I'm looking to get a new rear wheel for my singlespeed 29er. I've only ever used regular cassette hubs with spacers, & I've read that a ss-specific hub will allow for a stronger wheel (not that you ever hear of regular wheels collapsing or anything). So, is it worth going with a specific ss hub? I'm thinking of something like a hope evo ss, which incidentally is heavier than the equivalent cassette hub due to having a steel freewheel body I think. Cheers.
If you go for a cassette with an alloy freehub, dont forget to get a wide footed sprocket so as not to tear the splines. Cassette freehubs do allow fine tuning of the chainline, whereas with a SS hub you may be forced to use a particular chain ring positon (outer or middle) which might be aesthetically gopping.
I think a well built wheel with offset is not noticeably weaker than a symmetrical SS wheel. certainly with my hoofing great 95Kg Ive not knackered any of the ones Ive built.
Wider spoke spacing.
It's one of the advantages that Rohloff claim for their hubs, so would be the same for a SS hub.
Not sure that it makes any noticeable difference in the real world though.
Cheers guys, sounds like for the real world there may not be much point going for a dedicated ss wheel then. Plus, a regular cassette hub will mean I can run -whisper it- gears if I feel the need.
My Hope SS/Flow wheel is noticibly stiffer than my Pro2/Flow rear. I'm usually not particularly sensitive to these sorts of things, but I can tell the difference. I would imagine you'd benefit even more on a 29er.
The SS hub runs a needle bearing in the cass body, which is nice instead of the tiny crappy freehub bearings in the regular Pro2.
For poseurs only, just ask Singlespeedstu et al.
You've checked the tyre, pressure and spoke tension were the same and you were riding the wheels on identical bikes?