Hope hubs cracking

[ratcapa]

Just had a wheel built with an oldskool NOS rear hub, Hope 32h and now I've read a couple of posts saying they're prone to cracking!! Bit worried now so has anybody experienced this and if so, did the failure occur from light/heavy use?

Also there are lots of hope hubs built up still being ridden, bought and sold on here and ebay so was it just specific year or model that were prone to failure?

 

[dbmtb]

Only Hope hub I ever had crack on me was a very tightly laced road hub with radial NDS spokes, which was my own fault.

No problems with any of the others - and while I only have one set I have really hammered, that set has REALLY been hammered.

 

[Drencrom]

Bit worried now so has anybody experienced this and if so, did the failure occur from light/heavy use?

I've had several crack/split at the flange (sounds painful, I know), from light to heavy use. Two front hubs in particular used from new from '97 went within months of each other about 3 years ago - the first was a 36h disc hub and was heavily used over the years, the second was a 32h Fatso used far less yet both suffered the same fate. I've had 2 Ti-Glides fail, one soon after purchase, which was warrantied, and one a couple of years ago. The 'newer' solid-body style rear hubs seem to fair better from my experience. I would add that none of the splitting has resulted in any injury - the wheel didn't disintegrate for example, but I stopped using them straight away.

I'm not bothered to the point of phoning Hope and having a whinge about them, after all the hubs did me proud over the years. I wouldn't buy another set of old or second hand Hope hubs personally, but then I also have a couple of pairs that are still intact and look great on their respective bikes, I just don't ride with them - I use the XT hubbed wheels for that. Miss the clicks though...

I also have a set of Onza H.O.'s on a bike, so I'm not that worried about things breaking!

 

[FluffyChicken]

The ealry models sem fine, my front Hope (pre lightweight) is still going stong dispite pounding and rim bending hits. It's has an angles Alu section rather than the smoother alu section they moved to. The Aluminium also seems to be different.

Of the lot it seems to be mid 90's to late 90's* where they are quite thin on the flange and a bit more sculpted.

My current front Suspension, has the flanges cracking, they propagate from the Ti/Alu bonding junction and work there way outwards, currently mine are getting near the elbow to the spoke hole section.
I have a FatSo of similar era, that has the same problem.
All built 3X spokes.

These are 'hairline' style crack and can be hard to spot but the most common

All the one's I can see (of my own) with the problem seem to have a mottled look to the Alu anodising rather than a clean uniform anodising.

The Mono/XC (all Alu body) will not have this problem as they don't have that Ti/Alu bonding section.


Though some people have shown the spoke hole sections rip off on both front and rear I think that's a different cracking problem though.

My rear Ti-Glides all seem fine apart from the one with the cracked through freehub body . touch wood
But both cracks do happen to them.


Do you want some pictures of what to look for ?

 

[ratcapa]

Thanks for the replies guys, fluffy, if you don't mind a couple of pic's would be great. Here's one of the hub I've just had built, if you can identify the year that would be great.

Thanks

 

[dbmtb]

It's the original decals but not the original right shell.

My original Ti-glide was bought in 94 and the Fatso a year later - both have the same decals. So my educated guess is that it's 96. They were discontinued around 98/9.

I just serviced a hub I bought on here which is identical to this one and it's fine, despite the bearings being totally worn out.