|
Shimano
Deore M525 Disc Hub
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
norco sasq
a Cross Country Rider
from london,ontario,canada
Date Reviewed: July 19, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | meadow lily | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | first cycle works | | Strengths: | last for about a day , would last longer with out riding hard on it | | Weaknesses: | second one i have destroyed in 2 weeks lol this 1 lasted a day or so | | Bike Setup: | norco sasq on drop off forks, sun rims, mtx | | Bottom Line: | these hubs are garbage for any kinda freeride or and side to side move ment like whips or 180's or anything like that | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
RobertCShay
a Cross Country Rider
from Stamford, CT
Date Reviewed: February 15, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything with glare ice | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Original equipment | | Strengths: | Works
Serviceable | | Weaknesses: | Tolerances aren't as tight as higher end components | | Similar Products Used: | Dura-ace, XT, Deore, Ultegra | | Bike Setup: | 2008 Stumpjumper | | Bottom Line: | Overall, good component for original equipment. I would recommend using this hub until you want to upgrade. If serviced properly, you won't have a problem with it unless you ride in temps at or below 10 degrees F.
The rear 525 disc hub came as original equipment on my Stumpjumper. I use the bike exclusively for icebiking in temps down to 6 degrees F. The rear hub has held up nicely for two 12+ week winters of riding in snow, ice, slush, and very low temps, about 3,000 miles total.
Only issue I had was Pawls in Freehub started to freeze and sporatically engage at 10 degrees F. I purchased the EVT Shimano Freehub tool from biketoolsetc.com, took apart the Freehub, cleaned, put in special low temp synthetic grease and reassembled. There was lots of thick grease around and under the two Pawls. The Freehub now works great. The axle tightened fine.
The Freehub is my only issue. Since I ride in very cold temps, I wanted to examine the inside parts. Basically, there are two small 1/4 inch Pawls secured by one very small spring that wraps around the circumference of the inner Freehub. So, I am relying on a very small spring in very cold temps to engage the Pawls. Not confidence inspiring and I don't dress to walk 20+ miles.
After examining several hubs, I selected the Chris King hub because of its Ringdrive system and stronger engagement spring. Plus, it is rebuildable and I ordered the tools too. The CK is way too expensive but cheap if compared with walking out of the woods in temps down to 10 degrees F. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
vk45de
a Weekend Warrior
from costa mesa, Ca
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2009 | | Favorite Trail: | the street | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | supergo | | Strengths: | Came with the cheapest disc wheelset around. deores on sun rhyno lite | | Weaknesses: | Won't clear my Grimeca Calipers, rear hub nut bites my dropout - c'mon shimano - chewing up the customers' bike is totally unnecessary and won't bring you any more profits | | Similar Products Used: | WTB disc | | Bike Setup: | 99 FSR enduro, hayes HFX comp, RS Psylo XC | | Bottom Line: | nothing wrong with durability of hubs - just chews your frame and won't clear brake calipers. I'm going avoid shimano hubs from now on | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kuka
a Cross Country Rider
from Portugal
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Malveira | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Ciclonatur | | Strengths: | Ratio Price/Durability | | Weaknesses: | A litle flexibility | | Bike Setup: | Ti Morati Bike, Deore, Pace RC36, USE, Mavic | | Bottom Line: | I made my wheels with Mavic, Dt Swiss and Deore Hubs and until now I never had problems. The unique weaknesse is a litle flexibility, when I ride strong up in the pedals I hear the front pad touching the disc. But in 4 years I never made any maintenance on it, and I only wash the bike a couple of times!! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AngryDentist
a Cross Country Rider
from Richardson, Tx. USA
Date Reviewed: November 1, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Rowlett creek, Tx | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Value | | Weaknesses: | cheap product | | Bike Setup: | 08 epic | | Bottom Line: | Just one recomendation, just custom build a wheelset using some of the better components out there. Stock components rarely are the better ones for your wheels. Most of what I have read from avid long time riders is that making a custom wheel set is the best way to go, sometimes even 2 wheel sets, one for just your every day riding then a lighter set for your race. These shimano are cheap, they cost very cheap so what do you think about durability? You can't complaing too much for hubs costing in the 20 dollars, that sounds like a couple of rides worth to me. These are poor quality hubs. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
MTBiker483
a Weekend Warrior
from Fort Collins, CO
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Peloton Cycles | | Strengths: | Lasted for 3 months? | | Weaknesses: | Lasted for 3 months! | | Similar Products Used: | XTR, XT, Java the Hub | | Bike Setup: | Big Lanky 29'er | | Bottom Line: | These things are horribly cheap quality. They came stock on the bike, and after few months of riding I started getting some nasty skipping and worse sounds coming from the rear end. I had been thinking the chain had stretched out and was skipping around on the cassette but the loudest snap of them all came yesterday and I found myself with a completely seized hub. And yes, of COURSE I was 7 miles out on the trail, where else would something like that happen? Somewhere convenient? I took it in to the shop and they warrantied it, so now I have another 3 months at best before round 2 of carrying my bike down a trail I've been busting my ass up in anticipation of blasting back down. Stay away from these in the first place if you can, or upgrade before you find yourself stranded! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
evanjdwyer
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa City, IA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 5, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Came with bike. Can't ride withoug a hub. | | Weaknesses: | They broke after 30 minutes on the first ride! | | Similar Products Used: | XT, LX, Alivio, Campy, | | Bike Setup: | GT Peace 9er multi | | Bottom Line: | Maiden voyage on an easy offroad singletrak; no mud, water, sand, etc., and they started to "grind" or something when I put them under a little stess. Not sure what to think (it is a BRAND NEW BIKE afterall), got the bike home and tryed to recreate the noise and the hub completely locked up. No freewheel action at all. I have ridden Shimano products for a long time and I have never seen anything quite like it. Just like all the other reviews. Complete junk. Not even worth with a warrany replacement. Go with something else. Don't let price convince you of buying. Zero Chili's | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Cross Country Rider
from UK
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | cheap, and I found it durable | | Weaknesses: | weight | | Similar Products Used: | Deore | | Bike Setup: | Scott racing scale 50, rigid forks, slick tyres 10.65kg | | Bottom Line: | according to other reviewers these aren't any good, but I've cycled 5,565 miles with M525's on the front and back without giving them any attention whatsoever. I think they represent good value. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jay Norstein
a Cross Country Rider
from Ca, usa
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Everywhere. | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | da shop.... | | Strengths: | Easy to work on, simple design, look ok. | | Weaknesses: | The rear hub served well for about 8 months, but then totally gave out on me while i was climbing a hill. Nuts took a great hit and the rear hub makes a nice KLANK KLANK KLANK noise now because one of the pawl and pawl springs is gone. It still engages ok but its just terribly loud. Front still has decent life left in it, but i bought a set of CrossRides anyway for my giant. | | Similar Products Used: | a few things. | | Bike Setup: | hardtail, marzocchi bomber, truvative stylo, bb7's. | | Bottom Line: | Well, if you had to spend some money to ride for a while, these things are ok.
