Hub construction effects on stength?

Abysmal Rim · 2012-04-21, 02:04 AM

I am looking into the Nimbus Eclipse, which is lightweight with an aluminum hub, built for freestyle. I anticipate keeping it mostly on the ground, however one can never resist the occasional curb and/or hop trick. In anticipation of these moments, I want to determine how NOT built for jumps the uni is- if the lighter design creates any real risk of breaking the thing over time. Anyone know how much "core strength" is sacrificed in the aluminum hub?

Nurse Ben · 2012-04-21, 03:20 AM

The hub body and flanges are aluminum, the spindle is steel, you won't hurt the hub before it hurst you

The narrowness of the new Oracle hub may make the wheel weaker due to the steep angle of the disc side (high tension) spokes, but that's to be seen.

FYI, all high end uni hubs have an aluminum hub body and steel spindle, unless they're solid Ti. The only all steel hubs are cheaper units, like those found on Sun.

OutdoorJunkie · 2012-04-21, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

The hub body and flanges are aluminum, the spindle is steel, you won't hurt the hub before it hurst you

The narrowness of the new Oracle hub may make the wheel weaker due to the steep angle of the disc side (high tension) spokes, but that's to be seen.

Nurse Ben he was talking about the Eclipse hub NOT the Oracle hub haha. So the whole hub is aluminium

http://www.unicycle.uk.com/unicycle-...hole-gold.html

saskatchewanian · 2012-04-21, 05:55 AM

should we gang up on Ben?

And the Nimbus 32 and 48 hole hubs are all steel! great hubs.

and the KH ti hobs have a ti spindle, aluminum flanges, and a CF body.

OutdoorJunkie · 2012-04-21, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saskatchewanian

should we gang up on Ben?

And the Nimbus 32 and 48 hole hubs are all steel! great hubs.

and the KH ti hobs have a ti spindle, aluminum flanges, and a CF body.

And nimbus 36hole

Eddbmxdude · 2012-04-21, 09:00 AM

And the Mad4One hubs are all steel or aluminium

Abysmal Rim · 2012-04-21, 08:30 PM

Cool info, nice banter, does anyone have an answer to my original question?

Onions · 2012-04-21, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abysmal Rim

Cool info, nice banter, does anyone have an answer to my original question?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

you won't hurt the hub before it hurts you

I was jumping up small walls and riding off curbs on my beginners unicycle, and it was still working well enough to be passed on. Over a year later and significant abuse (3 foot drops by someone that couldn't roll out) and it is still going strong. Curbs shouldn't be a problem for any unicycle these days.

Nurse Ben · 2012-04-21, 08:46 PM

Oh, the Eclipse, now I see why you were concerned...

I know a couple people who ride them on 36ers, one reported twisting a spindle, he's a big guy, not that "hard core".

Josh rode the Eclipse hub for muni and twisted a spindle; "Josh is hard core"

.

It saves weight in a location that won't benefit you much, so if strength is an issue, get the chromoly spindled hub (Oregon). Maybe in time we'll see Ti disc hubs, that would be the bomb!

FYI, rumor has it that the Oracle line will continue to expand: 24, 26, 29, ...

Quote:

and a CF body

It's not CF, just a thin overlay wrap on the aluminum for aesthetics, same thing on the Oracle hub.

Quote:

And the Mad4One hubs are all steel or aluminum

Yeah, I forgot about the one piece hub folks. Yeah now, that one piece concept is probably the future...

jam96 · 2012-04-21, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

Oh, the Eclipse, now I see why you were concerned...

I know a couple people who ride them on 36ers, one reported twisting a spindle, he's a big guy, not that "hard core".

Josh rode the Eclipse hub for muni and twisted a spindle; "Josh is hard core"

.

It saves weight in a location that won't benefit you much, so if strength is an issue, get the chromoly spindled hub (Oregon). Maybe in time we'll see Ti disc hubs, that would be the bomb!

FYI, rumor has it that the Oracle line will continue to expand: 24, 26, 29, ...

It's not CF, just a thin overlay wrap on the aluminum for aesthetics, same thing on the Oracle hub.

Yeah, I forgot about the one piece hub folks. Yeah now, that one piece concept is probably the future...

Nurse Ben, I think you're getting the Impulse mixed up with the Eclipse?

Sorry to add to the confusion...

johnfoss · 2012-04-21, 10:09 PM

My Freestyle unicycles have always had square-taper hubs, at least since I got my first square-taper unicycle in 1980 (before that it was cotter pins!). A good square taper hub can take plenty of abuse, as long as you don't do it regularly.

Which is not to say I haven't destroyed my share of hubs. Freestyle (or Flat, or Street) can involve tricks that put other types of stress on a hub other than dropping-type stress. I spent one season learning how to stand on the top pedal while my unicycle was lying on its side, to spin around on it and land my other foot back on the unicycle. That actually broke at least one frame, but probably not any hubs.

