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Submitted by
lebikerboy
a Weekend Warrior
from north vancouver
Date Reviewed: November 20, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Hubs are able to be rebuilt because they're cup and cone. | | Weaknesses: | LX free hub is crappy compared to XT. | | Similar Products Used: | Too many to list. | | Bike Setup: | 1998 Rocky Mountain Hammer Race. | | Bottom Line: | This bike belongs to my friends wife who has owned it since new. She's not a stickler for maintenance so it's been a fairly big job to return it to new or better quality. The front hubs just required cleaning and new grease. The rear needed polishing of the races, new bearing and grease. Also, the free hub was partially seized so it was changed to XT.
All in all pretty good for a hub set that's seen no service for ten years! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barkleyfan
a Cross Country Rider
from Iowa
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Shirley Meadows | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Purchased At: | Cedar Valley Sports | | Bike Setup: | 1996 Trek 830 rebuilt in 1998 with STX-RC shifters, LX rear derailleur, stock Xterra front, XT M-system canti's, Mavic 221 rims on LX silent hub, Sugino cranks | | Bottom Line: | I've been riding this setup for 10 years, I weigh 240lbs, and the hubs have never even been lubed. Standing up to a Clyde like me for 10 years is impressive for any component. Doing so without being maintained properly is a statement.
These wheels are light enough for XC, yet sturdy enough for all mountain, engagement is quick and crisp, and the only sound from my bike going sown the trail is the hum of the tread, and a little chain slap.
Well worth the money spent. LX components have always been a reliable workhorse group, while remaining at a replaceable pricepoint. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
travis pynn
a Cross Country Rider
from SF California USA
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | 428 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, smooth running, bomber with grat seals and they come with light weight aluminum quick relaeses | | Weaknesses: | Not the supper high quality of the higher end hubs, but 90% the performance at substantially less cost. | | Similar Products Used: | I have many hours on the entire Shimano line | | Bike Setup: | Seven Salsa cycles, built back when Ross owned the shop/company | | Bottom Line: | I have been listing five sets of these hubs each week on ebay.com They are brand new, 32 hole front and rear and come with aluminum quick releases. A total of five HUBSETS and Ten QR'S. They have been selling at around $50.oo each aution. Take a look if you are interested.
"This auction is for Five pair of Brand New Shimano Deore Mountain Bike Hubs,a total of ten hubs, and ten quick releases. These are brand new Shimano FH-M750 & Shimano HB-M570 9speed casssette hubs. The hubs are 32 hole front and rear and they incluse a set of quick release for each hub set as well. These are inexpensive, very high quality hubs that have a tremndous reputation for offering a lot of quality at a very affordable price point. These would be great for an fixer upper or as spare parts, or upgrades to a rental fleet. The QR's alone are almost $20 a set retail. Not to mention the Freehubs and cones, and all of the small parts."
Thanks,
Travis | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a Weekend Warrior
from Tally, FL, US
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | ebay | | Strengths: | Light, and strong! | | Weaknesses: | None yet | | Bike Setup: | Fetish cycles fixation, set up as an urban assualt bike. | | Bottom Line: | These are the lightest hubs I've seen in a long time. I beat mine in an urban,dj,trials way and they probably arent designed for this but they are holding up remarkibly. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
American Lesion
a Cross Country Rider
from Venango Co. PA USA
Date Reviewed: December 29, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Allegheny, Oil Crk. E. Sandy Crk Trl. (PA), Farmer's Lp. & Chena Pump Rd Trl. (AK) | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Alpine Haus (Fairbanks, AK) | | Strengths: | Requires little maintenance, tough beyond words regardless of what some component abusers would say. | | Weaknesses: | Its made by the monopolistic big-S. This isn't so good. My hubs are 7-spd so they are OLD Deore LX (back when Deore DX was a mountain group...say 1990 or '91?) | | Similar Products Used: | Exage M350, Deore, Formula, Joy Tech, Sansin, Suntour XC Pro, Sovos, Altus, Acera, Alivio, Specialized hubs | | Bike Setup: | This model: Royce Union Aluminuma Series 7005 Aluminum frameset, Sunrace M30 Cyclops shifters, Sunrace M60 Rear Derailleur, Acera-X front derailleur, Deore LX hubs, Suntour 7spd cassette, SRAM chain, Specialized GX-26 rims, Kenda tires, DT Swiss spokes, Alloy nipples, Specialized Son-of-a-Strongarm crank, LX and Avitar chainrings, Ritchey clipless pedals, Titec bars, JD Suspension stem, Ascent bar ends, Avid brake levers, Scott-Pederson SE Brake Levers, SR Duotrack fork, Kalloy Seatpost, SDG saddle | | Bottom Line: | These things last and last and last and last and last. I've TRIED to demolish mine. The bad reviews? Well, keep this in mind: I haven't kept up with maintenance. They've been exposed to Alaskan and Pennsylvanian winters. Thousands of miles, and the stresses of a cheap fork. Yet they're rolling like they were new.
Deore LX hubs are swell by me....and I'm no Shimano fan. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Louis, MO
Date Reviewed: May 26, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | Kokopelli Trail loops in Fruita | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$150.00 | | Purchased At: | Ballwin Cycles | | Strengths: | Durable, no-fuss, relatively inexpensive, clean looks | | Weaknesses: | i suppose one could find lighter hubs... | | Similar Products Used: | rolfs, bontrager, other shimano hubs | | Bike Setup: | franken bike for now, these hubs are laced to Mavic D521 rims w/wheelsmith spokes - the price quoted above is the price of the whole wheelset! | | Bottom Line: | I can't believe the rating that these hubs are getting, as i have not experienced ANY problems yet. the rear hub is running a little coarse, but that is most likely due to it needing a rebuild after more than 2 years.
i weigh 230#s, and i and not really what one would call a "finesse" rider. i really tear the crap out of my stuff, and these hubs haven't given me any problems. In my experience, they are a superb no-frills hub that will not give you any problems and just let you ride. that is exactly what they've done for me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Alexander Jarvis
a Downhiller
from Cardiff, South Wales.(U.K)
Date Reviewed: February 9, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | The streets of Cardiff, South Wales. | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$70.00 | | Purchased At: | merlin cycles (uk) | | Strengths: | Cheap! | | Weaknesses: | NOT THAT STRONG,good for training hubs. | | Similar Products Used: | TOOO MANY, GONNA SAVE UP FOR HOPE HUBS. | | Bike Setup: | Just finished building my traing rig, Merlin xc frame, black comp 120,blackspire shore headset,head lock, prod stem(white 80mm),ea 50 bars,avid 7 levers,rocket shorty 8 speed shifter,good evil grips,flax jacket + xtr cables,arch rival,prod 2003 seatpost,hope qr,wtb carbonara seat,xt splined b/b,deore cranks custom machined to run single ring,middleburn 32 ring,dmr chain cage,dmr v12,lx rear with rollermag,lx hubs laced to fir w400 rims,intense wedge tyres. | | Bottom Line: | I use these on my training rig,they function very well for this price,not the best for jumps etc.
These are loads better than deore hubs, they run quite smooth. Make sure you service them from time to time, they should hold up.
