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Messages - Jason_BladeX

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 11, 2026, 10:47:12 AM »
Hi,

Actually, you won't need to service the hub as long as no dust or water gets into the internals — you probably just need to open it up regularly to check for dust.

I think you describe the sound of the hubs accurately, and in a very interesting way. I've compared several hubs side by side — DT Swiss 350, 240, Elitewheels, H-Works and others. DT Swiss and H-Works sound similar: their tone is lower and deeper. The Elitewheels hubs really do sound like "screaming." It might not be proper to say this, but I personally like the sound of H-Works' traditional ratchet system.




Quote from: miwe35 on September 11, 2026, 02:21:17 AM
Hey,
until now I have just opened the hub in May after Traka. I put new grease into the hubs. But usually I do not service them often. I have nerver serviced my DT Swiss 350 hub for my MTB and it still runs like on day one.

Getting used to the sound takes a bit of time. When I ride with friends they always complain that they are too loud. I would say it is okay if you get used to, but the hub is more kind of a louder hub. I would say the sound is comparable to a DT Swiss 240 but as a "cheap version". The DT has a kind of "crisp" sound and on the other hand the Elite hub has more kind of an "screaming" sound. It is hard to describe but I would say the DT Swiss 240 hubs are loud but the sound is a unique "good" sound, almost like a sign of quality, whereas the Elite Hubs are just loud...

Yeah you can contact and ask me anytime!!

Kind regards
Miwe

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 10, 2026, 10:02:09 AM »
Hi, thanks for sharing — good to see that. It's probably the first feedback on Elitewheels hubs; I was expecting to see more, since they have a larger presence in the market.

Can I ask a couple of things?

1. How often do you service the hub?

2. Do you like the sound of the hub?

Regarding the testing, I'll send you a private message — please have a look when you get a chance.

Quote from: miwe35 on September 10, 2026, 02:13:08 AM
Hey,
I am riding the Elitewheels Edge 3.0 all year long. I have had no issues with these wheels. Once a spoke loosened but nothing with the hub itself.
Since this year I use the Edge 3.0 for every condition like long hard gravel roads (f.e. Traka 560) and also for other long distance races on gravel or road. I would say this year around 8000km just on the Elite husb and no problems at all.
I am a tall rider 193 cm with around 92kg.

I would be interested into testing a wheelset, please let me know if I can help you somehow.

Best regards
miwe

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 10, 2026, 09:43:41 AM »
I'm considering using the SR308 for our future gravel wheelset. H-Works said the HW321 is built to last， you can pass it on to your grandson， but it's pretty heavy in today's market.

And yes, I think the traditional ratchet system would be easier to service. Sound is another factor, though，H-Works sounds more like DT Swiss. The Elitewheels hub is much louder and sharper than H-Works. Elitewheels' hub supplier said this is due to their hub design: the ratchet directly contacts the hub body, so it can't be changed.

I'm not sure if I've got this right, but a rider who likes a quiet hub usually dislikes a loud one, whereas a rider who likes a loud hub should also be fine with a quieter one. So a quiet hub is probably the safer choice for most riders, right?

Quote from: Sander2177 on September 09, 2026, 11:19:55 AM

Yep H-Works have 3 steel spoke gravel/road  hubs

I remember the video H-Works sent me of them submerging the hub in water leaving it for a period of time cannot remember how long and then removing end caps etc to show they were still dry not super scientific but good enough for me I’m contemplating and other winter wheels build I will probably use this hub again if I do.

SR318 24/24 spoke 290g
SR330 24/24 spoke 326g
SR308 28/28 spoke 301g
And they also have now a carbon spoke hub HW321 21/21 336g 2:1 laced.


All I know is I was speaking to someone yesterday and they mentioned Elite hubs use a conical ratchet where H-Works use the more traditional ratchet which would I imagine be easier to service if people are concerned with that.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 10, 2026, 04:23:14 AM »
Oh thanks, sealing performance is definitely something we need to consider, given all the wet and muddy conditions out there.