In any case, if you plan on doing a wide range of moves, that may include lots of hopping or drops, go for a splined hub. For Freestyle use, any splined hub is probably more than enough. The Nimbus Eclipse hub looks great.

Nurse Ben · 2012-04-21, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Nurse Ben, I think you're getting the Impulse mixed up with the Eclipse?

Sorry to add to the confusion...

I don't pay attention to names, sorry, I'm just thinking materials. Eclipse is the standard width freestyle hub, Impulse is the wide touring hub.

The freestyle aluminum spindled non disc hub is in the same category as the touring aluminum spindled disc hub, neither are designed for tricks, muni, or trials. It says so on the hub description.

Even under normal conditions the spindles have twisted. Think lightweight racing products, so short life for high performance. The narrower non disc hub is probably more durable than the wider disc hub. Nimbus does not warranty twisted spindles if they are ridden "inappropriately".

But really, if you want to go big and light, get a ti hub if you don't care about the disc brake. Ti is tough stuff as long as it's used right, Impact or KH.

aracer · 2012-04-22, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onions

I was jumping up small walls and riding off curbs on my beginners unicycle, and it was still working well enough to be passed on. Over a year later and significant abuse (3 foot drops by someone that couldn't roll out) and it is still going strong. Curbs shouldn't be a problem for any unicycle these days.

Yep - not up to 3ft drops yet, but I'm doing lots of hopping up and down stuff on my beginner uni which cost me a huge £35 without any damage - though it does creak a bit, and feels all flexy when landing a bit harder, which I think might be the spokes going out of tension. I'm presuming that people bending hubs are doing bigger stuff (or are much heavier than me).

2012-04-21, 02:04 AM	#1
Abysmal Rim Destroyer of Gravity Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Upon the precipice Posts: 8	Hub construction effects on stength? I am looking into the Nimbus Eclipse, which is lightweight with an aluminum hub, built for freestyle. I anticipate keeping it mostly on the ground, however one can never resist the occasional curb and/or hop trick. In anticipation of these moments, I want to determine how NOT built for jumps the uni is- if the lighter design creates any real risk of breaking the thing over time. Anyone know how much "core strength" is sacrificed in the aluminum hub? Last edited by Abysmal Rim; 2012-04-21 at 02:05 AM.

2012-04-21, 03:20 AM	#2
Nurse Ben XC Muni Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Southeast USA Age: 47 Posts: 3,952	The hub body and flanges are aluminum, the spindle is steel, you won't hurt the hub before it hurst you The narrowness of the new Oracle hub may make the wheel weaker due to the steep angle of the disc side (high tension) spokes, but that's to be seen. FYI, all high end uni hubs have an aluminum hub body and steel spindle, unless they're solid Ti. The only all steel hubs are cheaper units, like those found on Sun. __________________ I dream of hamsters and elderberries

2012-04-21, 05:55 AM	#4
saskatchewanian ERIC P Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Denare Beach, Saskatchewan, Canada Age: 27 Posts: 5,244	should we gang up on Ben? And the Nimbus 32 and 48 hole hubs are all steel! great hubs. and the KH ti hobs have a ti spindle, aluminum flanges, and a CF body. __________________ My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world. - Jack Layton

2012-04-21, 09:00 AM	#6
Eddbmxdude THE original 12" Trials vid Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Luton, UK Age: 26 Posts: 2,168	And the Mad4One hubs are all steel or aluminium __________________ www.voodoounicycles.com- The UKs only Extreme Unicycle Display Team I guess it's just a good thing you didn't include the footage of us snorting cocaine from the thighs of prostitutes eh Edd. - Boogie

2012-04-21, 10:09 PM	#11
johnfoss North Shore ridin' Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 14,927	My Freestyle unicycles have always had square-taper hubs, at least since I got my first square-taper unicycle in 1980 (before that it was cotter pins!). A good square taper hub can take plenty of abuse, as long as you don't do it regularly. Which is not to say I haven't destroyed my share of hubs. Freestyle (or Flat, or Street) can involve tricks that put other types of stress on a hub other than dropping-type stress. I spent one season learning how to stand on the top pedal while my unicycle was lying on its side, to spin around on it and land my other foot back on the unicycle. That actually broke at least one frame, but probably not any hubs. In any case, if you plan on doing a wide range of moves, that may include lots of hopping or drops, go for a splined hub. For Freestyle use, any splined hub is probably more than enough. The Nimbus Eclipse hub looks great. __________________ John Foss "jfoss" at "unicycling.com" www.unicycling.com "Unicycling is a way of looking at the world, making a choice to slow down, finish what you start, doing things not because they're easy, but because they're a challenge." -- Nurse Ben Last edited by johnfoss; 2012-04-21 at 10:10 PM.

2012-04-21, 08:30 PM	#7
Abysmal Rim Destroyer of Gravity Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Upon the precipice Posts: 8	Cool info, nice banter, does anyone have an answer to my original question?

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