Novatec A291SB/F482SB SL VS Standard

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dynaserve
Posts: 269
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:25 pm
Location: UK

by dynaserve

I'm looking at the Novatec hubs for some cheap race wheels and wonder if anyone has any experience of both the std and SL version:

A291SB Front 76g
F482SB Rear 245g
Total = 321g

A291SB-SL Front 60g
F482SB-SL Rear 225g
Total = 285g

(20/24H Shimano)

The bearings look the same, so the weight difference is all in hub body? 60g sounds very light for the front, so I would tend towards the standard/cheaper version if the extra weight meant more stiffness? Also any difference in freehub?

Thx!

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

The front hub is reliable for both version. The rear is not for both versions. Bearing life if you ride anywhere with water can be short. I have had some sucess with skf bearings in the rear hub but still bearing life is not that long. They are o.k hubs and o.k for me is not good enough.

The front though is fine. Freehub used by both versions is the same. Given you are in the u.k dont bother with light weight hubs like this, they end up disapointing if you use them alot.

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istigatrice
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Location: Australia

by istigatrice

I've heard from BDOP that the only difference is that the SL version has more material machined off compared to the standard. I've had over 10 000km in both the SL and standard versions and both have held up fine, though the weather in Australia is probably much drier than the UK.

EDIT: I think the bearings used in the hubs are different, at least according to this table (obtained from BDOP). So I guess then the differences are more than a bit of machining.

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Last edited by istigatrice on Wed Mar 30, 2016 12:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dynaserve
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Location: UK

by dynaserve

Great thanks for the feedback - I'll only be racing in the dry, so should be OK and I'll probably go for the SL.

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Miller
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Location: Reading, UK

by Miller

bm0p700f wrote:Given you are in the u.k dont bother with light weight hubs like this, they end up disapointing if you use them alot.


I'm in the UK and currently have four pairs of wheels on Novatec hubs, both conventional and disc. For me they hit a sweetspot of weight, maintainability and cost. The only problem I've encountered is that after the constant floods of winter 2013/14, one front hub bearing seized. Local shop replaced the bearings and it has been fine since. Only goodwill towards Novatec hubs from me.

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BoSoxYacht
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by BoSoxYacht

BDop has said before that when not all bearing that come with Novatec hubs are equal. Vendors spec the bearings that are included, and that many vendors spec the cheapest available so they can sell them for less, without lowering their profit margin. All of the Novatec hubs I've used came from BDop, and he claims to spec the better bearings.

It could just be BS, but BDop has built up a reputation as a straight shooter, and I can't think of a time when "he" was slinging bullshit products, or misrepresenting his goods.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I have had alot of problems with F482SB-SL hubs with EZO bearings that I bought of Novatec EU. Enough to make me not want to use them again. Bearing failures on the first ride by more than one customer is not good and expensive for me. There disc brake hubs I continue to use as they are good. The A171/F172 are also very good hubs. It is only the F482 that gives issues.

EZO bearings seem no better than NBK I consider both to be a budget bearing which is fine but I would not pay extra again for the better bearing that gives more problems than the cheaper one. Once the "better bearings where replaced the hubs where fine after that. The other problem is I had to do far to many free bearing replacements of the F482 SB-SL for customers who then complain after a year of use there bearings are toast. Again if the hubs dont meet the majority of the expectations of people who buy them then I would say dont bother.

The claim by BDOP that better bearings solve the problem not my experience it can make some difference but not alot. Essentially even the supposidly better bearings the longevity of the bearings is variable at best. Even SKF bearings in these hubs leads to less than stellar bearing life and fitting these turns cheap light weight hubs into less than cheap ones. That is my experience for what it's worth. I have sold more than a few hubs and this is the only hub I have used that I have had any problems with hence my advise.

I would like to point out that I am not saying BDOP is pedalling BS they give there experience I have given mine in full.

BoSoxYacht
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Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:39 pm

by BoSoxYacht

bm0p700f wrote:I have had alot of problems with F482SB-SL hubs with EZO bearings that I bought of Novatec EU. Enough to make me not want to use them again. Bearing failures on the first ride by more than one customer is not good and expensive for me. There disc brake hubs I continue to use as they are good. The A171/F172 are also very good hubs. It is only the F482 that gives issues.

EZO bearings seem no better than NBK I consider both to be a budget bearing which is fine but I would not pay extra again for the better bearing that gives more problems than the cheaper one. Once the "better bearings where replaced the hubs where fine after that. The other problem is I had to do far to many free bearing replacements of the F482 SB-SL for customers who then complain after a year of use there bearings are toast. Again if the hubs dont meet the majority of the expectations of people who buy them then I would say dont bother.

The claim by BDOP that better bearings solve the problem not my experience it can make some difference but not alot. Essentially even the supposidly better bearings the longevity of the bearings is variable at best. Even SKF bearings in these hubs leads to less than stellar bearing life and fitting these turns cheap light weight hubs into less than cheap ones. That is my experience for what it's worth. I have sold more than a few hubs and this is the only hub I have used that I have had any problems with hence my advise.

I would like to point out that I am not saying BDOP is pedalling BS they give there experience I have given mine in full.
You have given your experience, and I have given mine.

I have seen problems with a few different entry level hubs, but none with 482SB-SL.

bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I think the OP has enough info to make up his mind.

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BobDopolina
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by BobDopolina

Miller wrote:
bm0p700f wrote:Given you are in the u.k dont bother with light weight hubs like this, they end up disapointing if you use them alot.


I'm in the UK and currently have four pairs of wheels on Novatec hubs, both conventional and disc. For me they hit a sweetspot of weight, maintainability and cost. The only problem I've encountered is that after the constant floods of winter 2013/14, one front hub bearing seized. Local shop replaced the bearings and it has been fine since. Only goodwill towards Novatec hubs from me.

Image


Those were not bought from us and I am guessing they may have come from AliExpress, eBay or the like. Those sellers typically use CHINESE bearings to greatly reduce their costs.

We don't because those bearings tend to be very, very unreliable.

All the hubs we sell use ABEC5, Japanese EZO bearings (the track hubs use SKS or FAG). The cost is higher but, over the years, these bearings have proven to be far superior.
BDop Cycling Co., Ltd.
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