2mtr

I'm going to buy a new wheelset for my Crosscheck and I'm wondering: Is there any reason to go for a conventional cog/lockring setup instead of a bolt-on cog?

PedallingATX

well the "traditional" style cog/lockring combo is going to have more options b/c it is more popular. Other than that, it is an inferior design to bolt-on.

dayvan cowboy

one major disadvantage i could see with the traditional is if you don't know how to properly install a cog, you could f up the hub.

ADSR

It was my impression that once you get the screw-on cog on there and tightened down it will stay very very well. The bolt-on had the potential to loosen the bolts through repeated stresses, and play can develop. Maybe it's just hearsay?

Long story short, screw-on cogs are fine, just learn to install them, remember that chainwhips and lockring tools are cheaper than new wheels, and have at it!

2mtr

PedallingATX:
why is it an inferior design to bolt-on? aside from the assumption that bolt-on cogs will loosen over time.
i'm looking at the bolt-on set-up because i don't want to have to carry around three tools when i'm traveling.

the_don

Bolt on would be fine, bolts hold 8" Disc rotors on well enough on a mad DH run, I have never ever ever heard of bolts coming loose, even though the stresses placed upon it are far greater than your legs can apply.

ADSR "The bolt-on had the potential to loosen the bolts through repeated stresses, and play can develop. Maybe it's just hearsay?"

That is a pretty bad statement, if Jon Stewart heard that he would rip u for it. You make a statement saying they "had the potential to come loose" but then say "meh, that might be just hearsay". Basically you are admitting that there is zero evidence for what you are saying, but you are spreading the baseless view anyway.

Being able to change a cog easily with a standard tool I always keep in my bag sounds like a great idea.

indiglow

Torque wrench and lock tight = s.h.i.t. aint getting rattled off. How often do all the other components on your bike (a majority of which are bolted on) come off due to cyclical stress?!?!!?

j3ffr3y

thread on is the standard, so finding cogs will be easier, but from a design standpoint, bolt on makes much more sense. I will continue to use thread on because it poses no danger, the technology is safe, and it is much cheaper than bolt on hubs.

nestablifted

My level hub and cogs are awesome. I like them a lot.

JaredG

+1

I installed level hubs on my bike about 3 or 4 years ago and bought an additional cog in a different size. It was a bit expensive, considering the cost of a typical threaded version, but now, the cogs are outrageous, like 50-60 bucks apiece (Speedgoat used to carry them, don't know if they do anymore). Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love the hubs, but beware of extra cost... Not really worth any sort of additional advantage that may be there (I'm not convinced there's a big difference between the two types of assembly). EDIT, the bolts don't loosen when used...

Tangent, isn't Phil Wood doing a bolt on hub now?

The LT

tomicogs are about 30$ and work with any 6 bolt disc hub. I have one and it has been great.

riderx

I have many miles on traditional fixed cogs, bolt on and Level set ups. If I could only have one it would be the bolt on, period. Tomi cog and London Fixed both make them, so obtaining them isn't hard. They will not loosen - unless you are a poor mechanic but then you have just as much chance to screw up a traditional fixed cog install as well. All systems work and work fairly well, but the bolt on is easiest to deal with.

Out of the three set ups, the only one I've ever had fail was the traditional cog (everything can break, just offering a data point).

2mtr

alright. that settles it. I'm going for the bolt-on set up.

fuzz2050

Skill, how did that happen?

Patricky

bolt on cog

once my frend made disk brake hub front into rear hub for fix cog to bolt on and it wrked but the hub i have is just threds like formuls stuf can i make it bult on coz ive seen it fail on my frend riderx i woz there he fell very bad down the hill

riderx

Not sure, happened during a mountain bike race. First I lost one tooth, then kept racing it. A few laps later the big chunk went missing and I had to ride another 3 miles with that thing. The cog had a good bit of miles on it but it was an EAI which isn't junk. As for Patricky's ramblings, I have no idea what he is saying, he must be into the ether again...

mihlbach

In theory, the bolt on system is mechanically better, and indeed it is better if you can get everything to line up correctly. The biggest problem is that the non-drive side of a disk hub isn't designed to line up with a drive train, so you have to consider chainline and whether or not your cog will work with the front end of your DT. Be sure that whatever you buy, it will line up correctly without having to deeply dish your wheel or use excessive amounts of axle and/or cog spacers.

Steev

I did this. My experience with doing it was that if I spaced the hub so that I would get a zero dish wheel (130mm OLD) then the chain line came out at 46mm. This is fine by me as I am using a road double crankset so it lines up nicely with the outer ring.

Edit: I forgot to say that I used a front disc hub and rebuilt with proper axle/cones to use it on the rear.

riderx

Good point about watching the chainline. Disc hubs are MTB hubs (135mm spacing) and the disc side is spaced the same as the freewheel side of a disc single speed hub. Chainline is right around 54mm which mates up nicely with the outside ring of a properly setup MTB crank. Fortunately the Crosscheck has gnot-right spacing allowing for an MTB hub, so just make sure you've got the right size BB for your crank and you will be good to go.

Dannihilator

Huh?

Siu Blue Wind

das 2 bd yer fren fell i hohp hez kewl dat hub gts fix dun wan ta strip dem 2 much gotta make shure dat hez gunna be safe don wannit to fail cuz dat aint kewl to do dat better get it bolted on to the hilt na'mean?

Yo peace out brah.

Dude, whassup?

mihlbach

I did the same thing using a front Surly disk hub and (17t) Tomicog cog. The frame is an older Redline Monocog Flight and has 110mm spacing in the rear, so I only needed to space each side out an extra 5mm. With zero dish the chainline is 45-46 mm, which matches my front end with WI ENO cranks and Shimano 107mm BB.

I don't think a disk hub is necessary for street use...typically road gear ratios are high enough that, with proper installation, the hub, cog, and lockring will not strip. For offroad gear ratios (e.g 2/1) I recommend a bolt-on due to the higher amounts of torque associated with the lower gearing.

WizardofId

|)0000000000000|)! `/4 90++4 |)0 133+!

nestablifted

What is tight about the level hubs is that you can swap the hub from track bike to mtb, swap the spacers, flip the cog over and have everything line up

nestablifted

Oh, what setup did you end up getting?