Sondors Cruiser Rear Hub Issues and Solutions

[PedalUma]

Hi,
There have been reports of problems with the rear hubs of Sondors Cruisers. Can anyone else confirm this? What solutions did you come up with? I went with a DT-Swiss rim, XD hub, Alpine spokes, and GX shifter, cassette and derailleur. And a real 12mm boost through axle. The cassette is 9-42 tooth. XD allows for a 9-tooth cog but I would not recommend using it much with this powerful motor because only 4 teeth are in contact with the chain. That is a lot of concentrated force! Feeding the shift cable through the gear sensor only takes special tools and half-a-day in the bottom the Pit of Despair under the battery. The GX cassette is both splined and screws in.

 

[m@Robertson]

I would not have done the XD cassette body. As you say you can never use the 9T cog, which to my mind is the only reason to switch to SRAM bodies. I do have two bikes with SRAM 11s and they are both stellar, but for both I used steel Sunrace CSMS7 clusters, along with a DT350 hub upgraded to steel cassette body and the Hybrid cassette ratchet. I see you used the HX531 rim. I assume cuz you bought the wheel pre-built? I have settled on the FR 560 which is DT's strongest (downhill) rim. I have them in 29er size and 26". I literally just took delivery of a FR560 wheel for a project that will keep me busy for the rest of this year. Sapim Strong spokes, brass nipples. DT 350 142x12, 24T ratchet, I'll add the steel Shimano cassette body from my stockpile. Its getting a Microshift Advent 11-46T 9s cassette. I could have gone with AdventX and done a 11-46T steelie, but then I couldn't use the 9s Box 2 XWide with its 50T capacity - I love that uber cage to let me wrap lots of chain.

This latest wheel I had to go to wheelbuilder.com again as even I couldn't find the 350 Mtn hub anywhere. I've gone as far as the UK and Poland in the past to scrounge them up. But nothing out there now. Gave my LBS first crack and they gave up.

 

[PedalUma]

Some of this was just what I could find and make happen now for an otherwise loved, but useless bike. I want it to be serviceable and functional. I had the LBS cut the spokes and lace it. If I wait for perfection it never comes. Really good now is good enough. The bike was shifting by itself. I drilled the dropouts for the 12mm thru axle moments ago.

 

[PedalUma]

The front wheel warped due to fatigue at the valve hole. It was going to break and taco at speed. I installed a nice WTB wheel (made in Michigan with DT Swiss spokes) with a Shimano center lock 180 disc. The rear tire was de-laminating. So, I installed Schwalbe Super Moto X tires with Stan's tubeless sealant inside the tubes. The black wall tires look so much better than the original white walls.

 

[Cuz Vinny]

The Bafang Ultra motor is brutal with all that torque. I have a WW Hydra with 3000W and I know at some point it’s going to mangle the SunRingle hub that came with the bike. The only reason it hasn’t yet is because I baby the bike.

 

[PedalUma]

I baby the bike

It is good to baby the bike. Leave the extra torque in reserve just incase you get chased by a mountain lion. Now I am working on a Rockstar.

Former Denver Bronco player kills mountain lion with bow and arrow

Former NFL defensive tackle player Derek Wolfe said he killed a mountain lion with a bow and arrow after it was "wreaking havoc" in a neighborhood.

www.ktvq.com