Onyx hubs from Rivendell in 135 rim brake flavor

[Philip Williamson]

This is a big deal - that combo is available from Onyx, but you need to contact them directly. It’s nice Riv has a semi-exclusive. If you want a cool color (or black) Analog can hook you up as well in the same size. 

The Onyx really is nice. I have a soft spot for fancy hubs going back to my WTB Grease Guards, and King/Bontrager radial wheels. When I first wanted an Onyx hub, I bought the parts for a Chris King / CR-18 wheelset AND a used SON/CR-18 dynamo wheel for about the same cost. The next time, for a different bike, I bought a used White Industries / Dyad wheelset for about the cost of an Onyx wheel if I built it myself.

Finally I bought the Onyx. It’s silent. I hear people’s hubs in YouTube stories and say, “What the hell is that noise? Oh right.” It has near-instant engagement which I like after decades of fixed gear riding. It has a “soft” engagement as you pedal forward where my WI clashes sometime going from buzzy coasting to engaged. With very little pedal movement even in low gears, it’s easier to start on a hill in rough ground, and it’s easier to ratchet the pedals to clear an obstacle on the trail while climbing without losing momentum. And it’s silent.

After riding the Onyx for about a year, I sold the King wheelset I built, and I’m giving the White Industries the side eye, figuring how much its sale would offset the cost of a silver Onyx from Riv. 

Philip

Sonoma County, Calif 

[S. Greco]

There is really nothing finer than a silent (or at least notably quiet) hub.

I usually ride White Industries rear hubs but recently built up a wheel set with them and was reminded just how noisy they can be when new.
This Onyx sounds like a winner.

[lconley]

Too bad they only come in maximum 32 hole, that is a deal breaker for me, until I lose some weight. Not that I need  any new hubs.

Laing

36, 40 and 48 hole hubs

[Richard Rose]

Discounting the engagement issue, my Clem came with humble Deore hubs. Completely silent. I have been riding semi “buzzy” hubs for so long I had no idea. What a welcome surprise.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 25, 2022, at 10:08 AM, lconley <lco...@brph.com> wrote:

Too bad they only come in maximum 32 hole, that is a deal breaker for me, until I lose some weight. Not that I need  any new hubs.

Laing

36, 40 and 48 hole hubs

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/59ebef3d-149f-4ea0-895a-8c83d9960816n%40googlegroups.com.

[Joe Bernard]

The price of the Onyx is slightly mind boggling, but I gotta admit the silence is worth some money. I have a Riv custom with WI hub and I thought the buzzy sound would be neat but it can be irritating. I recently picked up a bike with a Rohloff Speedhub (also spendy!) and MUCH prefer how quiet it is. 

Joe Bernard

[Patrick Moore]

The only sound nicer than a quiet fw is the sedate "tick...tick..tick" of overdriven pawls in gears 2 and 3 on Sturmey Archer hubs.

On Tue, Jan 25, 2022 at 9:29 AM Richard Rose <rmro...@gmail.com> wrote:

... my Clem came with humble Deore hubs. Completely silent. I have been riding semi “buzzy” hubs for so long I had no idea. What a welcome surprise.

[Nick Payne]

From looking at the Riv website, they show the newer model Onyx Vesper hubs, which are lighter and have smaller narrower sprags than their original models. However, I have seen a few messages on various MTB forums from users who have had problems with these newer hubs. I've had a pair of the older model hubs for several years, and no problems with them.

I believe that Onyz do still sell the original model hub as well as the new one.

Nick