But i am selling my giant yukon, and i am currently building a freeride bike with a build kit from wheelworld (dot) com and a sette flite frame from pricepoint. The bad thing is, the build kit comes with the same rear hub, and thats the one that gave out on me. So i am familiar with it and know what to expect. Later down the trail, im gonna get some bombshell crushers (its the way to go really).
so, over all, i wouldnt recommend this hub set if you're expecting something that will last longer then 2 years, if you're lucky. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Awesomeness
a Weekend Warrior
from Cranbrook
Date Reviewed: October 8, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bike Setup: | Better than yours | | Bottom Line: | You know what? I dont care what anyone says, these hubs are excellent. Other than King hubs, these would be my first choice, I've ran these for downhill, DJ, and trials and they've held up great. Thumbs up Shimano, this is your only product I like | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jack
a Downhiller
from HR, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | Bikeparts.com | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | everything else | | Bike Setup: | Hotrock FSR w Reba and 24" wheels | | Bottom Line: | Front hub lock nuts keeps backing off. This front hub is falling apart after 3 months of use by a 50lb 8 year old racing downhill. Cheapo no-name 4 year old orignal rear hub doing just fine. Tight and spins great! Don't waste your money on these if your buying an aftermarket hub | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
lucyfek
a Cross Country Rider
from waukegan, il
Date Reviewed: July 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | nashbar | | Strengths: | well, these are/were cheap and disc brake compatible and better then the stock stuff on 2004 giant yukon (the rear rusted internally after a ride or wash). hubs will last if taken care but taking care is pain and can time consuming. | | Weaknesses: | weight - definitely, rubber axle seals - will rub, sooner or later and can be damage easily while servicing, bearings difficult to adjust - but it's doable | | Similar Products Used: | the ones that these replaced (no name), now replaced with mavic crossride wheels - no more messy overhauls | | Bike Setup: | who cares? | | Bottom Line: | better then no name crap. gave me the chance to learn wheel building (i reused old rims). was it worth the hustle - ??? (when i added spokes, hubs and time required i'm not sure - the price tag was ~ same as cheap but better wheelset). after some 5000km of cross country (any season/weather) it was time for an upgrade (the rubber seals plus bearing adjustment issues were the biggest pain). hubs/wheels are still spinning on my sister's bike (for this walmart (?) junk this is a huge improvement, so not all is lost;) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dan barwell
a Downhiller
from uk
Date Reviewed: April 21, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$17.00 | | Purchased At: | came on bike second one borght from chain reaction | | Strengths: | cheep ish | | Weaknesses: | axels are chees berings are plastic | | Similar Products Used: | magura hubs | | Bike Setup: | azonic evo2 magura phoa 125 hope mono m4 203 front and back titech helbent dh bar fire eye stem mavic ex721 unfortunatly deor hubs shimano saint crank dmr chain device | | Bottom Line: | the 2005 one was pants but the one i just got is totaly diforent it hase a beta axcel and the seals carnt come of also the bearings are of higher qolity. i decided not to change the hub body becaus there is no point witch is also qite usful to change parts if u brake them. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GammaDriver
a Weekend Warrior
from South, FL, USA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cheap, I guess - came with the bike. This M475 disc brake rear hub lasted longer than a lot of people's, below, and has taken a pounding on the trails. (Most don't specify which model they had blow up on them, so it's hard to figure out just what they're talking about.) | | Weaknesses: | It isn't meant to last much longer than a year, even if ridden on the street.
Mine wasn't ridden on the street, so the lack of axle protection had let in a lot of fine grit into the bearing grease. | | Similar Products Used: | Non-disc King, Other Shimano hubs, WTB hubs | | Bike Setup: | Jamis Dakar | | Bottom Line: | Do -NOT- buy these hubs to build a wheelset around, and do not buy a replacement wheelset that includes these hubs for the OEM cheapie you've trashed.
The only time to ever own a hub of this level is if it came with an otherwise well-spec'd new bicycle. You can the investment in the bike first, then save up for a better wheelset (or wheel... chances are the front hub will last two years...). In the end, though, it's always cheaper to just buy the right parts with the bicycle package... and the FH-M775 would not be considered a 'right' part. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Cross Country Rider
from Littleton, CO
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | CT | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | None that I can think of | | Weaknesses: | Complete pos..rode for 1 day and they were wasted
$20 for this hub is about right. Failed after 1 day of Fruita area trails
| | Similar Products Used: | XT..Hadley | | Bike Setup: | Yeti 575, 36h Hadley, laced to a 5.1 DT Swiss | | Bottom Line: | Like other reviews have said this hub (pos) WILL strand you. I was in Fruita for a weekend trip..and the deore lasted me 1 day..It really sucked having to leave 18Rd at noon..sun shining..beautiful day. Don't buy these..and if they come on your new bike..upgrade immediately. These things have NO value So I guess I have to give it at least 1 chili | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan
a Downhiller
from Clay, AL, USA
Date Reviewed: February 22, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | on bike | | Strengths: | Hub shell not bent | | Weaknesses: | everything else. the bearings broke, I never gone more than a 6 foot drop to flat on these hubs, snapped 2 axels and broke bearings | | Bike Setup: | 2004 bighit spec | | Bottom Line: | if you get them cheap, and want a disk hub to get you started, these should be okay. anything beyond that, save your money and frustration. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
thom
a Cross Country Rider
from Kirkland WA USA
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | sawyer | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | They keep the spokes from rattling around in the bike box, the bike they came with ships in? | | Weaknesses: | Worse than bad. Guaranteed to leave you stranded somewhere. Fastest I have seen ANY bike product totally self-destruct | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT....I Hope to save up for Hope XC's someday | | Bike Setup: | Ellsworth Epiphany | | Bottom Line: | I wasn't expecting much from these hubs, but they came as part of a "budget" package deal. I was NOT expecting them to last only a couple of troublesome rides before TOTAL failure. I used to be a bike mechanic. I know how to keep mediocre parts alive...usually.
