# Mavic Hubs, Any Good?



## Mr Pig (8 Aug 2008)

I'm looking to buy an extra set of wheels for my bike. I was looking at these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15706

I know Mavic rims are sound but what about these hubs? Would Shimano Deore be better do you think? 

Thank you in advance for any help :0)


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## mickle (8 Aug 2008)

Mavic hubs are excellent, I've had a few in my time, currently own two, and have never had an issue. Very Highly Recommended.


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## Mr Pig (8 Aug 2008)

Thank you. They are cheaper than Shimano Deore so I'll get them :0) 

I like the idea of the straight spokes too, makes sense I think.


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## fossyant (8 Aug 2008)

Top...

Just sold a set of wheels with the old 501 hubs - they went for a good price - still smooth after loads of use.

Got Aksiums and Ksyriums at the mo - hubs brill - they don't really need any servicing, but parts are available - bearings are industry standard - so nothing to get worried about !


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## Mr Pig (8 Aug 2008)

fossyant said:


> Got Aksiums and Ksyriums at the mo



What are those, are they a brand or a product?


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## yenrod (9 Aug 2008)

Mavic Hubs have cassette bearings





in them so they last 'eons.

Ive been after a pair of hubs, on there own, for years !

But are quite difficult to get.


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## Mr Pig (9 Aug 2008)

yenrod said:


> Mavic Hubs have cassette bearings in them so they last 'eons.



I'll be honest, I have nothing against these bearings, but I'm not sure I see how they are advantageous on a bicycle. They're heavier for a start and will get wrecked by water and dirt ingress just the same as cup and cone ones will. 

At least you could change them easily if they do get wrecked. Are they used by other hub makers?


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## Mr Pig (9 Aug 2008)

fossyant said:


> Got Aksiums and Ksyriums at the mo



Ahh, Mavic wheels. Looked them up.


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## maurice (9 Aug 2008)

MBUK have a group test of xc wheels in this months magazine. They actually said the crossrides rode better than Mavic's more expensive wheels!

However they did say their hubs weren't as good as their rims, and needed the odd part to keep them sweet.


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## Mr Pig (9 Aug 2008)

maurice said:


> However they did say their hubs weren't as good as their rims



Do you think Shimano Deore hubs would be better? I don't think there's much in it as far as cost is concerned.


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## maurice (9 Aug 2008)

Tbh I've not been greatly impressed by the rear Deore hub on my mtb, it has needed adjusting a few times. Not touched the front one though.

Are you considering Deore wheels? Just to make it more difficult, MBUK said the Shimano rims were a touch on the fragile side compared to Mavics!

I've been looking at XC wheels recently, and have been very tempted by the XT hubs / DT Swiss 4.2 rim offer Merlin are doing at the moment, £135 for the pair! http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=774&categoryId=99

My LBS have quoted more for the parts alone..


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## Tim Bennet. (9 Aug 2008)

Both Mavic and Shimano make perfectly serviceable hubs. The only real choice is between 'cup and cone' and cartridge bearings. 

I have both types in lots of different bikes and are slowly beginning to favour cartridge, (except for high end Campag where the adjustment system is so easy you can do it on the road without even removing the wheel from the bike).

But for off road or very wet and salty use, I really like being able to replace the whole bearing in the cartridge ones. Remember in Shimano set up, one cup is fixed and if that pits it's the end of the hub. I don't think it's coincidence that lots of the good off road hubs from DT, Hope and Tune all use cartridge.


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## Mr Pig (9 Aug 2008)

maurice said:


> My LBS have quoted more for the parts alone..



Yeah. I priced up the parts, as I was hopping to learn how to build wheels, but the parts cost at least as much as the price of fully built wheels. I also popped into a bike shop in Falkirk today and was quoted the same price for a pair of Raleigh wheels as the Mavic ones!

Adjusting hubs doesn't bother me. I strip and re-grease my hubs regularly anyway, it's an easy little job. From what I've seen the cups in hubs are harder than the cones as I've not seen any pit yet. I've seen a few cones crack up.

The thing about sealed 'cartridge' bearings is that they're not serviceable. If water gets in you need to replace them. Obviously you get open ones but they'd be no better than cup and cone. 

I know they're sealed but in my experience they're only sealed up to a point. Get them wet enough, often enough and water gets in and wrecks them.

The choice is between Mavic hubs or Deore both with Mavic rims. They seem to cost about the same.


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## mickle (9 Aug 2008)

Cartridge bearings are the future. Shi**no don't use them because they arrogantly refuse to buy in any components or sub-assemblies which have anyone elses branding on. 

Ask yourself why Shi**no don't make a threadless headset (which, when they made threaded headsets actually featured their own rudimentary cartridge bearings.........go figure).


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## yenrod (10 Aug 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> I'll be honest, I have nothing against these bearings, but I'm not sure I see how they are advantageous on a bicycle. They're heavier for a start and will get wrecked by water and dirt ingress just the same as cup and cone ones will.
> 
> At least you could change them easily if they do get wrecked. Are they used by other hub makers?



Mr Pig - Ive rode cassette bearings in pedals (Time) for years, must be 15 in fact, and i can personally vouch that they - the bearings have NEVER had any problems.

Ive seen the occasional worn situation on lorries (hubs) where I work but considering the loads they take, which is vastly different to a bikes, then its a win win situ. all the way !


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## Mr Pig (10 Aug 2008)

yenrod said:


> Ive seen the occasional worn situation on lorries which is vastly different to a bikes



Yes, I work with printing presses and it's similar. They will last for decades if kept within their parameters, and if they are good quality bearings to begin with, but if you get water into them they'll fail just the same as any other bearing. From what you guys are saying though it seems clear they're well enough sealed on a bike to take it. Mavic hubs it is then :0)

Interesting facts about Shimano there Mickle. I would have thought that Shimano would use lots of outside suppliers to make their products and surely if they wanted to use this type of bearing they'd be able to find 'someone' in Taiwan or wherever who would make them with their name on? I've found Japanese, Chinese bearings to be all right, not as tough as SKF or FAG but pretty ok. Had a bag of Russian bearings recently that wouldn't last the day! 

The politics going on behind the scenes is interesting, you forget that large companies are still run by human beings who's personalities come through. I used to be right into Hi-Fi and knew a lot about what went on behind the scenes. A lot of it was pretty unpleasant.


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