# Hub Flange Failure - check this one out



## Caravelle (Jul 6, 2005)

Various people have posted pictures on this forum, regarding their hub flange failures. I'm wondering how common these failures are. What's the numerator? The denominator? Are any particular models particularly prone to failure? Maybe we'll never know. Please comment. Can any manufacturers comment?

I walked into my garage and took my road bike down from its ceiling hooks for a spin. Then I noticed that the front wheel hub flanges had spontaneously ruptured, unwitnessed, evidently while the bike was just hanging there.

I noticed nothing unusual during the previous few rides.
The wheels are Bontrager Race X-Lites, with DT Swiss hubs.
Stock on 2002 Lemond Maillot Jaune.
Rider weight 150lbs. 1500-2000 miles/year on these wheels.
No crashes. Doubt the spokes were over-tightened. Never had any big truing issues.
The bike hangs upside down from the ceiling, like all my bikes (hooks under rims).


I'm really reluctant now to buy another Bontrager wheel. Of course, this might not be a rational response, but it's my response nonetheless.

Any comments?


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

Things don't happen spontaneously.


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## Caravelle (Jul 6, 2005)

rogger said:


> Things don't happen spontaneously.


Wow - that's deep.


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## username89 (Jul 31, 2007)

rogger said:


> Things don't happen spontaneously.


Except for bontrager hub flanges exploding.

We had a brand new trek in the shop once that, of course, had some bontrager wheels. One day we heard a loud ping noise, but couldn't find out where it came from until we pulled the bike out of the rack for a customer. Pretty much looks like the pictures.


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*On comment*



Caravelle said:


> Various people have posted pictures on this forum, regarding their hub flange failures. I'm wondering how common these failures are. What's the numerator? The denominator? Are any particular models particularly prone to failure? Maybe we'll never know. Please comment. Can any manufacturers comment?
> 
> I walked into my garage and took my road bike down from its ceiling hooks for a spin. Then I noticed that the front wheel hub flanges had spontaneously ruptured, unwitnessed, evidently while the bike was just hanging there
> 
> Any comments?


Maybe those hubs really weren't up to the task of radial spoking. This kind of failure is why many hubs void the warranty if radially spoked.


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## wankski (Jul 24, 2005)

f me, that is really scarey ! what if that happened on a low spoke front wheel while u were riding ! el taco !, then el splato !


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Kerry Irons said:


> Maybe those hubs really weren't up to the task of radial spoking. This kind of failure is why many hubs void the warranty if radially spoked.[/QUOTE
> 
> What about those shown here http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=104106
> 
> Were these hubs up to the task of ever spoking ?:cryin: Please excuse me, I am the owner of one of those wheels.


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## backinthesaddle (Nov 22, 2006)

Trek has issues with these wheels, front and rear. A guy I ride with just broke his rear Race X Lite Aero hub at the flange. Trek admitted the problem and sent him a whole new wheel. 

Warranty...FTW!


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## Caravelle (Jul 6, 2005)

*Kai Ming - did yours break while riding?*



kai-ming said:


> What about those shown here http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=104106


Did yours break while riding?


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## rgojr2001 (Dec 8, 2006)

The most troubling thing in my opinion is that these hubs are DT Swiss. I was considering having a custom set made w DT Swiss hubs until my girlfriend's rear hub on her race lite shredded on a ride.


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

Caravelle said:


> Did yours break while riding?


Don't know. I did go for a ride with the wheel before I found the failure. It did not go badly out of true, still rideable with no significant problem.


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

I've seen that happen to three different Bontrager wheels. Of those three one was the LBS shop owner's personal wheels (Race X Lite) and one was a shop employee's set (either the Race Lite Aero or Race X Lite Aero). Needless to say neither ride Bontrager wheels any more even though they were repaired under warranty. It seems like almost everyone that had their wheels out in our area either encountered the above hub issue or had chronic rim cracking problems. I was amazed that a manufacturerer would have some many identical issues over multiple models. It's not uncommon to hear of a random defect by any manufacturerer here and there but the high frequency of issues was really strange. I was in another Trek/Bontrager shop shooting the breeze with the owner and the wheel failure issue came up. He told me that they try to steer people away from Bontrager wheels when they decide to upgrade from the ones that come stock on their Treks. That there were other wheels out there that had as good or much better performance with higher and more predictible durability trends.


