Mukluk Hubs

These are a project I have been eagerly awaiting for some time.  As I've said before, I think wheels are the most important component on a bike save for the frame and fork.  There are very limited options available for the 170mm rear end to fit the Mukluks.  Salsa's hub will be made by Formula, the leading Asian hub manufacturer.  Formula makes hubs for many other companies, and they have a good reputation for being good quality, affordable hubs.  I wanted the wheels on my Mukluk to be something special.  While Formula hubs would have been perfectly sufficient, I wanted a no holds barred, killer winter wheelset.

This the start of that wheel set. 

Phil Wood has an unquestionable reputation for making some of the best hubs money can buy.  Examples of his hubs are still running dead smooth after years of hard service all over the globe.  These are custom hubs built for the symmetrical 170mm rear ends that the Mukluk and a few other fatbikes use. 

 To say that these are big hubs is a bit of an understatement.  Fully 170mm wide, they have flanges that come in at 94mm!  That is nearly the size of a Rohloff hub flange.  In comparison, a Surly SS rear disc hub uses a paltry 68mm tall flange. 

The tall SLR flanges simply dwarf the Shimano FSC free hub body. 

The disc mount is hollowed out between the rotor bolt holes as well.  I'm sure this saves weight over a solid billet, but this is by no means a weight wienie hub.  It will build into an even tension, non dished, bullet proof wheel. 

The hub simply looks sculpted.  It certainly is a hard bike part to put down once you pick it up. 

The blue color is a custom option.  I have a 135mm blue front hub coming from Phil to match this one.  Silver hubs are easily available to match the silver rear hubs.  All standard Phil Wood color options are available.  Wait times are running in the 2-3 week range on these.   

This should be a hell of a wheelset.  The rest of the pieces will be coming in sometime in the new two to three weeks.  I hope to have them built up and ready to go by the time the frame gets here in mid November.  All of these hubs are in stock and available for purchase.  Stop in and let me know if you have any questions, or if you just want to check out these beauties for yourself. 

Happy Friday all.