First ride,on my NEW bike, the rear wheel goes wonky. I tore apart the hub, found loose locknuts on the freehub side. I locked that side together, repacked reassembled and readjusted.
Next ride the free hub started clunking. I bought a "freehub buddy", tore it all down, shot in the special "soup" and rebuilt it all AGAIN.
Next couple of rides the freehub starts grinding, locking and other nasty stuff. After a particularly scarey ride, I did a local "make it or break it" ride with the bike alternating smooth and fixed gear effect. Then I heard a different sound. Stopped IMMEDIATELY and found ALL the rotor bolts had stripped out and fallen out and a chunk of hub had fallen off, and the rotor was dangling loose.
I never did air and never had a chance for it to get any serious miles or mud, and in only a half dozen or so rides, the rear hub literally broke apart.
Shimano should be ashamed to even be selling these. This model of hub WILL strand you at some point. Thats worse than bad.
They are heavy and ugly too....but thats pretty minor in comparison. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kreso
a Cross Country Rider
from Zagreb, Croatia
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Zumberak | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Ales; maraton | | Strengths: | - | | Weaknesses: | Since i bought it (front hub), the axis has a drift so my tire is touching arch on my fork two times per revolution... It's happening even when I pedal little bit harder...
Everything ok with my rear hub (which is the same).. | | Similar Products Used: | - | | Bike Setup: | Orange SubZero; RS Recon 351 U-Turn; WTB WW 2.5 (front) & 2.3 (rear); Mavic XM 321 DISC | | Bottom Line: | Would not recommend them to anyone. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Hopewell
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Clayton Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | They're better than having no hubs at all? | | Weaknesses: | Front hub spins like it's too tight even when it's loose, Had to replace the Freehub body after about 5 months, rear hub keeps coming loose | | Bike Setup: | 06 Rocky Mountain Slayer 30, pretty much stock, but not for much longer | | Bottom Line: | These hubs should not be put on real mountain bikes. Shimano doesn't even reccomend them for actual off road use!
After about a month the freehub body started to make a grinding noise. Then after about 3 more months it made the grinding noise 4 times in one revolution of the wheel. Then about a month later it completely seized. I also can't keep the rear hub from loosening up, and the front has an insane amount of resistance. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ryan
a Cross Country Rider
from Niagara Falls
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Hardwood | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Not terrible, economical, roll fairly well. | | Weaknesses: | Axles break! Freehub develops play. Weigh a ton. | | Similar Products Used: | Joytech, Bontrager. | | Bike Setup: | Giant NRS. Deore hubs, zac 19 rims, Avid BB7 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | I am not that happy with these hubs. They keep costing me money. First, we shall do the front. I snapped an axle in two places, and therefore needed to buy a new one. Repacked it with fresh greese in the process. Well, it decided to snap again. Inspecting it closely, i see that the cones are pitted a little bit. Therefore, i will need to replace the cones, bearings, and axle. Remember, i ride an NRS. A cross country race bike. Why am i breaking axles? I don't get more than 2 feet of air. I am not a hardcore freerider. Onto the rear. It loosened up on me without noticing it, and in the process, destroyed the cones and bearings. You could say that was partly my fault. I should have noticed it sooner. It did teach me to keep a closer eye on it. Got it overhauled by the LBS. That was expensive. It did loosen up on me twice after that too. And the freehub has tons of play in it. I guess that is just wear though. I have used these hubs over 4300km. All in all, they have been a little dissapointing, but not total crap. I don't expect them to be maintenance free, but i would rather not find my axle broken each time they are due for an overhaul. A cone wrench is definitely essential for me, as these require occasional adjustment, and LBS overhauls cost way too much for my taste. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Daniel Cassidy
a Cross Country Rider
from Middlesbrough, UK
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | North Yorks Moors | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | Bought with wheel, disc upgrade | | Strengths: | Worked OK at first. | | Weaknesses: | The freewheel gradually failed after approx. 6 months. Started geting horrific jumps with full weight on pedal. I blamed chain/cassette/chainrings for ages. | | Similar Products Used: | Various hubs. | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail aluminium frame MTB. | | Bottom Line: | Failed much too quick. I do a high mileage but other hubs have never failed. Don't choose this if you want reliability. A skipping freehub can confuse you for months. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marvin
a Weekend Warrior
from Corrales
Date Reviewed: February 3, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Ebudito | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Abq Bike Center | | Strengths: | still looking | | Weaknesses: | squealed the first time I rode the bike - drags - continues to be noisy and I have disassembled/assembled and rebuilt | | Bike Setup: | 2005 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp Disc - everything standard until I dump these hubs | | Bottom Line: | the hubs have been a problem since I bought the bike - the shop has not been able to resolve - I am dumping these hubs and going to a Hope XC hub (can't justify the $ to go to a Hadley or a King) because it has a 4.81 MTBR rating :-) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
johnny speck
a Weekend Warrior
from san fransico, ca
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | mt tam | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | cheap and thats about it | | Weaknesses: | these hubs suck they are terrable they rust if you get them wet and make noise if u get them muddy do not buy these hubs they were a waste of time and money you sould not buy thses unless your under a money crisi and need them for a emergeny these hubs suck!!!! | | Bike Setup: | 04' specialized P.3. with manitou sherman firefly fork,truvativ oversized handlebars 31, maxxis hookworm 2.5", rest is stock | | Bottom Line: | these hubs are terrable and would not recemond them to anyone!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ME MYSELF
a Weekend Warrior
from MN
Date Reviewed: December 3, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Lutsen mtb park | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | They are cheap. Disk compatible. | | Weaknesses: | They are kind of Heavy and they sometimes make noise usually on steep slopes or if they get wet. | | Similar Products Used: | Many | | Bike Setup: | 03 Jamis Dakar with xt derailer, marzochi mx comp eta, avid bb7 mech disks. 05 Specialized Stump Jumper FSR with Avid juicy 5 hydros. | | Bottom Line: | I have used them for a few years on my jamis and I have not ever really had any problems with them. If I ride them through any mud or if it is rainning or snowing out they do seem to start to make a high pitched sound. I haven't really gone off anything more than a few feet with them and I probably wont after reading some of the other reviews. They do look rather flimsy. They are good for anyone who is not a series mountainbiker. If they came on your bike ride them till they brake then get something with better seals.
