Superstar Switch Evo hubs….talk to me

I’ve no experience with Superstar other than their brake pads. What are their wheelsets like? Get what you pay for OR genuine bargain????

I have a set and can’t fault them. Although that is somewhat of a lie. My mojo came with Ibis branded hubs which turned out to be Novatech, which in turn are superstar switch.

I keep thinking about upgrading, but they just work. Run smooth and overall build is light.

Not sure if superstar use the same bearings, but that’s a small change if necessary.

I’ve been using the Switch hubbed wheels for donkeys. Not a single issue.
Well impressed with their xc rims which I’ve been seriously unkind to.
Never had a problem with the hubs at all in a few years use.

Someone will be along in a minute to tell you you’ll die.

Build quality can be variable.last pair I had the spokes where very loose and had to be tensioned/tightened independently ok after.

I had a terrible build on the wheelset I bought. The hubs are rebranded Novatec, not bad, but not Hope kinda quality.

I have Switch EVO hubs built onto EN321’s. Decent hubs but the bearings lasted about 5 months which I expected for the price.

I have switch on flow 29s….

the rear wheel lost spoke tension, so i nipped them up, and the wheel went well out of true, and I struggled to get right.

I took it the the LBS to avoid testing the SS CS, and they trued it but said could not dish correctly, and was displaced across to the NDS, the guy said he thought the wrong length spokes were used.

So I took it back to SS.
The wheel came back with no report or info, but was true, and dished correctly, and didn’t have new spokes (that i could tell)

Take from that what you will, I was satisfied

You will actually die. In flames and stuff.

Well at least that is what some people on here would have you believe.

I had Switch Evos on my old bike, they were thrashed for almost 2 years (Enduro racing in Europe and some DH races too). Couple of bearing changes (less than a fiver an end from any bearing supplier) was all they needed.

Now have Teslas – just over a year old, still on the same bearings. The freehub didn’t catch fire, explode or maim any kittens as per STW folklore (it only seems to be on here but I believe that’s a personal issue from before my time on this site).

You’ll be fine.

Got 2 sets, one on AM rims one on the XC rims.

The XC ones they built and the bearings lasted around 18 months before I swapped them out.

With the AM ones I built the front wheel and not had a single problem with it. They built the rear wheel and have had about 5 spokes snap, 2 of these when I wasn’t even just riding along. One went when it was just sat in the stand while I was replacing another one and one went when I was just sat on the train going somewhere to have a ride. The bearings ceased after about 6 months in the rear wheel which was disappointing considering my experience with the other set.

Both sets of wheels have stayed pretty true to be fair.

Have had several sets, bearing life can be a little short but other than that good wheels for the price.

I’ve been using the Switch hubbed wheels for donkeys. Not a single issue.
Well impressed with their xc rims which I’ve been seriously unkind to.
Never had a problem with the hubs at all in a few years use.

Someone will be along in a minute to tell you you’ll die.

+1 (but with DH/AM rims)

Flaming death it is! thanks all. Now to save up the beans.

I have switch on flow 29s….

the rear wheel lost spoke tension,

Ditto. Really badly too, as in about an inch of play at the rim within the space of 15 mins. Really odd, and surprised I didn’t kill the wheel.

Though for the price I kinda expected it, I just re-tensioned the wheel myself and it’s been fine since.

Front bearings didn’t last too long, but again for the price to be expected and easy to change.

All in I’m happy with them, they performed as expected for a price I’m happy with. I’d buy another pair. I’d not recommend them to someone unable/unwilling to true a wheel.

Had 2 sets with no problems apart from bearing failure, but that was after a few months.

Got 4 pairs laced to DH/AM/XC and CX rims. No problem buying again especially at the current pair of wheels prices. As IA, you need to be able check the spoke tension correctly before your first ride as the tension when you first get them can be hit and miss. 2 pairs were spot on but two needed attention.

I built my commuter wheels around a switch evo rear and a superfast front. Haven’t had a single grumble from them in thousands of miles.

If these are Novatecs then which model? Not the 711/712 as they take multiple axle types. Could they be the D881’s?

Yep, rebranded Novatech hubs.
I’ve got a set built onto their AM490 rims (which are badged Alex Rims)and to be fair they’ve been great.
Front one could do with truing up but I did get a branch jammed through it which might have been responsible

Would buy again.

got a pair in the sale six months ago so still early days yet, but they are fine. After all the talk on here I check the spokes after every ride and so far so good.

