Does anyone no what model hubs are on the Abajo Peak? Any tips for maintenance?
Bear pawl hubs
BujiBiker
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I just reached out to Evan and he's well and has some six pawl freehubs ready to ship. Are you sure you got the email correct (evan@alexrims.com.tw)? Maybe drop him a line again.
I did have a bit of metal shavings in my freehub after a few months and that worried me but I opened it up recently and all was well. I'm actually pretty impressed with the wheels and hubs so far.
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Thanks man, yeah, that looks like the email I sent to, but went ahead and sent again with a fresh "copy/paste" for posterity's sake.
I received a reply from evan yesterday asking me if I need XD or HG freehub
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Where can imessage you to get the contact?
I think Evan Kinsey is OK with me giving his info out since everyone at the Fezzari forum is hitting him up. You can message him directly. I'd expect supply issues, of course. evan@alexrims.com.tw
This post has been helpful. Looks like Specialized is using their hub now as well. I just ordered a Micro Spline free hub for my rear wheel. Came with the 36 point engagement hub, which is fine with me. From what I've rear, it seems pretty straight forward replacement.
Yea, it's not too bad. I detail the steps on Page 1 of this post. Just make sure you wrap the pawls with a rubber band so they don't go flying and note the spacers.
Nope, you just turn the freehub to engage the pawls and free it from the hub body and do the same to install the 4 or 6 pawl freehub. Just make sure you note the placement of spacers/bushings when you remove things.
You’ll remove the cassette and end caps and then the freehub will come out easily with a turn counter clockwise, if I remember. It’s been a while.
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2019 Cascade Peak. I just trashed my third three-pawl freehub body. In all three cases, the outboard bearing fails. I am done with these hubs and have another wheel set on order.
However, since the new wheels are 6 weeks out I decided to dig into one of the failed units to find out what's going on. I have long suspected that there is a problem with the bearing spacers and I have observed in all three cases that the freehub body tightens up when the axle is tightened. This was the case even when the bike was delivered new.
Lacking the special tool to remove the bearing retainer ring, I clamped the body in a vice and took a pair of channelocks to the ring, then pressed the bearings and spacers out. When I measured the inner and outer race spacers with calipers, I observed that the inner spacer was about .004" shorter than the outer spacer. This explained why the outer bearing is getting over-preloaded when the axle is tightened. I also noticed that the inner spacer was a tad "mushroomed" on one end.
What's happening is that the inner spacer, which is very thin-walled aluminum, is getting deformed by the axle preload, thereby putting a bunch of axial preload on the outer bearing and causing is to bind and fail quickly. As a quick fix to get by until the new wheels arrive, I shortened the outer spacer by sanding it on some wet/dry paper on a flat surface until it measured a few thou shorter than the inner spacer. Reassembled with new bearings, it now runs free with the axle tightened (for now).
Moral of the story? These are not good hubs. In addition to the spacer/bearing problems, I've observed that the hub axle is so flexy that the under heavy load the freehub body contacts the ratchet ring and the drive side end cap contacts the freehub body. I understand that you don't get top notch components on a $3k bike, but this is pretty disappointing.
However, since the new wheels are 6 weeks out I decided to dig into one of the failed units to find out what's going on. I have long suspected that there is a problem with the bearing spacers and I have observed in all three cases that the freehub body tightens up when the axle is tightened. This was the case even when the bike was delivered new.
Lacking the special tool to remove the bearing retainer ring, I clamped the body in a vice and took a pair of channelocks to the ring, then pressed the bearings and spacers out. When I measured the inner and outer race spacers with calipers, I observed that the inner spacer was about .004" shorter than the outer spacer. This explained why the outer bearing is getting over-preloaded when the axle is tightened. I also noticed that the inner spacer was a tad "mushroomed" on one end.
What's happening is that the inner spacer, which is very thin-walled aluminum, is getting deformed by the axle preload, thereby putting a bunch of axial preload on the outer bearing and causing is to bind and fail quickly. As a quick fix to get by until the new wheels arrive, I shortened the outer spacer by sanding it on some wet/dry paper on a flat surface until it measured a few thou shorter than the inner spacer. Reassembled with new bearings, it now runs free with the axle tightened (for now).
Moral of the story? These are not good hubs. In addition to the spacer/bearing problems, I've observed that the hub axle is so flexy that the under heavy load the freehub body contacts the ratchet ring and the drive side end cap contacts the freehub body. I understand that you don't get top notch components on a $3k bike, but this is pretty disappointing.