These hubs do deserve pretty good rims, if you grt them built well they are nice and sweet for the price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nikolas
a Weekend Warrior
from Greece
Date Reviewed: January 4, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$100.00 | | Strengths: | Rear hub is ok so far,no weakneses there | | Weaknesses: | a bit heavy.front hub is not good,worked good for about 3-4 moths and after that its as good as my old acera hun.dont know why | | Similar Products Used: | alivio-acera | | Bike Setup: | gt pantera,judy sl,lx-xt | | Bottom Line: | The rear is very good if you are not concerned about weight.The fron however for some mysterius reason is no-good i tried changing the greace to motorex but i discovered that the inner syrface of the hub was to bame maybe i got a problem hub from the factory-dont know.I would prefer a cheaper deore.This is the reason i'm rating them with 3 instead of 4.they are much better than any bontrager-dt garbage however | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Cross Country Rider
from Portland, OR, USA
Date Reviewed: June 6, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$65.00 | | Purchased At: | Ebay | | Strengths: | Very smooth cup and cone bearings. Cones made of a very good instrumental grade steel, and they have borozon treated racing surfaces, that contributes to these hubs' over all longevity.
Labirint rubber seals completely isolate water and dust from getting into hubs' innards.
| | Weaknesses: | Shimano manufacturer put very little grease in these hubs. This grease is rather suited for concervation against the rust, rather than for the lubrication. | | Similar Products Used: | Different kinds of generic hubs and other Chinese POS. | | Bike Setup: | Rigid commuter bike for 20mi. every day commute. | | Bottom Line: | This is review for 2002 Shimano LX (HB-M563 Front & FH-565 Parallax Rear) hubs. This is a very good product for non demanding riding applications e.g. long distance commute. They look quite bulky but who cares?
I wouldn't advise to use them for pure MTB applications, but forXC riding they're just fine.
I rode these hubs for over 3K mi without any problems.
I repacked and readjusted its bearing after every 1k mi as a general PM procedure. Just rims wear and failure forced me to switch to spokeless Teny Rim wheelset with sealed cartridge bearings.
I can give one practical advise on these Shimano LX hubs.
As soon as you get them, unscrew its cones and flush out old grease.
Put a plenty of new grease preferably with PTF (e.g. Super Lube at $4 a tube). Readjust cup and cone berings without overtightening them.
Leave just a slight axual play before putting the wheelset the on a bike. When you fully tighten up the skewers, hubs' axual play should go away.
This simple measure will prevent hub damage in a long run.
Some people in their reviews complained about damaged cones and cups. It's a direct result of over tightening the hubs.
This Shimano rear hub have reliable cassette body. Its ratchet mechanism worked flawlesly over a year, although it has only two pawls in it. Some better quality cassette bodies have at least three pawls in its
ratchet mechanisms.
I would advise everybody to periodically libricate rear hub's rachet mechanism with Finish Line Wet lubricant (green cap bottle) as well. The bottom line - buy these hubs but try to chose best rims you can afford with them.
I would say these hubs deserve four solid flaming chilis for its performance and quality.
I can't give them all five chilis 'cause they're loosing big to cartridge bearing hubs I'm riding now.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ben Wichterman
a Cross Country Rider
from St. Cloud MN USA
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | PricePoint | | Strengths: | They are inexpensive and work well for their intended usage. | | Weaknesses: | None that I can see for a product in this price range. | | Similar Products Used: | Cheap, low end, shimano hubs that came stock on bike. | | Bike Setup: | 2002 Gary Fisher Marlin Custom | | Bottom Line: | OK, I checked over a lot of reviews written about these hubs and the word seems to be that they are junk. However, I have experienced none of the problems that other riders seems to have had. I live in MN and I ride only during spring, summer and fall. I don't ride in the snow and I stay out of the rain and mud for the most part. This is the second season I have been using these hubs on XC trails with moderate drops. I weigh 145lbs and I ride fairly aggressively. I have not serviced these hubs yet during my use. They have several hundred miles on trails and a couple hundred miles indoor training on them. I think they work great for what they cost. They were a huge improvement over what came stock on my bike. I don't think these hubs were designed to take major beatings so maybe if your into big drops and extremely aggressive riding, look past these and go for XT or probably better XTR. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luke
a Weekend Warrior
from Sfk, UK
Date Reviewed: April 2, 2003 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Purchased At: | buckley saxon cycles | | Strengths: | I've ridden over 6000 miles over 5 years on these through rain, mud, snow, even floods and they haven't flinched! I'm not a shimano fan at all, but these hubs have been superb! | | Weaknesses: | Axles tend to rust a little, and sealing doesn't look up to the job... but I've never had a problem! | | Similar Products Used: | Hope XC, Shimano XT, STX, Campag Chorus | | Bike Setup: | Zaskar Race, XT, X-Fly 100 | | Bottom Line: | Lube em once a year and they last and last! Try adding an extra ball bearing in the front hub - they come with 10 but 11 fit snugly - no more clicks. Thoroughly recommended! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a Weekend Warrior
from Los Angeles, CA
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Backbone | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Cheap, came stock on my bike. | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Specialized Enduro Expert stock | | Bottom Line: | I don't consider myself an aggressive rider my any mean and I ride in dry conditions. I was trying to climb a rocky section of Sulphur Springs trail, couldn't make it, and walked my bike up. When I got back on and rode, I realized that my rear-hub wasn't free wheeling. I had to coast down back to the parking lot with my legs extended to the side so the spinning pedals wouldn't tear up my shins. POS rear hub | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nony Bustamante
a Weekend Warrior
from Manila, Philippines
Date Reviewed: December 4, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Anywhere | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Looks good. | | Weaknesses: | Not durable. | | Similar Products Used: | Suntour | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail, XT & LX parts. | | Bottom Line: | I've ridden my Mountain bike mostly on paved roads. I was rather surprised when the wheel wasn't spinning smoothly after I've been using the bike for only about 750 miles. I tried to overhaul the hubs, but I was dissappointed to find the axle bearing races to be badly pitted. Shimano should remember to put more grease in their hubs. These hubs are not for aggressive riders. The Suntour hubs on my 15-year old bike still runs smoothly today. I'm now thinking of getting hubs with sealed bearings. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Saby R
a Weekend Warrior
from Halifax
Date Reviewed: September 23, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | This is a very nice little hub, it will (and has) performend well for its intended purpose. | | Weaknesses: | Considering the price of these hubs compared to XT or XTR, these hubs put and perpective have no apparent weakness. | | Similar Products Used: | XTR | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain cardiac, full XT (beside hubs). | | Bottom Line: | These hubs were originally on my Oxigen Race, I just upgraded them with XTR and hand them down to my girfrined's bike (after fully overalling them...). To get to the point, I rode with these hubs for 4 years (I am not a racer but fairly aggressive) and I have never had a problem with them. I never serviced them until last week and they were still in great shape. I think that the problem most people have is that they outgrow these hubs and start using them for a purpose that they were not intended for IE hard X-country. These hubs won't performed like XT or XTR because they are not made or priced for that. On the other hand they will do great during the transition between being an intermediate rider to a more sereous x-countrier.... I can't give them 5 chilis for overall rating because there are better hubs out there but they are a solid 4 chilis.... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Adj
a Cross Country Rider
from England
Date Reviewed: September 9, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Karrimor | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | Came with the bike | | Strengths: | None, oh ok they do go around, ish!!! | | Weaknesses: | As soon as they even see mud or water they go dry and loosen up! | | Similar Products Used: | None yet but I have ordered some new Hope hubs | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Mountain Thin Air | | Bottom Line: | These hubs are garbage. They continually need to be re greased, even in the summer. If I go out for a ride in the wet they will have to be re done after every ride. Proper sealed bearings are not expensie so there is no excuse for a manufacture like Shimano to produce garbage like this. Any mountain bike hub that is cup and cone configuration is just not worth the money.
