Hubdock: a better way to change a rear wheel?

They tried this back in the 60's this was done, known as Cinelli Bivalent hubs, but they never caught on. The front and rear wheels were even interchangeable.
Article:http://classicrendezvous.com/Italy/Cinelli/Cinelli_BiVal_B-Guide.htm

photos:http://classicrendezvous.com/Italy/Cinelli/Cinelli_parts.htm

Only one slight concern - If you fit "normal" rear wheel and fail to tighten quick release wheel will generally stay in place when weight applied to bike. However I'm not sure same applies here..........Do the two parts collapse and the wheel jam in the stays/brakes.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it does need to be mistake proof..........After all, punctures only happen when it's raining, dark and at the end of a tiring day.

I carry plastic gloves for such events......fraction of the cost.

Nicolai did something similar in MTB land a few years ago, but their system left the cassette attached and the disc attached too!

Has the system been tested in rain/mud?

I recently sent the team behind this hub an email, to highlight this story and hopefully to get them to interact with us about some of the concerns above.

I have just had an email back, I will add a couple of things.

There will be a mountain bike version put up next week. They will also be adding more rewards.

I will post back when I've had more contact. I will go through the comments above and form some of your concerns into questions to ask them.

Nice idea in theory but is removing a conventional rear wheel really enough of a faff to justify splashing out on a whole new hub? Maybe I'm unusually technically gifted (unlikely) but I find this a 30 second job at best. I won't be removing my R45's any time soon, kthxbye.

Looks like a great concept to me, and I have to say the idea of easily changing a drive side spoke is appealing. If the implimentation is good then I can't see why it wouldn't succeed. And Rob, also a great point about the use for discs. Now if only we had a concept that worked for the disc and cassette simultaneously...

Seems like a recipe for a bent axle to me. And god knows what happens when you bend an axle on a design like this.

If this is reliable it would be great for any spoke changes for long audaxes. I hope it does well. Good to see people going for it.

I think they've possibly missed a trick and, instead of applying the technology to the drive components, should apply it to disc brakes.

The problems I see with discs in the pro peleton come down largely to wheel changes. You need to change a wheel with one with the correct size disc. Changing the wheel results (usually) in disc rub. Set up has less margin for error than rim brakes.

Having the disc remain with the frame/fork and caliper would allow quick and easy disc brake wheel changes with no compatibility worries.

Rob

I hope Jan Heine won't mind me quoting from his excellent book ''The Golden Age of the Handbuilt Bicycle'' referring to a 1952 Rene Herse he says 'The hubs are equipped with Herse's special extra-large flanges. When the rear wheel is removed, the freewheel remains in the frame, so the rider avoids having to touch the chain when repairing a flat tyre.' Not much new under the sun is there?

I mainly run on tubulars in combination with Stan No tubes milk. So if I need to remove the wheel it is for packing the bike. Remember the steel frames with the little knob to hang the chain on to keep it tensioned? That helps and is all it takes from my point of view.

Regards,

Dr. Ko

'I think these guys have found a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.'

It certainly exists for the bloke trying to remove a rear wheel on the video.
Not for most of us, I'd think.

like the principle but it looks like it might be limited by having to work with existing standards. If it was possible to add an oversized axle a la MTB then I guess you could beef it up and alleviate any concerns over strength.

top marks for lateral thinking though.

I think one crucial factor is that you would need to get the hub for your rear wheel(s). Personally this seems like a hassle and cost that outweighs the benefit.

But the questions about the torque and stress on the cassette seem valid. The worst time this could fail you is when you're laying the power down in a sprint or a 30% climb.....and for that reason I'm out.

Nice idea, not sure if its a must have...

My solution: take a few plastic gloves in the saddle bag.

I'm with Crikey and mhtt on this one - it just seems to be adding an extra point of torsion and weakness to one of the most pressure-bearing points of the bike. If you get chainsuck or somehow mangle your rear derailleur in the rear wheel then I could see those sprockets shearing off, and you'll be left with a bike that's unrideable, rather than one that can be botched together.

I mean, is taking your back wheel off such a massive pain in the backside? I think these guys have found a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

there is no word about the driveside component of the hub, how it is bolted to the frame, how the cassette stays on, will it be secure enough to work with disc brakes?

This is a very good idea but it is not a new idea, I have seen british roadsters from the 1890s with it (Sunbeam I think). French Constructeurs used it also in the 40s and 50s. I wouldn't be surprised if it became standard. The sprocket/freewheel unit could be bolted onto the frame offering a very secure attachment for the motive power to be driven through.

We're fairly confident that this is going to catch on. Especially since we asked someone very much in the industry loop about it, and got a winkey smiley in return...

then why do they need kickstarter to fund it?

if any existing industry player liked the concept, then they would back it

neat idea but no way it could deal with the awesome amounts of torque I put out with my massive quads

great idea, would have made yesterdays bearing maintenance a lot easier!

Well now....

I'm not keen because the weak point in the system would seem to be the joint between the freewheel and the axle. Shimano moved their drive side bearings outwards when they introduced the cassette, creating a stronger, better supported axle arrangement.

I wonder how it would cope with a year or two of wear and bumpy roads? Or how introducing a compression joint would affect the whole rear triangle on a bike?

That video is possibly the worst bit of promotion I've ever seen; the rider in yellow has never ridden a bike before, and the grey baggy shirt?

As you've noted, rear wheel removal should be simple; small sprocket, undo quick release, bang top of tyre. Not unwind quick release until it falls apart...

Also got to be heavier...

So once these catch on, and the need to get intimate with the cassette regularly decreases, how long before some wag comes up with an aero cover for the drivetrain/casette?!

In fact, would the next step be tighter integration of the drivetrain and casette?

Lovely idea.