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How's that for a catchy title?
Now I've got you here can someone please tell my why CK hubs are so expensive? Hopes are less than half the price and lighter (rear), 10g heavier (front).
Is it just for bragging rights or is there something fundamental in their design that makes them better therefore more expensive?
yes you are right , nice title
[img] 
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this
as opposed to this inside. 🙂
Basically, CK use very high tolerances and very high quality bearings, along with a clutch mechanism instead of pawls and springs, making the engagement pretty much instant, and the bearing life very very good. It's different depending who you ask, but my hope rear has needed new bearings (5 sealed) every year, the front never. It is very rare for CK hubs to need new bearings!
Then you have the angry bee noise of CK, compared to the mental loud click of the pro 2...
so hope = mental loud click
CK = angry bee
Shimano = discreet muttering
Hadley = ?
A2Z = ?
I've only ever played with one CK hub and it was very smooth. I've found Hope hubs to invariably feel sticky or clunky when in the hand... but you never feel it on the bike.
Whether it's worth it is up to you.
PS - the smoothest feeling hubs in the hand are almost always XTR!
PPS. I use Hope BTW.
DT Swiss, somewhere inbetween???