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## pina-gal (Dec 19, 2006)

i am currently using the aero xlites...i weigh 140lbs so no problem for me after 9months of riding about 15-20hrs a week...but there is this pinging sound from the rear wheel when i am using the lowest ratio during steep climbs...i always thought they were caused by the spokes flexing but now after all this pics, i am really uncomfortable with these wheels...

Caravelle did your rear wheel had this pinging sound as well?


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## Lectron (May 29, 2005)

Only flanges I've ever broke !

Bontrager "DT SWISS". Hmmm.... Don't seem to find any similar looking 
products on DT's site. Just might not be the same quality as a 240 and 340.


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## JimP (Dec 18, 2001)

*Seems the problem is not DT Swiss!*

From the Bontrager web site: Race X Lite - Uses same great performing Swiss Star Ratchet freehub internals on Bontrager designed hubshell.


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

pina-gal said:


> i am currently using the aero xlites...i weigh 140lbs so no problem for me after 9months of riding about 15-20hrs a week...but there is this pinging sound from the rear wheel when i am using the lowest ratio during steep climbs...i always thought they were caused by the spokes flexing but now after all this pics, i am really uncomfortable with these wheels...
> 
> Caravelle did your rear wheel had this pinging sound as well?


Check the around the rim where the drive side spokes are attached for small cracks. I had this happen at just under a year the first time and then within six months on the replacement rim.


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## Caravelle (Jul 6, 2005)

pina-gal said:


> i am currently using the aero xlites...i weigh 140lbs so no problem for me after 9months of riding about 15-20hrs a week...but there is this pinging sound from the rear wheel when i am using the lowest ratio during steep climbs...i always thought they were caused by the spokes flexing but now after all this pics, i am really uncomfortable with these wheels...
> 
> Caravelle did your rear wheel had this pinging sound as well?



Nope - I didn't hear any pinging or other sounds. My failed hub was a front hub, though.

Actually, after the flange failure up front, I carefully examined both wheels, and noticed that there were hairline cracks in the *rear* rim extending from multiple spoke holes. It's interesting that *tconrady* mentions that rim problems are also common with these wheels. My rear hub doesn't have any problems. But obviously, both these wheels are history.


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## kevbec (Mar 9, 2007)

Having worked at a bike shop, this is a problem that people who own these wheels run into. While it is more common for cracks to develop in the rim itself, there has also been an issue with the flange itself. I talked with a Trek rep this summer about it and whether they had fixed it with the release of the '08 Madone. He claimed that they have beefed up the rims and changed the flange around a bit. Should be better now, but for those of you out there with old bontrager wheels, that is just something that you have to watch out for. Definitely keep an eye on it and take it to your lbs and get them to help you with it.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

It looks to me like a common pull-out failure. I'm assuming this was the direction that the hook was located? Are you sure nobody was swinging from the bike? Like a child would?

BTW, this is as good an argument against radial spoking certain wheels as I've seen.


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## Rubber Lizard (May 10, 2007)

DT made the hubs according to Bontragers specifications, and there were many bad forgings. Not Bontragers fault, blame DT.


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## pina-gal (Dec 19, 2006)

Caravelle said:


> Nope - I didn't hear any pinging or other sounds. My failed hub was a front hub, though.
> 
> Actually, after the flange failure up front, I carefully examined both wheels, and noticed that there were hairline cracks in the *rear* rim extending from multiple spoke holes. It's interesting that *tconrady* mentions that rim problems are also common with these wheels. My rear hub doesn't have any problems. But obviously, both these wheels are history.


hmm thanks for the heads-up, think i will start saving up for a pair of fulcrums...


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## Todd_Fuller (Jan 22, 2004)

I had the exact same failure in my pair of Race X Lite wheels that came stock on my Madone. I'd probably ridden the wheels a few hundred miles before I built a new wheel and left those in the closet. After 2 yrs of abuse on the other set, I rebuilt them and in the process, pulled out the backup Race X Lite wheels. That's when I noticed the hub flange had broken! This was with NO riding, simply sitting in a closet! To Trek's credit though, they did replace the wheel at no cost to me.


