Shimano hub choice

[Shut Up Legs]

As I'll be attempting a front and rear wheel build some time soon, I'm looking for a suitable rear hub, but am having trouble choosing, as there's a bewildering array of them out there . The hub must

• have 36 holes;
• be 9-speed compatible;
• fit my Vivente tourer; and
• allow a QR skewer.

This one appears to be 9-speed compatible with QR skewer, and has good reviews on CRC:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=50508
Comments, anyone?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

135mm rear dropout?

Rim or disc brake?

Mtb hubs are popular for tourers, and I am not aware of any Shimano mtb hub being of poor quality, and they are not difficult to service. I would pick Deore and above, with the more expensive tending to be lighter. Unless you wish to spend megabucks on Royce/King etc.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I agree, Shimano hubs are very strong and hard wearing.
Some touring bikes can take 135mm hubs (MTB hubs) they have the advantage of having better seals and also and extra 2.5mm on the DS which helps to strengthen the wheel a bit more (The rear wheel has to be dished but by having 2.5mm extra, the spokes on the DS have a bracing angle just a little bit bigger (every little helps ) and that makes the wheel a little bit laterally stronger and more stable.
Some builders would even cut 5mm off of the axle in order to use MTB hubs on 130mm dropouts to take advantage of the better seals. I think that is a great idea for touring wheels.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I know nothing about Vivente bikes, but it appears they all come with Deore LX rear hubs which suggest 135mm rear dropouts, so I figured there is no reason to go for 130mm road hub in the OP's crc link.

The key challenge of using a typical threaded axle qr cup and cone 135mm hub on a 130mm frame, if the frame is alloy, is not so much shortening the hollow axle by 5mm, but to find the 5mm reduction in distance between locknuts while maintaining a) smallest sprocket clearance from the frame on the drive side and b) perfect seals on the non-drive side.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

I know nothing about Vivente bikes, but it appears they all come with Deore LX rear hubs which suggest 135mm rear dropouts, so I figured there is no reason to go for 130mm road hub in the OP's crc link.

The key challenge of using a typical threaded axle qr cup and cone 135mm hub on a 130mm frame, if the frame is alloy, is not so much shortening the hollow axle by 5mm, but to find the 5mm reduction in distance between locknuts while maintaining a) smallest sprocket clearance from the frame on the drive side and b) perfect seals on the non-drive side.

Just cut 2.5mm from each side of the hub.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Sorry, all, been busy , so didn't reply earlier to your very useful comments (not to mention the timezone difference which meant I was sleeping while some of you posted!). I posted the wrong CRC link, which was for a 32 hole hub, and I would prefer 36 on the rear. The one I meant to post was this one: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=67242 which is an XT T780 hub. I measured the rear dropouts, i.e. between their inside surfaces, and it came to 135mm, so that road hub definitely would have been a bad idea . Thanks for the comments.

 

[gwhite]

The XT rear hub has been for tourers a good choice for many years but has since been re-designed and as a result the jury is still out. There have been concerns regarding the now smaller ball bearings used and I seem to remember some quibble about the hub design also. The Deore LX still has the larger ball bearings (giving better wear distribution) and is a good alternative to the XT.

 

[lpretro1]

Have recently built a pair with SLX hubs - seem very good for price.