Does anyone know the differences between the Switch and the Switch Evo? Just ordered a set of the silly-cheap Pacenti/Switch deal, £140…

Does anyone know the differences between the Switch and the Switch Evo?

I think it’s just that the Evo came with BNG(TM)*

*Bold New Graphics. Yes I saw this on a manufacturer press release not long ago!!!

I’ve got some random SS front hub on a Flow rim and it works fine, just had fresh bearings and well it goes round.

A coupe of guys in my club have had freewheel and axle issues with rear hubs.

This is all great news as I have a pair being built into wheels right now. Glad they’re turning out ok.

Not really fair comparing them to Hope hubs given that the entire wheelset may be less than a Hope rear hub by a decent tyres’ worth?

I’m waiting for my first set of Evos and have been advised to use someone else’s bearings if/when replacement is required and I’m fine with that.

Also occurs to me that I haven’t seen a ‘Hope Pro 2’s are crap and you will die’ thread yet this week.

I’m not convinced that wheel build and rider use/maintenance isn’t a huge impact on hub life…

B’stard Northwind! you just cost me £140! Switch on crests, I couldnt say no.

Anyone using the xc-430 rims, any good or not? Strong enough?
Want to run 2.25 tyres, internal width seems a bit narrow but they say ok for up to 2.4s

Got two 26″ wheel sets. The crest ones go a bit wibbly and need tensioning occasionally. The bearings you get aren’t amazing but just press out when knackered and you want to put something better in.

Main thing with the Crests (just as with Flows) is that the non-eyeletted rim can “bind” under tensioning by machine (I believe it’s worse on machine built than hand built wheels) and that the white rim is worse than the black, which will be the source of the “going slack” issue.

Might be worth slacking it off, lubing nipples and rim interface with 3 in 1 and then retensioning.

🙂

Nothing really bad with novatec produced hubs since novatec make hubs for any number of OEM bike brands and in some markets under there own brands. My last pair of SRAM hubs were made by novatec and last 10 years, given how long my last hubs lasted and the fact i was working to a budget i thought i would go for novatecs again. I picked up a pair from an Australian ebay shop, they were lighter better specced and cheaper than superstar hubs, i was very impressed.

granny_ring – Member
Anyone using the xc-430 rims, any good or not? Strong enough?
Want to run 2.25 tyres, internal width seems a bit narrow but they say ok for up to 2.4s

Yup. Used the xc-430 rims on my hardtail for ages on all manner of rides with no issues. I come from a dh background and am not kind to wheels generally but have been really impressed by these.
Would buy again if I ever kill my original set…

I use a 2.4 front and 2.25 rear ardent no problems.

andyrm – Member

Main thing with the Crests (just as with Flows) is that the non-eyeletted rim can “bind” under tensioning by machine (I believe it’s worse on machine built than hand built wheels) and that the white rim is worse than the black, which will be the source of the “going slack” issue.

An issue which doesn’t seem to affect machine-built wheels made elsewhere, mind.

Wheelbuilds seem OK, some need a tweak or two after bedding in.

Hubs are a bit hit and miss though. I have two SwitchEVO hubs, ones been fine, one has split its freehub three times and now has a steel freehub. Shell shows signs of deformity too, but it still works (just heavy now).

I’ve got an EVO AM 135 Switch Wheelset, been brilliant for over 13 months. Need to change the bearings on the rear now, got a bit of play. Where’s the best place to buy bearings? and do I need to spend a lot or will cheapo’s do for another year of all weather riding.

Been riding a set every day in all weathers for 12 months on my commuter. Still going strong and smooth- cheaper shimano ones have failed in 12 months.

I’ve just ordered a pair of the switch evo / trizoid xc comp on Alex evo supercomp wheels for my 29er build.

Can’t imagine I will get much lighter for the cash (built using sapim race spokes etc) and hey will run tubeless too.

Just put mine in the bike last night, the qr axle stubs seem a wee bit oversized- the dropouts of this bike are a little painty so it’s a joint effort but I tried a couple of other wheels and they went in no bother (DT Hope and Mavic so pretty well covered!).

But that’s pretty trivial, I think in a perfectly specced frame it’d go no bother. Seem nice otherwise.

Mine have been fine since i replaced bearings with better ones. Actually for sale if anybody is after a cheap set of wheels, switch hubs on crests all white £100

Camp, can you update the thread with feedback on those wheels when you’ve used them ta.