New BOX STEALTH Mountain Bike Hubs - SILENT and INSTANT!
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- Опубликовано: 6 сен 2024
- Zzzzz, whoosh, brrrrrapppp, swoosh! That is your on-trail experience with the new BOX Stealth mountain bike hubs. The instantly engaging rear hub is completely silent, leaving nothing but swooshes and whooshes so you can have booshes the trail.
The silent, instantly engaging hub is nothing new. True Precision Components (TPC) made this Stealth hub in California from 2006 to 2017, earning two Olympic BMX race medals in the process. In 2017, BOX purchased the Stealth hub platform from TPC because of the durability, simplicity, performance, and the potential they had for both BMX and mountain bike applications. BOX refined the design and the manufacturing process, took that to Taiwan and brought the costs down by 20%. Over the next two years, they tested the updated production versions, and today they’ve made the new Stealth hub official to the public.
At $349 for the rear Box Stealth hub and $149 for the front, mountain bikers have the option between 28 and 32 holes in Boost axle widths only. For now, XD and HG drivers are available with a Microspline option landing early 2021.
The tech nitty-gritty is refreshingly simple. The Stealth hubs use a precision, German-made one-way roller bearing to create engagement. They are designed for long life, requiring little maintenance, with minimal drag while being completely silent.
Because of the steel clutch race, as well as the durable, hardened steel freehub body, they are on the heavier side at 475g for the rear (on par with an Onyx but compared to something like a Chris King ISO that’s around 350g, but $100 more). BOX is working on a hybrid freehub body and lighter clutch race that could drop hub weight by 90-120g. They’re aiming for Spring of 2021 on that.
Common-size, large-diameter Enduro-brand ABEC 5 LLU bearings are used throughout the hubs to ensure that bearing sizes and bearing presses are readily available when servicing is required. The flanges are angled for strength, and the hubs in are dressed in black-tie only with an alternating matte and gloss finish. They feature BOX’s limited lifetime warranty.
So, how do they feel on the trail? The silence speaks for itself, but after every ride, even though we thought our bike was pretty darn quiet, we found ourselves chasing every little rattle and noise on our YT Jeffsy 29 Base test bike. From cable rattle to levers jiggling to knobs coming loose, we damped it all. The bike is now covered in foam and electrical tape to keep it as quiet as possible so we can enjoy the hub silence.
The instant engagement means there are no gaps in power when stomping on the gas or shifting. In technical climbing situations, where crank arm position and pedal-stroke timing is critical, the BOX hubs are precise and have been dependable. Need a little back-pedal to avoid that rock on the way up? No worries, the power will be there and pedals will be in prime position. On the way down, there’s nothing but a drag-free coasting experience.
Alright, we know, the big question, how does it compare to an Onyx, the other instantly engaging, silent hub we’ve grown to love? We can’t speak to long-term durability of the BOX Stealth hubs just yet, but so far they’ve handled some rough days at the bike park, in addition to a variety of XC laps in our local hills. The Onyx hubs, because of their sprag clutch design, have a bit of what we call sponginess with initial pedal stroke. It’s minimal and something we never minded. The BOX hubs, however, do not have that feel. When pressure is applied to the pedals, the feeling is robust and snappy, clearly different than the Onyx. The BOX rear hub is about $100 less, too.
As with any high-engaging hub, there can be pedal kickback on the trail depending on suspension design of the bike. This has been discussed deeply in our forum, we’ve tested that O-Chain thing that removes pedal kickback, but without any delay in engagement, suspension movement can be transmitted to the feet when using the BOX hub. We’ve never found this detrimental on trail rides or a reason to avoid hubs like this. The instantaneous power transmission is worth any minor tug we may feel. On longer-travel bikes it could become a more noticeable issue, but for applications where we care about motoring on the pedals through undulating trails, we believe quick hub engagement is a priority and a noteworthy upgrade to any bike suffering from a sloppy rear hub.
