Cassette Touring Hub

Our Cassette Touring Hubs have been a favorite amongst cyclotourists and randonneurs for their simplicity, reliability, and easy serviceability. The hubs use high-quality Japanese sealed bearings, a hub body design of our own, and an 11-speed compatible steel Shimano or Campagnolo splined freehub body. The freehub body features 3 pairs of robust pawls.

By using a threadless freehub system, driveside maintenance or spoke repairs can be done sans tools – no specialty tools and no complicated diagrams. Here’s how:

Undo the quick release or anti-theft skewers and remove wheel from the dropouts.

Remove quick release from the axle of the hub and set aside. Remember, when you pull the freehub body/cassette away from the shell, the non-driveside endcap will be freed, so put it into your pocket. You can pull the axle off the freehub body as well, but it's not necessary. The driveside endcap will stay on the axle by friction because of the rubber seals, but keep an eye on it. Better yet, put it into your pocket.

Now that you have the freehub body off, you can do a cleaning of the driveside flange (this always gets over-looked), the pawls, and the ratchet ring. If you've broken a spoke, replace the spoke.

Use a clean rag and wipe the pawls in the direction of engagement. Inspect the spring of the pawls.

Clean off the ratchet ring, quick wipe will do here.

Apply a small dab of thin gear oil to each pair of pawls. Chain lube works fine. Phil Tenacious oil works best. Don’t use thick grease because the pawls may not pop back up!

Insert the axle into the shell and reassemble. Don’t forget about the endcaps in your pocket! Give the cassette a quick spin to ensure good pawl engagement.

Put the wheel back into the dropouts and tighten the skewer. 

Happy riding!