I'll also check with the H-Works guys. Carol from H-Works mentioned that they take sealing into account when choosing bearing types.

I actually sent a wheelset to Sander2177 for long-term testing. He owns so many wheelsets that his feedback as a rider carries real weight. He was the one who found the bearing issue, so once the hub model is finalized, I think I'll send him a new wheelset to test.


Quote from: gribs on September 09, 2026, 10:20:53 AM
I'm guessing from their naming conventions they're just a slightly heavier version. Sander2177 on here had had them suggested as a well sealed unit for British winter so I copied his build. They appear to be as well built and sealed as the Hope or DT Swiss hubs I have on my mountain bikes.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 10, 2026, 04:04:09 AM »
Thanks for confirming – M330 at ~95kg system weight is good data for us to know.

I'd actually be keen to see how those hubs hold up long-term  8), so if you wouldn't mind, please keep us updated here if anything happens (or doesn't!) down the line.

Cheers!

Quote from: aerog33k on September 09, 2026, 08:27:07 AM
Yes you are right, I should probably give the hubs some love. I mostly focus on my road setup so the MTB tends to get left without much care  ;D
It is indeed the M330 and my system weight is around 95 kg.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 09, 2026, 08:24:46 AM »
Hi, is the SR318 a similar model to the SR308 on their website? A gravel model? It's on our list as well. Looking forward to more updates from you in the future if you'd be willing to share :)

Muddier races will be a tough test for the hubs – definitely curious to see how they hold up!


Quote from: gribs on September 09, 2026, 07:05:46 AM
I've got H-Works SR318 hubs with CX-ray spokes which were built into a wheelset last October by Zen that are still running perfectly after ~3k km for UK road miles. I'm ~100kg. I'm considering using them for cyclocross this winter for the muddier races.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 09, 2026, 08:16:12 AM »
Hi, thanks for sharing – that's an impressive track record across so many brands.

Regarding your question: the failure was on a prototype from a new hub supplier. We've worked with DT Swiss and Taiwan-based hub manufacturers for years, but this new one was meant for our carbon-spoke build. The issue was a bearing defect on the prototype wheels, which caused wheel play after installation on the frame. The supplier claimed it was a bearing defect specific to that batch.

This experience really made me realize how critical supplier reliability is – quality control matters just as much as hub design. At this point, I'd prefer to work with OEM factories that already have large volume real-world deployments and proven reliability. That's why I've narrowed it down to the two main hub suppliers in China. I've also visited H-Works' factory, and their quality control seems quite precise. Still, I want to hear from end users before committing – firsthand data is the best data.






Quote from: aerog33k on September 09, 2026, 05:43:49 AM
I've ran H-works hubs with CX-ray on my XC mtb and they've been great, I have used them for everything between gravel to even some downhill tracks. Had them for 3 years (although I primarily use my road bike), haven't serviced the hubs at all and I have no complaints.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 09, 2026, 06:48:13 AM »
Appreciate the feedback – 3 years without maintenance is tough on hubs :)

If I may ask, which model were you running? Was it the M330? Also, what's your system weight roughly?

Quote from: aerog33k on September 09, 2026, 05:43:49 AM
I've ran H-works hubs with CX-ray on my XC mtb and they've been great, I have used them for everything between gravel to even some downhill tracks. Had them for 3 years (although I primarily use my road bike), haven't serviced the hubs at all and I have no complaints.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / H-Works vs. Elitewheels Hubs | Seeking Long-Term Feedback & Heavy Rider Testers
« on: September 09, 2026, 04:53:11 AM »
We're in the process of selecting a new hub supplier for our wheelsets (current hubs failed during testing) and have shortlisted two candidates: H-Works and Elitewheels' supplier hubs. Looking for real-world feedback before committing.

Questions for the community:

Has anyone used H-Works hubs long-term? How's the reliability?

Has anyone used Elitewheels' carbon-spoke hubs? How do they hold up?

Any other Chinese OEM hub manufacturers you'd recommend we evaluate?

