Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Suntour Superbe Pro High Flange Hubs

Dura Ace makes the same hubs, so why are the Superbe Pro so sexy? I think it's the yellow decals... and history.

They are not the same hubs, Dura Ace is a Shimano product while Superbe hubs were made by Sansin.... they are considered to be among the finest hubs ever made due to exceedingly high quality materials and manufacture.

They are not the same hubs, Dura Ace is a Shimano product while Superbe hubs were made by Sansin.... they are considered to be among the finest hubs ever made due to exceedingly high quality materials and manufacture.

From what I understand, they are machined identically. My understanding is that they are the same hubs.

Shimano produced and continues to produce Dura Ace level parts and these have always been their top of the line road and track components.

Suntour Superbe hubs were produced by Sansin of Japan.. unlike Shimano, Sansin also pioneered the production of cartridge bearing hubs and were one of the first large companies to do this successfully.

The Sansin and Suntour hubs are for the most part, identical as the Superbe hubs are Sansin.

http://www.cyclezine.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/suntour_1.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2945720505_58afcde28c_z.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2607/3867205550_bf32a16ec7.jpg

Wait sixtyfiver, so you're saying that 2 companies made superbe pro hubs? OR was it that sansin made them for suntour? This interests me as I have the hubs back home. Also as you appearantly seem to know more about them than me, is there anything against radial lacing the front hub?

I understand that Dura Ace & Suntour are not the same company! My understanding is that Suntour sold the molds for the Superbe Pro high flange hubs after they closed.

So, the Superbe Pro hubs are cartridge bearings & the Dura Ace are not?

Wait sixtyfiver, so you're saying that 2 companies made superbe pro hubs? OR was it that sansin made them for suntour? This interests me as I have the hubs back home. Also as you appearantly seem to know more about them than me, is there anything against radial lacing the front hub?

Sansin = Suntour

If the front hub has never been laced and is solid there should be no problem with radial lacing... if it has been laced then it needs to be re-laced in the same manner.

They (Sansin) made this hub in many drillings and I have a 40 spoke version made for touring.

Sansin made a wide range of hubs from entry level to very high end ones and a number of companies sold them after re-branding them... I believe that early Specialized cartridge bearing hubs are also Sansin made and there is a lot of Sansin made NJS / Keirin stuff out there as well.

I understand that Dura Ace & Suntour are not the same company! My understanding is that Suntour sold the molds for the Superbe Pro high flange hubs after they closed.

So, the Superbe Pro hubs are cartridge bearings & the Dura Ace are not?

Superbe track hubs are not cartridge bearing but because they have a bearing cup that is pressed in they can be converted to use cartridge bearings... :)

Shimano hubs do not have have removable / serviceable bearing cups as they are a different design.

Sansin made Superbe road hubs with cartridge bearings.

Superbe track hubs are not cartridge bearing but because they have a bearing cup that is pressed in they can be converted to use cartridge bearings... :)

Shimano hubs do not have have removable / serviceable bearing cups as they are a different design.

Sansin made Superbe road hubs with cartridge bearings.

Thanks, always a pleasure dealing with Sixty Fiver!

Both quality hubs no doubt about it!

Both quality hubs no doubt about it!

Agreed.

I have a 40 spoke SE hub (Sansin) which is identical to the Sansin and Superbe track hub save for the extra drillings.

They really don't get any smoother and in this case, much stronger.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/lockup3.jpg

A little clearer (not mine).

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4257186802_dd2783a61a.jpg

I have an early dura ace high flange front hub, and a suntour superbe pro high flange rear hub on my '76 fuji feather track bike. Both have stayed smooth since I got it a few years ago, I wonder when I should ever service them?

Wait sixtyfiver, so you're saying that 2 companies made superbe pro hubs? OR was it that sansin made them for suntour?
SunTour was a small design company that outsourced manufacturing to other companies. The hubs for the "Superbe" model line were manufactured by SanShin (SunShine). The Superbe model cranks were outsourced to Sugino, the brakes to Dia-Compe, and so on.

I just learned so much in this thread thanks guys! :D

SunTour was a small design company that outsourced manufacturing to other companies. The hubs for the "Superbe" model line were manufactured by SanShin (SunShine). The Superbe model cranks were outsourced to Sugino, the brakes to Dia-Compe, and so on.

John knows more than I do about most things...

Sansin branded some hubs as Sunshine as this is approximately how you pronounce Sansin and Sunshine is a more western friendly word... these Sunshine hubs are also extremely well made and quite desirable.

Frank Berto wrote an excellent article on the rise and fall of Suntour and it can be found here...

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadland/page35.htm

Not all Superbe Pro hubs are cartridge bearings. My low flange hubs from '86 are cup and cone. I think there is a little extra seal involved, but it's a while since I've had them open. Very high quality stuff. It would be hard to call Dura Ace better, OR vice-versa.

I have also seen cup and cone superbe stuff, I really like the Dura-Ace track hubs from that era, nicer looking than current stuff, which is really well built, Cup and cone hubs seem to get dumped on in this section of the forums.