148mm Boost hubs & Boost Cranksets

[Spoked Wheels]

After nearly 3 years and health issues, I'm well enough to resume my project do it all bike....
I've gone for the Hope Pro 4 148mm Boost rear hub. It's recommended to pair it with a boost chankset..... I have read comments that you can still run the hub with a standard crankset without issues.... any experience of this from our members here.

I'm not one to follow some recommendations so I will try with a non boost 9 speed crankset first. In the past, I've ignored recomendations for derailleurs and with good results.

Boost cranksets come in 11 speed and I don't want to run 11 speed, 10 would be at a push and 9 speeds would be my choice.

I know about the Super Boost hubs at 158mm but the frame I bought ,Surly Ogre, doesn't take the new Super Boost and at the moment I think 148mm hubs would be sufficient for the very strong wheels I am going to build for my new bike.

Why 9 speeds only? With a big enough cassette, that's all I need and it's definitely more durable than 10, 11,12, etc lol besides it saves money.

 

[Sharky]

After nearly 3 years and health issues, I'm well enough to resume my project do it all bike....
I've gone for the Hope Pro 4 148mm Boost rear hub. It's recommended to pair it with a boost chankset..... I have read comments that you can still run the hub with a standard crankset without issues.... any experience of this from our members here.

I'm not one to follow some recommendations so I will try with a non boost 9 speed crankset first. In the past, I've ignored recomendations for derailleurs and with good results.

Boost cranksets come in 11 speed and I don't want to run 11 speed, 10 would be at a push and 9 speeds would be my choice.

I know about the Super Boost hubs at 158mm but the frame I bought ,Surly Ogre, doesn't take the new Super Boost and at the moment I think 148mm hubs would be sufficient for the very strong wheels I am going to build for my new bike.

Why 9 speeds only? With a big enough cassette, that's all I need and it's definitely more durable than 10, 11,12, etc lol besides it saves money.

MTB technology is lost on me, but just came across this
https://www.oneupcomponents.com/pag...or-optimal-1x-conversions-boost-and-non-boost
which is explaining the use of shims to get the correct chain alignment. Might help with using a narrower BB/chainset?

 

[Threevok]

Can I ask why you are using boost hubs at all ?

Normal Pro 4's are strong enough anyway (unless you are building a fatty)

 

[Spoked Wheels]

MTB technology is lost on me, but just came across this
https://www.oneupcomponents.com/pag...or-optimal-1x-conversions-boost-and-non-boost
which is explaining the use of shims to get the correct chain alignment. Might help with using a narrower BB/chainset?

That looks interesting, thank you for that.

Can I ask why you are using boost hubs at all ?

Normal Pro 4's are strong enough anyway (unless you are building a fatty)

I don't really wish to start a debate but I'll give you a couple of reasons:

1 - I'm going to be doing some loaded touring, carrying my wife stuff too lol
2- I'll be using 29" wheels
3- Hub is 11 speed compatible
4- Durability is important to me
5- I'm a wheel builder and I think I've seen enough to want to use the extra width with this bike, the Boost hub will allow me to put enough tension on the NDS spokes to carry me and a heavy load.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

Right, the bike is built with a Hope pro4 148mm Boost and a non boost crankset. I've been for a 10 miles test ride and all work well. If there is any issue at all is the cassette range is very well defined for every chain ring, in other words when you attempt to go big chain ring with a high gear you will know that, more than in a standard drive system.

Benefits of a boost hub? I'm not really up to speed with larger tyres but I read that frames that take boost hubs offer more clearance for large tyres.... I've no tested that so I can't say anymore.

Now, as far as wheel stiffness is concerned there is definitely an advantage, IMHO, over the old 135mm and 142mm hubs on larger than 26" wheels. When the industry moved from 26" to 29er or even 27.5" wheels with 135mm O.L.D. the spokes brasing angle got smaller and that can be noticeble as flexing on 29er under a heavy load. Maybe this issue is more important to me because I get asked time and time again, what is the least number of spokes I can get away before my wheel will flex? You always want to say 20 or 24 but some people, including me need quite a few more spokes and if you are touring on these wheels then you need wheels that can take the load. So, the Boost hubs bring back the brasing angle to more or less what we had on 26" wheels and with that more stiffness.

Building my wheels brought a big smile to my face, the spoke tension difference between the drive and non drive side is very small, comporable to internal hub gears.

Here is a picture of her... I named her black beauty ... yeah I know, very original lol.