157 vs. 148 Mountain Bike rear hub - modeling shows over 65% strength increase w/ compliance galore

(https://www.instagram.com/postmillenniumrenaissance/)
(x.com/MTBRENAISSANCE)

link to this video: bit.ly/157or148

157mm rear hub spacing is commonly seen on modern downhill mountain bikes such as the Trek Session, Propain Rage and the Santa Cruz V10. It's not only common to see this spacing on DH bikes, it's also uncontroversial.

Several brands offer trail, enduro and e-MTBs using the 157 rear hub spacing. Pivot, Evil and Knolly are a few examples. However, the vast majority of high end trail enduro and eMTB's are spec'd with standard boost 12 x 148mm rear hub spacing.

Where are the studies that compare these two rear hub standards and transparently - and unemotionally report the differences? In this follow up, we have a mathematical framework we use as clues to answer this question. The results of the modeling appear promising, but field and lab testing is needed.

With e-bikes (often weighing 45-55lbs) and increasingly rowdy bike parks (where riders often bring their enduro, trail and eMTB's) this data point is very important and conspicuously absent from any MTB forum, article, podcast I can locate.

selection of 157mm hub spacing articles:

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/sites/default/files/downloads/article/Pivot_Super%20Boost%20Plus_INTL.pdf
https://www.patrolmountain.com/what-is-super-boost-and-3-ways-it-makes-a-better-mtb/
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/burning-question-is-super-boost-157-spacing-going-to-become-the-new-standard.html
https://nsmb.com/articles/were-being-slowly-boiled-super-boost/
https://nsmb.com/articles/super-boost-plus-better/
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/knolly-moves-entire-lineup-to-157mm-spacing-157trail.html
https://knollybikes.com/pages/tech-157trail

Nox wheel links:
https://www.noxcomposites.com/wheel_building
https://www.noxcomposites.com/sites/default/files/offset-comparison.png

Examples of “in house” testing
https://www.dtswiss.com/en/innovations/performance-test-center
https://www.mavic.com/en-us/c/lab-tests
https://www.elite-wheels.com/product-testing/maximum-vertical-impact-of-the-wheel-to-failure/
https://us.huntbikewheels.com/blogs/news/inside-hunt-the-what-why-and-how-of-impact-testing

Matt Ford
School of Engineering and Technology at UW Tacoma
Matt Ford’s wheel simulator: https://bicyclewheel.info/

Matt Ford’s paper “bucking of the wheel”: https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Buckling_of_the_Bicycle_Wheel/3856134?file=6042069

Andrew Dressel, PhD
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
https://sites.uwm.edu/bike-motorcycle-lab/

Wheel Stiffness Test by Damon Rinard
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel_index.html

Wheel stiffness article:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/industry/debunking-wheel-stiffness/

Devinci Troy Reviews:
October 2018: (12 x 157 troy)
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/review-devinci-troy-carbon-29.html
November 2024: (12 x 148 troy)
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/field-test-devinci-troy-no-hidden-suprises.html

When 148 was introduced ~2014, the wider flanges were touted as a feature and benefit over the existing 142mm rear hub standard at the time.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/trek-remedy-29-carbon-penske-first-look.html

Hunt wheels: 55-60% of weight on the rear wheel https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/worry-wheelsets-weight-limit-287016

Examples of cycling industry addressing a problem with research and receipts (RE: Crank length)
https://kinesiology.calpoly.edu/bicycle-crank-length-—-go-short#
https://www.applemanbicycles.com/resources/crank-length-vs-power-cadence/
https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/the-benefits-of-reducing-your-crank-length/#:~:text=A shorter crank alone will,than power output can increase.
https://www.hopetech.com/webtop/modules/_repository/1/documents/EVO_155_foot_position.pdf
https://canfieldbikes.com/blogs/news/does-crank-length-matter-hardtail-party

Are enduro or e-bikes a reasonable application of 157 rear hubs?
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/burning-question-is-super-boost-157-spacing-going-to-become-the-new-standard.html
(See comments from: Craig Richey – Director of Marketing, Race Face & Easton Cycling)

Knolly blog posts makes a similar prediction RE: application of 157mm rear hubs (e-bikes) https://knollybikes.com/blogs/knews/talk-bike-nerdy-to-me-knollys-take-on-157trail-aka-superboost-axle-widths?_pos=6&_sid=2fdf51766&_ss=r

Chris King rear hub:
https://chrisking.com/collections/mtb/products/superboost-centerlock-rear
https://chrisking.com/collections/mtb/products/boost-centerlock-rear

Patrol Mountain:
https://www.patrolmountain.com/what-is-super-boost-and-3-ways-it-makes-a-better-mtb/

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