LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS

Mar 30, 15 10:50

Post #1 of 20 (4217 views)

I recently bought my first tri bike. I still plan to ride my road bike semi-regularly (couple times per month at the most).

I have a Powertap SL+ wheel. Both bikes are 10sp. My plan was to buy a second 10sp freehub to put my road cassette on. Then I should be able to swap the freehub body whenever I want to change bikes. Seems pretty simple to me and allows for swapping the wheel to be totally quick and painless. With two little kids, time is precious...

My LBS strongly recommended that I not go this route. He said it would be risky to swap the freehubs and that they're not meant to be removed. I was talking to him on the phone (I really just called to inquire about 10sp freehub availability) but from what I gathered he was concerned that the pawls (?) could be damaged. He was pretty adamant that changing the cassettes out would be much better.

This seems like BS to me. Thoughts? My thought is that he's either just wrong, or he's right that it can damage the pawls but the risk is so small that it should not be a concern.

Further question: I intend to upgrade my 10sp tri bike to 11sp Ultegra di2 in the next 6 months. Does it make sense to buy an 11sp freehub and mate my 10sp tri cassette to it? It seems like this should be doable with a spacer and (possibly?) a derailleur adjustment. Then when I upgrade I can put the new cassette on the 11sp freehub and leave the 10sp road cassette on my current 10sp freehub. Seems like this makes more sense if it will work because then I won't have an extra 10sp freehub that I don't need after I upgrade.

One further: if I ever have to upgrade my 2nd gen PT hub to a 3rd gen, will this cause me any problems?

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 10:57

Post #2 of 20 (4194 views)

Does the SL+hub have the easily removable free hub like the G3 does? I don't think so but could be mistaken in which case your LBS is correct.

jaretj

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [jaretj] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 11:20

Post #3 of 20 (4143 views)

Not a bike mechanic by any means, but it comes right out. How would I know for sure?

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 11:23

Post #4 of 20 (4134 views)

If simple and painless are your criteria, why wouldn't you just use the same cassette on each bike?

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 11:46

Post #5 of 20 (4092 views)

eloon wrote:

Not a bike mechanic by any means, but it comes right out. How would I know for sure?

It is fine to swap. The G2 and G3 powertaps use the exact same freehub bodies.

The worst you can do is lose a bit of grease or introduce a bit of dirt. But you can easily clean/regrease it.

But, I would wonder why not just use the same cassette on both bikes...

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 11:49

Post #6 of 20 (4085 views)

eloon wrote:

Not a bike mechanic by any means, but it comes right out. How would I know for sure?

I don't have a PT hub, but I had replaced the freehub on a Zipp and it's not something I would do on a regular basis. I think if you are not careful you could damage the pawls, especially if you are trying to do this quickly.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [mcmetal] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 12:41

Post #7 of 20 (4024 views)

Absolutely doable, not the way I would do it because it would be more expensive.
They are ment to be pulled out, thus the design.

If both bikes are 10 speed I don't see what you can't run the same cassette?

Zipp wheels are not the same...

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 12:48

Post #8 of 20 (4012 views)

If your time was really precious, you would just buy two powertap wheels if you want different cassettes on each bike. Swapping cassettes/freehubs for every ride sounds like a pain in the ass, even if easy.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [jackmott] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 13:33

Post #9 of 20 (3957 views)

My generation 2 hub did not have the easily removable freehub body like the G3 does.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [duvivr6] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 16:31

Post #10 of 20 (3856 views)

You guys are right. I'm a bicycle moron. I just looked the cassettes and thought that they must be pretty different. Turns out they're not that different after all (12-25 and 11-32) and the chainrings on both bikes are the same even. I rode the 12-25 tri bike cassette on the road bike today and it was fine. I'm sure there are some places where not having the easier gears would be an issue but it's flat enough around here not to be a problem. So... problem solved? Or rather, non-problem solved.

But when I do upgrade to 11sp it sounds like I can swap the freehub bodies for the two without much issue. Just make sure it's clean and greased?

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 19:37

Post #11 of 20 (3761 views)

I still don't see why you'd touch the freehub body when you could just swap the cassette (plus the 11speed->10 speed spacer) even after the upgrade.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 20:40

Post #12 of 20 (3705 views)

I swap freehub/cassettes all the time on my powertap wheel and it's totally fine. i have some bikes that are 10sp, and some that are 11. It's one of the really nice things about the powertap hub.

Anyway, I'm probably 100+ swaps in and no signs of any issues.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [jaretj] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 22:36

Post #13 of 20 (3665 views)

jaretj wrote:

My generation 2 hub did not have the easily removable freehub body like the G3 does.

I have an SL+ that has been in for an upgrade. I believe you get the easy swap freehub when you get the 15mm axle upgrade.
On some, the end bit is harder to pull than others.

I've got an 11 and a 10 freehub and swap as necessary when I go between 10 and 11 speed bikes. Is quick and easy.

Last edited by: android: Mar 30, 15 22:37

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [srr] [ In reply to ]

Mar 30, 15 23:09

Post #14 of 20 (3653 views)

srr wrote:

I still don't see why you'd touch the freehub body when you could just swap the cassette (plus the 11speed->10 speed spacer) even after the upgrade.

+1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5F56lmd9mE

Last edited by: windschatten: Mar 30, 15 23:10

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [android] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 4:14

Post #15 of 20 (3604 views)

After I had my G2 hub upgraded to G3 internals it had the easily removable freehub.

I think I got my G2 in one of the first years they were available.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [srr] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 5:59

Post #16 of 20 (3508 views)

srr wrote:

I still don't see why you'd touch the freehub body when you could just swap the cassette (plus the 11speed->10 speed spacer) even after the upgrade.

A lot of us bought these before 11spd came out so we had to buy an 11 spd freehub. So we have a 10 and an 11 freehub.
It's very convenient if you're putting the wheel onto a 10 speed bike to just pop that body and cassette back in.

I would not spend $100 just for an extra bodies, but I will certainly make use of the extra one now that I had to buy it.

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [eloon] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 6:27

Post #17 of 20 (3478 views)

eloon wrote:

Turns out they're not that different after all (12-25 and 11-32)

Hmm, you have an interesting definition of "not that different"
25 vs 32 is a significant difference when it comes to the largest cog on a cassette.
However, maybe you don't need anything bigger than 25, e.g., no steep hills to climb?

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [jackmott] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 6:36

Post #18 of 20 (3466 views)

But, I would wonder why not just use the same cassette on both bikes...

Yes!

Changing a cassette is a 2 minute job.

We do it all the time from wheel-set to wheel-set as needed based on various factors.

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [Fleck] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 7:24

Post #19 of 20 (3421 views)

No, no I mean, use the same cassette, on the same wheel, no changing anything.

But if you did want to change cassettes around all the time, changing the powertap freehub body is 2 *second* job. I think a lot of people in this thread aren't getting that =)

Fleck wrote:

But, I would wonder why not just use the same cassette on both bikes...

Yes!

Changing a cassette is a 2 minute job.

We do it all the time from wheel-set to wheel-set as needed based on various factors.

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Re: LBS Advice on Freehub Swapping: Legit or BS [jackmott] [ In reply to ]

Mar 31, 15 9:11

Post #20 of 20 (3357 views)

jackmott wrote:

But if you did want to change cassettes around all the time, changing the powertap freehub body is 2 *second* job. I think a lot of people in this thread aren't getting that =)

I have multiple freehubs for 1 powertap wheel because changing the freehub is so easy. Much easier than changing cassettes!! Plus you can hold the cassette w/a rag during the swap and you don't even get your hands dirty if you leave it on the freehub.

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