R.I.P. Suzue Jr.
#1
Thread Starter
how does it corner?

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 268
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From: A mile above the sea
Bikes: De Bernardi track, Shogun fixie, Salvagetti 'cross
R.I.P. Suzue Jr.
I didn't listen to the naysayers. I thought I could overcome the odds. Really, I just listened to my wallet over reason. I thought if your lockring was cranked down tight enough there would be no problems. But tonight as you skidded your last skid, the cog gracelessly sheared the threads right off you and started spinning like a sticky freewheel as I had a sickening lurch into an intersection and oncoming traffic. Ah, Suzue Jr., what a brief few months of fun we had...you cheap P.O.S. I'll never touch you or your ilk again
...do I really have to shell out for a Phil hub to avoid having this happen again?
...do I really have to shell out for a Phil hub to avoid having this happen again?
#2
Beausage is Beautiful

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,504
Likes: 13
From: Saitama, Japan
Bikes: Nabiis Alchemy
You could also go for one of the better Suzue hubs. Not everything they make is low end.
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Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
Yo. Everything I’m doing is linked on What’s up with Dave? but most of note currently is Somewhere in Japan.
#3
無くなった

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,072
Likes: 0
From: Sci-Fi Wasabi
Bikes: I built the Bianchi track bike back up today.
I haven't spun the treads off of any Surlys - they're fix/fix too!
#6
ONE GEAR TO RULE THEM ALL

Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 689
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From: Boston
Bikes: specialized langster
I like the Surly or IRO models myself. I would adise you to stay away from the MICHE hubs, mine died with in a couple of months and I never could get in touch with them for a new one.
#9
無くなった

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,072
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From: Sci-Fi Wasabi
Bikes: I built the Bianchi track bike back up today.
Originally Posted by jfmckenna
I've got a Suzie flip flop, is that a POS? This concerns me since I choose brakeless as well. So far no problems.
After a couple of months on it I spun it off just backpedaling on a downhill. Luckily there was a LBS a few blocks away that had a guy that rode fix, and he was able to kind of get the cog and lockring back on there, the threads weren't completely gone, but it wasn't safe either. Luckily, that was back when I still rode with a front brake - I rode it for a couple of weeks while I saved my pennies for a Surly. I think it's still in Goatmeals basement actually, waiting for the rim to get laced to a working hub...
I dunno - I just don't trust anything entry level from Suzue. When my new Surly dissappeared when my bike was stolen, I bought a wheel off of e-bay with a Suzue because money was tight. I only rode it for about 6 months, but it is pretty much toast (to be fair, it did start life in a Minnesota fall, then live through the winter) and I'm just going to use it as a winter beater wheel. The bearings are shot on this one, not the threads, but still...
#11
What kind of cog did you have? I've been running a suzue basic with a dura-ace cog for 9 months with not an issue.
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I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
I'm not one for fawning over bicycles, but I do believe that our bikes communicate with us, and what this bike is saying is, "You're an idiot." BikeSnobNYC
#12
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 610
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From: Home of the Homeless
Bikes: Rustbuckets, the lot of them.
Originally Posted by Cynikal
What kind of cog did you have? I've been running a suzue basic with a dura-ace cog for 9 months with not an issue.
#13
Thread Starter
how does it corner?

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: A mile above the sea
Bikes: De Bernardi track, Shogun fixie, Salvagetti 'cross
Originally Posted by Cynikal
What kind of cog did you have? I've been running a suzue basic with a dura-ace cog for 9 months with not an issue.
Given that operator error likely contributed to this, I should probably tone down my invective toward Suzue. This was my first crack at wheelbuilding, so there was some emotional attachment and pride involved. Also, I've changed my riding style since building these wheels--I skid and skip a lot where before I didn't at all. My previous wheel was an old 27" roadie w/ the cassette removed and the cog held on with a BB lockring. I was always a little leery of spinning the cog off.
I asked in my first post if I had to pay for a Phil hub to prevent stripout from happening again. At least part of the answer is that if I assemble things properly, the less expensive option should be ok. Just don't expect the same performance or lifetime from a $35 hub compared to a $175 hub. For every bike component there are both horror stories and satisfied customers. Sifting through old threads here show that the Suzue Jrs have a good dose of both.
#14
Senior Member

Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 610
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From: Home of the Homeless
Bikes: Rustbuckets, the lot of them.
My Suzue jr came with the wheel I bought. The setup also came with a no name steel cog. Fortunately, I'd also bought a Dura-Ace, and immediately noticed that the no-name was significantly sloppier on the threads than the Dura-Ace. I'd recalled that Sheldon Brown had problems with the cheap cogs so I decided to go with the better fitting Shimano part. Seemed wiser.
Anyone want a unused no-name steel 15t track cog?
Anyone want a unused no-name steel 15t track cog?
#17
Originally Posted by HereNT
I think it's still in Goatmeals basement actually, waiting for the rim to get laced to a working hub...
Phil
#18
無くなった

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,072
Likes: 0
From: Sci-Fi Wasabi
Bikes: I built the Bianchi track bike back up today.
Originally Posted by goatmeal
Didn't I tell you, I sold that crappy wheel on eBay months ago... Damn fools will buy anything...
Phil
Phil
#19
Originally Posted by jfmckenna
I've got a Suzie flip flop, is that a POS? This concerns me since I choose brakeless as well. So far no problems.
#20
Tiocfáidh ár Lá

Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,483
Likes: 132
From: The edge of b#
Bikes: A whole bunch-a bikes.
This whole thing has got me concerened. I feel a little better about having the Dura-ace cog and ring on the Suzie flip flop but I got hills with stop signs at the bottom of them around here. I gues I'll have to put a break on