The bottom line, don't waste your money. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bart
a Cross Country Rider
from Colorado
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | local shop | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | Not durable | | Similar Products Used: | STX | | Bottom Line: | managed to break (lock) two of these during past 6 months. durability is definitely not their strength... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pete
a Racer
from south wales
Date Reviewed: July 29, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | Mountain ash | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | chainreaction cycles | | Weaknesses: | the clutch does tend to slip a bit when pedalling vv hard uphill | | Similar Products Used: | hope suspension, | | Bike Setup: | azonic ds1, phsylos, hs 33, | | Bottom Line: | i puchased the hub built onto 521cd and ridden them hard for about a year and no worries, | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Alex
a Racer
from Moscow, Russia
Date Reviewed: July 17, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$45.00 | | Purchased At: | Velomir shop | | Strengths: | Really good rear hub (silent clutch, of course) for trials, if you don't have much money to buy expensive Hope hubs. For it is a roller (i don't know how it is exactly called in english, i mean it's silent clutch :) ). It won't break after pedal kick etc. | | Weaknesses: | Maybe its axis is weak a little bit. One of my friends used it rather intensively for about 10 months (pedal kicks, 2 meters drops etc), at last its axis broke. But everything except the axis was almost new, so he just bought an old LX hub and change a broken axis with the axis from the old one | | Bottom Line: | Really good & rather inexpensive hub for amateur trials ride | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
scott
a Cross Country Rider
from austin - texas
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2002 | | Favorite Trail: | any i have time to ride | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Purchased At: | local bike shop | | Strengths: | price,quite,sturdy sound hub | | Weaknesses: | could be made to a higher quality | | Similar Products Used: | s-company,older lx-xt | | Bike Setup: | giant,race face,avid disc,eastonstem-bars | | Bottom Line: | for the last six monthes i've had no problems.i think some of these other guys expect to much for the price.i got them on a set of mavic disc rims for under $200.WHAT DO YOU GUYS EXPECT!realy-good performance for the price! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gordon Ghenter
a Cross Country Rider
from Flagstaff
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2002 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | I have used it for 2 years/ 10,000 off road miles and they still work like new. During this time I have never done any sort of maintenance on them, AND THEY STILL WORK! | | Bottom Line: | It doesn't get too wet here in AZ, so I don't know how they hold up in the mud, but I'd recomend them. I have treated my hubs very poorly, never mantaining them. I do mostly cross country/ enduro riding with only medium impacts. I weigh 125, that might have something to do with it too. I am impressed that nothing is wrong with these hubs after all the riding I've done on them. They have outlasted almost every other component on my bike. They'll probably die on me soon, but for the price they're great. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Nick
a Weekend Warrior
from bay city, MI
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | DROPS! | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$26.00 | | Purchased At: | Jensonusa.com | | Strengths: | Well... Keeps the wheel together, works for a little while under lame/light xc conditions. Not meant for freeriding. | | Weaknesses: | Lets see here, freehub doesnt always work right. Axel cracked in 2 after 8 footer. but I did beat the shiznit outta it so I would assume it would die eventually. | | Similar Products Used: | Acera.....? Deore | | Bike Setup: | Urban w/long front travel. Hardtail, freeride rims. | | Bottom Line: | Good for xc. Not too light, but cheap. I will give it that. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
S.Ganesh
a
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: December 25, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | I purchased a replacement freehub body from the bike shop for about US$15 from the LBS. It was a cheaper alternative than replacing the entire hub and rebuilding a wheel. Replacement was fast.
When the bike shop serviced the hub, I checked out the hubs and everything was clean inside. The bearings were still round. Only problem was the freehub body.
The replacement freehub body currently works alright so far.... Maybe I'll post a review a year later or when the replacement fails again.
For the past few days, I am happy with the hub. It sounds good when I am coasting and I can ride my bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
S.Ganesh
a Cross Country Rider
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: December 16, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | One of the worst products I've had. If you're ever on a budget and need a hub, forget about the LX. It's lasts for only a year!
Today, I commuting with the bike and the rear LX freehub failed! I was not able to put power into the rear wheel. Luckily, I was near my destination or I would have been stranded in the middle of nowhere. Had to take a cab back home! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
rod atkinson
a
from canada
Date Reviewed: December 2, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anything rough | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | The front hub is great never had a problem with it and it had been beaten hard | | Weaknesses: | the rear hub sucks large | | Similar Products Used: | I have always used shimano but i thingk that this is the last time | | Bike Setup: | maxam warp drive LX,STX,cv7 rims | | Bottom Line: | the rear hub is not even worth using as a paper weight i have had nothing but probs. with it ever since i got it
time for somthing new the clutch has broken 4 times now and the first was on a biking trip in france i went to see the tour de france and missed it because of this | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
miha
a Weekend Warrior
from ljubljana slovenija
Date Reviewed: November 28, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | krizh | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | veb company | | Strengths: | it is black | | Weaknesses: | the bolts came loose and are doing that ever since | | Similar Products Used: | acera, alivio | | Bike Setup: | author egoist(easton ultra lite) frame, f519, z1 mcr(kicks ass),... | | Bottom Line: | rear shimano hubs suck big time. i have had this one for 21 days and its already loose.I fastened the bolts on the axel so the wheel was barely rolling, but them litle suckers came loose again. It seems like this hub is even worse than acera and alivio. I ll be damn if I buy any shimano part again, thy disappoint me ewery time. I assure you i am not the agressive tipe of a rider, I just like to go fast down the slope and do not have the balls to drop more than 2 m (ca.6ft) with my frame. Shimano parts are all lite, but not as lite as weak - I ve broken almost everything cheeper than very expensive they make and it is a shame!!!!!!!!