Ride on you'all! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kirk Lott
a Racer
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: November 12, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | anything near Boulder, CO | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | multiple warranty replacements | | Strengths: | free warranty replacements | | Weaknesses: | the worst mountain biking product ever made | | Similar Products Used: | I will try every other hub in the future; I will never ride Shimano again. I'm looking at DT, Chris King, whatever | | Bike Setup: | '99 Schwinn Homegrown hardtail, standard components | | Bottom Line: | This is the worst bike component ever made.
I am a strong, rather agressive technical rider. I have broken other parts, but this is ridiculous. Between this and my other rig, I have sent back at least TWO DOZEN on warranty, sometimes at a rate of one every 2 weeks. Sure, free warranty replacement is nifty. But what's the cost of sitting in the car, while your friends ride, because your bike won't even pedal? What's the cost of being on a dream road trip, in the middle of nowhere, and having to spend a day on the phone finding a replacment, then driving a couple hours to get it? Shimano sucks. And I know other advanced riders who have had this experience.
And don't be fooled by thinking it's easy to replace. Once you build up a wheel, if I understand correctly, you're committed to that hub. So changing hubs costs $500 or more, not $25.
If you have any strength in your legs, or if you plan to do any riding other than at the local municipal park, avoid Shimano hubs. You have been warned. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vik Dengrel
a Weekend Warrior
from Copenhagen, Demark
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Direct Hit | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | good bearing when the seal is still intact. | | Weaknesses: | if you ride through alot of mud or water i wouldnt recommend this hub, the seals are useless, once they burst the hub is no longer worth useing because it seizes up and rusts. they squiel very loud when the seals are gone too. also not a very thick strong hub. | | Similar Products Used: | other crappy shimano stuff. | | Bike Setup: | 2005 norco bigfoot | | Bottom Line: | don't buy this hub if you ride hard or though lots of mud or water, the seals just don't hold up in those conditions. get a marzocchi qr-20 for this kind of stuff. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matthew Richards
a Weekend Warrior
from melbourne australia
Date Reviewed: June 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | any thing with mud | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Just to up date my last post just over 1.5 years now | | Bike Setup: | 04 NORCO Storm | | Bottom Line: | found some good grease PRO-MAR MBL grease now they last longer set and forget havent look at them for 6 months,Also just put some Deore Hydro Dics on so will c if they will hadel them..but dont think i will get these again better off gettin some hub with a better seal and machined cones... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
matt burden
a
from bristol
Date Reviewed: June 5, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | any in wales | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | the free hub broke within a few hundred miles of light use | | Similar Products Used: | other hubs! | | Bike Setup: | specialized stumpjumper comp. shorter stem (FSA) and easton riser otherwise stock | | Bottom Line: | If these come as stock on your bike, ride them until they break. Judging by the review here that will not be very long.
I can only speak for the rear, which I have found to be very short lived.
I am about 180lb, so am a bit porky, but I dont think I give my components a hard time as I am only learning the ropes. I guess this product did not wear out due to the short time used, It just snapped under moderate stress
Do not bother to buy these hubs, the bottom line:
They are Poo! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Barron
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC, Canada
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Mt. Tzouhalem trails | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came with bike | | Strengths: | This review is for Shimano M525 Disc hubs, front and rear.
They would look good attached to a length of chain at the bottom of the ocean.
Cheap. In every sense of the word. | | Weaknesses: | These hubs don't really have any strengths other than they seem to be shipped on so many bikes from the factory (parts are fairly cheap). It would be soooo nice if the bike builders (hello Kona, are you listening?) would spend more than $8 or $10 on a hub when you're paying $2600 for a bike.
These things are JUNK. The "seals" in them are not made for anything like west coast weather. If it looks cloudy outside, or even if there is some moisture on the trail.. don't take these hubs outdoor, better to wait for a nice hot sunny day and dry trails.
They are a poor excuse for a mountain bike hub, if not hubs in general.
The bearings are poorly designed, small, made of crappy steel and are not very durable. A monkey could make better hubs in its sleep with its cerebral cortex removed. | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, Bontrager, other Shimano stuff...
I dream of King hubs... but I don't earn that much $$ | | Bike Setup: | Kona kula deluxe with full XT, XT hollowtech II cranks, 223 rims, hayes brakes... Ritchey stuff all over the place... | | Bottom Line: | These things are really not suited for use on anything but cheapo bikes found at Canadian Tire, Wal-Mart, Sears or some other such place. They do not belong on anything that will get near water or even a high humidity location. The whole assembly (front and rear) is badly engineered, hard to adjust so it's just right, badly sealed (oh, wait, I may have said that before).
I have serviced these hubs often...and each time I am appalled at the bad engineering of them.
Save your money if you're planning on buying these aftermarket: it is SO not worth it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JAC JAC
a Cross Country Rider
from Ottawa
Date Reviewed: February 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | FP | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$55.00 | | Purchased At: | AwardCycleBobhere | | Strengths: | looks nice from the outside | | Weaknesses: | Junk. These only last about 3 months and then the pawls die. Don't try to ride them in winter - the grease is not spec'd out for it.
Just complete junk - nearly trashed my rear derailler - the pawls stick and then there goes the derailer and the chain gets sucked into the gears.
I'm not buying any more Shimano stuff. Especially in our climate... how can someone from Japan build something for weather that varies tremendously (we have the coldest of winters and then hot summers - the grease and bearings better be good). | | Similar Products Used: | LX | | Bike Setup: | O DD, Rocky, Stinky | | Bottom Line: | Go try another company | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David
a Cross Country Rider
from Slovenia
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | erm...What happend with front and rear hub division? My front hub works perfect for two years. With rear also no problems, bearings are fine. | | Weaknesses: | Free wheel - rachett. | | Similar Products Used: | alivio, LX 1996 | | Bike Setup: | drivetrain allmost everything LX, except cranks and shifters(deore) | | Bottom Line: | Freewheel froze after 3 months, 900 km offroad use. In summer, when there was no mud, dirt, snow or other heavy conditions. Got replaced under warranty. Another FW start making loud wierd noisess after a year. But it still works (the second one). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dan
a
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Weaknesses: | Bearings failed and design is awful. My front wheel on a singletrack rim is still true and has plenty of life in it, but the hub is toast. | | Bike Setup: | Giant DS1 dual sus | | Bottom Line: | Front wheel started clicking after a year of use. Opened up the hub, and 3 of the 10 bearings on the disc brake side of the hub had flat spots. Out of the 7 that were still round 4 were starting to develop flat spots.
