Lookie here what we got in for testing! The new Paul Component Engineering Disk RHUB 170 is designed for symmetrical fat-bikes with 170mm rear axle spacing. Made right here in the good ol’ US of A in Chico, California.
If you’ve been around mountain biking for any amount of time it is likely that you are familiar with Paul Price’s Paul Component Engineering and the sweet parts they’ve been making since 1989. As with all Paul parts this hub is a thing of beauty. Precision and attention to detail are immediately evident.
Paul chose to partner with Industry Nine, a North Carolina-based US maker of high-end hubs, for their freehub and I think that was a smart move. The Industry Nine free hub uses a unique 6-pawl engagement mechanism with a 60-tooth ratchet. By using a “phased system” 3 of the pawls are engaged at any given time resulting in 120 points of engagement just 3-degrees apart. For comparison, most standard free hubs have about a 20-degree engagement range. Instant power is what we are talking about here!
The freehub body is compatible with 10-speed cassettes from Shimano and SRAM as well as 8 and 9-speed cassettes common on fat-bike drivetrains. In addition, the disk mount is the ISO 6-bolt standard.
There are 4 bearings in the Paul RHUB, 3 sealed bearings for the Q/R axle and a 40mm bearing supporting the freehub.
The included instructions have information about Specifications and Adjustment as well as detailed Servicing of the Industry Nine freehub including conversion to a 3 pawl system that reduces noise and drag but changes the rotation before engagement to 6-degrees instead of the standard 3-degrees.
We will be building up the wheel using a Northpaw-S 47mm symmetrical rim and Sapim CX-Ray spokes just as soon as the spokes arrive.
I’ll also have a report on Paul’s front hubs that I’ve been using on my fat-bikes for a couple of years now. Depending on the bike, I’ve used both the front-specific Disk WHUB or the Disk WORD so we will cover both. Stay tuned!
Tech Info:
- Material: 6061 Aluminum
- Weight: 427g
- Finish: Anodized or Polished
- Anodized Color: Silver or Black
- Dimensions: Axle Spacing: 170mm
- Flange Diameter: ø 65mm
- Center to Drive Flange: 40mm
- Center to Non-Drive Flange: 35mm
- Spoke Holes: 32
$440 – Disk RHUB 170 in Black or Silver Anodized
$446 – Disk RHUB 170 in High Polished Silver
Please let there be a single speed version of this in the near future….
Use spacers. POOF! It’s a single speed.
Why you got to be harshing on me all the time Chuckly? I want to ride my bike with no option but one gear just to prove I’m as cool as you are. You are still my hero.
Up until now the biggest downfall of all the 170mm hubs has been the lame engagement, I think I spent a good 1/4 mile of wasted crank rotation at the Wausau 24 just waiting for my hub to engage! this will be especially helpful in the tech sections when running SS. this is going on the top of the Christmas wish list!
Finished weight with Sapim CX-Ray spokes, 12mm Brass Nipples and the Northpaw-S 47mm rim is 1149g. Now to make the Hüsker Dü tubeless as we will be ready to ride!
What about support for SRAM’s new 1×11 freehub?