Can anyone confirm this is the correct part to upgrade to the 6 pawl freehub. The Delano Peak I have on order has a HG Freehub. Thanks
thebikehub.com
Bear Pawls Freehub - Steel 6-Pawls 3-Bearing Shimano MTB
Bear Pawls Freehub - Steel 6-Pawls 3-Bearing Shimano MTB. Replacement Freehub Bodies for servicing.
thebikehub.com
Last week I was doing my normal after work ride. I was on my Delano Peak climbing up a technical section when I encountered an issue with my rear hub. I was pedaling and spun out. At first I thought I just hit a patch of loose sand/dust but when I reset and tried to pedal again I wasn't able to apply any power. Upon further investigation I found that when I pedaled the rear hub wasn't engaging. I took the cassette off and all the teeth and pawls were in place and nothing appeared to be wrong. Put everything back together and tried again to pedal with the same result, I would spin the crank, the chain would move, the cassette would spin, but the hub would not move. When I got home I took the cassette off again and applied match marks to the hub and to the tooth ring (White paint pen) and reassembled. I was actually able to spin the cassette forward and backwards by hand. I removed the cassette one last time and I saw that the match marks were no longer in alignment which means the tooth ring is not engaged to the hub and is spinning separately from the hub body. I emailed Fezzari that night and they responded the next day that they would be replacing the wheel. It sucks that the rear hub failed, but Fezzari’s customer service was impressive. I broke the hub Wednesday and had the replacement wheel Monday.
I didn't know the difference between XD and HG, and I ended up with this freehub even though I needed an XD. Let me know if you'd like to buy it off me. I'll sell it for $40 and cover the shipping.Can anyone confirm this is the correct part to upgrade to the 6 pawl freehub. The Delano Peak I have on order has a HG Freehub. Thanks
Bear Pawls Freehub - Steel 6-Pawls 3-Bearing Shimano MTB
Bear Pawls Freehub - Steel 6-Pawls 3-Bearing Shimano MTB. Replacement Freehub Bodies for servicing.
I have already bought one, Thanks
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I had the same exact thing happen as CMAMET. Standard ride, short steep uphill, and my pedals just spun. I thought I spun out the rear wheel in the dry dirt, but it turns out the drive ring had stripped inside the hub body. This is on a 2021 Specialized Epic Evo. The hubs have no name on them, but I was told by Specialized that they are Bear Pawls. Specialized, unlike Fezzari, are so far not standing behind their product. They told the shop where I purchased the bike to locate a replacement hub and rebuild the wheel. Makes me question my purchase of Specialized, as this is the second warranty issue I have had with this bike in less than 9 months. Both of my prior mtb's were Specialized, but I am definitely reconsidering the next one. And, I would stay away from Bear Pawls hubs.
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I have a 2020 Fezzari Delano Peak, bear pawls 4-pawl hub. After about 500 miles, it started making some grindy noises while pedaling. But I can let off, then start pedaling again and it would stop. This led me to believe it was the freehub. Pulled it apart and found some damage on the pawls. They seem to be loose in the socket they sit in (see attached vid). The one shown is by far the worst, but the other 3 are loose as well. I'm not sure if it was bad machining or lack of lube, maybe both? You can see where the pawls wore thru the anodizing. I think this caused uneven pawl engagement, and on hard pedaling maybe only 3 out of the 4 pawls would engage, causing axle flex (you can see where the freehub made contact with the ratchet ring), and pawl damage.
Anyway, got the 6-pawl upgraded freehub from Evan (it's $75 now) and all is good. Pawl engagement sounds perfectly sychronized, and the tolerances for the pawl slots are very good.
![Image]()
Anyway, got the 6-pawl upgraded freehub from Evan (it's $75 now) and all is good. Pawl engagement sounds perfectly sychronized, and the tolerances for the pawl slots are very good.
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Specialized did step up on the failed wheel after I called them directly. They supplied me, through my local shop, with an aftermarket wheel that is significantly better than the original failed wheel. Hat's off to Specialized.
Does anyone have any details of what bearings are used inside these freehubs, and how to get at them?
I see there’s a retaining ring with a 12-sided inner surface over the outboard bearing, and I’m wondering if I need a tool to unthread this or if it just presses in. For now the bearings are fine, so I don’t want to damage them by trying to just push them out. But I want to be ready for when the bearings do need replacement.
The specific freehub in question is a three-pawl steel XD model (HFH-0003).
I see there’s a retaining ring with a 12-sided inner surface over the outboard bearing, and I’m wondering if I need a tool to unthread this or if it just presses in. For now the bearings are fine, so I don’t want to damage them by trying to just push them out. But I want to be ready for when the bearings do need replacement.
The specific freehub in question is a three-pawl steel XD model (HFH-0003).
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