Originally Posted by
Steve_sr
I looked at CK and they seem to be built like a swiss watch but with a lot of proprietary parts. How is the freehub sealed to the hub?
All proprietary parts but far more durable then most hubs. Failures are incredibly few and far between and the only ones I've seen were flange failures that were more likely due to improper wheel builds. Never heard of the freehub mechanism failing. The freehub as a seal at the drive end that keeps the roller bearings clean and there's an O-ring, a plastic seal and the cartridge bearing which has a robust seal at the hub end.
Originally Posted by
Steve_sr
I am surprised there is no mention of DT Swiss. Are they not popular any more?
Just as good as CK or WI, only problem is they cost as much as CK or WI and don't come in nearly as many colors. They use a similar design, though not exactly the same as CK, for the freehub which doesn't use pawls. The design allows for fast engagement that won't slip ever. They had some issues with bearings early on and they didn't offer as many engagement points until much more recently being more road oriented at the beginning. I think these ended up being turn offs not to mention, the lack of colors at boutique pricing. Find a pair on sale and you won't go wrong with them.