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Submitted by
monteverest
a Weekend Warrior
from New England USA
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Bottom Line: | Was talked into these and have them laced to Mavic 819 UST. The rear hub comes loose about every 75 miles - definitely feel the rear wiggle, shift, and flex. Bike shop tells me to just keep bringing them back for adjustment. Overall a terrible piece of Shimano s%#t that is not suited for purpose. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
kosha5
a Cross Country Rider
from Ukraine
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Reliable, quiet, strong. Good sealing. Not expensive. | | Weaknesses: | Not for a light setup. But weight savings always compromise reliability.
When left under rain for all-night long, seals let some water inside bearings. So, the seals are not perfect, but close. | | Similar Products Used: | Other Shimano and DT-240s. | | Bike Setup: | Doesn't matter. | | Bottom Line: | It is for FH-752 (non-disk version). Practically ideal workhorse. Will work another 3 years. 760, 765 should be good too.
But I don't recommend buying new rear hub modifications like 770, 775, 970, 975 because of possible problems with freewheel malfunctioning.
As to front hubs - they're always perfect. There's nothing to malfunction there.
Yet, after a wet season a hub servicing is desirable. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sven Jacobsen
a Cross Country Rider
from BW, Germany
Date Reviewed: May 8, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | poison-bikes.de | | Strengths: | Durable, good quality, good price. | | Weaknesses: | Not that lightweight, but it´s all right. | | Bike Setup: | Hardtail | | Bottom Line: | Good choice for those who ride a lot and enjoy riding instead of thinking all the time about a more expensive and more prestigious setup. Those who complain about the weight should reduce their body-weight first. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
barnyard Stalemate
a Cross Country Rider
from mass
Date Reviewed: April 27, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | close to home | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$90.00 | | Purchased At: | online retailer | | Strengths: | relatively inexpensive | | Weaknesses: | finite life | | Similar Products Used: | other shimano hubs | | Bike Setup: | 3 custom rides | | Bottom Line: | I've seen Dt Swiss, King, and Ringle hubs all crack around the spokes. I rode xt hubs down the continental divide mountain route and then threw the winter. I had an xt rear hub break at the spleins the cassette body sits on. I don't expect hubs to last forever. For the money, I'm happy. The high end hubs are for the rich who don't ride as much as I do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Vlad
a Cross Country Rider
from Cluj, Romania
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Strengths: | cheap and kinda light .... kinda .. | | Weaknesses: | it's weak ... the life of the product is to short | | Similar Products Used: | other Shimano's | | Bike Setup: | Cannondale taurine, marta brakes, xtr and xt component, selle italia slr syntace parts, xpedo pedals, sapim spoke and 717 rims | | Bottom Line: | So this review is for the 2008 xt disc hubs ... the cone from left broke, the ax is not stiff | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pedalitup
a
from oregon
Date Reviewed: August 24, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came with a 2002 bike they outlasted | | Strengths: | This review is for the FH M756 model hubs I have owned since 2002.
This hub holds a podium spot in the reliability hall of fame. All internal parts are available if you ever need to rebuild them. The chain won't suck even with a warped rear axle. They have no need for constant pampering like some overpriced "royal" hubs. You adjust the cones and grind 'em up with wet granite till they get replaced! | | Weaknesses: | They're not royality. They're plain. They wiegh a few dozen grams more than stuff that bends. They prove that simplicity still kicks butt for reliability and make lightweight stuff look. . . well, lightweight! | | Bike Setup: | Three different full suspension XC bikes!
