Opinions/experience with Quando hubs? Relacing prices?
- Thread starter CanAmSteve
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CanAmSteve
Dirt Disciple
Thanks for the info. I think my hesitation with Quando is based on the way they arrive (needing grease and adjustment) and the odd sizing I experienced with one. Trying to find a 10mm extra-fine (for that is what it was) nut on eBay was difficult, despite there being many sellers of related hardware. It's just an odd size/thread. I must say modern cones and hubs don't seem as substantial as those I recall from my youth 
I've also got one Quando-hubbed wheel with a wonky freewheel mount (wobble) but then it may have fallen off a cliff before I received it - it came on a used bike. I may try and respoke the "Heliocomatic" wheel as it's unique and the rims are nice black Mavic. Although Sheldon Brown was not a fan - I'd just build it for practice and hang it up, I suspect.
I've also got one Quando-hubbed wheel with a wonky freewheel mount (wobble) but then it may have fallen off a cliff before I received it - it came on a used bike. I may try and respoke the "Heliocomatic" wheel as it's unique and the rims are nice black Mavic. Although Sheldon Brown was not a fan - I'd just build it for practice and hang it up, I suspect.
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i used to run a 200 bike hire fleet, most of the bikes had quando hubs on them, 8/9 speed. they weren't too bad generally but they were basic.
the issues i had were:-
when the freehub body dies, it's an absolute pain to find a replacement, but they are available, most common way to remove them is a massive allen key into the non drive side after removing the axle etc, i found the best way was to clamp the allen key in the vice then mount the wheel then use the rim for leverage, can't remember if it's a left handed thread though, it was ages ago.
other issue is they tend to use 2 ball bearing sizes, 1/4 in the non drive side and 7/32 in the drive side so this also means 2 different size cones if they need replacing.
shimano hubs are better by miles in my opinion, even the basic models, the freehubs/cones/bearings are also really easy to find and the bearings are the same size both sides of the hub.
the issues i had were:-
when the freehub body dies, it's an absolute pain to find a replacement, but they are available, most common way to remove them is a massive allen key into the non drive side after removing the axle etc, i found the best way was to clamp the allen key in the vice then mount the wheel then use the rim for leverage, can't remember if it's a left handed thread though, it was ages ago.
other issue is they tend to use 2 ball bearing sizes, 1/4 in the non drive side and 7/32 in the drive side so this also means 2 different size cones if they need replacing.
shimano hubs are better by miles in my opinion, even the basic models, the freehubs/cones/bearings are also really easy to find and the bearings are the same size both sides of the hub.
monty dog":2jym6fyp said:
Hell that means I have cheap junk on my bike. Utter piffle.
CanAmSteve
Dirt Disciple
I don't have vast experience with them, but my opinion is sort of in the middle, in that they are good value for the money and with hard-to-find 27" wheels (with decent Chinese Weinmann hoops) going for as little as £25, they can certainly breath some new life into an old classic. I find that the first part to go cosmetically on many bikes is/was the spokes. And if you spend two hours cleaning them up, they rust again very quickly. Shimano (and let's be honest, they make some low-low end stuff, too) hubs seem to be about £20 more at least when built into a wheel. So, overall, I think it's good to have a choice - cheap Quandos to pretty something up, then better wheels if it becomes a regular ride. I would expect the fronts to last longer than the rears, of course.