We see nothing but promise out of the BOX Stealth hubs. The price-to-performance benefit is strong, the simplicity of the system is a highlight, and the promise of even lower weight has us frothing for the future. The silence? Well, that’s golden. Any rider looking for a performance-boosting hub upgrade now has a great, new option with BOX Stealth hubs.
visit www.boxcomponents.com for info or to purchase.
Silent or noisy hubs? Which do you prefer? See more details and info on the BOX Stealth hubs on Vital MTB - www.vitalmtb.com/features/SILENT-INSTANT-New-BOX-Stealth-Hubs,2939
Vital MTB the louder the better
Would definitely want to try this. Want the sound of just the tire rippin through the berm.
Wow so quiet it’s eerie!
The one with a freehub that doesn't break
I prefer loud hubs. Type air raid siren.
I'm scared because if I install this I know I'll fixate on how chattery the rest of my bike is
it's an endless game of hunting for every noise HA!
single speed hardtail with external routing and a silent hub is bliss(as long as those fork seals don't start squeakin).
Haha! As an owner of a pair of Onyx hubs, I can attest that this is true. :-P For better or for worse, you end up listening to the drivetrain noise or cable rattle instead. It's probably for the better, tho, since it may serve as a reminder that some service is overdue.
You would hear the chatter already if you were pedaling on a smooth trail/road. I think this would be awesome, you would just hear the chain stay rattle more!
This actually happened to me. Now my chain sounds so bad.
Silence is the new flex. Loud noisy hubs only mask the rattle, clunks and clicks on a bike that’s not well maintained. But throw on a silent hub and fix all the noise, you’ll be a trail ninja. Get ready to enjoy the sounds of tires interacting with dirt, whooshing wind from speedy descents, and your own heavy labored breathing from almost dying from a climb.
I ran Stealth back in 2009 or so and loved them. Running Onyx now and I'll say that the sponginess is in my experience specific to the vesper hub. It's a single row clutch. The classic is double row and feels pretty well identical to my Stealths. That said, I'm certain the Box hubs will be fantastic.
cool. Box is doing some cool things to shake up the industry
I mean is there really anything new going on here?
i was just going to say that, i have a super quiet hub and its dope to hear the tires more. Im not impressed with 12 speed, too finicky, im almost sold on a silent hub and 9 speed DT
How is moving production to Taiwan cool, let alone different?
@@gotdrift8 onyx been doing this for years as well. Unsure if it's the exact same clutch mechanism, but it has the same end result
@@dvoob Stealth used a one way roller bearing, Onyx uses a sprag clutch.
I have a love/hate relationship with this. For me, the sound of the hub is a huge way for me to stay focused. I love my hub, its so loud and clear, and listening to it rev up while doing some DH and the glorious sound it makes when doing big jumps... Priceless! But I would love to try a stealthed hub.
Onyx hubs are the one component I love most about my bike.
Why isn't this the industry standard! The sound of your tires on Earth is the best.
I ran Onyx hubs for 2 years, it was cool for a while, but being a BMX guy that always valued that “Profile cassette sound” I had to get a pair of I9 Hydras. They both function incredibly well, I just dig the sound.
I also went with Hydras. It doubles as a bell so hikers can hear me coming and the sound is just glorious as well.
Even though I'm always polite, I still get some nasty looks for "on your left/right", if I happen to surprise someone.
Shimano has a silent help too
If they still make them
Mid to late 90s if I remember correctly
The sound of that Boise dirt though😳
Being silent is nice and tempting... But then for less money you get ~250 grams of Swiss metal - DT Swiss 240s.
As for pedal kickback, just another reason to go high pivot, where the antisquat is OK but without any chain growth :)
I have the same feelings. Messed around on a friends Onyx, neat tech for sure. However, that weight! Already have the cassette back there, I'm really not trying to add any more weight to my rear wheel. DT 240s for the win!
@@Mike-fl8ou Weight is a big issue with components around the wheel, since it'll be contributing to unsprung mass and therefore hindering suspension performance. Best to go for lightest hubs and cassettes.
