[TechtoFlow]

I'm considering a new wheel build. How will a hub with a high P.O.E. affect suspension?

I'm primarily riding slow New England tech trails and while the high P.O.E. hubs will certainly translate to more power transfer when I'm ratcheting the pedals on the tech flats and climbs, I don't want to sacrifice suspension efficiency.

Based on your experience, any advice you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[*OneSpeed*]

Not sure why this is posted in IGH?

Let me clear up some of your confusion and terminology. Higher engagement hubs don't translate to higher power transfer. It's just faster engagement.

A higher engagement hub will not "sacrifice suspension efficiency". Are you asking about pedal kickback? This can be avoided by shifting to a higher gear before you start a descent, or by choosing a bike with a suspension design that has less pedal feedback.

Higher engagement hubs are awesome IMO. Zero drawbacks.

 

[TechtoFlow]

Not sure why this is posted in IGH?

Let me clear up some of your confusion and terminology. Higher engagement hubs don't translate to higher power transfer. It's just faster engagement.

A higher engagement hub will not "sacrifice suspension efficiency". Are you asking about pedal kickback? This can be avoided by shifting to a higher gear before you start a descent, or by choosing a bike with a suspension design that has less pedal feedback.

Higher engagement hubs are awesome IMO. Zero drawbacks.

 

[TechtoFlow]

Yes, pedal kickback is what I'm trying to avoid.

 

[ocnLogan]

Pedal kickback is really primarily a problem at low speeds, and with big (like bottoming out) suspension compressions.

Usually those two things don't happen very much together, as "most" of the time, people are going slow and climbing, and not doing 6' hucks to flat from a near standstill. And when they are bottoming out the suspension, its usually when they're going over 10-15mph, and are in a very tall gear.

But, you're right. Pedal kickback is absolutely a thing. And a higher engaging hub would make it more noticeable.

Read the pedal kickback section of THIS article. It might help you understand a bit more.

The short version, is that they compared the amount of pedal kickback of 5 bikes. They assumed that they were in the 24t gear on the cassette, and defined the "big compression" as using 75% of the available travel. The worst bike needed you to be going at least 7.75mph to not get pedal kickback. The best you had to be going faster than 5.7mph to not notice its effects.

Personally, I don't think I've ever used over 75% of my travel on any feature when riding under 10mph, so I'm not super worried about it. I will be getting a new wheel with an Onyx hub here in the next month. And maybe then I'll eat my words .