What are peoples’ experiences with Novatec hubs to do with durability and ease of repair?

Thanks all.

That company probably makes most of the other brand and OEM hubs except for the boutique makes.

tbh you could look at the Superstar hubs. I think they are similar if not one of Novatecs lines but you know you can get spares very easily.

LB supply Novatecs on their base level builds and I think a lot of On One/Planet X hubs have been novatec.

As already mentioned, novatec are a massive supplier and supply many many other ‘manufacturers”.

Their hubs are generally highly regarded.

THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. MAKE YOU GO X2 FASTER

by the way, i happen to have a a pair for sale.

QR15 front, 142x12mm rear (with Sram XD driver) both for centre lock rotors.

swapped out a new set of wheels, never used.

£75

I had novatec hubs on a recent set of wheels.
They spin very well.
Downside is that they not best sealed and the splines on rear hub cracked and chipped off … meaning no more use of the 11T.

The splines are made of an alu type cast metal. So they break off, not bend as some hub splines do (Hope)

The Superstar Switch hubs (99.9% sure they are novatec) are very good for the money and you can get a steel freehub for them. I’ve just bought a wheel build with them and they spin very well.

Yokaiser of this parish bought a pair from an Australian site recently, incredible value – included every adapter and axle for all configurations for aboy 80 quid IIRC.

I had wheels built by the Spokesman in Devon http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk/
He uses novatec hubs and rates them. Mark is the best wheel builder ever.

The rebranded Novatecs on my Scott were indestructible

Workmanlike in places where it didn’t matter but the important bits were fine

I had wheels built by the Spokesman in Devon http://www.spokesmanwheels.co.uk/
He uses novatec hubs and rates them.

I have two sets from Mark on my road bikes and am impressed, bearings when they go are easy to obtain and replace.

Re logevity, I have a MTB novatec hub from 2001 still spinning perfectly it could be filled with space age bearings or magical unicorn fairy dust, I wouldn’t know as I have never had to look inside it, ever (although I’m now curious)

I had novatec hubs on a recent set of wheels.
They spin very well.
Downside is that they not best sealed and the splines on rear hub cracked and chipped off … meaning no more use of the 11T.

Which model?

They have BIG range for various uses.

Can’t comment on durability as only built them up 6 months/1500 miles ago but they seem pretty good quality and weight for the price.

I use the 711/712SB and the pair cost £70 from Poland. I only use for XC and am light on parts but the weight is great for that price (rear = 269g, front = 139g)

No marks on freehub and running single speed (albeit a wide base cog)

I’ve got a set of Superstar Switch Ultra front and Switch rear hubs on one set of wheels and if they are Novatecs then they’re holding up very well after 6 months of abuse. They run very smoothly, the freehub isn’t as loud as my Hope Pro 2 Evo but still makes a nice even sound. I found the front hub caps can squeak and the very thin O-ring can get caught when putting them back on if you take them off to add grease and silence the annoying squeak. I ended up buying a new set of end caps for the front and was very very careful fitting them on. Nothing flimsy like that on the Hope hubs.

I swap rear hub axles regularly on the Switch Hubs to swap bikes and you don’t have to take the cassette off to do it (unlike Hope) and also unlike Hope when the freehub pops off you don’t need a £10 tool to press the seal back in but you do need 17mm cone spanners to tighten the axle properly and this is what holds the freehub in place too. I will say that the Hope freehub seal is a BEAST though and I can’t ever see any dirt getting past it.

I’ve done about 700 miles on the Switch hubs and over 1500 on the Hope Pro 2 Evos.

Got a couple of pairs for my road-esque bike, been completely trouble free other than a freehub bearing on one seat after a few thousand wet road miles, bdop cycling in Taiwan are good suppliers, I got a replacement freehub for not much more than a set of decent bearings (inc. postage) from them!

Superstar / Novatec hubs on my HT too, they’re great….easy to swap between axle standards, never had to change the bearings yet despite DH and winter abuse, I’d happily have another set.

Ive been on nova tech hubs now for the last 3000+ miles…..no probs…as good as any other brand I’ve used!!

Novatec from Spokesman on my disc road wheelset. No compliants at all, light enough good price and keep working.

Superstar switch are Novatec D881SB/D882SB I think.

They have an extensive range – as mentioned they are often used as OE hubs which are rebranded by many manufacturers, so I imagine quality varies from cheap budget stuff to faily high end:

Novatec hubs

I built a rear wheel for my commuter/ winter road bike from heir £35ish rear hub, and it’s still spinning like new two years later, and weighs about the same as the DT 240s it replaced!

I’ve got a pair of 7series disc hubs for my cyclo cross race wheels, as relatively cheap and light, and supporting a road 11spd cassette. Again, can’t fault.

They do a very wide range, and even the same level of hub comes in different options (different bearings, some have a steel strip on the freehub body), but I think they are great value for money, and wouldn’t hesitate to use them in whatever wheels I build next.

Regarding mashing freehub bodies – the trick is to do the lockring up really tight. Since I’ve been doing that, I no longer get mashed freehub bodies.

Got a pair on my 29er, bought from ebay guy from Poland

red D711SB and D712SB.

built them into this:

DT X392 rims laced via Red Pillar butted spokes.

🙂

Are the ones that Light Bicycle use any good?