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## CT Biker (Nov 11, 2007)

Just yesterday I found the exact same problem with my front wheel. I upgraded to the Race X Lites on my Trek 5200, but have not ridden this bike much because I have a Madone with the same wheels. Needless to say I was shocked to find the flange broken, especially since the bike was inactive and parked for months. I brought the wheel to my LBS and they are looking into the matter and will get back to me tomorrow.

Follow up: Trek replaced the wheel within only a few business days. The new wheel's hub is redesigned internally without the flanges and is apparently much stronger. Thank you to my LBS for their help and thank you to Trek and Bontrager for standing behind their product.


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

Caravelle said:


> Various people have posted pictures on this forum, regarding their hub flange failures. I'm wondering how common these failures are. What's the numerator? The denominator? Are any particular models particularly prone to failure? Maybe we'll never know. Please comment. Can any manufacturers comment?
> 
> I walked into my garage and took my road bike down from its ceiling hooks for a spin. Then I noticed that the front wheel hub flanges had spontaneously ruptured, unwitnessed, evidently while the bike was just hanging there.
> 
> ...


Same thing like this happened to my Rolf wheels and Trek took it back and gave me a new pair. They even replaced the front wheel that wasn't damaged. 
I'm surprised to find something like this happened to a light rider.....


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Caravelle said:


> Various people have posted pictures on this forum, regarding their hub flange failures. I'm wondering how common these failures are. What's the numerator? The denominator? Are any particular models particularly prone to failure? Maybe we'll never know. Please comment. Can any manufacturers comment?
> 
> I walked into my garage and took my road bike down from its ceiling hooks for a spin. Then I noticed that the front wheel hub flanges had spontaneously ruptured, unwitnessed, evidently while the bike was just hanging there.
> 
> ...


Another JRA story in the making? :blush2:


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## Eric_H (Feb 5, 2004)

*Cracked flange propagation*



Todd_Fuller said:


> I had the exact same failure in my pair of Race X Lite wheels that came stock on my Madone. I'd probably ridden the wheels a few hundred miles before I built a new wheel and left those in the closet. After 2 yrs of abuse on the other set, I rebuilt them and in the process, pulled out the backup Race X Lite wheels. That's when I noticed the hub flange had broken! This was with NO riding, simply sitting in a closet! To Trek's credit though, they did replace the wheel at no cost to me.


I had a pair of 2004 Bontrager Race X-Lites that developed cracks in the hub flange on the drive side, in addition to cracks in the rim at the drive side eyelets. I bought them in a private sale from the original purchaser, and while they were new and unridden I was not covered by Trek's warranty (to be honest I did not fight too hard to get a replacement). I had probably ridden them about 2500 km.

Anyway, after discovering the cracks and my inability to get a warranty, I just left the rear wheel in the basement. After a few months, I noticed it had ejected a portion of the hub shell. Another couple of months and another portion broke off. Once those cracks start to form in the hubshell, the spokes are under a high enough tension to keep the cracks propagating even though the wheel is not being ridden. I continued to use the front wheel on my winter bike and after another 5000 km the front rim developed cracks at the eyelets as well. Safe to say I won't be endorsing any Bontrager wheel products.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I had some Campy Chorus hubs crack after about 3 years, 10,000 miles of use. They were just within the 3-year warranty, and Excel Sports (where I bought them) replaced the entire wheel at no charge.


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## tboone17 (Jul 8, 2008)

*flange failure front race x lite wheel*

Mine went out at a stop light--looks exactly the same as pictured


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## android (Nov 20, 2007)

Isn't this from the intense forces put on a wheel caused by hanging the bike upside down?


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## Fit4Life (Sep 11, 2009)

*Mine Cracked Too*

I was riding ~20 mph on flat smooth roads when I noticed the front wheel wobbling. I returned home immediately, but didn't notice the cracks until I took the wheel off the bike to true. I was lucky I did not crash.


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## kevindef (May 19, 2008)

*Just experienced the exact same thing on my Mountain Bike*

Front Hub. Was a King ISO Disc hub on my mountain Bike. I own 3 wheelsets, all built with Chris King Hubs. 2 Mountain Bike sets and 1 road bike set. Called Chris King and they gave me a Return Authorization number and said they will take care of it. Here is a picture of my hub. Don't know how it happened.


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## ewitz (Sep 11, 2002)

Switch to Race XXX Lite. 

They have a flangeless design.


