TechKnowGN

Ok, I broke another spoke again. Snapped at the hub again, seems like the hub is the issue here.

So, I'd like to do this somewhat affordably, as it's going to be a wedding gift from my fiancee, and I'd like to leave a few bucks for something she can suprise me with on the day of the wedding.

I've read enough threads to know what I need. 36 hole, velocity deep v's. Some sort of 4 way cross threaded, and a good hub.

So, what hub? I want something strong, but mid-range or so on the price if I can find such a thing.

Neil_B

It's not the hub. It's probably that the wheel isn't properly tensioned.

cod.peace

Seeing as how you're in Boston, why not make a trip over to Harris Cyclery in Newton (cool place) and see what they offer? As a bonus, go on the weekend and get brunch at Cabot's up the street. Yum. I know little about hubs and can offer little more. Well, I can say that the Deore LX hub on my 'bent seems quite tough.

You may want to specify a 130 or 135 mm hub size for the followup posters...

TechKnowGN

I've had it retensioned twice. If it's the tension, I'd be shocked.

socalrider

Hubs can get notched over time and it doesn't matter how many times you tension the spokes, if that is the issue the spokes will break on that spot over and over again.. Years ago we would take a drill and countersink hubs so the spokes would sit more flush and this would help with notching over time..

This is rarely done anymore.. But I would ditch the hub and start over with a new wheel.. 36 hole deep v would be great for a max strength wheel..

TechKnowGN

I've got a 7 speed cassette. Will any of the current Shimano hubs work with a spacer, or do I need to find an older hub? (yes I know at some point I need to leave the 7 speed behind, but I'm having to piecemeal this)

TechKnowGN

My company has offices in Watertown and Newton. I'll have to get over there one of thse days.

Askel

Oh, man- if you've got a bike that can take 135mm hubs, these look damn cool: https://www.rivbike.com/products/list...product=18-259

99% dishless!

socalrider

7 speed still works with all shimano hubs except the DA 7800 hub which is a 10 speed specific hub.. You will need the spacer for 7 speed cassette to work correctly..

sstorkel

Who did the tensioning? A professional wheel builder or a minimum-wage LBS mechanic? What was the goal tension and how much did it vary from spoke to spoke?

Neil_B

I believe it's the mechanic who wanted to sell him a new hub. The claim the mechanic made was that spoke breakage is due to a "cheap hub." See this thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdales-athenas-200-lb-91-kg/578820-007-broken-spokes.html

bigfred 

Unless they're either etremely worn or really cheap and with really bad spoke hole countersinking, 'Taint the hubs! Spoke tension, spoke tension, spoke tension, followed by spoke gauge. If the rims already bent and a mechanic is more concerned with true than even tension you'll end up with spokes that are far too tight. As my rims wear they slowly accumulate little wobbles, flat spots, etc. I'm more concerned with even tension that absolutely perfect true. At the point they get beyond my tolerance level, it's time for a new rim and spokes.

TechKnowGN, I'm not sure of your seven speed situation but, with the current crop of shimano hubs and dating back many years, I've settled into being very happy with Ultegra and 105 hubs. I've ridden lower models and even have some hanging in the garage for backup use. No problems with any of them. The aforementioned just roll a little smoother and feel of slightly better quality.

linux_author

not really, IMHO... my recommendation:

36H Mavic OpenPro w/105 hub

TechKnowGN

Is this question even in english? Seriously, I know next to nothing about wheels other than that they are round, and made up of a few pieces I know the names of.

TechKnowGN

This is a very cheap hub folks. While Shimano appearantly lists it as part of the Altus group, it's the lowest end hub marketed with that group.

That said, I am absolutely willing to believe the guy who did the work on the spoke replacement may not have been the worlds best mechanic.

I have found a place I would trust to build the wheel (Cambridge Bicycle), and I'm just trying to make sure I get the components right.

txvintage

Tech, you have a PM.

cod.peace

There are lots of good bike shops in the area. I've had good experiences with Harris, Frank's Spoke N Wheel in Waltham (Frank is a very nice, helpful guy), and Wheelworks in Belmont. Quadcycles in Arlington and Cycle Loft have decent staff but they tend to be very heavily oriented toward road bikes and tri. I tend to go to Cycle Loft when I need odds and ends since they're right around the corner from where I work. Wheelworks is huge and supports every kind of biking. And if you ever need budget used bikes or want to take bike DIY classes Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain is a good place too. One of these days I'll get in there for one of their classes...

dgrenthum

Id say get the vuelta tourist. Nice v, 36 spokes and if you do a search for them on this site they get decent reviews. I got mine at bike island (bikesdirect) for 189 for the set. I dont see them on there anymore so you may want to send them an email about them. They are 7-8-9 shimano compatible.

CliftonGK1

Be careful when chosing a hub if you're going with a 4 cross lacing pattern. The spokes leave the hub at a sharp enough tangent to the flange that with a smaller hub flange you can end up with the initial cross actually laying over top of the adjacent spoke head. This is going to put undue stress on the spoke and weaken the overall structure of the wheel.

