Hope freehubs

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 29 Jul 2013 14:42

I've just stripped down my cassette and discovered that my Hope alloy freehub is quite badly worn where the cassette has gouged into the softer alloy splines.

A replacement in either alloy (80g) or steel (148g) is about £60.

I'm a little disappointed because it is an expensive piece of kit, and I've had cheaper Shimano ones that I've never replaced.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Pedlo Mudguardo · Post by **Pedlo Mudguardo** » 29 Jul 2013 15:24

I've seen this dozens of times on Hope freehubs. The alloy would appear to be just too soft hence their steel upgrade for sixty quid. I've mentioned this to Hope who tell me it only happens with the cheaper cassettes which is frankly nonsense. It's a shame as their wheels are otherwise great....

A common problem.

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 29 Jul 2013 16:37

It's a shame as it spoils an otherwise excellent piece of kit.

It's only about 2 years 3 months and 14000 miles old. The bearings and seals are as new with no noticeable wear and there has been no ingress of water or crud despite round the year all weather use.

Only ever been used with Shimano 105 cassettes

dweben · Post by **dweben** » 29 Jul 2013 18:51

Arr pretty common and actually makes no difference whatsoever to how it performs. I've run Hopes on my MTB for 5 years or so and each one has a touch of this on it (even to where I couldn't get the cassette off!) but once it's indented to a point it's ok.

The more annoying problem I had was ripping spokes through the hub on the rear and the pawls on the inside snapping.

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 30 Jul 2013 18:40

It was a bit of a so and so getting the cassette off, but easy enough to tidy the damaged splines with a file, it really is as soft as butter that thing. I've also found what appear to be hairline cracks around 2 of the pawls, so will replace with a steel one. Inferior part of an otherwise great hub.

John Sanderson · Post by **John Sanderson** » 30 Jul 2013 20:51

I've had the same experience with a Bontrager free hub in the past, in fact out of the several sets of wheels I've destroyed in my time I've come to the conclusion to only use actual Shimano wheel sets from now on should be a safe move...

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 08 Aug 2013 13:46

Good news.

Those good folk at Hope have replaced the freehub with a steel one at no charge. Even dispatched next day FedEx delivery at no charge.

Has to be a 10 out of 10 for customer service