Front and rear bike hubs

Just as a bicycle cannot be imagined without a wheel, so a bicycle wheel cannot be imagined without a hub. Without it, not a single bicycle wheel will spin. Strictly speaking, a wheel and a hub to it on a bicycle are like a fulcrum and a lever. Without such a "union" there can be no cycling.

The “rolling” of any large depends on the quality of the hub (obviously, the better the rolling / sliding in the hub, the easier it is for the wheel to spin), and hence its efficiency. Therefore, it is worth considering in more detail: what is this bicycle part? What are the criteria for its selection? And also to figure out what materials are used to make bushings, what is their device, types of fasteners, etc.

Table of contents:

Bicycle bushings: device

A bicycle hub is actually the main part of the wheel of this vehicle. Its axis is clamped directly on the frame or on the fork dropouts. And it is connected to the wheel rim by outgoing spokes. As for the torque, both the bike hub and the wheel itself rotate due to the bearing.

The choice of hubs for bicycles on the modern market is huge. And every the cyclist selects this spare part “for himself” according to the material of manufacture. Bushings are made from:

• heavy duty aluminum alloy(parts are light, resistant to corrosion);
• become(parts come out cheaper in price);
• titanium alloy(so far only in some models of individual manufacturers, for example, for the Shimano XTR series).

In addition, bushings can be stamped, cast or turned. The first and second ones will be stronger than the third ones, besides, they have an impeccably flat surface, which is also important.

Front and rear bike hubs

The front hub of the simplest design is located on the front wheel of the bicycle. And her only option is to spin the wheel. In the cylindrical body of this part there are holes (in the flanges at the ends) for the spokes, and there are also an axle and bearing assemblies.

But the rear hub is already on the rear wheel. It is more complex and performs more functions. In addition to providing rotation, this part also serves as the base for a cassette or ratchet.

Until recently, all rear hubs were threaded, but today this design is a thing of the past. In new sports bikes (and not only) with many speeds, there are already improved models, drum ones. With these parts, the ratchet mechanism (the moving part of the rear hub) is an integral part, and the cassette remains only a set of stars.

With bushings of modern design, the following are reduced to nothing:

• the ability to break the thread at the time of installation;
• uneven wear of the ratchet and stars;
• large energy losses of the node.

Now the weight of the bike hubs has become less and the rigidity is greater (by increasing the distance between the bearings). The slots of the drum made the fastening much more reliable (it is almost impossible to tear off the cassette from them), and the splined connection ensured the simplicity of the spigot mounting. Plus, now you can not change the entire cassette, which is quite expensive, but only individual stars.

However, progress in this area does not stand still. Some well-known manufacturers (KING, CRISS, etc.) generally produce bushings with a unique mechanism. Almost eternal, the design of which is a pair of gear rings made of steel, and a spring. When rolling, such rings do not touch the wheel, but when pedaling the ring, a spring presses into the sleeve, establishing the desired connection. A simple, reliable and extremely durable solution.

Mount type

On a bicycle, the wheels are held precisely due to the fact that the axial bushing ends are inserted into the holes of the frame feathers and fixed there. The most common are the following options for such fastening:

• eccentric, in which it is easy to mount / dismantle the wheels (practically without the use of tools);
• and the cheapest wrench, in which there are 2 nuts for each sleeve (in this case, the wheels are attached and removed using a wrench of the right size).

In mountain bikes, in addition to conventional bushings, disk bushings are used, designed for the possible installation of a disc brake rotor. In this case, there are 2 standards of rotary fasteners:

• slotted, equipped with a retaining ring;
• and ISO on six bolts.

Quality MTB-class bikes, on the other hand, are often equipped with double contact bike bushings or labyrinth seals - all to reduce wheel rotation resistance to a minimum. True, this may suffer protection from water and dirt.

Bearing type

Bicycle hubs are equipped with only 2 types of bearings:

If we talk about bearings of the second type (industrial), then there are 2 of these for each bushing. Anthers tightly cover them and reliably protect against negative external influences, therefore, the elements of industrial bearings do not need any frequent or complex maintenance. This option is universal and suitable for almost any type of cycling. True, any industrial bearing is fundamentally more expensive than a bulk bearing, but the price is justified by it:

• high quality;
• and excellent performance.

However, the industrial version has its downsides. And it is precisely because of them that bulk parts have not yet been ousted from the market. In particular, industrial bearings are difficult to install. Under the conditions of a bicycle trip, for example, this is extremely difficult, almost impossible, since it will require pressing out and then pressing in the already assembled element. But with a bulk bearing there will be no problems. Broken ball? Replacing a part is a matter of 10 minutes from the moment the cyclist stops and discovers a malfunction.

Number of spokes

There is a direct relationship between the number of spokes in the hub, the reliability of the wheel and its weight. Today, manufacturers offer consumers bushings with holes for the number of spokes from 12 to 48. But experienced cyclists put models on 32 spokes or 36.

Manufacturers

In the middle price segment, Shimano is a recognized manufacturer of quality bicycle hubs.. Its products are based on radial thrust bearings and, due to this circumstance, Shimano hubs are repairable and easily adjusted during the operational process. It is easy to recognize such bushings even visually, according to the non-standard method of spoke fastening - flangeless.

Many experienced cyclists believe that the Deore LX products demonstrate the optimal price-quality ratio. But the most budgetary of the existing options are Alivio bike hubs (the front one costs only $10, and the rear one costs $15).

Among the newcomers to the bicycle market in this segment, Novatec (Taiwan) should be noted. Its products are of high quality and modest price. The company produces bicycle hubs of the original design, with good functionality.

The owners of expensive bikes are in high demand for bike hubs from Hope, Chris King, Tune, DT Swiss.

Bushing Care

The maintenance of the vast majority of bicycle hubs is the care of the bearings included in their design. Bearings should be regularly:

1. Clean.
2. Lubricate.
3. Regulate.
4. And also sort out and dry if moisture gets in.

In general, there are certain subtleties in the issue of caring for bicycle hubs:

Choosing the Right Bicycle Hubs

Looking for a bike hub? Take advantage of the recommendations of cyclists:

• do not save, if funds allow, buy a bike hub of a higher class (you can buy a dynamo hub or even a planetary one);
• read real reviews on the Internet before shopping;
• select the type of bearing according to the conditions of your own driving;
• pay attention to the rear stars (specifically their type);
• It's better to buy a cassette than a ratchet.

In general, it is better to consult "live" with a specialist and / or an experienced cyclist who has changed more than one bike. Pros will definitely give valuable advice to a beginner.

Conclusions:

1. When choosing a hub for your own bike, you need to pay attention to:
   • the material from which it is made;