Stock H15 rear hub is destroyed after 4 weeks

[rmd]

Same issue here with 100 miles on new Orbea Rise H15 with the Non Shimano Hub with no identification. LBS says he has seen about 30 of these hub issues. Asked if it was better to just build a new rim because I heard some of the replacements are also junk. He said he would wait and that they switched to a better Shimano Hub. Not very impressed and hope the bike holds up otherwise.

Picked up rim with New Steel plated hub today. I was hoping there would be some identifying marks/manufacturer info but nothing. Asked bike shop who the manufacturer is and they just said came from Orbea and is steel plated. Oh well - fingers crossed.

 

[mike_kelly]

There is no such thing as a steel-plated anything. Maybe the cassette is a steel freehub body rather than aluminum? Steelfrreehubs are more durable but heavier than aluminum. But that is not what "blows up" with the cheap asian hubs. It is the ratchet mechanism and bearings.

 

[rmd]

Received rear rim with replacement HUB from Orbea. No identifying marks what so ever and LBS said its steel plated and did not know who manufactured it. Lets hope if lasts longer then 100 miles.

 

[mike_kelly]

All the threads I have seen report Orbea using Chosen Hubs when they can't get the Shimano spec'ed. I hate to be negative but I would not expect it to last any longer than any of the others.

 

[rmd]

There is no such thing as a steel-plated anything. Maybe the cassette is a steel freehub body rather than aluminum? Steelfrreehubs are more durable but heavier than aluminum. But that is not what "blows up" with the cheap asian hubs. It is the ratchet mechanism and bearings.

From Orbea: "the hub is being replaced with a steel reinforced hub so you shouldn't have the same issue again".

 

[mike_kelly]

That is not steel plating. It is the steel freehub body. When you have loose cogs in your cassette in the back, as opposed to being bolted together, they can dig into an aluminum frehub grooving it. The steel material in the freehub body resists this. But the problem when a hub dies is the bearings go bad or the drive pawls break and a steel freehub body will not stop that.

 

[rmd]

That is not steel plating. It is the steel freehub body. When you have loose cogs in your cassette in the back, as opposed to being bolted together, they can dig into an aluminum frehub grooving it. The steel material in the freehub body resists this. But the problem when a hub dies is the bearings go bad or the drive pawls break and a steel freehub body will not stop that.

The LBS had used the term "steel plated" so I went back and checked the email from Orbea which was different.
Thanks!

 

[darwink1]

I can understand a cheaper hub grenading but I'm over here waiting for an i9 warranty claim. My hub spun the ratchet ring inside the hub shell, still sounded fine peadlling backwards but would also freewheel going forwards lol. This was on a Norco bigfoot vlt fat bike and the failure happened on the 4th or 5th ride after putting the new wheelset on. .

The skinny version of the same i9 hub is still doing its job on my Bullit after 12xxkm so go figure..



I'm going to suggest that tougher hubs are needed for ebikes overall.

D

 

[RidingWithSimone2022]

Have an H30 with the Shimano labeled hub...wanted an e-13 cassette which required an XD driver so had an i9 hydra laces to the wheels... we'll see how it goes

 

[BiGJZ74]

Have an H30 with the Shimano labeled hub...wanted an e-13 cassette which required an XD driver so had an i9 hydra laces to the wheels... we'll see how it goes

View attachment 103837

I’ve had i9’s on my h15 for about 2k miles without issue.

 

[Decolocsta]

 

[ojankanu]

Here Orbea sent a complete new rear wheel with the shimano hub, after two non labeled broken hubs

 

[biker9]

Does Orbea take the old wheel? I'm told by my LBS that they are sending a new wheel with a shimano hub, but it's been a few weeks and in the meantime i'd like to fit a dt350 to my old wheel...

 

[matjas]

My H15 with only 150kms developed extensive and uneven play in the wheel bearing so I am guessing I am also another one done with the original Shimano 510 hub

 

[Tony4wd]

I have the unbranded hub on my H30, but I've only done 64 kms so far. Has anyone heard of these hubs lasting for a long time or should I expect it to fail within a few hundred kilometres?

I guess I'll pull it apart at 100 km and see what condition it's in.

 

[LeeS69]

I have the unbranded hub on my H30, but I've only done 64 kms so far. Has anyone heard of these hubs lasting for a long time or should I expect it to fail within a few hundred kilometres?

I guess I'll pull it apart at 100 km and see what condition it's in.

Mine seems to be the unbranded one, I'm about 500 miles in and so far haven't had an issue yet, I do intend to take it apart and have a look when I get chance though....

 

[Tony4wd]

Mine seems to be the unbranded one, I'm about 500 miles in and so far haven't had an issue yet, I do intend to take it apart and have a look when I get chance though....