The front wheel is a singel track, and is still dead true without flat spots or any damage. I'm using a 6 inch avid mechanical disk brake so its not like the hub is getting any extreme braking forces.
The whole design of the hub is terrible, using tiny low quality bearings that get flat spots if you brake while going over rough terrain.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Willi
a Weekend Warrior
from Texas
Date Reviewed: January 19, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson (rynolite wheelset) | | Strengths: | inexpensive; nonclicking freehub; better than cheap no name stock hubs! | | Weaknesses: | axels' bent; play in freehub | | Bike Setup: | xc hardtail with 04 Judy SL
04 Haro X2 w/marz exr, vanilla r (mostly stock) | | Bottom Line: | these are good hubs for any cost-conscious rider looking to upgrade. but "abused" hardtails seem to have the most trouble with these hubs. i've jumped, dropped and slamed my hardtail around while weighing 200lbs and that could be why the hubs are failing. now i have a pair on my X2 and wiegh 155 and the hubs are working great. i have not experienced any locking of the rear freehub and the hubs remain smooth if maintained.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrzej Krol
a Cross Country Rider
from Poznan,Poland
Date Reviewed: January 13, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came as stock | | Strengths: | price...nthg more | | Weaknesses: | durability!!!, smoothness, weight | | Similar Products Used: | oldXT (never had any problems), LX (also crap) | | Bike Setup: | KONA CUSTOM KIKAPU, ALL XT, CHRIS HUBS&HEADSET, THOMSON STEM&POST, WCS, COMP S LIGHT UST | | Bottom Line: | these hubs realy are crap (HB-M475).
I used them for 7 months and the whole sh!t just broke.
OK, I weigh 93kgs and maybye I dont brake before every little jump, but this is just sad...
I've made about 3500kms alltogether on this hubs.
After about every 500kms I had to service them home and still after 3500 I have to throw them away.
The rear hub just split and the front one has problems to turn. And I realy didn't overtighten them.
Lucky for me I have Chris Hubs for over 2weeks now - hope they will last a bit longer;))) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
eric
a
from nm
Date Reviewed: December 11, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | fat tire cycle | | Strengths: | cheap, pretty smooth bearings, does the job | | Weaknesses: | heavy | | Bike Setup: | 2002 spec big hit comp, 8 inch conversion, fox vanilla rc, 2003 monster T, e-13 chainguide, azonic 40t chainring, azonic loveseat, titec el norte bars, primopro magnesium pedals, odi lock-on grips, sun single tracks, deore rear hub spec stout 20mm front, arrow racing 3.0 rear maxxis minion front,hayes hydraulics, 2005 shimano lx hollowtech II cranks | | Bottom Line: | this hub had alot of bad reviews, but honestly i have had no problems with it coming loose or anything, i regreased it once after 5 months of hard trail and urban use and went through 3 or 4 really wet rides. the only reason i regreased it was preventative maintanence. when i took it apart the bearing and races were all in great shape.
so bottom line it's not the lightest, coolest looking, or smoothest hub, but for me it takes the abuse and comes back for more | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Boyette Calvo
a Weekend Warrior
from Laguna, Philippines
Date Reviewed: December 9, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Southwoods Oval | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | Second hand Store | | Strengths: | Easy to insert spokes, no need to remove cassettes and discs. | | Weaknesses: | Nothing except it's weight ( but this is no big deal actually) | | Similar Products Used: | Parallax Shimano's, MOB Discs | | Bike Setup: | M7 GTS Rigid | | Bottom Line: | Great Hubs, can be used on big and few spokes, easy to maintain. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matthew Richards
a
from Melbourne Australia
Date Reviewed: December 8, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Any thing with mud | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Action Cycles | | Strengths: | Disc Hub, | | Weaknesses: | Have to repack every 1-2 months cone's pit also | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | 04 Norco Storm | | Bottom Line: | Crap if you like PM and repack every month might be lucky to get longer wear from them i only ride 100-150km per week so i wont get these again... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
wtr
a
from melbourne, vic, Australia
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | urban | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | You serious? | | Weaknesses: | If you ride street/trials, ditch this hub!! Tried 3, 2 axels snapped, all 6 cones and ball bearings need servicing and replacement every month. Still can't believe I spent my hard earn cash on them. Piece of Crap!! | | Similar Products Used: | Formula, TufNeck, LX | | Bike Setup: | Tank DS1 Custom | | Bottom Line: | Man, stuff these hubs, save up some cash and get the TufNecks(10mm/12mm/20mm thur axel BMX disk hub, some sweet Sh!t). Shimano is the don when it comes to marketing... Ditch them!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Peter Gelme
a Cross Country Rider
from NSW Australia
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Mount Dromedary | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | None | | Weaknesses: | Poor seals, poor workmanship, no grease, weak, result in poor shifting, brake rotor damage, rear derailluer damage | | Similar Products Used: | XT rear hub | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Epic Disk | | Bottom Line: | The Epic came standard with the deore rear hub, what was going through the boffins minds at Specialized I don't know! This hub is an absolute disgrace, Shimano should be ashamed to put their name to it. I have had my bike since January 2004, since then I have repacked the deore rear hub 6 times, the last panic attack it had it proceeded to destroy by disk system and rear deraileur as the hub fell apart. Now I am up for a new rotor, and if I can't bend the deraileur back in to shape, a new one will be needed!
The problems with this hub started pretty well as soon as I picked my brand new bike up, since then it has gone down hill. For the amount of money I spent on the Epic I would have expected a decent hub, this small peice of equipment has reduced the capability of a true XC race bike to a Huffy special. NOT HAPPY SHIMANO AND SPECIALIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
me
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, UT
Date Reviewed: July 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | "the dark trail" | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$22.00 | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | cheap | | Weaknesses: | the rear hub left hand bearing cone pitted after the first 3 months folwed by the freewheel locking into place. | | Similar Products Used: | cheap no name brand hubs (never had any problems with them, other than the usual repacking of the bearings. | | Bike Setup: | 1996 specialized hardrock, now mavic crossmax wheelset, (11-32) 9spd cassette, deore maga9 front and rear derailer, deore lx crankset (octalink) | | Bottom Line: | these hubs have chaged my mind on shimano, i never could quite understand what every one was is complaining about when they say they will not buy shimano components. I now know why.