Appreciate any feedback, especially from heavier riders putting down high watts.


The Plan & Tester Call:
Once we finalize the hub choice and complete the build, we'll conduct a simulated road test. After that, we're looking for a long-term tester with the following criteria:

Rider weight 90kg+

High sustained power output

Willing to log ~500km/month on these wheels

Location: Preferably USA/EU/UK, but open to others.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: BladeX: 15 Years of Carbon Wheel Manufacturing, Now Building Wheels for Riders
« on: September 03, 2026, 06:29:03 AM »
I have contacted the person from THR hubs. Their hubs look great in appearance and have a high quality feel, with an appearance similar to Chris King. Can I ask how many km it has been ridden on your bike?

Quote from: Dark17 on September 02, 2026, 02:04:26 AM
Have you checked THRIndustries? Their R2 hubs is actually good. I have them on my wheelset atm from DFS and it's pretty solid

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: BladeX: 15 Years of Carbon Wheel Manufacturing, Now Building Wheels for Riders
« on: September 02, 2026, 02:30:14 AM »
Hi, thanks for sharing! I'm not familiar with this name, and I googled it, it looks like they're based in Taiwan?

Quote from: Dark17 on September 02, 2026, 02:04:26 AM
Have you checked THRIndustries? Their R2 hubs is actually good. I have them on my wheelset atm from DFS and it's pretty solid

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Evaluating new hub suppliers for BladeX – H-Works factory visit & community feed
« on: September 02, 2026, 01:36:53 AM »
(My primary language is Chinese and my English isn't particularly strong, so I sometimes use AI/translation tools to help me communicate clearly in English. The technical information and opinions are my own.)

Hi everyone,

I'd like to share some updates regarding hub supplier evaluation for future BladeX wheels, and ask for your real‑world feedback.

I've been disconnected from the end market for years because I've been focused on OEM work. I'm eager to reconnect with the end‑user community, so any suggestions you may have are very welcome. All input will be taken into serious consideration.

Over the years we have worked with DT Swiss and Taiwan‑based hub manufacturers, and we rarely ran into hub‑related problems. But following the earlier bearing‑related issues we encountered, I've been reassessing our hub suppliers.

This experience has made me realize how critical supplier reliability really is. Quality control matters as much as hub design itself.

So we need to be extremely careful when selecting our next hub partner. My current preference is to work with OEM factories that already have large‑volume real‑world deployments and proven reliability.

H‑Works seems to has a strong reputation among riders, and their facility is geographically close to us. So I reached out to Carol and arranged a factory visit.

Here are several things I would like to share from my visit:

1. H-works have a full range of CNC machinery and testing machines. They also have wheel road‑test machines to test hub performance when built into wheels.

2. Carol explained their internal production approach for bearings: they machine dedicated hub bodies and control the bearing seats matched to the exact specification of ceramic or steel bearings they use for each build.

3. On the topic of titanium hubs, which some riders are curious about: Carol told me they have produced Ti hub samples in the past, though there are notable drawbacks:
- CNC machining speed is very low; one machine can only produce around 10 pieces per day.
- Titanium swarf created during CNC machining can present a fire risk, so the machining process requires careful monitoring, something I had not anticipated.

4. For their sub-220g ultra-light hubs, they are keeping production tightly constrained and actively gathering real-world rider feedback before wider release.

I also toured another pure play OEM factory that supplies hubs for Elitewheels. This manufacturer does not sell direct to consumers, so it is not widely known within enthusiast circles.

I would love to hear your real‑world experience:

- Has anyone here used H‑Works hubs long‑term?
- How has reliability been?
- Has anyone used the carbon‑spoke hubs from Elitewheels?
- Are there other Chinese OEM hub manufacturers you would recommend I evaluate?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: BladeX: 15 Years of Carbon Wheel Manufacturing, Now Building Wheels for Riders
« on: August 20, 2026, 07:34:13 AM »
Let's address what happened with the bearings. First off, like most wheel makers, we don't manufacture our own hubs — that's a completely different engineering specialization.