PS:excuse my spelling | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Jones
a Cross Country Rider
from Sausalito, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Bottom Line: | Pretty weak product. I smacked the front end not going too fast and the axle bent and ripped through the bearings. Now the hub is pretty much worthless. I will not get LX hubs again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rodrigo
a Racer
from Tiburon, CA, MArin
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Bottom Line: | awesome
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lennart Jakobsen
a Cross Country Rider
from Copenhagen
Date Reviewed: September 6, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Furesoe | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$25.00 | | Purchased At: | from friend | | Strengths: | Cheap,solid,looks(black)freewheel(silent clutch) | | Weaknesses: | very heavy in the silent clutch version,around 550 g. | | Similar Products Used: | old shimano stuff | | Bike Setup: | 99`RM Blizzard,LX/XT/XTR,very custom... | | Bottom Line: | I only use the rear hub,which is great value,had to adjust bearings once,besides that no problems.The silent clutch mechanism is great,a shame it`s so heavy,it engages so quick,and i "enjoy the silence".Bottom line:great value,but i`m planning to get something lighter | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sanj
a
from Salisbury UK
Date Reviewed: May 25, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | none | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | Local bike shop | | Strengths: | Nice colour, runs smoothly, cheap | | Weaknesses: | Not very strong at all. | | Similar Products Used: | Hope sport, Hope bulb, Hope Ti glide, Hope XC, Shimano Acera X | | Bike Setup: | For trials | | Bottom Line: | This is a good hub for a starter. Save up some money and upgrade to a better hub e.g.Hope. It is worth the money in the long run. I broke my rear lx hub after only four months and even then i was riding to and from places not actually putting it under any real stress. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Weekend Warrior
from Hong Kong/London
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | Flying Ball, Hong Kong | | Strengths: | Durability | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | None | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale CAAD 3 frame and mostly XT setup | | Bottom Line: | These hubs came with the bike. Have had absolutely no problems with them, nor run any maintenence on them, for three years of weekend use and three months of intensive cycle touring. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
garrett james
a Cross Country Rider
from dublin
Date Reviewed: March 31, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$35.00 | | Purchased At: | chain reaction | | Strengths: | smooth,as good as any other.,same sealing system as the xtr. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | deore and a old xt | | Bike Setup: | xcr 400,deore,mavic,lx,korea,zonic. | | Bottom Line: | this hub is a great deal,if your not stupid enuogh to put it on a trials or downhill rig.if your a trail rider or anything like tyhat this is a great hub but it was'nt intended for stupid people putting it on fatso rims | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a Weekend Warrior
from london
Date Reviewed: March 18, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | anything trials | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$40.00 | | Purchased At: | a shop | | Strengths: | They look quite nice, feel quite nice, and are quite cheap | | Weaknesses: | They are the god forsaken weakest hubs on earth! i have completely massacred two in 3 months doing trials on one bike and cross country on the other. | | Similar Products Used: | anything shimano, and hope and chris king | | Bike Setup: | norco trials, middleburn, d521, xtr, lx ,hope, planet x,azonic, Dx brakes | | Bottom Line: | I used a pair of these on my cross country bike and my trials bike. The ones on my trials bike had split and shattered bearings, a splintered axle, a shell that spit in two and a freehub in 22 peices! that was after two weeks of riding. i land smoothly but do drops of 12 foot yet i do not expect this, alivo held out longer! and the ones on my cros county bike had broken axles and broken freehubs.
DON'T BUY! PLEASE BUY HOPE! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lukasz Szmit
a Cross Country Rider
from Poland
Date Reviewed: March 8, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Any which allows me to get the kick I like :-) | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Purchased At: | New Author Sector '99 bike (www.author.cz) | | Strengths: | Silent, easy to maintain, strong (besides the clutch).
| | Weaknesses: | Clutch gave up after 7000km | | Bike Setup: | Author Sector '99 (XT/LX, SRAM ESP 9.0/9.0SL), hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Surely worth to buy.
Will suite each kind of rider from "Sunday on-roaders" to "Extreme off-roaders". Mine has been used mainly on XC routes. Never failed me :-)
I made ~8500km with rear/front LX - they've been maintained only twice: after 1500km and after 8000km. There was no difference... | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gary Fletcher
a Weekend Warrior
from Merseyside England
Date Reviewed: January 23, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | New Brighton Dips | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$20.00 | | Purchased At: | Birkenhead cycle exchange | | Strengths: | Smooth running and very quiet just sit there merrily | | Weaknesses: | none so far | | Similar Products Used: | STX-RC, Hope Sport | | Bike Setup: | Dmr Rigids, LX everything,DMR cranks,D521's,WTB seat,WTB Tyres,FSA Headset | | Bottom Line: | The best hubs That I have had can suit everyone from hardcore jumper to smooth XC | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
GP Clydesdale
a Weekend Warrior
from Oregon
Date Reviewed: November 19, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Moab's Porcupine Rim | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Does the job for all your xc needs...most of the time | | Weaknesses: | Weak Freehub body pawls | | Bike Setup: | velocity wheels, xt hubs, Trek, Judy SL | | Bottom Line: | I have broken three freehubs (one xt and two LX). I've had to walk out of the Slickrock trail twice, dragging those sorry LX freehubs behind me. If you are heavy and strong, DON'T go out in the middle of nowhere on LX freehubs. I'll give them two flamers because they are quite good and economical for the lighter weight riders in my house... but not for me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ds
a Downhiller
from Southboro, MA
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Nam | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Nice Looking
Great durability for the rear | | Weaknesses: | Seals aren't that good
The front hub's cones and bearings
Loosening of front | | Similar Products Used: | Sach's Hubs | | Bike Setup: | Sun XCHOX, Magura, ESP 9.0, Rhyno-Lites, Rokko 240. | | Bottom Line: | The rear hub thus far has been great. Ultra Smooth! Haven't had to do anything to it, but the front is a different story.
After a year, the cones and the bearings need to be replaced. Also, the hub keeps on loosening up. The axle seems to be a little bit more flexible to. Shimano should think about using a larger diameter axles, and maybe some higher quality bearings, because I know of Acera-X hubs that have lasted longer. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ian
a Cross Country Rider
from Garswood, England
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Coed y Brenin | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cheap, erm, nice colour, pretty decals, struggling now | | Weaknesses: | Durability (of rear hub at least) questionable, getting all sorts of nasty noises after only a months use, couldn,t warranty it as needed the bike to commute. Servicing gets rid of noise for while, then it just returns, sounds like freewheel is on the way out. | | Similar Products Used: | 96LX, brilliant,still run the front hub, rear lated three years | | Bike Setup: | Orange P7, Pace forks, full 96/97 LX gruppo which is only just beginning to fail | | Bottom Line: | The quality of LX stuff really seems to have fallen, my original gear was great and lasted a lot of abuse, and a lot of miles, minimum of 100 miles a week in summer. This hub has really made me question the wisdom of buying shimano hubs, Hope here I come | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Miguel
a Cross Country Rider
from Spain
Date Reviewed: August 10, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Price, durability, looks OK, only 1 bearing broken in 2 years without adjusting | | Weaknesses: | Adjustment (need to open to lubricate), bearings start to fail after 2 years | | Similar Products Used: | Altus A20, XTR, XT | | Bike Setup: | Massi, Manitou SXR, XT | | Bottom Line: | Good idea if you are looking for a cheap hub with nice qualities, cheaper than anything of same duration, easy to find, easy to adjust, you shoulld buy if you want to upgrade without spending your monthly income, not very useful in radikal conditions. More than 6000 km without problems. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ken
a Cross Country Rider
from Salt Lake City, Utah
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | worked... | | Weaknesses: | ...for almost a year | | Similar Products Used: | I upgraded to King, not all that similar. | | Bottom Line: | It worked fine for a while, no funky quirks. One season of functional hubs at a low price. No big thing. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam
a Weekend Warrior
from england
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | price | | Weaknesses: | weight, being shimano | | Similar Products Used: | xt, hope sport | | Bike Setup: | heavy tools | | Bottom Line: | i ave mainly done jumping on this back hub and it aze lasted pretty well | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Vancouver
Date Reviewed: July 28, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Cheap, easy to buy mail order, reliable. Easy to service. | | Weaknesses: | Heavy | | Similar Products Used: | Hope, XT, LX 1999, Campy road stuff. | | Bike Setup: | 1995 Fischer Cronus for XC | | Bottom Line: | I took these apart for servicing after 5 years of regular use. They haven't required a moments thought in this time - I was replacing the rear rim, and though I should face the music and finally service these. After all the mud and water these things have been exposed to, I was dreading what I was going to find. To my amazement, the grease in the bearings and races was clean, and mechanically, the hubs were in perfect condition. I'm impressed by the seals on these - well designed & good value. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CJB
a Weekend Warrior
from Vernon
Date Reviewed: July 25, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Cheap | | Weaknesses: | None found yet | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR | | Bike Setup: | 99 Gary Fisher Level Betty, Z.1 Drop Offs, Icon, Roox, XT, components, with a Grimeca Disc brake up front. | | Bottom Line: | Came with the first bike I bought in '96. Four frames later and many rims later it is still going strong. I realize some people have had problems with durability, but no complaints with me. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Cross Country Rider
from North Wales, PA USA
Date Reviewed: July 20, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | South Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Cheap and durable | | Weaknesses: | a little heavier than others, but at 370grams lx rear hub for 30 bucks you can't beat the value | | Similar Products Used: | 93 LX | | Bike Setup: | 93 Marin Bear Valley, 7sp LX drivetrain, Manitou II sus fork | | Bottom Line: | I bought new hubs because I wanted to upgrade my rims and spokes - nothing wrong with my 93 LX hubs. I considered fancier (more durable?) hubs but I never had a problem with LX and I couldn't justify 200 dollars more to save a few ounces. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: July 10, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Seaton / Whitevale | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | **This is an update from my last review, as seen below***
Well, the whole think totally gave-up, like I said in my review. So I went and got it TOTALLY overhauled. Replaced EVERYTHING inside it, basically a new hub. And what happens...all of what, 14 days later, I can hear a little pinging sound - it gunna give out AGAIN! I'm sick of this S**T, any suggestions as to some GOOD hubz? [..excluding King, cuz I'm not a millionaire..] Thankx alot....