@@Mike-fl8ou More weight is better for down hill. Electric mtb's feel like DH bikes without all the HTA slack due to more weight. Face it, full suspension bikes are junk without an electric motor. They put you in the hurt locker for every hill. So if ride your full suspension enduro bike like a DH bike you shouldn't think about weight. You're most likely getting a ski lift any how. Weight matter for a hardtails. Why?...because they can be driven up hills without over the top pain.
@@Mike-fl8ou whats wrong with the 350 and upgraded ra 54t ratchet?
@shockadellick yeah thats good but you want the weight not on the wheels. EMTBs have most of the time more mass in the center and not on the wheels.
If you cant feel the difference on 200g weight from your tires you are not sensitive enough. I only ride Enduro though and most E-MTBs are shit because bad Geo.
@@Vanadium I didn't say there was anything wrong with 350s and the upgraded ratchet. Great option!
This is awesome. It's been insane how loud some of these hubs have gotten over the years. Sounds like rattlesnakes everywhere.
Agreed, many products are getting more annoying and inconsiderate recently including sickly sweet perfumes and strong "air fresheners".
My hub may be silent but I still haven't outgrown a playing card in the spokes
Silence IS golden…great job on the video.
Onyx - 100% American Owned and Manufactured. Hub shell and spacing swaps for life. Onyx wins!
American made and owned is a blessing and a curse, that also comes with a 460$ price tag
@@spencerblackwell4374 but better bearings, more color options, a company with hub making experience, and 1/4lb less weight.
@@spencerblackwell4374 $350 is already crazy expensive. Another $100 to get US made, a zillion color choices, better parts, and niche fitments? Easy choice for me.
What if someone in Taiwan is trying to decide which hub to get? Is "American Owned and Manufactured" a plus or a minus for them? 😁
For me my Hope hub is my way to let people know I am coming I.E walkers.
Looks good! Looking forward to this as a solid alternative to Onyx!
Ha i love the quote "the silence speaks for itself" at 2:27 . Probably not intended but still...
definitely intended : )
20%??? That's ALL they saved cutting western manufacturing? That's an impressively small amount to sell out on.
Lower wages and manufacturing costs in Taiwan where manufacturing is top notch is offset by the effects of shipping and logistics costs including holding more inventory due to the increased lead time of production and the increased cost due to finance costs. 20% is about what It comes down to with a fairly mature supply chain. Equivalent US made goods will be at least 20% more for what is the same end result re: the product at hand. Sucks bc we here in the US can make great stuff but we can’t do it cheaply - note it isn’t necessarily the worker costs but this is where giant executive salaries run afoul of US production as that adds an additional layer of cost for every article of the relevant product throughout the supply chain.
gonna make some custom wheel for my road ike too, never liked the hype around the "sound of hubs"
Cheaper than Onyx but my boost centerlock Onyx Vesper is 380g for the rear. This is 100g heavier. It's 25% cheaper, but that front hub is also expensive. You can get DT 350 front hubs for $80 so how is this one better than that? I also wonder about the load carrying ability of the roller bearing on that smooth drum. Enduro bearings aren't quality bearings.
Interestingly that many sports scientists believe that some play before hub engagement is even necessary because how muscle fibres work. The question is what is the sweet spot. Onyx at least has that sponginess that helps a bit in this regard... but in general instant engagement hubs should be used with e-bikes with motors that can generate constant torque. For muscle powered bike - ridiculous. Just a hype.
Interesting point with the pedal kickback. As more of a park rider I would like to see more slack enhancement hubs on the DH market to see if they help with this. Sure I could buy a crummy hub and get this but durability and service life are still a priority.
Nice to have choices for sure. I chose the Onyx Vesper though. I tend to stay clear of products not made in the US for customer service reasons.
Nice, but 350$ makes this hub irrelevant to the general market.
I dont really see how putting a standard sprag clutch into a hub increases the cost by like 250$. If someone can explain that I will gladly give in.
