Novatec road hubs in rigid MTB wheels?

[M_Chavez]

Hi all,

Hoping to pick your brains about using a Novatec "lighweight" road hub A171SB, F172SB in a rigid 26'er wheel build.

I've got a vintage MTB frame I'd like to build up, and the rear is for a 130mm hub. I also have got at least 2 pairs of said Nova hubs that have proven to be very good and reliable for use in road bike, commuter bike and gravel bike settings.

I've read many times that one wants a tough hub for an MTB and road hubs are likely to get damaged...Well, I'll be using the MTB frame for some daft bashing about the forest, but I'm well past any jumps & drops and wouldn't go much more extreme than hopping off curbs on this one.

Would it be completely daft to build a rigid MTB wheelset on a set of modern road hubs? What can possibly go wrong?

 

[JCS]

Am interested to hear views on this also.
I am condsidering doing similar with Novatec hubs.

 

[novocaine]

what part of the hub do you think is the weak point? just wondering really, not an insult.

they are weaker across the axle (smaller diameter tube, less resistant to sheer), but that's it, the load taking points are the same. there is a chance on a big knarly jump that they'd twist or distort across the axle but I'd say you aren't going to have to much of a issue.

 

[M_Chavez]

the load taking points are the same

That's exactly what I was thinking, but I've heard many times of folks recommending tough hubs.

 

[squirrelchaser]

I've had no issue , not Novatec hubs but Campag Record and Chorus {9 speed} hubs . I've not been very hard on them but certainly off road , all good .

 

[novocaine]

That's exactly what I was thinking, but I've heard many times of folks recommending tough hubs.

for chucking yourself down a massive hill at break neck speed and jumping, yer ok, lot's of forces at play including lateral forces that will try to bend round the axle area. for nipping down a fire trail or occasional decent, you'll be fine. personally I'd think about a hub with a bigger centre and maybe taller flanges, but I wouldn't if I already had the hubs and it's really just because that's what I like (Even my road bikes have larger centres).