*MINUS* - 5 flammin' chillis for this crap Shiftmano product | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Seaton / Whitevale | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Cool XTR grey colour, Inexpensive.... | | Weaknesses: | The freewheel on the rear hub gives out in almost a year of use. To hell with these hubz! | | Similar Products Used: | XT, XTR [both WAY better] | | Bike Setup: | 99 Trek 8000, mainly stock, tricked-up a bit | | Bottom Line: | I agree with Micheal and P.D. Nick down there, but.... I was ready to give them 1 flamin' chilis, but I guess that they're inexpensive, and good for a Weekend Warrior. If you ride everyday for at least 15+ Km a day, or you are a racer [obviously if you're a Downhiller, don't even ask...], DO NOT BUY THESE! Buy some Chris King's or XTR's.
And for Value, piss on the LX hubz. The only good thing is that they are CHEAP! In price, and performance! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Weekend Warrior
from Sunol, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 18, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | Butano Firetrail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Bullet proof. 11 years and more than 15,000 miles old. Took it apart for the first time and bearings and cups still good. I have ridden it through creeks, puddles and mud. All of my LX components have served me well on this bike with minimal (shall I say criminal lack of) maintenance. | | Weaknesses: | Not a sealed unit but does not seem to leak, either. | | Similar Products Used: | These were the hubs that came with bike 11 years ago. | | Bike Setup: | 1989 Trek 7000, LX everything. | | Bottom Line: | Durable, effective, great buy. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sean murphy
a Downhiller
from spokane, WA
Date Reviewed: April 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | course 1, beacon hill | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | cheap, cheap to rebuild | | Weaknesses: | they break alot. but hey they werent meant for down hill either. | | Similar Products Used: | machine tech and taya (borrowed wheels) | | Bike Setup: | 99 kona stab frame, MR. t, race face DH cranks, broken bottom bracket, odessy pedals, azonic PDW bars, zoom DH stem, fsa orbit extreme HS, sun mammoth rims, tioga tires, sram atac 8 shifter, deore R. derailersalsa grips and skewers, avid arch rival 40 brakes. | | Bottom Line: | this is an ok hub set but the axels break about once every 2 months. i have rebuilt mine 5 times and it is still cheaper that a set of after market hubs. i ride thse hubs harder than the designers at shimano even dreamed any one would ride them and they hold up O.K. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ricksom
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Canada
Date Reviewed: April 6, 2000 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Inexpensive, O.K. seals, maintainable | | Weaknesses: | Rear hub not durable for racing | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano XT | | Bike Setup: | Rocky Hammer with mainly XT | | Bottom Line: | The most commonly spec'd hubs on bikes. Probably because they are rather cheap. These hubs are good value but consider them disposable. My rear hub only lasted 2 years before the bearing races pitted and the the freehub started slipping under heavy pedal loads. This is after repacking the bearings after 1 year.
If you have a hardtail and do aggressive singletrack riding or racing, don't bother with these for your rear hub. The front hub seems O.K. with a suspension fork. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dougal
a
from england
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | street/flowing singletrack | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | looks good, bearings are ok, seals are excellent | | Weaknesses: | freehub is totally useless - so many people break them about every two months so why don't shimano fix it? | | Bottom Line: | ok so it's going to break more if you do trials but why do they make such cheap crappy freehubs? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
michael
a Downhiller
from uk
Date Reviewed: March 12, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | street | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | its complete crap. dont even bother looking at them. i've already broken 3 free hubs | | Similar Products Used: | hope ti-glide, old lx deore | | Bike Setup: | trials | | Bottom Line: | do not even think about buying one of these. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
mtnbiker
a Cross-Country Rider
from east TN
Date Reviewed: November 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Haw Ridge (for now) | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Low price | | Weaknesses: |
Durability | | Similar Products Used: |
Older Deore LX | | Bike Setup: |
'98 Litespeed Obed w/Judy XC | | Bottom Line: | Probably a decent choice for riders on a budget who don't hammer much. This was my second bike equipped with LX 8spd rear hub on Mavic 238 rims. The first one had no problem, but after about 800 miles of use of the current one, including some moderate flogging, the threaded collar inside the freehub broke up, along with one of the pawls (the little ratchet thingies). Little metal shavings are all that's left. If you're getting ready to build a wheel, I'd encourage you to spend a little more (another $20) on XT or (another $65) on XTR, or you might have to spend more later for another hub and a wheel rebuild down the road. Of course, mine wasn't the 99 version, so the new one might be better than my '98 model. I weigh 160lbs, so I'm not a clydesdale by any means. 3 flamin' chilis for low cost. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
P.D. Nick
a Downhiller
from Nowhere, CO
Date Reviewed: November 11, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Keystone DH | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
None, except that it lets you ride your bike and sometimes it doesn't even do that. | | Weaknesses: |
The bearings are cheap pieces of @#$%! The freewheel breaks very easily. | | Similar Products Used: |
XT,XTR,GT,Chris King,STX RC,Silent Clutch, and Mavic X Max. | | Bike Setup: |
K2 4000, Manitou X-Vert R, MR-4 rear, XT/XTR | | Bottom Line: | The freewheel is a piece of @#$% and it will break after 10 rides, even if it is taken care of night and day. This is a good hub for city rides, but I would not recommend this hub to anyone who actually rides. Go with XTR. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rob Atkinson
a Weekend Warrior
from Daytona Beach, FL
Date Reviewed: September 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
whatever | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Rode them for 4 or 5 years without maintainance. | | Weaknesses: |
Bearing cone may discintegrate(SP?) | | Similar Products Used: |
The hubs that came on my Balance
Primo sealed
Various cheap hubs that came with bikes | | Bike Setup: |
Schwinn Highplains(hardtail) | | Bottom Line: | Well, I figured that I'd just ride them till they blew up, then replace them with a better set. Since they did last 4 years of hard riding, creek crossing, and mud, and are still usable, I think I'm just gonna replace the bearing cone and keep them lubed from now on. If you've never relubed, do it now, they're a lot drier than I would prefer.They spin pretty well, and held up, so I gotta give 4 stars. Would probably go 4.5 if I could. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
marco1
a Cross-Country Rider
from Scandinavia
Date Reviewed: June 1, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Strengths: |
Simple, durable | | Weaknesses: |
Not cool | | Similar Products Used: |
LX, XT | | Bike Setup: |
Schwinn hardtail | | Bottom Line: | These are very strong and price/performance ratio is excellentQuality could have been better since bearing cone on the cassette side was machined badly - however I found this after 3 years of riding so I'm expecting to increase my speed after fixing this...But the biggest surprise was that these bearing cones for recent Shimano hubs can be replaced and are readily available from any good LBS for some ridiculous low price ($1.50) so I'm going to use these hubs until axles fail! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Travis
a Weekend Warrior
from Nanaimo, B.C.
