Superstar Electro hubs (vs Hope4 ? )

razorjack

Hi
there is a deal on Superstar wheels
but, what do you think about SS Electro hubs ? http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/e ... ar-hub.htm
i know this one has 102 PoE, but reliability is more important for me (especially for UK winter )
what's the best hub (in similar price range) ? Hope Pro4 Evo ? DT 350 ? something else ?
(for aggressive 160mm travel enduro riding in mud)

rockmonkeysc

Personally I'd go with Hope. They're really simple to maintain. Spares are really easy to get hold of. Warranty back up is excellent.
Nothing wrong with superstar but Hope are just a bit better on all those things.
The Hope Tech Enduro wheels are pretty decent value and the toughest wheels I've ever owned. Stronger than my old downhill wheels.

razorjack

i thought about Hope + Flow Mk3 (what spokes diameter? 1.8 in a middle ? - sapim race/dt comp)
now i need to decide where to buy, CRC ?

swod1

If you can afford it then buy hope pro 4. I will be buying hope again for my next bike, these pro 2 evo hubs I currently have are excellent not needed any maintenance yet, I have checked the pawls and they still had the blue grease on them that hope use.

A lot don't like the freehub noise though, its funny on my rides into work it wakes a few people up at the bus stops when I go past.

As hope hubs are excellent, what's special about Chris King Hubs?

razorjack wrote:

i thought about Hope + Flow Mk3 (what spokes diameter? 1.8 in a middle ? - sapim race/dt comp)
now I need to decide where to buy, CRC ?

Also look at Merlin Cycles, I've got my pro 2 evo wheels hand built from them.

rockmonkeysc

swod1 wrote:

As hope hubs are excellent, what's special about Chris King Hubs?
.

Nothing. They're just extremely over priced.
They have a lifetime warranty but it's only valid if you have the hubs serviced regularly by an approved shop. If anything does fail, they just say it's not covered under the lifetime warranty because it's come to the end of its life.

swod1

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Nothing. They're just extremely over priced.
They have a lifetime warranty but it's only valid if you have the hubs serviced regularly by an approved shop. If anything does fail, they just say it's not covered under the lifetime warranty because it's come to the end of its life.

I thought they were the best you could buy as a lot of the DH riders like peaty and the syndicate guys use them with the enve carbon wheels.

Single track magazine did a video break down and they didn't look that great to be honest the spring design that they use.

rockmonkeysc

swod1 wrote:

I thought they were the best you could buy as a lot of the DH riders like peaty and the syndicate guys use them with the enve carbon wheels.

Like any pro team, they use what sponsors give them. Never make the mistake of thinking that because a top racer uses something it must be good. What it means is the manufacturer offered a good sponsorship deal.
I've seen very few ameture DH riders with Chris King hubs. Usually they're on a Santa Cruz or Intense owned by some poser with all the kit and no talent.

cooldad

I have a CK headset on my old Explosif. Apart from that the description is quite accurate.

The Rookie

Also be wary of what they advertise they use and what product is under the label, it's far from unknown for them to use a part that is more reliable and/or better performing with their sponsors logo stuck over the top.

Hope are great quality as mentioned above, however they are heavier than the lighter Novatech made hubs so for a weight weenie XCer (not for a 160mm bike) that may be an important factor.

rockmonkeysc

The Rookie wrote:

Also be wary of what they advertise they use and what product is under the label, it's far from unknown for them to use a part that is more reliable and/or better performing with their sponsors logo stuck over the top.

I've noticed quite a few BoXXers on pro downhill bikes stickered up as world cup air forks but with spring adjustment knobs instead of air valves.
I've also seen aluminium rims stickered up as Enve on one pros bike.

The Rookie

Yup happens all the time in all areas of sport.

Remember when WRC cars were running Nokians stickered as Pirelli in Sweden, on the Paris Roubaix road race a lot of FMB tyres with the label sharpied out or even with a Specialized logo added.

Angus Young

RockmonkeySC wrote:

swod1 wrote:

Usually they're on a Santa Cruz or Intense owned by some poser with all the kit and no talent.

Well, we can't all be riding Gods. Some of us are just out there having fun and just happen to have deep pockets.

razorjack

what spokes should i use ?
2.0-1.8-2.0 (DT Comp, Sapim Race)
or lighter (triple butted) like
2.0-1.65-2.0 (Sapim D-light) ?