It’s still cheaper than the Chris king hub. Chris king got my money and box might get it too
The only other silent hub cost $470...
I could order a sprag clutch out of a catalogue for a few bucks right now. This doesnt justify the price.
Stupid price.
Give it two years and there will drop in price
Sold out like everything else ! I'd love to have a 12x148 rear wheel with this hub. Been lusting after onyx for years.
Dude, these have never been in stock
Have been wanting another one since I had one back in the day. 2002-3ish if I remember correctly.
I had a silent Shimano hub with instant engagement in the late 90’s.
Which model? 🤔
@@sonicnoir66 FH-R085 they are a great hub
Hmm mixed feelings. So $100 cheaper then Onyx made in Asia. Very similar performance and weight. I mean those hubs from that company had a mixed reputation before Box bought them. Though that design type is used in lots of places too. Eh good to have a cheaper option. I guess they aren't really that much cheaper given the Onyx hubs are ceramic hybrid anyway. Not exactly apples to apples.
you have to pay $100 more for the hybrid ceramic bearings.
Yo, that silent hub is so different than others and it makes it cool
Cool, it's like a fishing reel with the one way bearings
Surprised it took someone this long. I fish too and I always wondered.
@@kelley71 I've we wondered the same thing as well and asked my friend in Shimano last month and he said that the torque put into a wheel hub is incomparably stronger than on a fishing rod, and since on way bearing is not a lach-on-system, it might slip or deform the bearings in the long run he said
Silent!!! Its better in EVERY way, with only 2 potential drawbacks. 1:As you mentioned in the video without the constant buzzing drowning everything out,it exposes every single minor noise your "super quiet" (or so you thought) bike makes. 2: Other riders and trail users on the other side of a blind turn can't hear you coming until its too late. I have the latest XTR rear hub with Shimano's new silent hub tech they call SCYLINCE, and i was flying down a multiuse trail, came around a blind corner and almost smacked into a horses butt. Barely swerved but spooked the bajeebus outta the horse because i saw it rear up on hind legs and heard it whinny for its life. I yelled sorry over my shoulder,but felt really bad. I now have a little 105db speaker strapped to the center of mybar, through my stem that came with a little remote that had 2 buttons. 1 to cycle threw the 8 sounds it has and a 2nd to just use whichever sound you selected as a horn. I chose this jack in the box pop goes the weasel sound HAHAHA
@Maciej Jan Długosz It took a minute for mine to become silent as well. There was this weird period where the hub would buzz when coasting at a slower speed but would then go silent as i picked up the pace. The weirdest part was when I would get up to speed and it would go silent and then if the trail leveled out and I gradually lost speed The Hub would go in and out of buzzing until I slowed down enough for it to buzz constantly. It was hard to get used to I thought something was wrong but I then checked out some forums and turns out this is fairly common with the new XTR rear hub. Takes some longer to break in than others, 300 miles is pretty long. One thing that helped was after finding out about this break-in period, I removed my cassette and then removed the micro spline freehub body and put super web Grease all over the ratchet and pawls. Just a nice thin layer on every surface. Im at somewhere around 480 miles and its totally silent now. If i make an effort to coast as slow as possible, riding the brakes, then i hear the low volume hub clicks but I don't hear anything unless I'm actively trying to
Great video. Very complete run down of specs. A good review, thanks.
BOX looks promising and will get some silent hub market for sure. Nicely done video. I’m luving my Onyx Hub w NOX Hoops as much now as when purchased two years ago.
How people will know you are coming? You will need to install a bell on your bike :)
I use Onyx hubs on both my bikes. I always use a Timber! bell when riding on multi use trails. On bike-only trails I enjoy perfectly silent rides.
@Adam Hannon I dislike cyclist who don't make themselves aware to other Cyclists on the trail.