Date Reviewed: May 31, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Strong
Good bearings | | Weaknesses: |
None | | Bike Setup: |
Kona Muni-mula | | Bottom Line: | I have owned this hub for 1 year now and i have never had a problem. These hubs are in a good price range and they work very well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Buddy Benavides
a Downhiller
from Makati,Philippines
Date Reviewed: May 13, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Caliraya | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Its tough, pretty affordable for its class, it dont need no servicing cuz if it does just throw it away and get a new one.White Industries' hubs was a total joke man, Titanium my BUTT, and it costs to much, a set of alivios would match it out!! | | Weaknesses: |
none | | Similar Products Used: |
Acera, STX RC, White Industries(YUck) | | Bike Setup: |
Intense M-1,LX gruppo,maxxis tires, RST Hi-5, | | Bottom Line: | The LX hub is a good buy if u want performance, at an affordable price!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mark McCubbin
a Cross-Country Rider
from Madison, WI
Date Reviewed: March 29, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
more than 3 years | | Bottom Line: | These hubs are great. I have had them paired up with Mavic 217 rims and have not had a single problem at all. The bearings have held up great, and the wheels stay true. The best hubs for the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mathias Hotaling
a Cross-Country Rider
from Windham, Vermont
Date Reviewed: March 20, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
2 Years | | Strengths: |
The hub worked wonderfully for a while | | Weaknesses: |
It shit the bed a few days ago, after about two years of solid use. | | Similar Products Used: |
The hub that was on my Huffy 10 speed I had as a kid. | | Bike Setup: |
Specialized M2 w/SID, XTR, not so good wheelset. | | Bottom Line: | The hub worked fine for the two years I had it. Strange noises and behavior made me suspect bad bearings, so I toke it apart thinking I would have to repack the bearings. One of the retracting fins in the clutch mechanism had come loose and got ground into about 1000 little rough, jagged bearings. needless to say I was a little pissed. I guess thats what you get for riding low end wheelset. Well they say you get what you pay for, and I got it. Like I said earlier, I still have a huffy in my garage, and it's back wheel still works as well as it did 15 years ago.
Spend a little more money now, and save a hell of a lot of agrivation later. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Lofthouse
a Cross-Country Rider
from Hong Kong
Date Reviewed: March 14, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Kam Tin | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
-Strong
-Reliable
-Colour (black with white writing) | | Weaknesses: |
-a bit on the lardy side | | Similar Products Used: |
Shimano Alivio (broke within the first month) | | Bike Setup: |
Giant ATX 840, Judy 100's, XT drivetrain+brakes, Sram 8.0 attack shifters, Sram 9.0 brake levers, titec hellbent rise bars, mavic x517 rims, LX (duh) hubs, Kore stem, blah blah blah..etc :) | | Bottom Line: | Well, these have stood up to a helluva beating. They've been through two races.. one downhill one XC. i ride almost everyday, weekdays on pavements, weekends on trails, for almost everyday of the year, and these have been through mud, water, dust, cow+dog+cat poop, and i clean them with a quick spray of WD-40 monthly (unless the bike is REALLY dirty). They still spin as smooth as the day i bought them, well worth the money. IF you want reliable, pretty cool looking hubs get these. 5 stars because they've held up real well. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Al
a cross-country rider
from college station, Tx
Date Reviewed: February 22, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
They aint fancy-looking but they're bombproof reliable and virtually maintainence-free. I've had mine for almost 4 years (about 8000 miles) and have never had a problem--they just keep on spinning. I've taken them through ridiculous amounts of dust, mud, water, horse droppings, etc. and have only rebuilt them once. I'm envious of the Chris King and Machine Tech instant-engage anodized hubs, but if you want a cheap, indestructible hub look no further. Gotta give them 5 flamers. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael
a cross-country rider
from The Mtns of TN
Date Reviewed: February 15, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I have gone two almost two years on this hub, and I have abused it from H.E.L.L. and back yet they still run smoothly. They are great hubs and in fact my brother who rides expert even uses them on one of his training wheelsets. That says enough for them since he also has a set of crossmaxs. These things are bombproof and reliable. And for all 'yall who have trouble keeping them clean, tie a piece of a leather shoelace around the hub that hangs loosly. This will spin and move while you bike and clean 'em off. This keeps 'em looking purty, and helps to keep mud from bunching up on'em which keeps 'em runnin' smooth. e-mail me if you have any questions. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mikko
a
from Finland
Date Reviewed: February 4, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I`v had the SHIMANO LX rear hub something like a year now,it has never cracked,QR has always been true.But i do have one bad thing to say about these,maybe you have had the same problem?In winter when i`m riding the rear hub`s freewheel
ain`t locking,so when i spin i cant get forward.Maybe the seals are not very good?But because this hub has stood close to my rim,without negotiating my abuse of em I give these proudly but humble four stars... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Barry
a cross-country rider
from Malaysia
Date Reviewed: January 22, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The LX silent had a bit problem.
It stuck and can't move.
But the LX not silent one is quite ok.
The LX silent that I am using now is stuck and can't move.
Right now Ihad change to LX 9 speed.It is quite good, until now there had no problem since i use this. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
James
a cross-country rider
from Knoxville TN,USA
Date Reviewed: January 9, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Another product that proves Shimano's ability to excel at mid-priced stuff. I've
had these hubs for a couple years, and although I'm admittedly not a rough/fast
rider, these hubs still seem to be a great deal as they've held up extremely
well. I've gotten them soaked way too many times, but the bearings are rolling
smoothly. Bottom line: If you're an average rider these are good hubs. I'm sure
you'll have problems if you let Thor (the Thunder God) ride up Mt. Everest with
them or you're trying to set the record for the underwater crossing of the
English channel, or you ride them constantly, but for price/performance, these
things are great. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kristmundur Guðleifsson
a cross-country rider
from Iceland
Date Reviewed: January 3, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
I've been riding LX hubs for about 3.5 years now and I'm fairly satisfied with
them. Very durable, good bearings, good seals - with a little regular maintenence they'll keep you rolling for many years. Not very light, but not very expesive either. So what's not so good? The freehub body. Basically, it sucks. Okay, it pretty much works for me because I'm light and usually ride fairly smoothly. But there's only two teeny little teeth in there and they occasionally fail to engage positively (meaning, they slip)- thowing you off balance on steep, techical climbs. It's a major pain in the ass and potentially
hazardous. But it's only happened a few times so I guess I can live with it.