The freewheel of my rear hub locked up leaving me with a fixed speed mountainbike with horiable chain-suck, at the top of my favorite trail (dont stop pedaling!!!) and you realy wouldn't notice how often you use the frewheel until you don't have one.
the front hub developed some prety bad chatter with in the first 3 months and the rear developed the same problem within 4 months (time for a hub overhual)
I WILL NO LONGER BUY SHIMANO PRODUCTS. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pat
a
from Ft. Collins
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cheap. Widely available. | | Weaknesses: | I have seen more Deore rear hubs fail than any other hub in 8 years of professional bike repair. A chimp could make a front hub that works, but apparently the chimps at Shimano really came up short on the deore rear hubs. Almost every one that we order in has to be re-greased (or just plain greased!) and have the freehub body tightened. Many of my customers have poor shifting due to the play that always seems to develop in the freehub--play that is independent of the internal freehub bolt and can't be repaired without replacing the freehub. | | Bottom Line: | They bend, seize, loosen, snap and wobble. I have seen a few good ones come through, but they are about as common as defective XTR or XT hubs. Skip the deores. Go for XT or even better, save up for King. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
chris
a Downhiller
from paradise
Date Reviewed: June 17, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | lbs | | Strengths: | still going strong, cheap as a dickens | | Weaknesses: | cheap | | Bike Setup: | pipmptastic giant hardtail | | Bottom Line: | these things are still going strong for me, and i, like to to drops and decent sized jumps, have broken yet, i must have gotten good ones, | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Johan Stenberg
a Cross Country Rider
from Stockholm, Sweden
Date Reviewed: May 27, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Every trail in Sörmland | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Cykloteket | | Strengths: | It´s cheap | | Weaknesses: | Heavy, weak, the seals, the bearings | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Gary Fisher Hoo Koo e Koo (steel!), LX shifters, LX front der. XT rear der. SID fork, Conti Twister | | Bottom Line: | This thing don´t belong on a bike made for swedish conditions. I don´t think it´s made for any other condition than dry tarmac every sunday when the sun is shining. It´s the fifth time I grease the damn thing now and I am starting to get tired of it. If you´re not good at maintaining proper service yourself, youré going to get ruined fast if you reguarly drive this hub on normal trails (sometimes muddy). The only good thing about this hub is that it was cheap. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nig
a Cross Country Rider
from New Zealand
Date Reviewed: April 12, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Shimano name | | Weaknesses: | Poor quality. Second time in 3 months the free hub has collapsed under pressure while climbing. | | Bike Setup: | specialized epic | | Bottom Line: | Poor quality, lack of funds mean I cant get anything exotic but expected more from a shimano product. The hubs themselves have been okay but the freehub mech keeps giving out under pressure. will have to save pennys and get Chris king hub. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
trekracer8000
a
from who knows
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | Smooth for the price | | Weaknesses: | Poor seals | | Bottom Line: | Great hubs for a second set of wheels for your bike. I bought a set of deore hubs laced to weinmann zac 19's just to use for roadie miles. They spin well and don't dent the bank account. After every 500k's or so they develop a little play, but 30 seconds with a couple cone wrenches fixes that like a piece of cake. The guys below had problems because of their inabilty to address the problems when they first appeared. As soon as play develops, tighten her up and the races and bearings wont wear out as fast.
Overall, great for the price and intended application (light XC )
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
shoenotefuct
a Weekend Warrior
from vancouver, b.c. canada
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | price | | Weaknesses: | axel continues to come loose | | Bottom Line: | Thus far this has been a decent hub. It's held up a hell of a lot better than the rim. Within the first month the axel came loose and I had a whackload of play in the wheel. since then it's happened three times. I don't know but I doubt that's supposed to happen. I don't have the complaints of the previous reviews but I'm quite a bit smaller (5'9 160 lbs) but if you need a disc hub and don't have enough dough for something better than get it, but I would recomend, like anything else, fork out the extra bit out of little johnny's college fund and get the best you can. You'll appreciate it later when it holds up and and the other cheap crap on your bike doesn't. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Francis
a Weekend Warrior
from Wellington, New Zealand
Date Reviewed: January 31, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Came on bike | | Strengths: | Worked well when it was working. | | Weaknesses: | Has crapped out within one year of purchase. | | Similar Products Used: | Massively cheap non-disc hubs. | | Bike Setup: | as if you care : )
GT Avalanche 0.0 Disc - 90% stock | | Bottom Line: | My bike came with these hubs and Hayes 6" hydros. They worked fine up till now but recently I've been hearing a pinging sound coming from the front of my bike, one of the guys I was riding with said it was probably my hub and that it sounded F###ed. I was quite surprised to hear this as I didn't think this is the sound a stuffed hub would make but when I got home and took the wheel (front) off my bike I found that the hub didn't turn smoothly and made very graunchy noises.
When I bought the bike, I asked about the hubs and was told that they are the loose ball bearing type. If I were to open up the hub and repack it with grease the sound may go away but I doubt it, the hub is probably dead.
My old bike was NZ$700 (US$350 at a guess) so it was a really cheap and nasty one but the non disc hubs on that bike have lasted years. The rear one (on my old bike) is a little worn but still works.
I am rather disapointed in this hub and would have expected it to last longer considering how well the ones on my old bike have lasted. It is a disc hub and therefore will be used on plenty of DH and FR bikes and should be built for such abuse. I do a bit of urban with some 1m drops to flat concrete, but other than that I don't thrash my bike and haven't broken anything else (and it's an XC hardtail!) so I wouldn't reccomend this hub for anything other than XC since mines failed in less than one year. My rear one is still going but going by reviews, the rear ones are generally worse than the front ones.
Having hubs die on you is expensive (hubs are expensive as are wheel rebuilds) so yeah, I'm kind of annoyed. I'll keep riding it till it seizes and then I'll have an excuse to buy some nice strong wheels : ). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stuart
a Cross Country Rider
from Surrey, UK and Melbourne, Australia
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Most of Surrey | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cheap (cheapest disc hub common in UK) | | Weaknesses: | & Nasty!
Seals are poor in wet and muddy conditions. Freehub dies when European winters roll in - typical with Shimanos. | | Similar Products Used: | Formula disc hubs, Hope XC Disc, XT Disc | | Bike Setup: | Giant frame and some stuff stuck to it. | | Bottom Line: | Ended up sticking on this hub (rear) after a different hub bit the dust of 1 1/2 years of loyal service - more the point it was free....
