Submitted by
William E
a Weekend Warrior
from Montreal, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2010
Strengths: Rolls well, doesn't need maintenance, it doesn't look like jewelry.
Bottom Line:
These were included on my bike as is the case with most of us I suspect. I have had no problems whatsoever with this front hub. Specialized decided to use a Shimano M525 SL for the rear on both Stumpjumper and Epic 2009 models, perhaps in response to a freehub issue. I just don't see why else they would have swapped the stout for such a "meh" hub.
Overall though I am very happy with my front hub I do a lot of steep, muddy, rooty and rocky trails and have taken quite a few shots to the front tire from impacts intended and non-intended.
It may make a difference that the guys at my bike store know what they're doing. I'm sure that there are alot of things that suck when not built properly.
Submitted by
Jerry
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: May 14, 2010
Strengths: Cheap. Lateral stiffness.
Weaknesses: The hums simply do not roll. They come with stock with by girlfriends' Myka. I am using Fulcrum RedMetal 1 and Mavic Crossride. When I speed up on slight descent, These hubs slow her bike. High rolling resistance.
Bottom Line:
These are simply bad hubs. To be replaced VERY soon.
Submitted by
planethill
a Weekend Warrior
from London, England
Date Reviewed: July 14, 2009
Bottom Line:
This is an observation on all these comments on the Stout Hub. I am a MASSIVE Specialized fan - I owned an Enduro Expert for 6 years until it was stolen and I cried. Best Bike ever, by miles. However I just picked-up a Specialized Stout hub from a workshop's scrap bin - the rim was totalled and it appears that the wheel has never been used, as if the damage was caused in transit before the bike was sold. What I'm surprised about is that the nuts are far too tight. This hub has been put together badly. If used like this, the bearings would not survive for many miles. A correctly set-up hub should last for years and years, as some of these riders are saying. If a hub goes loose after every ride, it is almost certainly because the (very fine) setting of the contra-rotating lock nuts are not tightly locked or they may be too tight against the bearings, causing excessive wear. If you're Specialized hubs are not giving you trouble free use it is almost certainly because they are not set precisely right. To give you a clue, if you are an amateur bike mechanic, it could take you an hour or two to get the bolts set exactly right - that is holding the bearings in the right place so they spin without any friction; making sure that there is no play or movement (too loose) in the axle and locking the contra-rotating nuts Iron-man tight in this correct position. Many bike shop mechanics are not totally skilled or diligent to get this right, so it is definitely worth checking, unless that is if you have had years of trouble free riding, in which case leave well alone!
Submitted by
kingbozo
a Weekend Warrior
from At Louis Park, MN, USA
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2009
Strengths: Never has caused a problem
Weaknesses: Not as blingy as other brands?
Bottom Line:
My 2001 Enduro came with Stouts front and rear. I have yet to have an issue of any kind with these hubs. The different sized flanges to compensate for disc rotors are a nice touch. The oversize axle and skewer provide a touch of additional stiffness. Not a thru axle by any means, but stiffer than a regular hub skewer combo.
Submitted by
Bruzer
a Weekend Warrior
from Minnesota
Date Reviewed: October 17, 2008
Strengths: 9MM Quick release, Service free, disc brake compatible.
Weaknesses: Flanges are different heights.
Bottom Line:
The Stout came stock on my bike. Used flawlessly for 6 years since 2002. While riding a trail, I bent the rim so far the wheel wouldn't turn in the fork, had to carry my bike out. The rim was beyond repair but the Stout hub was undamaged. Since the flanges are different sizes, the spokes were different length from one side to the other. Asked the LBS reuse the Stout hub with a new rim. Now laced on another rim, and the hub is still working great.
Strengths: I never had to service the hub once. It is tight and smooth. I had a very hard landing where I bent my front wheel in half and this hub came out unharmed! Must be very well built.
Strengths: It ame free with the bike already on the front wheel ready for action
Weaknesses: None what so ever!!!!!!!!!
Bottom Line:
I cant see where eveyone is getting the idea that these hubs are poop, i have never needed to tighten or service the damm thing since 2004 and i go ridig in all weather and all places and it has never failed me yet and doubt it will. 9mm QR.....bring it on baby its well solid and fast to remove the wheel!
This was the hub that my bike's original front wheel was built onto, and that wheel lasted me 18 months of Welsh, Peak, Lake district, South Downs and Quantocks riding before I wrapped it round a tree at Swinley forest. The hub, however, was unserviced and still buttery smooth after all of the above. The front wheel was then replaced with a brand new/second hand wheel which cost less than a rebuild onto the existing Stout hub would have cost me, which means I still have the Stout at home in my bike cupboard, waiting for a new wheel build... I can't wait to see what difference, if any, it will make to my steering and possibly sorting out my rubbing disc brakes when I corner hard. Bring it on!
I can't comment on value, as It was original equipment, but it performed like a trooper for 18 months, so it gets top marks.
Bike Setup: '04 Rockhopper Pro (frame, everything else is an upgrade)MXP ETA+TAS, XT+XM321 wheels, XT transmission, Thomson, hope C2s, etc...
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Larry
a Cross Country Rider
from Scotts Valley, CA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2006
Strengths: They kept rims and spokes attached to the bike
Weaknesses: Constant tightening of cones... before every ride and sometimes during a ride
Bottom Line:
These are the WORST hubs I have ever used. Before these I have never had a significant problem with a hub. But I am having issues with both front AND back hub. For a long time I thought the problem was an inability to properly adjust my cones. However, finally I determined that something was going on with the hubs that was causing them to need frequent tightening. I can't understand why Specialized would use a hub like this. Cost? Now I have to go out and buy new hubs and have them spoked onto my rims. This is a cost that I have to eat. I would have happily paid more to avoid this. Not sure how I feel about Specialized right now.