And yes, I do maintain the freehub body, cleaning it and relubing from time to time. (Tip - Finish Line Cross Country [the one with the green cap] is an exellent lubricant for this purpose- very smooth and not too thick).
The verdict - 3 stars. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
doug
a weekend warrior
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: December 20, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
For an inexpensive hub these things are really durable. I bought a bike equipped with an LX rear hub about eighteen months ago and the rims have long since bean replaced with mavic 121s. But the amazing thing is the hub has required no maintenance, not even tightening the cones. They are heavy, but good hubs for the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
BS
a cross-country rider
from North Carolina
Date Reviewed: December 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had LX hubs for years. Never failed. Of course I maintain them - regular rebuilds and new bearings. For the price you can't go wrong. The nice thing about Shimano hubs - easy to maintain. I could go with more exotic hubs, but they won't make me any faster. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: October 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
OK my hub is screwed! I did something really wierd to it. When i reach a certain speed the hub snaps the cogs forward, it had gotten pretty bad and the bike shop i took it to didnt help any. They last for a short while then go out with a snap! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin m
a weekend warrior
from Honolulu, HI
Date Reviewed: October 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I see this more of an entry level hub set than anything. for the price, you can't go wrong. Most of the bikes in the $500-$700 range come with this type of hub set. My LX hub body gave out two months ago and looking to upgrade. For the most part you get what you pay for with shimano..
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Gertjan
a cross-country rider
from Amsterdam
Date Reviewed: October 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have these hubs on a set of Mavic 217 wheels for a year now.
The rear hub is a silent clutch but after 6 months it didn't spin silently anymore it grinded. The front hub seems ok to me but, so 2 stars is ok. But only for the front hub.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Didzis
a cross-country rider
from Latvia
Date Reviewed: September 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
1. I'm actually a MTB trials rider, but there were no such option.
2. I use Alivio/LX Silent Clutch mixture on my MONTY B 231. Body of the hub is Alivio (since I need 36 spoke hub) with the LX entrails. I really like the fast engaging of the hub and I should say this is really essential in trials riding. The weight factor isn't essential for me, although the hub IS heavier than ratchet-system hubs. The ugly: well my hub lasted for about 6 months of trials riding and then the freewheel body cracked. The same happened with the LX Silent Clutch on my friends trials bike in 3 - 4 months. So 5 chillies for the performance, 2 for long-lasting and 4 for reasonable price. 4 overall. If anyone has some advice on another fast-engaging MTB hubs, your e-mails will be VERY welcome. Thanks in advance! Happy trails! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a cross-country rider
from Austin Texas
Date Reviewed: September 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my hubs for a year adn a half now. I have not had one problem with them. I weigh 210 and have not done a thing to them. I think for the money they are a very good hubs. Ok I need 9 more words. I realy like them. That should do it. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
iamfake
a cross-country rider
from ct
Date Reviewed: September 19, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
ive only had the rear hub for about 4 months. i ride every day, and yesterday i heard a funny clicking noise. i tightened the axle, and it seemed to work. but after my ride today, i noticed that when id stop pedaling, the hub would cathc, and turn my pedals. i went to a bike shop, and they said that it was basically screwed. dont buy these hubs, they suck. it wasnt even that good when it worked. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jon Kibler
a cross-country rider
from Portland,Maine
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got 2 1/2 seasons out of my last LX rear hub. I'm don't beleive in maintenance and ride hard and it held up great. Cheap and strong. I replaced it with a '98 silent clutch model. Lasted 4 or 5 weeks. 5 Chilis for the older LX's, 1 Chili for the silent clutch model. The silent clutch also weighs more... Overall rating an average of 3.... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
cheryl
a weekend warrior
from disbelief
Date Reviewed: August 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Shimano LX silent back hub that came on my proflex 857 lasted nary 8 months or riding before needing to be replaced
in my opinion these should last at least a year
friends who ride w/me have never replaced their rear hubs in 2 years r similar riding...mud, wet, puddles, dry
am hoping shimano will honor the 1 year warranty on this component that came w/the bike | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jochen
a cross-country rider
from Austria
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Wow, when I read this reviews I must ask - folks how did you manage to disturb this hubs, I mean I managed to kill nearly every component of my bike but not this LX parts. I use (abuse) them now for more than two years, never greased them or something the like and I never had any problem. Maybe I just had luck, or the quality of this hubs is just not really reproducable. However I give them four hot chilies for a great product with a very low price, althought they are not very lightweight (Nevertheless, if they break once or if my rims look like potato chips once again (then I am gonna buy me a complete wheelset) I want to shift to XT hubs.
thanx for reading my s... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
AZ
a weekend warrior
from Phoenix, AZ
Date Reviewed: July 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Just built mine back up on another set of Bonty Mustang rims. Outlasted the Mavic 220 that they originally came on but I did have to replace two cones on the rebuild. Silent clutch is still working and never has whispered any signs of failure to me. Will probably retire these after this wheelset for safety reasons after 3 years of use and many many miles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ROb
a cross-country rider
from ont
Date Reviewed: June 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I`ve had these for 2 years and put on about 6000km (3/4 mountain) on them and there still going strong. these are great for the money, you couldn't find anything better for the money.
And i ride a hard. I don't know how hard you guys ride (the guys that get blown-up hubs in under 1000km). I guess you guys just don't maintain your bikes
and that's why you need 300$ hubs a season. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kev
a downhiller
from UK
Date Reviewed: June 14, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Not very impressed. Had one of these on my rear, but the bearings got f**ked after about 200 miles - not what I expected. I now use an XT rear, which is a lot better (it should be - it costs more). Not quite as good as my Hope BULB up front though (not really surprising). | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kyron konakis
a weekend warrior
from pacifica ca
Date Reviewed: June 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
broken the freehub body twice and now the splines on the hub that engage the
freehub have seared off leaving me walkin up hill.