The hub lasted 12 months, rebuilt twice during the year. After 1st rebuilt the hub was quite smooth for a low end shimano. 2nd it was showing wear, with worn cups, brown grease, and starting to grind in the freehub.
I average 2 rides a week cross country, not as high milage as when I commuted in London, and before that couriered, but harder on the bike due to conditions. Late December after 1 month of winter wet and mud, killed the worn cups with 2 shattered bearings, so on to another hub...
I don't think this is a good value hub, due to the buy quality one rather than lesser often situation. Add the cost of the wheel build, and you want your wheel to last - well with discs anyhow compaired to rim brakes. I wouldn't have stuck it on my bike, except it was given to me for free. So instead I spent the money a trip to France :-)
2 chilis for value to to being cheap. 1 overall as it is really a poor hub. Buy the best you can afford, and your will be better in the long run. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John White
a Cross Country Rider
from Orange, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: December 10, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | San Juan Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Orange Cycle | | Strengths: | Commonality | | Weaknesses: | Weak free body | | Similar Products Used: | Shimmano and Campy | | Bike Setup: | Cannodale F600 | | Bottom Line: | I ride 4 to 5 times a week and weigh 285 lbs. At 6'7" and 185mm cranks, I can generate more power then most riders and as a result brake a lot of chains and sometimes fold chain rings into tacos. I bought the bike (with this hub) in Feburary and replaced the free body five times and it broke again yesterday (12-9). If you are a Clydsdale rider, stay away from this hub. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Augesen
a Weekend Warrior
from Lubbock, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: October 10, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Palo Duro | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | Local bike shop | | Strengths: | Great for the kind of riding I do. | | Weaknesses: | The rear cassette does move a little if you spin the wheel, but it hasn't caused a problem yet. | | Bike Setup: | K2 Attach that has been seriously upgraded | | Bottom Line: | I love these things. I ride Fairly hard, and am 220 pounds. These things keep up with me great, and I hit a 3.5 ft drop off three times a week. I got some good ones. If these hubs can hold up to my abuse, they can hold up to alot, I don't do downhill, and very little freeride, but for my XC use these things work. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bernie Miranda
a Weekend Warrior
from The Philippines
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Southwoods / Tagaytay | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Cartimar | | Strengths: | The Looks, Fast rolling. | | Weaknesses: | Not recommended for heavy riders. | | Similar Products Used: | STX RC, Exage, Suntour, Dia Compe | | Bike Setup: | Specialized ( GTS) | | Bottom Line: | This hubs is best used on touring only but is not recommended for serious downhills. Generally if you use this in proper use, no problem will occur i guess. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Marko Haka
a
from Finland
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | huh? | | Weaknesses: | Quality control or what? | | Similar Products Used: | Coda 700, Shimano STX | | Bike Setup: | DaBomb CR8, DJ2, Deore/XT mix, Truvativ Hussefelt cranks/BB | | Bottom Line: | The front hub has been rollin ok but the rear hub has many of the problems discussed in above reviews. The Freehub grinds like a windmill, makes croaking sounds, the whole casette moves around as the wheel spins. This when I turn the bike around for rim truing. Under pedaling the casette probably doesnt move, but the freehub likes to "skip" every now and then with a loud "CRAK" sound. Also, the whole axle was loose, I discovered this when swapping the wheel from my old ride to my new. I suppose the axle/bearing part might just hack it but the freehub is just junk.
Also, the hub is way more expensive than the normal Deore hub, which makes me think that mayby the Disc specific casing is a remarked XT case with Deore internals or just Deore freehub.
I dont want to RMA it, this would put my ride out of comission for weeks atleast. Besides I'd only get junk replaced with junk. I rather just ride it until it busts and replace with something much better. This, ofcourse means that it was a bad deal. My money is lost on a product that does not cut it and probably will not cut it.
2 chilis because if your lucky you get good one, if you ride nice, it'll last. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
L W
a Cross Country Rider
from Stumptown, Oregon
Date Reviewed: August 1, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | dirt | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | came on norco fluid | | Strengths: | none. it broke less than 45 days after purchase under normal load. | | Weaknesses: | freehub is too weak. seized up on me yesterday. this bike has not been abused, was purchased in the last 45 days, has been on about 10-15 xc rides w/ no jumping. the hub just seized up riding smooth pine-needle carpet trail. | | Similar Products Used: | I've got axiom's on my bigger norco and kings on my hardtail, spot on my singlespeed. haven't had freehub issues w/ any of those | | Bike Setup: | 2003 norco fluid 1.0, stock setup | | Bottom Line: | SHIMANO needs to recall these hubs! the rear one froze on me yesterday and seems to be happening to a lot of people. I only weight 170lbs.
Please recall all these hubs and send us all new wheels so we don't have to pay the cost of relacing a replacement hub too. Mine came spec'd w/ Sun ds-2 rims 32 hole.
Bike shops: don't sell these hubs!
Bike mfg's: don't spec these hubs!
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew W.