Every time I am waiting for this or that item for one of my boutique hubs, I throw this rear wheel on and continue to thrash the livin' daylights out of it. And yes, that means Northstar, Mammoth and any other time I feel my lightweights are at risk. | | Bottom Line: | These babies have been raced in the rain, beaten down bike park runs and rebuilt at very low cost time and time again. I wish I didn't have to admit that Shimano has kicked aftermarket butt here, but I do. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
pierre bourgon
a
from cornwall, ontario, canada
Date Reviewed: July 31, 2007 | | Favorite Trail: | any trail | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | came on bike | | Strengths: | indestrutable | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | LX, deore | | Bike Setup: | Nishiki Alian/Arial full XT | | Bottom Line: | I rode this bike for 15 years. the bearings in the front hub only lasted a year and had to be replaced. I never did any service on that hub again. I took the rear hub apart after 7 years to regrease it. the old grease was still cleanafter 7 years. I didn't reggrease it I just put it back together. never touched it again. this bike saw a lot of use. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony
a Cross Country Rider
from Berkeley, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$30.00 | | Strengths: | Strong, last for ever. Light, given how strong they are. | | Weaknesses: | A bit heavy I guess. | | Similar Products Used: | Several -- remember Nuke Proof? | | Bike Setup: | Iron Horse Azure, Shimano XT, SRAM XO(shifters rear der.), Manitou shock and fork, Easton bars, Avid brakes, Race face seat post, Chris King head set, crank bros... | | Bottom Line: | I've been riding with XT hubs for many years on all types of trails. I'm from Ohio, lived in New Mexico and Colorado for a while and now live in California. I've had three sets of these hubs. One for each bike that I've purchased over the years (Stump Jumper, Cannondale and an Iron Horse). "slow hook up" is nonsense. I defy anyone to "feel" a millisecond or two difference, if there is any. I've done very well in races riding on XT hubs. In the real world, on a 100 mile plus ride, you want a strong reliable hub, which is what these are. I do very little maintenance, basic cleaning, and get a tune up at a good shop once a year. Constantly fooling around with precision parts doesn't help them (IMHO). | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chip
a Cross Country Rider
from Chattanooga, TN
Date Reviewed: December 22, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | The Chupakabra | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Cheap, durable, parts availability | | Weaknesses: | Requries some basic mechanical aptitude to service | | Similar Products Used: | Lots | | Bike Setup: | Heckler w/ stuff to make it go | | Bottom Line: | To all of you who have problems with your rear hub coming loose- PAY ATTENTION:
Buy a set of cone wrenches
adjust the cones against the bearing so that there is a little drag, then back it off just a hair. Now, the outer nut has to pre-load against the cone so that neither can move.
Remeber the purpose of the outer nut is NOT to aply force to the bearings, but to apply force to the inner nut to hold it in place. You HAVE to keep the cone stationary when tightening the outer nut. If, after tightening it, you have drag on the wheel- you did it wrong.
Roller bearings DO NOT collapse (they are solid steel balls!), and if your race cracks it's because you had too much pre-load. If your bearings come loose, it's because you didn't have enough. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: October 13, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$80.00 | | Purchased At: | Bicycle Warehouse | | Strengths: | Works awesome. I have had no problems whatsoever with XT hubs. Price is reasonable for a part that works great and I never have to worry about it. | | Weaknesses: | None | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore--works awesome. Chris King--I got a lemon. | | Bottom Line: | You can't go wrong with Shimano XT hubs. They aren't that expensive and will take an incredible beating. I weigh 250lbs and ride hard and these hubs have had no problems at all. I have them front and rear on 2 of my bikes.
I have Chris King's on my main ride and the rear hub failed after only 9 months. My mechanic assured me it was a fluke--but a fail is a fail. My XT's are still going strong after 2 years. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego
Date Reviewed: October 4, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$225.00 | | Purchased At: | Beyond Bikes | | Strengths: | Reliable, cost effective. | | Weaknesses: | Not as light as the expensive stuff. | | Similar Products Used: | Lower End Shimano, Mavic Wheelset (Road) | | Bike Setup: | Santa Cruz Superlight, XT Components, Mavic Tubless Rims, Fox 100RLC Fork | | Bottom Line: | Price was for a wheelset with XT M756 disc hubs and Mavic X3.1 Tubless Rims. Have used the wheels in the dirt at least twice a week for four years (including one year up in the rain in Seattle) and have never even had to adjust the hubs. Just replaced the freehub, because the freehub bearings got noisy. Axle bearings were still in perfect condition, so just regreased them and the rear hub is good as new. Thought about upgrading to XTR or Chris King, but spending so much money to save .25-.50 lbs just doesn't seem worth it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a Cross Country Rider
from boise
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$210.00 | | Purchased At: | performance | | Strengths: | affordable, dependable. | | Weaknesses: | none | | Similar Products Used: | mavic | | Bike Setup: | 2004 ibex hardtail | | Bottom Line: | You would have to be pretty gullible to pay 300.00 for some hubs, why do some people equate price with performance? I am having this rear hub rebuilt after 2200 miles, the bearings finally wore out, I have never had a problem with xt hubs,this is a dry climate here so maybe they last longer here in Boise, yeah there heavy but I am not racing so no big deal, bought this wheel set at performance bike,I feel the wheel build is critical to reliability, performance bike gets credit for this fine wheelset, mavic 717 rim brake type. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Todd
a Cross Country Rider
from Victoria, BC
Date Reviewed: March 21, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Anything fun | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Strengths: | Front hubs are ok, decent weight, strong flanges | | Weaknesses: | Ride, maintanence, ride, maintanence, ride, buy new internals, maintanence, ad infinitum... weak freehub internals | | Similar Products Used: | Other shimano crap: XT, LX, Deore, STX-RC | | Bike Setup: | TST Ti hardtail, Marzocci MX Comp ETA, Thompson hardware, Shimano drive, Crankbrother Candys, Chris King Hubs, Mavic 717 rims, etc | | Bottom Line: | This review is for non-disk XTs (M760)
I must say, I have not had much problems with Shimano front hubs so this post mostly looks at their rear hubs.