If you weigh more than 190 Dont abuse these!!!!!!
my old bike had DX stuff on it and its stilll goin strong and how being abused
to show my 2yr old the local single track poached style. and even the now & then
crital mess rides . Ride with a dog | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wally
a cross-country rider
from Branson, MO
Date Reviewed: June 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Not the lightest or the best sealed, but a good hub for the money. A VERY good hub for the money, considering what I paid for it (I got an LX front and a Bontrager Red Label rim for twenty bucks.) You should be able to find a great deal on it, if you look hard enough. I haven't had any problems with it, and I crash pretty hard about once a week. I only weigh like 110 pounds, though. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
richard king
a weekend warrior
from malaysia
Date Reviewed: May 6, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Came on my GT avalanche, free hub failed after about 800 km, skips a notch or two when sprinting or on steep climbs. Free hub bearings sounds rough, does not freewheel as smooth as when new, clicking of ratchet mechanism sounds FUBARED. Changed free hub to XT - will updated once I know how that performs. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul Runcy
a cross-country rider
from Austin, TX
Date Reviewed: April 29, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
The LX hub I'm reviewing is the silent clutch quiet hub. It isn't rebuildable and weighs 2 oz more than the XT. I have now broken it, it's my 5th Shimano hub in 2 years. I choose it over the XT becuse I break those more often. It works with needle bearings and ramps that wedge the bearings when pedaled in the right direction instead of the pawl system. Unfortunatly when the normal system of pawls breaks it's obvious. The needle bearing system, when it is close to dying, will hop or temporarily break free under hard pedaling, but act normally when pedaling under normal circumstances. When one is pdealing hard up a steep incline, having the hub break loose and cause the chain to come off can be a painful experience. It's an interesting idea, and I'm not worried about the weight (I'm 6'4, weight 195lbs and I can squat 400 lbs,) but if it isn't any stronger than the XT, why bother? 2 chili's. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a weekend warrior
from NJ
Date Reviewed: April 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
These hubs are great they have held to me chaseing my friend's crosslands.
My wheels were built with Mavic 517 rims and they are great. If there is anyone who is looking for a good set of hubs their well worth it. The only doun side to these hube is that there is no silent hub feature on these yet. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Shawn
a cross-country rider
from Milwaukee
Date Reviewed: March 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have had my LX hubs for over 3 years and I have overhauled them once. They are very durable. My bike is set up to be durable and functional. The LX hubs fit the bill. I've gone through 3 sets of rims on the same hubs. These are the longest lasting components on my bike. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
S. Michaels
a cross-country rider
from Bellingham, WA
Date Reviewed: March 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have cracked or broken 4 Shimano LX freehubs over the past two years. Fairly cheap to replace, but I wish that the problem could be avoided. Just happened two days ago, so now I must deal with it again. Man I really hate this fifty word requirement. How about 30? | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jesse Watkins
a weekend warrior
from Canada
Date Reviewed: March 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
After my second rebuild on the rear i never want another shimano component again. The rear is to heavy and with the lx cassette it just doesn;t cut it. Tip: don't go through puddles! When the hub is submerged it comes out frozen and not working! Though they are strong and reliable they still only live up to have of my expectations of what they should be. They work and as long as they don't get wet. heh let im be | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Deadly Tedly
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta, Ga
Date Reviewed: March 7, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have been riding the same pair of LX hubs for 4 years (came stock on a '93 Mongoose), and with only two overhauls they still roll as good as new. On the next overhaul I should probably go ahead and get new cones, but other than that these things should last forever. No reason to upgrade them except weight, and this bike isn't quite worth the trouble. I've only really ridden them hard for two years, but they've seen hundreds of stream crossings and long stretches on top of the car in driving rainstorms. These things are bombproof. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a racer
from Houston ,TX
Date Reviewed: March 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
7000+ miles and 5 rebuilds. 4 cones and many many bearings later, these hubs are still going strong. Ok I only weigh 140.. but I was able to ride on the bad cones for quite a while before replacing them and seeing that the hub race was barely if at all scarred. For me, they are the hubs for a lifetime but the seals begin to loose their function after so many miles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Desmond Lee
a
from B.C., Canada
Date Reviewed: February 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am a trials rider, I have been using the rear silent clutch LX hub for around 10 months. It was pretty good to me, but it broke internally. I say the silent clutch engages faster than regular shimano hubs. Perhaps, the complicated mechanism in the silent clutch system makes it less durable compare to the regular ones. I weight around 140lbs, do small pedal kicks and stay on high torque gear all the time. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik
a cross-country rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: January 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I weigh 170lbs and have riden shimano LX front and back for 3 years (stock item
on my '95 trek y-22). They've been great having outlasted 2 rims (trek matrix, and mavic 217). And I abuse the heck out of them on these long rocky So Cal
descents. At the end of 3 yrs the rear was starting to get crunchy sounding but I
shot some grease in as best I could and they were fine. I'll try some aftermarket
hubs here soon and I hope they are as good as these cheapies | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim
a weekend warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: January 5, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
They are cheap and work great
I have only had them 4 about 2 half months and seen alot of wild tracks
and downhill action and i got mine 4 $100 and they go great
please Email me on wat u think about your LX hubs i think they are
just as good compared to XT
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
bobby
a racer
from CA
Date Reviewed: December 26, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I race with these lx hubs built on my mavic 221's
They are pretty cheap, however they perform so well, and to all you people who think that you can tell the difference between a xt and lx besides the silent clutch, let me know, becuase I hate it when you novices act like your some pro who knows everything about a product. I would bet that most of you guys could not tell the diffence between a Alivio and a XTI got the wheelset for only 70 dollars!!
let me know if you want some. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
PJ
a racer
from USA
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I have these hubs, they are good. Why can't We say words thet may offend some of the younger visitors, what if you use them in a different contect! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
ROHAN CHAFFEY
a weekend warrior
from
Date Reviewed: November 29, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
97 LX.......RO80 SILENT CLUTCH........ THIS ROCKS TO THE STARS, ITS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, IT DOESNT MAKE THOSE ANOYING CLICKING NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE THINGS WE PUT ON OUR SPOKES WHEN WE WERE LITTLE. FRONT GOODD AS WELL, HOLDS THE 121 TOGETHER PERFECTELY. THUMBS UP TO THE BIG S (CHEAP AS WELL!) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stewmonk
a cross-country rider
from Oklahoma
Date Reviewed: November 19, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
These hubs are awesome! I got them in a wheel deal from Supergo. Don't be fooled into getting the XT's they are no better, acutally they are a little heavier. I have had the LX's for almost a year and they work as good as the day I got them. I've ridden them through all kinds of @#$% and had no problem, I've never taken them apart and they still work great. They are actually high quality, unlike most of the other Shimano parts I own. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Phil...
a cross-country rider
from Alaska
Date Reviewed: November 14, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently purchased an STX RC hub for a front wheel build, It costs about $17.00 US compared to $25.00 for the LX. Both use the same shells, same oversized axle, and beefed up cones (compared to alivio). LX is black, and costs more. STX RC is polished silver, and costs less.
I bought the STX RC... I give both a rating of 5, since they are smooth, and work well for my purposes. I especially like the axle design, being 9mm/10mm/9mm, (9mm at ends).
Not fly weight, but probably won't break when I am 20 miles from home. It sucks having to push your bike 20 miles. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sucker
a cross-country rider
from the land of rape and honey
Date Reviewed: November 10, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Pretty OK, compared to CODA piece of turds. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Luis Leon
a cross-country rider
from ny,ny
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
Been riding my 96 LX hubs for 18 months now. They haven't given me any problems. I ride off-road on the weekend, and switch out the wheels for commuting during the week. So I ride everyday... well almost... Good hubs for the money. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
EX-SHIMANO user
a racer
from state of confusion
Date Reviewed: October 16, 1997 | | Bottom Line: |
The LX silent clutch rear sucks and so does anyone who uses it. the so called continuous anti-slip is now contunious anti-engage on my bike it weighs more than your mom too. a total waste of money just another incompatable shimano monopoly fad | | Overall Rating: |
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