Ideal hubs for folders??
 

Because small wheels spin faster, quality hubs are vitally important on small wheeled bikes. One issue that arises is that the standard flange width requires that spokes be bent slightly when lacing up small wheels. Dahon and Birdy have overcome this by making nice sealed small front hubs. Dahon did so my using a non-standard axle length (making the hub very light and strong) and Birdy did so by simply moving the flanges of a standard length hub very close together.

Given that we can't use Dahon hubs on any other bike, it strikes me that blade hubs are a possibly good option. As are narrow flange hubs. (Unfortunately, Chris King no longer makes them.) What do you all use on mountain bike OLD folders. (Or road OLD for that matter, like BF, Swift??)

You can subvert Phil Woods' quality product for folders, though only for the front if you want more than one gear, (unless your folder is happy with a 135mm OLN rear hub). Wheelchair hubs will fit the front, and Keirin width (110) or normal track (120) hubs for the rear. I have not actually done this but have a 110 on order for the rear of my Brompton/Merc project bike. Phil Wood hubs are widely regarded as up there with the best available.

http://www.philwood.com/wheelchairracinghubsfront.htm
http://www.philwood.com/Low%20Flange.htm

(It should be added they aren't cheap)

American Classic Micro 58.

I have to be honest and confess that NONE of my bikes EVER had more than 2000 miles on them, so I am not really sure if I haver had a hub that got close to the expiration of it's life. Are there signs and symptoms that will let me know if my hub is in need of replacement?

Are there any other folders out there with the same hub width of the Brompton (besides the Merc, Flamingo and bikes known as a Brompton "clone")?

I don't know anything about the technology, but the American Classic Micro 58 looks good!


14R.

LP--I have a mountain bike OLD with 135mm on the back. Which bike are you referring to (for others)?

14R--Just keep getting girlfriends new bikes, run off with the bike, and you'll never have to worry. One problem with cheap hubs is that they have to be adjusted when you first buy them. This is also true of most Shimano hubs (even their top of the line hubs are cone and bearing).

Jur--The reviews of American Classic hubs in the past have been negative, but it looks like they revamped them, so I'm tempted to try. I like the low flange, which reduces the need to bend the spokes.

Besides the low flange, these are approved to be laced radially, so no spoke bending:

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...wift_sm009.jpg

Would any of these fit on a Brompton? (just in case I end up doing 10000miles this week)

Jur - when you laced 16 spokes into those nice 32h Aeroheat rims - what did you do to fill the unused spoke holes? I'm planning to do similar but worry about water getting in and rotting the rimtape/sloshing around/being generally unpleasant. Are there plugs you can use or some other clever hack? (imagining fixes with epoky putty etc etc)

Thanks
huw

Huw - I also worried about water. So for the interim, I got some black electrical tape, punched round pieces and stuck them on. I don't imagine this will last ages, but so far so good. Am still looking for something with better glue than electrical tape. Maybe some gaffer tape will be next. The electrical tape has the advantage it's cheap and I can at any time replace the odd patch that falls off if it does happen, plus the color and texture is a dead match for the matt anodizing.

Front hubs, except Dahon, are standard to 100mm spacing and 9mm axles. If the Brompton has that, then these should fit fine.

I was admiring that bike on the pinned name your bike link. It's a dandy. Maybe I'll do a radial front American Classic.

This is less of a problem on the rear hub, right? If it is a problem, perhaps a disc hub would place the flanges closer together.

Brompton and Dahon front hubs are the same size. ?? 74mm ??