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## Bike n Hike (Jul 2, 2009)

I had the same thing happen on a Nukeproof rear hub on one of my mountain bikes. I heard a noise coming up my driveway and discovered the hub flange cracked in half on the non drive side.


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## lml1x (Jan 2, 2003)

Maybe there's something going on w/ DT hubs:

http://serotta.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64000


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## BeeCharmer (Apr 30, 2003)

*DT Swiss failure*



rgojr2001 said:


> The most troubling thing in my opinion is that these hubs are DT Swiss. I was considering having a custom set made w DT Swiss hubs until my girlfriend's rear hub on her race lite shredded on a ride.


I had an older DT Swiss hub flange fail like that a few years ago in a crit. The new model has a much larger flange and can handle radial spoking.


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## Zachariah (Jan 29, 2009)

Now you know why DT stands for "Don't Trust." I've seen too many hub and spoke failures with this brand already (MTB and Road). the Swiss should stick with something they are BEST at, and charge a premium for...like chocolate.


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## tamen00 (Sep 22, 2003)

These issues have been going on with the Bontrager wheels for years... supposedly they have been redesigned several times and the issues were supposed to go away... well, there are three guys I ride with that are on the 2009 wheels (Race X Lites) and all three sets have failed in less than 2 months. One set had a hubshell crack like the pictures above, and the other two have cracks in the rims...

What I can not figure out is how they can have the same issues for 5+ years with all of their wheels... and continue to make them?? I am a regular at the local Trek shop and there are ALWAYS 2-3 sets of wheels in the warranty process at any given time... Trek always takes care of the customers with new wheels... but man someone has to figure out they need to make a decent product sometime??


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## voodooguy (Aug 18, 2007)

Well great... and I recently bought new tires with DT 240s hubs... I guess I just need to keep an eye on them. Sounds like this may not be restricted to the Bontrager wheel sets... Have there been any recalls? I wasn't able to find any.


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## voodooguy (Aug 18, 2007)

BeeCharmer said:


> I had an older DT Swiss hub flange fail like that a few years ago in a crit. The new model has a much larger flange and can handle radial spoking.


I think DT now has a hub specific for radial.


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## Fit4Life (Sep 11, 2009)

*The Cracks Propagate*

As an engineer I find the failure of my Bontrager hub fascinating. I figured the damage to the hub ended when I took the wheel off the bike and set it in a box. Nope, after reading Friday's response I looked at the hub again. The minor crack propagated 1 cm axially, then 8 mm radially. As of this evening, the minor crack is as bad as the major crack, now maybe even worse since the spoke is now completely free of the hub. This is like the Mavic R-Sys where if one spoke snaps, none of the others will safely rebalance the forces. See attached pictures.


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## ex-trek (Sep 17, 2009)

The Consumer Products Safety Commission is currently investigating failures of Trek / Bontrager wheel sets. 

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports related to this product .

Being exposed to a possible product-related hazard does not imply that the product caused an incident, only that there is a hazard or possibility of injury.

If you haven't already you should send a report to the CPSC, either call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or follow this link.

https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Source / Sources?*



ex-trek said:


> The Consumer Products Safety Commission is currently investigating failures of Trek / Bontrager wheel sets.


Can you cite a source or sources for that statement? All I can find out is that on 27 September 2009, a reviewer over on mtbr.com claimed to have, quote: "initiated the product recall process with the Consumer Product Safety Commission", and that this reviewer appears to be the same person signing for post # 40 in this rbr.com thread.

While consumers can and should inform the CPSC of problems with a product, they most assuredly don't "initiate the product recall process." So I wonder where the information about the "Consumer Products Safety Commission (_sic_) currently investigating failures of Trek / Bontrager wheel sets" is coming from.


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## ex-trek (Sep 17, 2009)

*CPSC Investigation*

I filed a report on a broken rear hub this summer with the CPSC after reading the numerous postings on this site and others.

The local Production Safety Investigator came out and took photos including this one.
Having additional people come forth with problems will help their investigation.

To be absolutely no actual recall has occurred at this time, they are still investigating my complaint.

One of many photos taken by the CPSC


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

ex-trek said:


> they are still investigating my complaint.


Thanks for the clarification, appreciate it.


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## Fit4Life (Sep 11, 2009)

Maybe "launch an investigation" would have been a better choice of words.


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