Coaster hub recommendations

Hello!

I’ve been dredging up some of the old posts on here where the velosteer and slightly less so Ventura coaster hubs where spoken about. Now I’m looking to spend less than 20 on the hub as keeping the build to as cheap as possible(the shimano one is out the window). What’s the consensus on them these days as both seem to be available to buy for good prices! I know @edscoble had better things to say about the velosteer but has the build quality on the Ventura gotten better over the years or velosteer gone down hill?

Cheers

Never tried, or even heard of, the Ventura but I have/had/used a few kt hi stops, Shimanos and velosteels.

Would recommend keeping away from the velosteel.

Shimano is definitely the best option and can be picked up for within or very near your budget. They come up on eBay as bare hubs for about £15 now and then. Sprocket, circlip, nuts and a chainstay clamp might take you over £20 but if you were going to be changing the sprocket anyway...

If you really can’t stretch to the Shimano then I’d recommend the hi stop. The innards are (afaik) interchangeable with Shimano so you can get spare parts if required.

I say as far as I know because I’ve never actually had to open up the hi stops I’ve got yet, they work well enough off the bat and they aren’t on bikes that are getting tons of use so I’ve not had to repack them yet.

Paging @t0-ster

Okay that settles it then on the Ventura vs velosteer, I’ll have a look into the cb-e110 from shimano then, I wanted this to be budget but if a few quid will make the difference of a rattly break any minute hub then it’s definitely worth it.

I vaguely remember looking at @t0-ster klunker build where he used a hi-stop and then searching for one but haven’t ever found one for sale here in the U.K. maybe they’re discounted or just not popular enough to sell over here.

The hi stops come in pre built wheels but are often just sold as ‘coaster brake hubs’ same as velosteel so you have to zoom in on the torque arm to see the branding.

Sachs torpedo or Duomatic hubs are nicely engineered and tough, though NOS units may be out of your budget.

It looks like the Velosteel/Favorit is a Czech clone of the Sachs single-speed coaster made using the original Sachs machinery.

Had an amazing Van Schothorst pinched a while back, probably 60s and chrome all flaked, worked like a A DREAM though, with amazing modulation.

Both of those look great and the @Skülly recommend Van Schothorst, though all are slightly out of my price and not needing such engineering greatness for my run about pub bike, it seems the shimano is still the main contender, unless I find someone on here with something surplus to requirements.

I think I have a Velosteel bought from Bikefix about ten years ago, never laced up. Will have to check as I might have already flogged it at a little jumble I did ... will be cheap as chips obvs.

If you do still have it I’ll definitely take it off your hands! Funnily enough I messaged bikefix yesterday to see if they still had any in stock!

It that doesn't work out there is a Sachs Torpedo Jet 28 hub on the auction site for about Euro 18 plus postage from Germany. Note that the over-locknut-dimension tends to be narrower on these older hubs.

Looks good but I’ve already got a 36h rim so trying to find one with that drilling! Cheers though

Pretty sure Bikefix is not trading any more.

Might be the case their Instagram definitely didn’t inspire confidence haha