Looks like the rear wheel on the tandem is just about knackered. Its a hope big un with a 721 rim built with single gauge spokes.

the hub ratchet ring has lost a tooth although it still works and as its ten years old no more ratchet rings are available ( I am somewhat disappointed in this from hope) the rim has several dings and buckles in it.

so – the wheel needs to be a very tough hub that can take a lot of impacts, the freehub needs to be very strong to cope with the torque we put thru it and a tough rim as well – all while not being too heavy 🙂 Far prefer a silver rim as well

chris king tandem special hub is outrageously expensive, shimano tandem hubs we just destroy

any thoughts?

Another 721? I’ve got one on a bulb hub that has been missing two spokes for as long I can remember with no I’ll effect.

New hub needed as well. 145 mm oln

What shimano hubs have you destroyed in 10 years of using a hope hub then?

I have not used the hope for ten years – around 5 or 6 – but it was old stock I bought.

Before that we had the top of the range shimano tandem hub. 3 freehubs failed, 2 sets of bearings in a couple of thousand miles. the shimano tandem hub simply is not up to the stresses of off-road use HFo8 IIRC

Hope that ratchet rings for XC hubs are still available, i need one as I’ve lost a tooth on mine too.

There must be tandem fora with lots of expertise?

Only a small international one for MTB tandems in English that is mainly americans – I have asked on there of course. Teh only ones no one breaks are Chris king tandem specials (£500ish) and rohloffs

there’s your answer then, buy that, keep running the Big’un…or experiment?

http://www.tandems.co.uk/news.php?articleid=54

Anyone used DT swiss hubs? Been recomended their tandemhub – 540

We killed a (Cannondale branded) DT tandem hub about 10 years ago. The fixed bit of the star ratchet screwed into the hub body, and we drove it in until it split the body.

No idea if the design has changed since then.

Real shame if Hope have no big ‘un ratchets left – looks like we’ll be in the same position as ours was jamming up last time we were out on the tandem. Our rear spacing is 135/140, so will have more choice than you though.

smiler – I am trying to get hold of a bulb hub as its the same ratchet and hope will swap em for me

Tandem hubs

did a quick search came up with site above

Go see BigAl or at least give him a call

Jeffus – ta but no use – only suitable rear hub is the too weak shimano
terekster – I have int eh past – he cannot recomend a hub

Get a Shimano one and just keep getting it replaced under warranty?

with a walk home every couple of rides? the failures were too frequent and annoying – ruined several rides. Its just not strong enough

just bought a 721, i expect big things.

Will be in exactly the same position soon TJ, the ratchet ring in our Big Un was replaced a few years ago but is getting a bit tired. NOS Big Un’s have appeared on eBay recently, or as you suggest a bulb to get the ratchet ring from.
I’ve been considering a Nukeproof Generator wheelset. I know they’re not tandem specific, but might be worth trying at reasonable money. Agree the King and DT hubs are serious money, the new Hope hub from JD Cycles might be middle ground to go for, through 40 holes seems a bit overkill? 36 spokes have never let us down.

Rob

TJ, i once had a set of big un wheels. the front wheel is here, the rear MAY still be at my folks. would you be interested in it for spares? no idea what shape it’s in, though it has the shortened axle for hope’s old disc caliper designed for frames without mounts. let me know and i’ll see if i can get my folks to find it, can’t promise owt though!

Oh, and this is the ORIGINAL big un, the massive ones, not the smaller, more reasonable ones that came along later. imagine the freehub remained unchanged for either.

how about getting BETD to knock you up a hub? i know they dont have a tandem goldtec listed, but i do know they do 1 offs.

http://www.mountainbikecomponents.co.uk/manufacture.asp

Has anyone found a good tandem parts source? Lots of googling has found a few uk suppliers but very minimal stock and sizes. Any european ones you can recommend?

Has anyone found a good tandem parts source?

The only tandem experts we’ve found in the UK are JD Cycles in Ilkley. They know their stuff and have demo tandems, including a Ventana ECdM, which is what convinced us to buy ours.
Been tandeming 15 years now and the best source of info is the Yahoo group Double Forte, which I suspect is the forum TJ was referring to.
The only things we’ve ever needed to be tandem specific are cranks, but then we broke that rule by building our own drivetrain that did what we wanted it to do.
The only rule we’ve followed is to avoid light kit, buy components that will survive a tactical nuclear strike, because on a tandem you can’t wheelie/hop/unweight over anything, just bash through it. That’s how we’ve ended up with zochhi 66 forks, D321 rims on Big Uns, DH bars & stem, Hope Ti6 brakes.

Rob

sjs cycles do a lot of tandems but unfortunatly are road biased and refuse to use disc brakes so only good for some parts

MrK mk11 – you have mail

What do folk think about using 40 hole hubs? the new hope hub is 40 hle but is that not limiting in choice of rim?

The Only wheel that seems to handle is the chris king hub. I’ve used white indusry wheels & had to rebuild every 12 months. I know chris king cost a lot, but they are worth it. we race our tandem & take it on down hill courses. the wheels are tough.

Why 40H?…you’ve not had problems with your build, just the hub?

I’d guess you’d limit rim choice a lot too as you say.

40 hole does seem overkill. 36 spokes on a big un has done us (and you) perfectly well, and we ain’t a light team. I’m even considering building a less burly pair of wheels on 32 hole hubs with a strong rim.
IMHO it seems 40 hole is traditional for tandems, therefore that’s what we should use and what people make. Experience says 36 hole is fine with improvements in rim, hub & spoke design & materials.

Rob

cynic-al – Member

Why 40H?…you’ve not had problems with your build, just the hub?

I’d guess you’d limit rim choice a lot too as you say.

TandemJeremy – Member

What do folk think about using 40 hole hubs? the new hope hub is 40 hole but is that not limiting in choice of rim? 🙄

The new hope tandem hub is only available in 40 hole – I did ask jd tandems about it and they gave it a glowing review saying it was very strongly built and most importantly had a deeper engagement for the pawls – the week point on the big un

Just seems to me not to be many rims available in 40 hole

😳

what rims are about in 40H then?

Just use a 36 hole rim? You could come up with a clever lacing system….

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/32-hole-hubs-can-i-use-24-hole-rims

I almost suggested that 😉