Reasons to avoid and-or buy the Spank Hex Drive Hub (102T).

[javimic]

Hi! After weeks of use, this is my personal opinion. This is not the best hub I have ever owned. This comparison also involves Hope Pro 4 and Hope Pro 5. Reasons to buy: Reasonable price (u$s 249.-), sturdy construction, no skips in 2 months of use and minimal drag. When you touch it you can notice the impressive construction, stronger than Hope. Before this Spank hub I had a bad experience with 2 Hope pro 4 hubs and 1 Pro 5. Lots of skips and finally total sadness. On the other hand, the Hope warranty is solid if you buy from a trusted store (Tartybikes).
Reasons to avoid: It has a lot of play until the pawl engages with the ratchet, at least a lot more play than the Hope Pro 4 (88 engagements points

 

 

) or the Hope Pro 5 hub (108ep). I'm uploading a video for you to see the play. Even I was using a Jitsie Freewheel 18t (108ep) and it was quicker to engage and transmit power in a pedal kick.
Feel free to tell me if I'm exaggerating!

[Daan]

If it has slower engagement than a Pro 4, the pawls must not be engaging properly, and it's defective. Or your memory is off

Hex has 102 engagement points, Pro 4 SS only 88. I have them here side by side and the difference is noticeable if you look for it (in practice, not so much).

Edited yesterday at 05:44 AM by Daan

[basstrials]

I have same one on my Cannondale and there is none issue like this.Maybe it is bad luck with or it is not suitable for trial use,who knows.Do you checked pawls and springs out?

Edited yesterday at 06:28 AM by basstrials

[javimic]

14 hours ago, basstrials said:

I have same one on my Cannondale and there is none issue like this.Maybe it is bad luck with or it is not suitable for trial use,who knows.Do you checked pawls and springs out?

For a MTB it would be perfect. For trials I'm not saying it's not good, I just like it less than the Hopes in this regard. But I have never tried an i9…. soon! 

[javimic]

15 hours ago, Daan said:

…..

Hex has 102 engagement points, Pro 4 SS only 88. I have them here side by side and the difference is noticeable if you look for it (in practice, not so much).

As I recently turned 47, anything is possible! 🤪 However, the hub is working properly and  it can be used for trials but the engagement is slower than the Hopes. Despite the 102 ep against the 88    ep of Pro4. Total darkness….

[La Bourde]

Thank you for the feedback - this hub is as you said a good alternative to Hope, at least on paper.

Did you check the chain tension? Did you check nothing is loose?

The profile of teeth and the overall stiffness of the system play a role in the feeling. Some systems may have many engagement points, but until their teeth are really locked and the whole power could be transmitted, a dead or a spongy response coud be felt due to the play of flex of the system. So even with the same number of engagement points, two different freewheels can have a different feeling (e.g. hub with "instant engagement" like the Onyx, that uses a sprag clutch or trapped roller design may feel quite spongy)
In addition do not forget, that the difference between the Hope pro IV SS freewheel with 88 p.o.e. and the Pro IV with 108 p.o.e. (20 p.o.e. but 4,09° - 3,33°= 0,76° ) is less than between a freewheel with 72 p.o.e. and another with 88 (16 p.o.e, but 5° - 4,09°  = 0,91°)
I have a freewheel with 120 p.o.e. and another one with 135 and the difference is liminal.

But considering the answers of Daan and basstrials, I assume your freewheel is defective.

Edited 20 hours ago by La Bourde

[SergeL]

I had "slow engage" issue with my old freewheel. Turned out pawls were badly worn around pivoting part and they easily got out from sockets. You should check hub's internals unless it's too late.