Touring - VO Touring Hub

Does anyone have any experience with this hub (http://store.velo-orange.com/index.php/grand-cru-4-bearing-hub-135mm-spacing.html)?

Check out the video. Looks like a great design for touring but I wouldn't want to buy it and invest in a wheel build without plenty of solid feedback.

Interesting.. the QR skewer , essentially, holds the hub together when in the frame.

New stuff , might be a while for long term user feedback ,
hope you get something to get you out and about. in the meantime.



Shimano freehubs are a bargain, in modest price points,
[stay away from the race level stuff, not needed to go that high $]
and replacement parts are widespread if needed.

Don't know if you're going to get plenty of solid feedback, it's kind of a specialty item, but for what it's worth I'd use on in a heartbeat. The design looks solid, and the ability to field strip it without tools is amazing. It's too expensive for my budget, but if money was no object, I'd definitely consider it.

Plus, it's pretty!

I like it...might be "investing" in one. I used to use the old Helcomatic hubs in their day, this looks like a huge improvement.

Aaron :)

It looks like a good design, something that should work well. If I had the budget, I'd give them a nice long vetting. Maybe I should start up a collection.

I'm not sure there's any real advantage to having a tool-less, field-strippable freehub. In reality you rarely take freehubs apart, and you'll choose to do this in your garage on a workstand at your convenience, not in a field. I do like the fact that replaceable cartridge bearings are used, unlike the cup-and-cone design of Shimano freehubs, which when worn-out mean you have to replace the hub, and possibly even the entire wheel due to economics of parts vs assembled wheel.

Shimano freehubs have a clear advantage over V0 and similar hubs: a tested, proven freewheel assembly. The Deore-LX-SLX-XT hub has probably the most reliable freewheel mechanism ever put on a bike. The freewheel is frequently the weak spot in (non-Shimano) hubs. Plus, Shimano hubs cost less than VO - you can get F&R for the price of a VO Grand Cru freehub.

Phil Wood introduced their freehub, similar to the VO freehub, about a decade ago, and it's only real shortcoming was a freewheel that tended to fail shortly after you started riding. Redesign fixed the freewheel. It requires a 5mm hex wrench for service, with similar axle and bearings, but a couple screws added to hold it together, whereas the VO GC relies on friction-fit. It's prettier and probably more robust than the VO GC and costs 3X as much.

http://www.philwood.com/philpdfs/FSCinstructions.pdf

Why don't some of you tourists with spare cash beta-test these V0 hubs for us?

I'm not sure there's any real advantage to having a tool-less, field-strippable freehub. In reality you rarely take freehubs apart, and you'll choose to do this in your garage on a workstand at your convenience, not in a field. I do like the fact that replaceable cartridge bearings are used, unlike the cup-and-cone design of Shimano freehubs, which when worn-out mean you have to replace the hub, and possibly even the entire wheel due to economics of parts vs assembled wheel.

Shimano freehubs have a clear advantage over V0 and similar hubs: a tested, proven freewheel assembly. The Deore-LX-SLX-XT hub has probably the most reliable freewheel mechanism ever put on a bike. The freewheel is frequently the weak spot in (non-Shimano) hubs. Plus, Shimano hubs cost less than VO - you can get F&R for the price of a VO Grand Cru freehub.

Phil Wood introduced their freehub, similar to the VO freehub, about a decade ago, and it's only real shortcoming was a freewheel that tended to fail shortly after you started riding. Redesign fixed the freewheel. It requires a 5mm hex wrench for service, with similar axle and bearings, but a couple screws added to hold it together, whereas the VO GC relies on friction-fit. It's prettier and probably more robust than the VO GC and costs 3X as much.

http://www.philwood.com/philpdfs/FSCinstructions.pdf

Why don't some of you tourists with spare cash beta-test these V0 hubs for us?

Two huge advantages I see, drive side spoke replacement in the field and ability to tear down for cleaning when the hub gets nasty. Both were issues when I did a transcontinental back in the late 70's. Some people tour long distances, as in around the world for months on end, the ability to service without tools is good.

Aaron :)

What got me thinking about the field removable freehub is that a Shimano XT freehub developed a bad grinding noise on a tour and it had low low miles on it. But yes, that is rare and the majority of the time they are dependable. The VO design reminds me of some MTB hubs that have removable cups to accommodate thru axles or QR skewers.

I love VO but sometimes it can be hit or miss. Fortunately the former usually prevails. There is too much snow on the ground right now to invest in a wheelset but maybe in the spring I will give them a try. Universal cycles sells VO items and their builds are one of the best values out there so hopefully they will be stocking these hubs as well.

Wahoonc, good call on spoke replacement.

Definitely have had less than stellar experiences with VO stuff. Other products have been fine. their stems are great, and the seatposts are great. the fenders are good.... basically stuff w/o moving parts.

typical taiwanese parts, made silver and olde-fashioned looking. I think the brand is more about looks than quality, personally.

Id be more worried about the hub internals crapping out than breaking a spoke. And if I were on a tour so long that I was planning to rebuild my freehub along the way, I would def. pony up for a Phil wood touring hub.

It is also field serviceable using two 5mm wrenches.