Anyone know if its common for these axles to snap at the freehub? Mine was kept together by the maxle but It's in two bits.

I took my wheel out and the cassette fell on the floor! (stood there scratching head) think it was about 3 years old.

Three rides after fitting the axle to a one year old pro2.

I have had the same. (Just finished replacing the axle just now, actually). Only had the hub a couple of months, and I think it's been snapped for a while, held in place by the Maxle.

Mine too. It's nine months old and fitted to a Bulb. It broke in two places according to the LBS.

mine too! sheared by the edge of the hub – replaced it but if it happens again it'll be going back to hope

Mine too recently and free hub worn so bottom 3 cogs had play
the wheel has had some hammer though over a sustained period – several years
so maybe I should'nt complain
planning to replace it with a Mavic Crossride – anyone had any joy with these

Maxle-Lites by any chance? We've had a few back since they changed to a waisted design that offers no support to the hub axle at it's most highly stressed point.Hope and bike manufacturers are aware of this and working towards a solution,(I'm guessing they'll drop the Maxle in favour of something else),Rock-shox importer's said it was nothing that they were aware of when I spoke to them.

Mine's a full on Maxle though.

That's that theory down the pan then.

This does not sound clever, all I can do is replace and keep my fingers crossed then?

The most common cause of an axle snaping at the free hub is poor dropout alignment a mismatch of 5 degres can exert 3 metric tons of pressure at the freehub.

Source: Areospace engineer.

Ring them and see what they say, their customer service is excellent.

I'm sure if you're polite they'll replace FOC.

Google found me this so it's looks like we are not alone.

http://www.mbr.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/63757/Main/63694/

Mine is a Maxle Lite on a two week old Nicolai Helius AM.

I'll be speaking to Hope today. When I was having problems freewheeling on the hill the Maxle was loose, but I suspect that happened after the axle sheared. Had the Maxle been loose I can see the forces on the axle being very large, but I don't think my maxle was loose. I hate rattles on my bike, I hadn't felt anything wrong until the freewheel stopped spinning and threw my chain into the tyre jamming everything solid – the freewheel in my HammerSchmit probably saved me from from a completely trollied drivetrain – it certainly allowed me limp off the hill with a seized rear hub.

Excellent customer service from Hope as usual. A quick call at 8.30am and a new axle will be in the post today. It's a known issue with Maxle-Lite and the suggestion is I replace this with a non "Lite" or something similar to prevent re-occurance.

It isn't specifically a maxle issue as I have snapped one with a huge 12mm bolt going all the way through the hub but I think the tapered maxle lite makes it a lot worse due to the lack of support as mentioned above. The axle probably needs more metal but with a 12mm setup there isn't a lot more room for it – how different is the bulb design?

I agree Dan… it doesn't look like being a long term solution but Hope did mention they are looking to improve the design.

Well I’m glad to here I’m not the only one having this problem!! I have snapped 3 axles in a month! Hope washed their hands of the problem and told me "they have never seen anything like this" and that they wouldn't replace it cause it is a design fault with the Maxle not there hub…….partly true but even a novice engineer could tell you that stepped diameter change in the middle of a weight bearing axle is a classic amateur mistake!! The hope design has always been terrible, as this thread proves it’s not just people using the new Maxle lite that are snapping these axles, as well as the people on here I also know 3 other people that have snapped multiple axles even when using a standard 12mm bolt though design…….bottom line Hope, your axle is badly designed!

As Sram have run out of the old type of Maxle my local bike shop have sorted me out, getting Goldtech to make me a new “Maxle” style bolt that should solve the problem…..oh and of course the hub has been replaced by a proper hub made by the magic hub fairies at Chris King, them boys know how to make a proper hub!
………..cheer Hope for keeping British manufacturing alive!

p.s. anyone want to by a Hope pro II….one carful owner!?

This is a known problem with rear Maxle Lites – they don't support the middle of the hub so, if you are heavy and/or a gnarly rider, then you stand a good chance of snapping your hub.
This has happened with Hope and Chris King hubs. SRAM definitely know about it cos hub and bike manufacturers are complaining to them! Can't see why SRAM don't just re-introduce the old rear maxle (i.e. with same diameter thoughout) alongside the Maxle Lite.
Note – this is NOT a problem with hubs. It's a problem with the Maxle Lite.

I'd better get another spare axle for when the new one breaks then… and start looking for what hub to replace the Pro2 with.

I'm sure I saw a shop on ebay selling the old style rear Maxles

mine snapped with regular Maxle.

acjim – perhaps looking for another hub would be a good idea then? I've been using Hope hubs for 10+ years so I'm loath to change.

Messiah–Have you got the standard Nicolai 12mm axle?

Nicolaisam – no, just the maxle lite.

Messiah–I have just twigged on who you are..I brought your Avalanche shock.

E-mail sent

mine snapped today as well grrrr.

What was wrong with traditional quick releases?

Some of us break normal qr's and axles. I thought going to 12mm maxle lite on a bike like my AM made perfect sense. I also like the thought of the extra stiffness, and It's good to know that your wheel cannot slip out of the dropouts.

What I didn't realise is that I was to be a paying guinea pig.

Aaaargh! I replaced the axle with the new one from Hope and thought I'd be okay for a couple of hours of scooting in the local forest.

Result = one bent Hope axle. Oh well, I'm awaiting another Maxle and I guess until it arrives I'd better not go out on this bike again… which is a shame since it's the best bike I have ever ridden and the weather is ace.

So… what hubs are not breaking with the Maxle and Maxle Lite?

Is the Nukeproof or DT worth a shot?

What about King or Hadley?

apparently this is the replacement from Goldec.

Anyone tried this goldec solution ?

There is the threaded end – what goes at the QR clamp end ?

messiah,
Chris King hubs have the same issue.

update and diary of my issue:

I broke my first axle about 3 months ago and my second this week.
I got excellent service from Hope who gave me a replacement axle free of charge. They also explained the issue is due to the neck in the Maxle light QR and that CK and others have the same problem.

Biketreks have also been very supportive to me – thank you biketreks.
They have been round the houses speaking to Orange, Hope & SRAM getting conflicting views from SRAM, I guess for political reasons, but it looks like they are developing a replacement.

In the mean time biketreks have agreed to buy the Goldtec component which hopefully will see me working.

Again thankyou to Hope & Biketreks for excellent service.

I have also written about my issue here.

Picture of Maxle Lite and two Hope axles… one of which is broken 🙄

I changed to the BETD Intense axle as linked above and have done two epic days in the hills without bendage or snappage.

Hopefully this is the end of my issues :o)

that's excellent Messiah,

did you need to change the axle as well or just the black maxle lite QR thingy ?

My goldtec/BETD QR has not come yet – Looking like the bike will have to survive the STW w/e with the maxle lite QR.

wish me luck.

The BETD axle is a big alloy bolt that replaces the Maxle – no need to change the 12mm Hope axle unless it's already been broken or bent through the use of a Maxle Lite 🙄

It seems a tad expensive but it was delivered the next day and as long as it saves me a another ruined descent and a walk off the hill I'm happy 🙂

Stick an allen key through the holes and twist to remove. Nicolai make a bolt through as well but you need to carry a 17mm spanner with you if you want to be able to take the wheel off 😕

Does this axle just screw into the maxle thread as normal?
Whats to stop it coming undone?

Asking as I've got a maxle lite on my Orange Five.

mines just done exactly the same! took the maxle out and the freehub just dropped off!! rang hope up and explained what had happened and they just fobbed me off even though they clearly know whats going on! not saying its hopes fault though, but they could have told me the problem theyre having with them!