A customer dropped off an EA50 Aero with me.
This isn't just a routine inspection job.
They want me to convert the rear wheel's freebody to 11-speed.
This hub is a V2 model, but
unlike the R4 hub, I don't think they ever made an 11-speed version.
So I took a closer look...
It's definitely a Novatech-made hub.
Which means, maybe I can convert it to 11-speed
by borrowing parts from an Evolite hub.
First, I removed the freebody.
It had been used as a dedicated stationary trainer wheel,
so the grease had completely dried out, and rust had set in deep—
the bearings are completely seized.
I took it apart.
The butted section of the shaft has an unusual diameter—
the bearing bore of the freebody and
the shaft diameter just below it are 12mm.
The Evolite hub has 15mm in that spot, so they don't match.
Well, then I'll just swap out the whole shaft.
I swapped the shaft.
Actually, it's not a direct bolt-on job.
I wanted to reuse the bearings from the Evolite hub too, but
the freewheel side's outer diameter doesn't match, and the non-freewheel side has different inner diameter and thickness.
The freewheel side bearing happened to be a standard size we stock, so I replaced it.
For the non-freewheel side, I made do somehow (※).
The original bearings were so completely shot inside that
"fudging it along with some grease" was totally out of the question.
I couldn't bring myself to reuse them.
Done.
After doing various things (※), I got it converted to 11-speed.
※I intentionally skip over the important bits
like I always do, so don't pay it any mind.
The centering hadn't drifted before—
it drifted during this job, so I'm truing it back
while I'm at it.
This isn't just a routine inspection job.
They want me to convert the rear wheel's freebody to 11-speed.
This hub is a V2 model, but
unlike the R4 hub, I don't think they ever made an 11-speed version.
So I took a closer look...
It's definitely a Novatech-made hub.
Which means, maybe I can convert it to 11-speed
by borrowing parts from an Evolite hub.
First, I removed the freebody.
It had been used as a dedicated stationary trainer wheel,
so the grease had completely dried out, and rust had set in deep—
the bearings are completely seized.
I took it apart.
The butted section of the shaft has an unusual diameter—
the bearing bore of the freebody and
the shaft diameter just below it are 12mm.
The Evolite hub has 15mm in that spot, so they don't match.
Well, then I'll just swap out the whole shaft.
I swapped the shaft.
Actually, it's not a direct bolt-on job.
I wanted to reuse the bearings from the Evolite hub too, but
the freewheel side's outer diameter doesn't match, and the non-freewheel side has different inner diameter and thickness.
The freewheel side bearing happened to be a standard size we stock, so I replaced it.
For the non-freewheel side, I made do somehow (※).
The original bearings were so completely shot inside that
"fudging it along with some grease" was totally out of the question.
I couldn't bring myself to reuse them.
Done.
After doing various things (※), I got it converted to 11-speed.
※I intentionally skip over the important bits
like I always do, so don't pay it any mind.
The centering hadn't drifted before—
it drifted during this job, so I'm truing it back
while I'm at it.