Weaknesses: free-hub and bearings.......essentially the whole hub
Bottom Line:
this review is more for the rear hub than the front. these came standard on my epic comp and i am sickened that specialized would put such a sub standard component on a relatively high end bike. the front hub has been relatively trouble free, however i have had the free-hub replaced on the rear once and it needs replacing again, not even 1 year after purchase! the freehub is binding so that the cassette tries to turn with the wheel under freewheel, causing slack and inevitable chucking the chain. to make it worse, the bearings refuse to stay tight and so i also have a wobbly wheel. this hub has packed up where even the shimano STX mentioned above has sailed through. i would be dissappointed with this hub if it came standard on a huffy. if you are buying a specialized with these hubs standard and dont want to spend half your riding time putting the chain back on, i recommend having them upgraded before leaving the store. and specialized...........PLEASE STOP USING THESE HUBS!!!
Similar Products Used: hope XC, power tools and shimano STX
Bike Setup: beefed up specialized epic
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Vince
a Cross Country Rider
from Utah
Date Reviewed: October 3, 2005
Strengths: Nice looks, nice decals, Good preformer. Kept up with me in DH, Freeriding, XC. Good skewer.
Weaknesses: .25 cm lateral wheel shifting when I turn left. This isn't much but my disk brake caliper was a little to the right and it caused disk rubbing. No problems I just centered my disk brake caliper. Could be due to my cheap fork :)
Bottom Line:
Good, needs proper skewer tighting, and a good fork. No problems whatsoever.
Bike Setup: specialized fsr 2004. upgrades = hayes disk brakes 8' inch front 6' rear, sworks strongarm II crank, truntive DH BB, Cane creek rear shock, xt drive train, ritchty seat post with seat with chode hole.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Alex Tourangeau
a Cross Country Rider
from Gatineau
I have numerous reviews on this hub and I have determined to include my own opinion, as it seems that this decent piece of hardware has suffered very harsh critic. I am a heavy rider (190lbs) and although I could be rougher on my ride, I do put the bike through its paces, and I have yet to encounter any of the issues oulined in many reviews. I don't doubt that these people have had some problems, specifically with the bearings, but I believe that there may have been some quality control issues at some point.
In none of my rides have I encountered anything but absolute smoothness in the bearings of this hub. I have yet to service it, as no symptoms have come up yet. I really empathize with people who have had issues, because nothing ruins a ride quicker than loose wheels. For those individuals, I can offer a couple possible solutions:
- Return to your dealer and indicate that the component is defective and ask for an exchange. - Take the whole thing apart, clean every component, grease and reassemble, using the correct tools to tighten everything down.
Check every component you purchase, as well as it's assembly. Often it is this crucial second step that determines the overall quality of any mechanical device.
Submitted by
Johno
a Cross Country Rider
from Alice, NT, Australia
Date Reviewed: June 27, 2005
Weaknesses: This thing comes loose all the time.
Bottom Line:
After every single ride I check this hub to see if it's tight, and after every single ride it's worked loose. I tighten it up, it loosens up. Not very confidence inspiring. Especially when you know a drop off or another obstacle is up ahead. The wheel has never come off but as I said, it is always loose. Do yourself a favour, don't buy this hub. It came stock on my bike and that's the only reason I have it. I can't wait to get rid of it.
Submitted by
Chris
a Downhiller
from Palo Alto, CA
Date Reviewed: May 15, 2005
Strengths: Nothing that stands out.
Weaknesses: Bearings were quite loose when the bike was new. After each ride they've gotten noticibly looser. After 6 rides they're so loose that when you grab the wheel and shake it back and forth it wiggles significantly. Also, when you lift the front wheel and drop it back down it "bangs" due to the slack in the bearings. After just 6 rides the bearings need replacement. They've never been wet or gotten significantly dusty and no jumps or drop-offs. I went back to the store and tested other new Stout hubs on bikes and found they were also shockingly loose. Even more shocking, there reviews indicating similar defects in the Stout hub going all the way back to 1998. So it seems that Specialized still hasn't improved it's quality control or improved the design appreciably.
Bottom Line:
This hub seems to either be of poor design or have poor quality control.
Weaknesses: The bearings - worn out after 4 months. The seals are poor and let dirt in. The quick release can be very difficult to release and at the same time it is prone to coming loose....go figure!
Bottom Line:
Poor seals and a suspect Quick Release spoil a potentially great product.
hi possie.does anyone know the size of the sealed bearing in the stout hub on my 06 fsr xc pro .i,ve searched the web but no joy.
mine have finaly giv it up and need replacing..ch Read More »
Hi ,
The stout front hub on my specialized 2008 stumpjumper could do with some new bearings. I can easily get the cover wound off one side of the hub but I can't see a way of ge Read More »
Hi all, I'm thinking of building a wheelset with ZTR Stans Flow rims on the stock Specialized Stout front hub from my 2007 Enduro and a rear hope pro 2 qr.
I've found the measur Read More »
I have a 2008 StumpJumper FSR Expert with stock wheels (DT 420SL). The front hub (black with 6 bolt disc brake mount) has Stout stamped on the center. I want to replace the beari Read More »
Anyone know if I can convert my Stout front hub from DT RWS to 20mm thru axle??
The 2 hubs look similar but not sure if there are parts available for the conversion. Read More »
