[i]Whats best[/i]

[harry hill voice]

there's only one way to find out.

[/harry hill voice]

🙄

Normal hubs; easier to rebuild and easier to get chain-line just right.

I've always used a broad 'footed' cog on a standard feehub for chainline issues, as above. Never had issues with freehub wear and no issues with wheels dying 'cos the dishing is different.

better?

Normal & spacers for me.

Perfect chainline and the ability to dinglespeed if you want to.

Are you talking short SS cassette freehub or screw-on freewheel? My preference is short-freehub, but there aren't that many choices.

SS hubs here. Mainly because why adapt a regular hub when specific ones are available.

Neve had an issue with chainline.

I've used both.
Mostly Shimano hubs, with both cheap cogs & expensive (King/Surly) ones, on a cassette hub. No complaints, works fine. The Superstar wide base ones are cheap if your trying out ratios.

I have a Surly SS hub now, with a White Industries freewheel. When I get the chance I'll build up the front to match. (IMO) It looks nice & neat also. Nice smooth bearings that can be adjusted & the WI freewheel sounds nice also.

[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2168/5817396303_de7dd89288.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2168/5817396303_de7dd89288.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/5817396303/ ]IMAG0327[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr

Whatever you choose, if you've sliding dropouts get a bolted axle in there. I dont have to faff with tugs any more.

Depends what drop out your using.

For a track style horizontal I use a SS specific Hope pro2 because the hex bolts on the end help keep it tight better than a qr.

If you have a vertical drop out with a frame tensioner, ie paragon, then less need for it to be bolted up tight.

Although most SS specific hubs have dishless flanges so builds a stronger wheel.

I've just used standard hubs with spacers. Be wary of using Shimano hubs though, as their freehubs can be a bit flaky; had a few fail on me, and that's not nice when you've got no drive miles from home...

Thats happened to me with a Shimano freewheel

Depends on how hard you pedal, if you have a alloy freehub body and use cogs from a cassette it will leave marks.

Is use a single speed cog with a wide footed cog and the spacers from velosolo - alot of small rings so you can get your chainline right.

I use the Hope Pro 2 Trials rear hub, it's great. That it uses their bolt-in system rather than an axle that goes through the dropouts is a massive plus when it comes to getting the wheel out when the chain is very tight, you're not having to knock the axle out against the tension. Makes a great noise too!

Normal hubs with wide body spacer (if not using a steel freehub body) and spacers. Or if you must (spend more money), a SS specific freehub design hub (eg short cassette section).

'Proper' SS hubs with screw on freewheels are a poor alternative - yes, they look neat but freewheels are massively less reliable than cassette hubs IME - even the WI ones fail more than you'd expect.

Standard hub. I've got a steel freehub on my hope wheel, I also use a wide body sprocket. On my commuter I have a standard shimano hub.

The reasons,

There are more option in standard hubs, more people build them, supply them as factory wheels and they are cheaper IME. My commuting wheels were about £75, not easy to fins that with a ss specific hub.

Also my commuter is a bit of a bodge so I like the flexibility in chainline. I've never worked out a way to use the inner half of the freehub body so maybe a shorter one would be ok.

Finally, compatability. I can switch my ss wheels for my full suss wheels. If I need. My ss has burlier wheels as I wasn't bothered about the weight as much. I'd probably consider swapping if I was going to the lakes for a week. Also if I break a wheel I can swap over quickly and have spares. Sam applies if you already have wheels from a geared bike or are unsure how it will work out with ss. Nice to have options.

I've tried most hubs/cogs Freewheels over the last ten years,from deore with spacers,shimano bmx screw ons,to King SS.
I only use DMR SS hubs and White Industries freewheels now,one reason,they work,and never let me down.

Normal hub and spacers here...

Using a Hope Pro II and a Surly Chainring.

Spotty Dog IMHO.

phil wood kiss off hub with a WI freewheel for indestructable no hassles works for ever-ness

goldtec pro SS rear short cassette, lighter than a light thing and enables quick cog selection changes for events.

I've always had spacers on a 'normal' hub. Just gives me the option to attach the gears from the DH to to my SS when i need a spare bike for 24hr races. Had no problems using this set up at all. (and my spacer is just a piece of plastic plumbing pipe!)

if you've sliding dropouts get a bolted axle in there. I dont have to faff with tugs any more.

i thought that, until i discovered that I can still make a bolted one move if I really grunt it. Twice over the bars and one split knee cap convinced me that a chain tensioner will always go on with a slot dropout frame 🙁

Hope pro III it is then with a Surly cog. 🙂

Another Question; can you change the free-hub body on a Hope hub to something stronger so the cog doesn't bite too much?

Steel Hope Freehubs are available.

WI freewheel for
indestructable no hassles works for ever- ness

Unfortunately not. I've had two rides ruined by wi freewheels (different ones) failing, leaving the rider with no way to pedal.

Definetely recommend the chain tensioner on the slot drop out set up. Quick excusion in to the canal persuaded me. Plus with the surly variant you can always get the cap off your beer without breaking your teeth.

Currently running a SS pro2 and surly though.

clubber I've had to change the bearing on mine once in 5 years and they get very heavy use in horrible riding conditions, maybe you were just unlucky as all the other WI users I know and ride with have had similar trouble free use.

lovely wheel build Picto 😉

Surly hub with WI freewheel. Used for 5 years and in that time had to have new bearings in the hub cos I didn't know they were angular contact cartridges so they can be adjusted as they wear (if you know that you can do it unlike me). Never touched the freewheel apart from occasionally scraping the greasy gunk from around the teeth. Teeth look hardly touched but I know I can rebuild any or all of it. If you are committed to SS this is the way I'd go.

Wheel built by an expert Taz.

Off road surly cogs with spacers cause different terrain and factors like mud necessitate changes in cog size from time to time for me. On road WI freewheel and SS specific hub cause its reliable, sounds good and terrain is fairly predictable.

Tazzy - not mine but that's two different ones I've seen die so clearly not indestructible especially when you consider the relative rarity of them...

ss hub and wi freewheel, i use paul comp hubs but im a slag 😀

clubber - Member

Tazzy - not mine but that's two different ones I've seen die so clearly not indestructible especially when you consider the relative rarity of them...

just out of interest,what was the nature of the two failures,genuinely interested.

I don't recall TBH - bent/damaged/stuck pawls maybe? - All I know is that they pedalled, the bike didn't move forward...