Anyway, a loud hub doesn't alert people very well
@@sebastianfs3825 If I stop pedaling with my I9s, everybody hear me! As much as I would like to try a silent hub, I couldn't ride with that.... I don't like to yell at people to tell them that I want to pass lol
@@SsmAnyfeSt I'm frequently backpedaling to make my hub louder when people are oblivious to the blaring symphony that is a MTB slamming through the trail behind them... So utterly oblivious to their surroundings.
Shouldn't have to yell "COMING THROUGH" at every single walker blocking the trail.
It's not *THAT* hard to put the phone away and tune into nature. 🤷♂️
I put a ton of grease in my hydras and it's almost silent that way believe it or not.
Never in stock. Over a year now and not in stock.. impossible to find
3:30 So not really instant, that's not feasible, but quite nice, the Box definitely looks promising, it will be interesting to see how it compares to Onyx long term.
thx for showing this, I wanted a vide about this.
you do realize that the first one shown at 3:30 was the Onyx, for comparison, right? The Box hub does not have that initial "flex" to it.
@@vitalmtb yes, great you compared it.
Cool, but the last thing you want in Grizzly country!!! Bikes are already too quiet for bears now!
The majority of my biking friends prefer the noisy hubs, they say the louder the better, I just don't get it. I my self really love the silent hub, like a ninja 👍
Naw thanks, my hub is super loud so i can't hear everything creaking
I’ve got an old shimano hub that uses a clutch
Silence is King💪😎
This is my type, the sound of the rubber on the ground is nicer to hear than the beez
I hope they have this in the Philippines because here in my country the louder the hubs the more it attract stray dogs😂😂
Great comparison!! Thanks guys!
absolute eargasm, love silent hubs
*Isn't that quite ironic since you're not hearing anything..*
@@mosxidigaming you can hear the tires ripping the ground, the suspension working, the nature. My point is, a silent hub makes other sounds pop clearly, and that is just bonkers, specialy the tires making their way
Cool to see box getting some recognition
we had a great experience on their 9-speed drivetrain last year too - www.vitalmtb.com/features/Only-9-Speeds-Is-Simpler-Better-BOX-Launches-Prime-9-Drivetrain,2760
Good writers at VitalMTB ✌
yes please
I want such hub for my gravel bike. Would be super cool to be stealthy.
So they simplified the design and brought costs down by 20% still costing jaw dropping $350....
Onyx Vesper rear hub is 389g...not sure how that's "on par", the Onyx hub is closer to Chris King than Box...
Been looking for an alternative to onyx for a dead silent hub. Heard some less than stellar things about the vespers, but still very keen on a silent bike. This might be the way.
I want one on my road wheels!
Is there a reason why they didn’t do straight pull spokes? Seems to be so much more convenient, I don’t see why anything else would still make sense.
I like that this video has no music:)
Awesome review! Looks like a solid contender.
All the noise these hubs make is the sound of the CNC machines in the US used to manufacture them.
Here I am trying to convert my 54t hub to 108 and use a thin grease to get an angrier buzz noise!
Shimano was supposed to make a silent hub Xylence but I guess they had problems or something. If this is good I’ll definitely consider switching to Box drivetrain
Shimano had a silent hub 25+ years ago.
Maciej Jan Długosz I know what he meant. Just point that out. I see the new XTR HG freehub body is Ti. The MS is alloy.
They sound amazing 🤘
Just came here after I got my bike serviced and they changed my hub... Which is now completely silent lol
Yes , silent mtbing 😍
The less noise a hub makes the cheaper it is. Can't get past that.. Noisy hubs are the sound of money spinning in my ears...as generally the more money you spend the noisier they get.. Industry 9 hydra is one of my favourite sounds to hear on the trails, just wish i had one on my bike
I love quite hubs 👌
I wonder if this will make a huge difference for those of us on Ebikes? 🤔
"moved production to Taiwan". I'll stick with Onyx
Evan Steinberg “moved to Taiwan to cut production costs.”, yet they still charge $350 usd, means more in the pockets of Box. Same here, stick with Onyx.