a Cross Country Rider
from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: May 28, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Sidewinder at Hardwood Hills | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Ski N' Cycle Hut | | Strengths: | They support the mounting of disc brakes, they accept the varying terrain very nicely, and they are very fluid | | Weaknesses: | for the price and the category they are in I really don't find them to have many weaknesses. | | Similar Products Used: | 4-Rox Hubs made by Oryx | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Oryx T-Line 125, Hayes Hydraulic Disc Brakes, Sun Ryno Lite Rims, Deore Rear Derailleur, Alivio Front Derailleur, Shimano PD-M515 peddles. | | Bottom Line: | The bottom line is that hubs are very decent for the price. They live up to reputation of quality shimano products. If you don't want to brake the bank and are looking for something that offers decent performance than these are the Hubs for you. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thom
a Cross Country Rider
from WA, Kirkland, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Snoqualmie Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | came with bike | | Strengths: | cheap. smooth until they break | | Weaknesses: | tissue paper part | | Similar Products Used: | XT hubs | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Stumpjumper FSR, avid discs. | | Bottom Line: | I ride regularly and technically but I don't do air and am 50 years old, so how much can I torture equipment? The hub came stock on my $2000 bike, and then crapped out after about 6 months, locking up on me. Freehub was replaced on warranty and crappped out in a few more weeks. This stuff is garbage! BTW, the front Deore hub axle broke in 2 places a couple weeks later...more garbage. Unfortunately I cannot afford boutique hubs so the best I could do was lace in a new XT. Hope that lasts longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jared Vigil
a Cross Country Rider
from Durango, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Hermosa Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | Hassle Free Sports | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Broken. | | Similar Products Used: | XT hubs. | | Bike Setup: | Stock 02 Kona Bear. Wheels are Deore Disk laced to 223 hubs, Hayes Mechanical Disks. | | Bottom Line: | They came with the bike which was purchased last July. I rode the bike hard but not like Wade Simmons. The hubs are cheap, and they look pretty nice for the price. However they weight about 1 metric ton. Finally today the freehub failed, meaning I had to pedal down hill with my newly found fixed gear bike. It sucked. Hopefully it will be warrantied and then I'll be happier. Frozen freehub after less than a year is unacceptable. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
m m
a Weekend Warrior
from mmm
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | kriz | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | veb co. | | Strengths: | the sublime looks | | Weaknesses: | weak axel and thread on thr axel, design of the hub, should have had crtridge bearings given the weight it has | | Similar Products Used: | lx, specialized stout - now in use | | Bike Setup: | kona scab cro-mo hardtail with new marz. dj2 (busted last year's z1 fr) with some serious upgrates | | Bottom Line: | I really look out for my equipment and take good care of it; the bearings are alwais greesed, fork regulary servised chain cleaned.... but when I ride I like to ride hard. I weigh just ower 80kg which can ,when dropping off a 2m ledge to flat, develope serious stress on mtb equipment. However I busted my hub's axel while doing a small jump and lending front wheel on a small slimy root which resulted as a smal crash - nothing sirious.... really! Befor that I hawe had some problems with the little inner bolts on axel which vere almost eaten away by bearings olthough they were greassed properly - weak little suckers! When I replaced them I noticed the axel was not evenly thick - is that normal.. I dont know... It does not look normal! Every 14 days hur developed some play... and so on and so on..
So shimano suck ass big time should be a conclussion.... but it's not. It is the onli company that manages to keep their prices below the horizont unlike cris king, rb design, hughi, formula.... and in terms of strenght they usually suck even more. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick
a Cross Country Rider
from Reston,VA
Date Reviewed: March 19, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Durable and cheap | | Weaknesses: | a bit heavy, not the smoothest. | | Similar Products Used: | Real, Other shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | slightly upgraded Jamis Dakota | | Bottom Line: | Came stock with the bike (rear,not the disc version)...kind of odd for a $1200 bike, but I guess they thought folks would ugrade. So did I but this thing just won't die. Probably over two thousand miles of XC,nothing too silly, but I'm a 200+ lb guy.Never did any maintenance on it either (I know...shame ,shame)
Broke some spokes and screwed up the axel so I'll probably take this opportunity to upgrade my wheelset, but I've been really impressed with this hub and will probably use it on another bike | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Judson
a
from Bellingham, WA USA
Date Reviewed: March 14, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Chuckanut Mt. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Worked for a while. | | Weaknesses: | Busted. | | Similar Products Used: | See below | | Bike Setup: | See below | | Bottom Line: | Update: Well, I guess I shouldn't have submitted that review yesterday because today I broke my rear hub. My avid mechanical 6" broke out of the hub (yes, the bolt hole broke) on hard braking. Not too happy about that. I guess it's what I get for buying an $89 Jenson wheelset that's imported from Taiwan. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Judson
a
from Bellingham, WA USA
Date Reviewed: March 13, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | Chuckanut Mt. | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$89.00 | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Cheap, disc compatibility, nice black look. | | Weaknesses: | Took a while to break in so it seemed. | | Similar Products Used: | LX non disc. | | Bike Setup: | Azonic DS-1, Rhyno lites, Avid mechanicals, Duke SL | | Bottom Line: | They work and they're cheap. They don't really have any strengths or weaknesses. I needed something to use for a disc brake upgrade and since Jenson had Deore hubs with Rhyno lites for $89, how could I pass that up? The front hub had a very very slight intermittent squeal for a whie (3 weeks?) but didn't seem to affect rolling speed. Rear hub doesn't click at all like more expensive hubs. Not sure if that's a bad thing or not but I'm guessing it's a cheap thing. Get these if you need a cheap disc wheelset. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shane
a Weekend Warrior
from Thunder bay
Date Reviewed: January 27, 2003 | | Favorite Trail: | jumping | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | cyclepath | | Strengths: | strong but not to heavy | | Weaknesses: | none yet | | Similar Products Used: | shimano acera | | Bike Setup: | stock 2002 devinci hucker | | Bottom Line: | very nice hubs, strong but not really heavy to be strong. i havent had a single problem with them and that is doing hardcore jumping, and cliff drops for about a year, i think that says it all | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tom pepler
a Weekend Warrior
from norton st philip
Date Reviewed: December 5, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | | | Strengths: | this hub has class and looks,its cone is nicely shaped and has sealed bearings (no looking after) colours are nice and go with any bike where ever. | | Weaknesses: | noe yet. | | Similar Products Used: | gt disc hubs,shimano crappers on crappy saracen xray(dont buy it bends) | | Bike Setup: | gt chucker 2 ,rst mozo pros,magura louise disc brakes,tioga,d521s on deore disc,dmr. | | Bottom Line: | these hubs rock and come strong and looking great so if u like jumps trials and fun get em there for u! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a Cross Country Rider
from Dublin, CA
Date Reviewed: November 30, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | Jenson USA | | Strengths: | Shimano hub reliability, look good(black), quiet, no problems yet, low cost, ($100 for wheelset), smooth bearings, good entry level disc hubs. | | Weaknesses: | none yet, these hubs do what they're supposed to do at a great price. | | Similar Products Used: | King ISO disc hubs, Hadley Disc hubs,LX, XT, XTR, DT/Swiss 240 Disc hubs. | | Bike Setup: | Interloc MTB with Avid 185mm mechanical disc brakes, Shimano commponets, Rock Shox Judy SL fork. | | Bottom Line: | These hubs are inexpensive for disc hubs and still to a great job, bearings are smooth eventhough they are not cartridge bearings, the cassette body works flawlessly with no skips, the entire wheelset (front and rear) with Mavic rims was just under $100, you can't get a good sealed cartridge bearing front disc hub for under $100 (new), quality at an affordable price, so far, I'm impressed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
| |
|
Photo Caption Contest
(sponsored by Maxxis)
|
Enter here
|
|
|
$ 22.00