Shimano rear hubs just suck. The problem is that the drive side always gets contaminated which pits the cone and then your in for expensive replacements if you want your hub to work well again (for a little while). I maintain my bike very well and make sure to re-pack the hubs when they need them. However, this does not seem to matter. Also, after tighening the locknut very tight (I'm sure tighter than spec'd for) they have come loose in the past on rides and oh... there goes another hub.
Shimano rear freehubs also hit the low chilli end. After it started to stick the other day I opened it up and found metal shavings from the pawl surfaces in with the greese and bearings. I'm talking large shavings. Poor quality garbage.
Shimano really has to get rid of their crappy rear design and make something that lasts and doesn't need maintanence after every wet or muddy ride.
The bottom line: If you like maintanence and replacing internal parts regulary or want to deal with a grindy pitted hub, than look no further. Otherwise, save your money and buy something worthwhile. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Scott
a Cross Country Rider
from Raleigh, NC
Date Reviewed: February 14, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Strong, and with maintenence they last a looooooooong time. | | Weaknesses: | They only lasted about 8000 miles. | | Bike Setup: | Oryx Frame, Marz FR 3 ETA, XT drivetrain and shifters/brake levers, Easton XC carbon bar, Thompson Stem and seat tube, WTB Lazer V seat, Cane Creek bar ends, Zu-Zu pedals | | Bottom Line: | This my commuter bike that I like to jump, take on a trail, practice trials(but I suck), basically this my all purpose bike that I put A LOT of miles on. Most of those miles are on the road, but I have dropped 6 feet onto concrete, been hit by three cars, botched a landing off a jump and trashed 8 spokes at one time. I am telling you this to show that I abuse my bike, because I like to have fun on it. Thse hubs held up just fine for a while, but I had to take them apart and clean/grease them a few times but that should be expected. For the price they can't be beat but after a while the bearings start to go and they will slow you down, I didn't realize how much they slow you down until I layed these to rest and got some Hope Bulbs and let me say.... Oh my they are nice, and now I can even put this other set of rims onto my 66RC that is on the bike I REALLY abuse!
THEY ROCK AND THEY DON'T COST MUCH! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jorgex
a Weekend Warrior
from Almada, Portugal
Date Reviewed: January 28, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$75.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | -none | | Weaknesses: | -exploded after a year
-slow roller | | Similar Products Used: | LX, XT, hope XC, DT cerit | | Bike Setup: | Giant Escaper'92(hardtail)
frontwheel DR cerit disc with dt middle range spokes and mavic xm 321
rearwheel Hope XC disc with dt middle range spokes and d521 | | Bottom Line: | XT derailleurs and XT crankset are great products but the hubs i don't know where to start.
Front Hub:
Nothing special, it's does the job perfectly. After 3 years using that hub, i sold to a friend XCbiker and he still uses it today. Thats another 3 years, a total of 6 years.
Rear Hub:
It was a ride to remember, other bikers screaming, dogs barking and jumping at the time on the trial. Fortunately i was just 10km away from home. I can say now that my sidi shoes are comfortable.