Personally I think 36h, 4-cross deep section rims are overkill unless you're 350 pounds and plan on doing some loaded off-road touring.
I'm 235-ish, down from 255-ish and I've always ridden 3-cross 32h wheels. My current set is a pair of DT Swiss RR1.1 mid-profile rims laced 3-cross with straight gauge DT Champion 2.0 spokes to a Shimano Deore rear hub and a SON28 front. I've put over 7000 on the front wheel without needing a truing, with the exception of my usual 300 mile check-up on a new wheel. The rear wheel was fine at 300 miles and has over 1500 (a low amount for me) on it so far without issue.

TechKnowGN

cod.peace - Thanks so much for the info. I've been to Wheelworks once (though I didnt know where it was because we found it on the way home from Walden, taking back roads), but they seemed like a pretty nice place. I might talk to Cycle Loft, because I'm using this for daily riding, but all my riding goes towards my triathlons.

I went looking for Bikes Not Bombs and found the shop, but they were closed. I used to volunteer in Columbus at the bike co-op, and would love to help at BNB once I get settled in after the wedding. Spending winter evenings working on bikes helps take the sting off riding less.

TechKnowGN

Clifton -

I am currently 325ish. I ride mostly unencumbered, other than 4 or 5 lbs of supplies, food, camera or other such things in my trunk rack and bag. Mostly Path and road, and Im mostly careful about bumps, but some are unavoidable. I use this bike also to do all my races, which will be 4 this year, and ideally around 5-10 next year. So I need something that will handle me going pretty hard (16-20 MPH) for an hour (at this point), and possibly up to 4 hours in the next year (looking at a Half Ironman in the summer/fall).

Also, what does all this mean in terms of weight? Im in no way a weight weenie, but I mean i want to understand how much extra effort I'll be putting into my riding depending on what hub and rim I choose.

CliftonGK1

I've got my pair of DT RR1.1's which handle me (235-ish) and all my gear for a 400k (38-pounds total for the loaded bike) and the weight isn't much of a factor. Yes, when you're racing you want to try and keep the rotating mass to a minimum for faster acceleration and zippier climbing, but at the same time let's face it... How much is either of us going to notice a 250g difference in wheel weight at our sizes?

Call hub weight inconsequential: It's at the center of the wheel and won't affect acceleration. I have a SON28 generator hub that weighs 640g. Just the hub. I never noticed the difference in switching from a Deore front hub to the generator.

As for terrain and durability: My club's brevets usually have a good mix of well paved roads, crappy chip-seal, and at least one section of 1/2 to 1.0 mile of some sort of hardpack dirt or crushed gravel rutted up fire-road. I'm out riding for anywhere between 10h and 24h, depending on the distance.

sstorkel

Shimano hubs, specifically the 105 and Ultegra series, are regarded as being a very good value. Not the lightest thing out there, but darn-near bullet-proof. If you want to go high-end, I hear good things about Phil Wood hubs.

I'm a big fan of the 3-cross lacing pattern. Everybody knows how to build and repair 3-cross wheels; they've been the industry standard for decades. I'd probably go with 28 or 32 spokes in the front and 32 or 36 spokes in the rear.

Lots of people recommend Mavic Open Pro rims for road bikes, but I'm a big fan of Velocity. Obviously their Deep V rims are pretty popular here in C&A. I just built a set of wheels for my touring bike using their Synergy OC (= off-center) rims. The off-center drilling means that spoke tension is much more even between the drive-side and non drive-side spokes. The Synergy is a relatively wide rim, however: the smallest tire that will fit is a 700x25; my 700x35 touring tires look right at home. The ultra-light Aerohead rim is also available in an OC version. It's 100g lighter than the Deep V, so it's probably a bit less durable

TechKnowGN

I'm currently rocking a 700x28 gatorskin on the back. At my size I seriously doubt the ability of a 25 to hold up under my weight, and frankly how much of a difference whil I notice? LOL

I've been fortunate enough to have someone donate a 105 hub to my cause which I'll have built out with a Deep V and probably straight gauge spokes. This will be my full time wheel, built for strength and longevity.

I'm also likely buying a fully assembled wheel that I can use right away to get through my race right after the wedding and to get through the wheel building process. This wheel comes with high clyde marks from several folks, but not quie the respect the Deep V gets around here. It's also substantially cheaper than the Deep V I'll be having built, so I can get something to use on race day 9/27, and feel more confident than I do on my current wheel.

Jim from Boston

Hi TechKnowGN,

Howdy neighbor, knowing you live near Kenmore Square. This summer I broke two spokes on my rear wheel which had been indestructible for a few years. I also wore through my seemingly indestructible front rim. My two new wheels have taken some good bumps and not lost their true, and I expect great peformance for the next few years, at about 4000 miles per year on the streets of Boston. In my opinion we live within a few blocks of a great bike shop that has kept on the road for years--Back Bay Bikes at the lower level of Mass and Comm Aves. Tell them the good doctor (of the green Bridgestone) sent you.