Hi there!

I mostly hang out in the SS&FG subforum but now I have a semi-MTB question.

Does anyone have extensive info/personal experience on the HBM-555 flangeless disc front hub? Weight, durability, any special issues about the funky spoke anchoring system? Also, when did Shimano make these? Also, can anyone confirm that this and other Shimano front hubs use a 9*1 mm axle?
Edit: I read somewhere that it can only be laced in one pattern, and the hub body says "directional design", whatever that means. I imagine it's meant for three cross, which is fine by me... There shouldn't be any problem with lacing it to a 700C rim, right?

I'm thinking about bolting a cog to the disc mount and making it a fixed gear rear hub. It would get quite a bit of drive torque in both directions, obviously, but I foresee no problems with that. I'm just 124 pounds and I can't stress it with my flimsy thighs quite like a 203mm disc brake can, anyway. I might have trouble finding adequately looong spokes, but that's another story.


Here's a pic of wht it looks like:



This may belong to the machanics forum, but I'm hoping that a couple of people with personal experience chime in here. Durability of spokes is my main concern.