a purple Joytech (taiwanese) hub. The hub worked real well and looked nice for quite some time, till I overhauled it and noticed that the bearing cones were totally ground up. So I scavenged the rim to replace the front one that I had bent 2 inches out of true and straightened out two years earlier. Then I went down to one of my many LBS's to pick up a wheel. I decided on the cheap Acera ones because they were cheap and they had nice looking rubber sealing cones and that newer style thick body and most of all because of Shimano "quality" (and not many good hubs come with 7 speed spacing) The wheel cost me more than the one I bought the first time, which led me to believe it would be better, or at least as good, with inflation and all. (it didn't even look as nice as the old ones, it was all grooved from machining and not being sanded or polish after)
First of all, it wasn't even as true as the wheel I'd just built up myself without a truing stand, which was my first ever such endeavour. So I straightened it out a bit and then forgot about it and rode for a while, ( In slush and snow) after about 6 months, the freewheel just stopped working, I would stop peddling and then feel a yank on the pedals as the cogset kept spinning and sucked in the chain. Also, the spokes got all corroded which never happened on my cheapo wheel. So I took it off and stole the wheel from my brothers bike, featuring an old style shimano hub, and never had another problem. The wheel is still sitting in my basement and now you can't turn the "free" wheel either way no matter how hard you try.
Epilogue: When I got my new bike, a K2/proflex featuring shimano LX hubs, I was expecting much better. But, after a few rides, not even in the winter, I was shocked to hear that familliar Whiz-Clunk of the chain being sucked into the freewheel. And a very gritty sound was made as I turned the cogs by hand with the wheel off the bike.
So, don't buy shimano hubs, and if you do, make sure you have a hyperglide lock ring tool and a 10 mm allen so you can overhaul your "sealed" freewheel every ride or so.
Similar Products Used: way old shimano, shimano LX, Coda competition disc, Joytech baby!
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Poida
a Weekend Warrior
from Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: September 10, 2000
Strengths: Well they're pretty cheap and they are sealed, well mine are anyway.
Weaknesses: i haven't had them for very long but so far so good.
Bottom Line:
I got these hubs on wheels I bought spoked onto Araya rims. They were damn cheap so I bought them. Better than my old wheels with Joytech hubs. Good but i'm not sure how long they will last for...
Submitted by
thin
a Cross Country Rider
from waterloo
Date Reviewed: August 30, 2000
Strengths: cheap
Weaknesses: needs to be rebuilt every 2 months of riding
Bottom Line:
this is not for hardcore riders and should only be used either if you know how to maintain hubs (rebuild every 2 months)and if u ride throug mud dont exspect a durable product these are good but not for hardcore riding or streams or mud
Submitted by
Nick Piercy
a Weekend Warrior
from normal il usa
Date Reviewed: April 20, 2000
Strengths: dependable good for the money great for people just startin out
Weaknesses: looks not to smooth not sealed very well
Bottom Line:
i'm in the 7th grade right now, and i've had theses hubs scince the 3rd grade. i never really started riding them too hard till the begining of this year, but they've held up, i've put about 1000 miles all together, and they even suvived several straight rides of up to 50 miles.i wouldn't suggest them for people that have been biking for a while, but i would for peple who are looking for new hubs on a bike they just kinda ride. they've never creaked and didn't need much oiling.by the way i still use my old bike with these hus to get to school and back.
