Hi,

slowly slowly building a tandem up. Coming to the rear hub question. Google suggest anything that is not tandem specific Kris king white industries will fall apart like cheese. Anyone using a normal hub, or even a shimano dore hub!

Use would be light off road, gravel tracks, maybe some touring but I thing we might prefer to keep separate bikes for that.

tandems usually have something like 40 to 48 spokes on the hubs and are often 145 oln rather than 135 oln

a quick search – http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rear-hubs-tandem-dept108_pg1/

Thanks. Yep I’m aware of the historical semi standard. It was more real word experience. My frame is 140 mm oln so can go either way. If I can find a recommended 135 hub I’m sorted. Its easy to space hubs out to different oln anyway. Its the freewheel mechanism I’m concerned about hearing people experience of.

Phil wood seem to bombproof from what I’ve read on cgoab.

philwood would bomb my wallet is the problem!

Not a tandem, but I demolished a rear wheel carrying my daughter on a trailer bike attached to the back of my commuter. Replaced that wheel with one with a 36 hole Deore hub (M590) DT Swiss straight gauge spokes and Mavic 319 rim. That was five years ago and it’s still going strong.

I built a white industries one up for a mate of mine after his Shimano tandom rear hub died on his Dawes mtb random tandem that was six years ago and still going strong. Wouldn’t you better off saving up and getting the right tool for the job over rushing with a cheaper cobbled together jobby? As tandems put a lot of strain on the rear wheel. Not being a dick with my question just thinking of you, if your out on the trail and it fails best case a walk back worst case costly and painful.

Used Xt in the past with no issues and a generic 48 holer on our Dawes tourer but mtb tandem is Rohloff, 10 years in, thousands of miles and been abused in many places Alps, Scotland, Wales, best bike investment I’ve made, probably never put one a solo due to all weight at rear but perfect on the double. Amazing customer service, really tough bit of kit.

+1 for getting the right tool for the job

Got a Dawes MTB Tandem for doing exactly same duties as you describe, can’t comment on longevity of hubs but when you are carrying kit for two people “light” touring doesn’t really exist

If you are touring, then whatever you go with make sure it has a serviceable freehub, no matter how good and strong, even the best can have issues but the real test is can you take it off and replace parts with minimal fuss and tools.

ie: Shimano will be a pain in the arse, but at least it’s a single unit that is widely available so any local shop should have spares either in stock or easily sourced

DT and King can both be pulled apart at the side of the road with no/minimal tools for inspection/fettling, but the DT has the edge on actually replacing parts, but chances are you won’t be able to drop in anywhere and find them.

But then I see plenty of tandems rocking around on Shimano hubs for years without bother, but I’m not sure how much use they get.

There are a few other tandem riders on here so Hopefully they’ll be along soon with good advice!

CK off-road has been flawless for over a decade (which sadly I can’t say for Hope) and so is the Rohloff of course.

For road/touring (including camping loads in big hills) we have used PW also for over a decade, currently on XT while the PW wheel gets new rim and bearings. It’s been a year now but no heavy touring – the XT wheel was originally bought for racing and time trials so has quite a thin rim too but it’s held up fine for day rides. If you’re a newbie on a budget XT is a good choice, don’t bank on it lasting for ever but it might…

Actually, that’s a good point to remember for tandems in general – things that are generally pretty durable on half-bikes tend to be considered more like disposables on a tandem!

Our Ventana came with a Std 135mm spacing rear hub.

Originally supplied with White Industries – we ripped the internals out of that on a steep granny gear climb in the Alps.

Replaced with a Hope (all we could get quickly)- that lasted two rides before ripping out its guts!

Replaced with a DT Swiss FR (440), star ratchet survived OK but managed to rotate the hub part of the ratchet in the hub shell which caused the hub shell to split open.

At this point we took the plunge & went for a Chris King. Never had an issue after that – apart from bending the largest sprocket on XT cassettes over – now use Deore as they have more metal in them so don’t bend.

When we bought the CK, Mr CK himself said if we managed to break his hub we wanted it back!!!

Only other option we considered was a Rohloff – but found that was cost prohibitive at the time.

All our hubs were 36hole and run with Mavic DH rims.

IMO & experience, stay way from anything with pawls, they cannot stand up to the torque / power of a tandem off road.

Thanks for the info. Kind of confirmed what I did not want to hear but its the truth. I think I might go for an xt as we don’t know how much we will like it. Then at eve if distorted it only the cost of hub + spokes + 1hour to lace in a new hub.

We run a Hope Tandem hub with 36 holes. The free-hub bearings collapsed after about 300 miles (mostly off-road). replaced under warranty. Been OK for the last 300 miles.

Chris King is probably the best way to go if you’re prepared to pay the price. Not sure if they do a bolt-thru which is what we’d need.

Have a look at these links…………..

Chris King 1
More tandem hub info

We have a 40 hole DT Swiss tandem specific one (the 540). Absolutely no issues with plenty of miles on it.

We have the DT Swiss 540 40 hole too.
Been great for a few years now.

Rohloff here. No issues unsurprisingly.