........... be curious to see if the bearings roll smoothly and if the pawls have eaten into the hub. It would be strange to find the hub in good condition while dozens have shown heavy damage.
I've ordered a new EXP microspline freehub for a spare DT Swiss wheel that I have, just in case.

On the positive side this issue has inspired a new idea for bike recovery - since I ride with my dog I'll pack a tow rope so she can help pull the bike up steep hills. If it works well enough I might not even need a motor anymore

 

[biker9]

I just had my lbs change out my rear hub since orbea was taking a little too long to send a new one. It was a chosen hub and it is truly is a pile of garbage. Not only was it skipping, the bearings were extremely rough. Opening it up the pawls were dug in to the freehub . I can’t believe they put this on a 5800usd bike and thought that was ok. My bike is an orbea wild so since it’s full powered it put more force on the hub, so yours may be fine on a rise. But even if it doesn’t fail I’d recommend upgrading at some point.

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

I have the unbranded hub on my H30, but I've only done 64 kms so far. Has anyone heard of these hubs lasting for a long time or should I expect it to fail within a few hundred kilometres?

I guess I'll pull it apart at 100 km and see what condition it's in.

Expect it to fail. Because it will as will the hollow alloy axle either by wear or simply undoing the thing to change bearings which are too tight and go notchy. Start a warranty now imo

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

Here Orbea sent a complete new rear wheel with the shimano hub, after two non labeled broken hubs

Should be Shimano but they are loose ball cup and cone. Equally poor

Not sure if the freehub is steel chromoly or not on those

 

[LeeS69]

Should be Shimano but they are loose ball cup and cone. Equally poor

Not sure if the freehub is steel chromoly or not on those

I didn't realise they were cup and cone? Is that for certain, that's really crap for a bike this price and spec....!
Just checked, well that's that idea out the window!!

What's the front hub? If that's cup and cone too I'll be buying some hunts and chucking these I reckon!!

 

[Bob Orbea Rise]

I didn't realise they were cup and cone? Is that for certain, that's really crap for a bike this price and spec....!
Just checked, well that's that idea out the window!!

What's the front hub? If that's cup and cone too I'll be buying some hunts and chucking these I reckon!!

Yours being h15 mine h30
Some h15 got the same Chinese Chosen hubs due to supply issues. Check the specs I guess ? Certainly true of the h30. Ask them for support on procedures for replacing the axle and they send you pictures of a Shimano cup n cone loose bearing hub. Even though chosen hubs are fitted with sealed unit bearings …. And chocolate alloy axle and freehub

 

[LeeS69]

Yours being h15 mine h30
Some h15 got the same Chinese Chosen hubs due to supply issues. Check the specs I guess ? Certainly true of the h30. Ask them for support on procedures for replacing the axle and they send you pictures of a Shimano cup n cone loose bearing hub. Even though chosen hubs are fitted with sealed unit bearings …. And chocolate alloy axle and freehub

Mines a H30 - I'll try and take it apart tomorrow, any sign of the pawls digging in and I'll just order a set of Hunts I think..... I don't hammer the bike though so will be interesting to see... Cup and cone is ludicrous on a 5 grand bike ffs...

 

[Tony4wd]

can’t believe they put this on a 5800usd bike and thought that was ok. My bike is an orbea wild

I didn't realise they used the crappo hubs on the Wild as well. Not great for the reputation of what are otherwise beautiful (and expensive) bikes.

 

[borysgo2]

My H30 have mt410 shimano hubs, cup n cone, took them apart only once for service, after 1.6kkm outer bearing in the hub packed up. Other than that they are in perfect shape.

 

[Tony4wd]

My H30 have mt410 shimano hubs, cup n cone, took them apart only once for service, after 1.6kkm outer bearing in the hub packed up. Other than that they are in perfect shape.

I think those would be the MT400 if they're cup/cone and they seem to survive ok except for the freehub. The MT410 has sealed bearings afaik.

 

[biker9]

2 weeks after bringing my bike in orbea sent over a brand new ar30 wheel with a shimano hub(yay) It’s awesome they made it right but it would have been nice if they sent a tracking number. The wheel came the day after I fixed it myself lol. I’m happy and orbea has earned themselves a loyal customer.

 

[LeeS69]

Well tried to take mine apart to check the pawls today and can't even get the freehub off the axle. Is there some magic way to get the end cap off the drive side or is it a reverse thread or something?? 2 little notches in soft aluminium on a MTB hub!!

 

[Tony4wd]

here's a video showing removal of the hub:

 

[LeeS69]

here's a video showing removal of the hub:

Thanks Tony, that's exactly what I was trying to do, bent a steel bar in the notches trying to undo the f-ing thing...!!!
It has given me an idea though, gonna clamp the bar in the vice so it's held solid and take it from there...

What a piece of crapola!! Surely there must be a free hub somewhere that would swap in that's not made of monkey metal??