It auto-destroid exactly 365 days after the installation. How bizarre.
Until then good luck because it feels like you have a 2.3 tire on the road, very slow roller and slow aceleration.
Both:
Together are unstable because fronthub pushes you forwards and the other backwards. You almost feel the bike snapping the middle.
Please, do yourself a favor, buy DT, Hope or Chris King hubs. Don't waste money on these hubs.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Burdell
a Cross Country Rider
from Fletcher,NC
Date Reviewed: January 24, 2006 | | Favorite Trail: | Pilot Rock | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Purchased At: | LBS came on bike | | Strengths: | There are none | | Weaknesses: | Lets see. Require constant maintenance, rear comes loose, free hub EXPLODED. | | Bike Setup: | 05 Haro XLS R7, xt drivetrain | | Bottom Line: | To reiterate what others have said. These things suck. Do not buy them unless you enjoy working on hubs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Stuart
a Weekend Warrior
from Abbotsford, B.C.
Date Reviewed: November 29, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | dirt merchant | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Purchased At: | traded for it | | Strengths: | Its smooth, strong, compatible with bolt-on axles, unlike deore crap, and hasnt given me any real problems yet! I love the clickety-click sound it makes :-) | | Weaknesses: | some people dont like the clickety-click, but i love it! | | Similar Products Used: | deore(crap), lx(better), formula(good) | | Bike Setup: | morphine w/super t, freeride spec, and the xt rear hub:-D | | Bottom Line: | Its a quality product thats not insanely expensive compared so some. Its not as good as a hadley, or a ringle, or a king, but it certainly gets the job done, and it clicks pretty nicely. Not as much as a hadley tho:-( Either way, I'm planning on it lasting a good long time. cheers | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jonathan Kelman
a
from Irvine, CA
Date Reviewed: November 21, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Heartbreak Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$50.00 | | Purchased At: | The Bike Company | | Strengths: | Quite inexpensive for a rear disc hub, roll decently smooth, hub body is definitely burly, did I mention they're cheap? | | Weaknesses: | Heavy, and of course the recurring loosening problem | | Similar Products Used: | Hugi, XTR, LX, WTB speed disc | | Bike Setup: | Turner 6 Pack, XT rear hub is laced 3x to a Sun Singletrack | | Bottom Line: | This is the second rear XT disc hub I've owned. The first one had few problems for two years until it began dying (bearings collapse, tighten hub, bearings collapse some more, tighten rear hub, etc...). This second one, however, is but 6 months old and has managed to drive me f#@king crazy with its coming loose, especially in the middle of rides. Frankly, not the sort of thing I'm used to from Shimano hubs. This, combined with the fact that it's heavy, means I'll be getting something else soon. Nonetheless, I really don't know of any better rear disc hubs for this price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kirk Lott
a Racer
from Boulder, CO
Date Reviewed: November 13, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | anything near Boulder, CO | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Purchased At: | multiple warranty replacements | | Strengths: | none | | Weaknesses: | breaks constantly - the worst mountain biking product ever made | | Similar Products Used: | None yet, but I will never use Shimano hubs again. I'll try out DT, Chris King, etc. | | Bike Setup: | 2003 Giant AC1, standard set up | | Bottom Line: | 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
Karl
a Cross Country Rider
from Minneapolis
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | DURABLE, easy to work on, cheap | | Weaknesses: | drive side cones loosen, heavier than i'd like | | Bike Setup: | xt mavic 517, dt spokes | | Bottom Line: | So if you can't afford Kings, or even XTRs, this is probably the route to go. These guys take a lickin and keep on tickin. I can't count the number of times I've done something (awkward drop, cones to loose/tight) and they keep goin like nothing happened. Another great thing is that they're really simple to work on. Only thing to keep in mind is to make sure the locknuts are extra tight, otherwise you run into the same problems that others have had. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Zach
a Racer
from Bournemouth, United Kingdom
Date Reviewed: August 20, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$60.00 | | Purchased At: | ChainReactionCycles.com | | Strengths: | runs smooth, easily convertable to a solid 10mm axle. | | Weaknesses: | Locknuts begidn to loosen causing the hub to become loose aswell. not the strongest freehub body | | Similar Products Used: | Shimano Deore and LX, DMR Revolver etc. | | Bike Setup: | 24 bikes Le Toy III, Marzocchi DJ2, 24" DMR DV rims with front Revolver hub and rear Shimano XT. Profile Cranks, SS. | | Bottom Line: | a great hub for most things, i used it for DJ and track and it held it for a godo 4 months before the problems started to occour. After i converted it to a solid 10mm axle it stiffened up and was a great hub, better than before. if you use SS and are a powerful rider beware of the freehub not holding out. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John
a
from Fort Collins, CO
Date Reviewed: May 24, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Strengths: | Value. | | Weaknesses: | Loosening of the driveside outer nut. | | Bike Setup: | 03 KHS FR2000, Z1, Romic, Mavic 721 Rear, Rynolite front. Hayes brakes/rotors. | | Bottom Line: | I should point out that I've never invested in a high-quality hub. I got this set of 2003 XT hubs with one of the incredibly cheap RynoLite wheel sets you can buy online. I got the wheels tuned at my LBS to make sure all was well before riding. Nonetheless I flat-spotted the rear rim quickly, and replaced it with a Mavic 721 that has been flawless despite abuse. I doubt that any of this has much impact on the hub problem, but it's possible.