Initially, the hubsets were designed with steel bearings, which worked great. However, there's always market demand for ceramic options, so I wanted to run some tests to see how they'd perform. I asked our supplier to make samples using TPI ceramic bearings, specifically requesting TPI because they have a great track record in DT Swiss hubs.

We built and tested those wheels, and initially they felt solid. But when Stephen received his test wheelset, he noticed some play in the hubs. I immediately suspected a bearing tolerance issue, something I've actually run into a couple of times with newly launched DT Swiss 240 EXP hubs in the past. When I pressed the supplier, they admitted the entire batch of TPI bearings they received had the same defect.

Looking back, it boils down to two problems:

1, that specific batch of TPI bearings had quality/tolerance defects.
2, the supplier installed the wrong bearings in that batch without flagging it themselves.

Stuff like this happens during new product development. That's exactly why I wanted to share this process openly, most end-users only ever see the polished final product, but the messy trial-and-error behind the scenes is where the real engineering happens.

Quote from: Sander2177 on August 19, 2026, 01:03:10 PM
It was around 2mm of movement at the rim, so we’re not talking about the wheel moving around massively.

The way I noticed it was once the wheels were fully mounted on the bike. I always grab the top of the wheel and physically rock it from side to side to check for any play. That’s when I could feel it.

If the wheel was simply mounted in a truing stand and spun to check radial/lateral true, I honestly don’t know whether you’d notice it. Even when moving the wheel around off the bike, the play wasn’t particularly obvious unless you were specifically looking for it.

I’m also not sure how reasonable it would be to expect a wheel builder to check that their hub supplier had fitted a bearing with the wrong internal diameter by 1mm. The explanation I was subsequently given was that a 14mm ID bearing had been fitted where the hub required a 15mm ID bearing.

Once the correct bearings were fitted, the play disappeared and the wheels remained true, so thankfully it was a relatively straightforward fix.

Obviously, if I’d purchased the wheels myself I’d have approached it in much the same way. A problem isn’t ideal, but if the company identifies it, supplies the correct parts and covers the cost of putting it right, I’m personally fairly reasonable about these things. Jason had also made it clear that if the bearings didn’t resolve it, the wheels would have needed to go back.

Thankfully that wasn’t necessary and the replacement bearings solved it.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: BladeX: 15 Years of Carbon Wheel Manufacturing, Now Building Wheels for Riders
« on: August 20, 2026, 06:44:46 AM »
Thanks for your detailed feedback, Stephen — this is actually where I first came across it.

I guess this is exactly the value of real-world testing by end riders. Even though we do lab tests — impact tests, fatigue testing, stiffness measurements — how a wheel actually feels on the road is just as important. Plus, real riding often surfaces issues we missed, or new ones we hadn't considered.

Before we deliver the final products, all of this feedback helps make them more reliable. Either way, we'll always stand behind our products and take responsibility when something goes wrong.

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Road Bike Frames, Wheels & Components / Re: BladeX: 15 Years of Carbon Wheel Manufacturing, Now Building Wheels for Riders
« on: June 29, 2026, 08:02:35 AM »
Thanks! I’m glad you liked the content.

As for the new project, it’s still in the early stages. The 3D modeling and initial CFD data look promising, but to clarify, it’s not a wavy rim profile. Instead of just trying to 'cheat' the wind like traditional rim shapes, we're experimenting with an integrated windmill-inspired geometry. The goal is to use the rim surface itself to create a pressure differential that potentially turns crosswinds into a source of positive torque.

I’m currently debating how much detail I should share at this point, but I really like the idea of turning this into an 'Open R&D' project. There’s something special about designing with the community's input rather than just dropping a finished product later.

Let me refine a few things on our end, and I'll see what I can share soon.


Quote from: Joe45 on June 28, 2026, 12:52:51 PM


Great thanks for the videos super interesting stuff.
Well the new product certainly sounds interesting.
Can you share anything yet? When do you hole to have it ready yet?
Is it like one of these wavy profile wheels?

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