Not on par with Onyx at all, I can guarantee the ramp up engagement isn't as smooth and linear as Onyx Vesper. I'll stick with my quality Onyx hubs.
I thought the Don was bringing jobs back to America? So basically this company is having these wheels cheap labor built an then jacking prices on us so they can make a massive profit nice .
@@dragonfire3102 don't get political. Box bought the company and they've always had their stuff made in Taiwan.
Same
So after two years they are still not available. Bummer!
So getting on!
Where was this filmed? Trails look great
eagle bike park and bogus basin near boise, idaho
I like my hubs to be loud like a swarm of bees 💪🏼✊🏼I’ll stick with my i9’s
I had a 2007 specialized enduro expert that was silent too.
I called this a year ago! Quiet hubs are the new thing
Shimano has the Sylence hub. I wonder why that wasn't compared in the video.
Because the Shimano system didn't work quite like they wanted to. I have heard that shimano discontinued producing this system anyways
Made in Taiwan, cost reduction 20%, and less local jobs, typical approaches of contemporary globalization. Keep buying Onyx.
Can’t afford G
Kind of my thought. Is 20 percent savings really worth not getting skilled workers in the industry employed? I know they want to hit a price point and everything to remain competitive. Kinda a bummer though.
Not a lot of locally made freehubs here in Sweden anyway, US or Taiwan is the same except one is more expensive for anyone outside of USA.
@@twotgfltandahalf Sweden? What's Sweden? Is that a new state in the US or something?
The center of the universe is the US, people outside of the US live in caves. They're not gonna buy hubs like this, they don't even know what a bicycle is.
@@davekal Skilled workers are employed in the industry - which is based mostly in Taiwan.
Vital MTB never reviewed the Onyx vesper. could you make a video review covering its durability, performance, and apparent "sponginess"
we've had vespers for a good 6 months and they've been fantastic. you can see in the "sponginess" in the box video above. there's not a whole lot more to cover w/ that characteristic. the vespers have been solid, predictable and w/o issue. that spongy feel they have vs. the box isn't a deal-breaker at all. as noted in the video, it's just a "different" feel. you can see where we touch on the vespers here - www.vitalmtb.com/features/REVIEW-FSA-Gradient-Stem-Carbon-Handlebar-and-WideR-Carbon-Rim-Only-Option,2923 - we have our onyx review (non-vesper) here too ruclips.net/video/NbvNPLsc7fM/видео.html
Do they have these silent hubs for fatbikes exactly 190mm?
what is the degree of engagement ( crank)
instant, basically 0 degrees - there are no teeth engaging like on a regular hub. the roller bearings are one-way only, so there is no play/rotation in the forward direction.
@@vitalmtb thx
put a tiny engine in one, and I am in...
Can this be converted to quick release? My bikes rear hub is 141mm
Update on longevity please? Also could you review silt silent hubs too please 👍
one of our staff riders and testers has put over 1,000 miles on them this year. "i don't ever want to take them off" he says. long-term is dialed.
Make this for road!
how does it compare to industry 9 stuff.
i9 hubs are quite noisy.
Jim E: Not noisy. The beautiful MUSIC of a swarm of angry hornets. I love that about Industry Nine. And their gorgeous colors. And their sterling reputation. And the fact they’re made in the US by US craftsmen (Asheville, NC).
i9 made in america
Now we can sneak up on all those pesky trail hikers!
Soooooo what's the point of the front over any other front hub on the market?
So this has a clutch similar to a free coaster?
Love it
Dope! ☝️☝️
Won't do silent hub.... You'll here me coming 👀🤣🤣🤣
Update video after 3yrs?
Industry9 fat bike hub scream all the way.
sounds like the perfect SS hub!
Does it work like a freecoaster?
Onyx: proudly made in the USA 🇺🇸 FTW.
Yo I guessed this! Let's gooooo
TAKE MY MONEY!
Sorry sorta new to Mountain what are the benefits of these hubs?
rolls eyes" yeah but why cant we have this in freestyle bmx.