I've had a generally good experience over the last 15 years with LX and XT hubs. They cost so much less than the high-end hubs that I figured I could go through 3 or 4 before breaking even. That said, the 2003 XT rear hub has had a repeated problem, i.e. loosening on the drive-side 17mm nut (that's the outer nut, visible beyond the cassette). Tightening the nut by itself did not fix the problem.
I was apprehensive about taking it apart, but a helpful mechanic at Performance offered to demonstrate the correct procedure. After investing $2 in bearings (you also need 15mm and 17mm cone wrenches plus grease), the rebuild took me about 30 minutes. It took a few tries to get the correct tension, but with some patience it was a pretty foolproof job. None of the repeated loosening had caused any obvious wear to the parts, but I replaced the bearings just in case. Now I believe my hub is back to where it should have been when it was new.
I think the hardware itself is probably fine - rather I suspect the fault lies at the quality control of the build. Assuming they are machine-built at the factory (I could be wrong), it could be that they turn out a certain percentage of hubs that are not properly tightened. Looking at the internal parts they all seem to be well made, and, when they are set up, they fit tightly and the hub rolls smoothly with no axle rocking. There is an overabundance of thin washers - it looked like a mishmash of spare parts - but their purpose seems to be to keep the rotor-side rubber skirt from slipping.
I may try to find a set of Bullseyes if I can - they got good reviews and they're not much more expensive than the XT's. Apparently the company has spent many years building BMX hubs but they have an MTB set also. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Heat Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from Mpls
Date Reviewed: February 18, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | with vertical | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$1.00 | | Strengths: | Strong hub rim combo at retail | | Weaknesses: | I've had three XT hubs and this is my second pair that comes loose in rear. The last I sold. Now less than 3 months in it's happening again! I'm going to use lock tight and glue the heck out of them, if no go than it;s the axel stretching! | | Similar Products Used: | various shimano and sun. | | Bike Setup: | scalpel, was f700 before. this hib only used on soft tail. | | Bottom Line: | love hate. lock nuts situation really piss'n me | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe
a Cross Country Rider
from OH
Date Reviewed: December 19, 2004 | | Favorite Trail: | vultures knob | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Strengths: | Runs smoothly with zero maintenance | | Weaknesses: | None so far | | Similar Products Used: | WTB, | | Bike Setup: | Titus switchblade, RF next cranks, Marz forks, Mavic 3.1rims on Sh XT hubs, RF stem, Thomson seatpost, candy pedals, WTB saddle, Cane creek headset, Hutch spyder ust tires, Avid discs, Rogue lock on grips and some other stuff. | | Bottom Line: | I've never had a problem with the XT disc hubs yet. I have the older ones which you bolt the discs on at the hub. I've washed my bike quite a bit with a pressure washer on occasions to and have had no problems with the bearings. Wheels spin smoothly so far. I would purchase them again.
I mounted a pair of wtb disc hubs once, but they didn't spin as freely as the XTs, or as smoothly so the WTBs sit in the closet. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brian
a
from NJ
Date Reviewed: November 27, 2004 | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | |
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$ 130.00
