profile hubs worth the money?

[jon_bmx]

i rode one yesterday and what can i say the engagement is amazing the best hub ive rode,
alot smoother than my proper and my friends wtp supreme and primo mix

now i run pegs so buying the hub guards will be a certain but i like to take them off sometimes and do some pegless grinds,now are the hub shells strong enough?
i ride a proper hub thats made of the same material and its great for pegless grinds so will the profile be ok?

if not what do you recomend i get ?

thanks alot

[B.E.N.]

In a word, no.

Get a mix, wait for a ratchet or an Odyssey V3. Spend the money you saved on some pegs and some glands.

[jon_bmx]

ive got pegs and guards just not sure what to get,
ive rode the V3 aswell and nothing is as good as the profile imo so im not sure what to do

the ratchet looks like it will be expencive too :/

thanks for your help anyways man :)

[IrishBMX]

profile hubshells are very, very weak and imo overall not worth the ridiculous price.

[Big Ben]

i dont understand how anyone can justify grinding pegless on a £170 hub

[Fed_Tom]

mine are awesome. dre does a lot of pegless grinds on his, theyre holding up. kind of...

profile hubs are mint. but bear in mind they are race hubs...

i dont understand how anyone can justify grinding pegless on a £170 hub

theyre like £130 with a chromo driver, fuck ti parts.

[FBM.BMX]

Profiles are good, there's no doubting that. Problem free? No.

If you want to spend extra money on a hub that is no better than a couple of others it's up to you. You aren't getting any extra hub for your money.

[Chris Ehh]

Wait for a ratchet!

[Gamlin]

why do people feel the need to wreck their dropouts/chainstays with pegless grinds. they feel worse then grinds with pegs and they are more damaging.
at least just run a super cut down peg or something.

[Koopa Troopa]

Wait for a ratchet!

seconded

[Trail-BOSS]

i say yes but thats me i ride pegless and a lot of trails if your riding street wait for a ratchet or get a mix like stated above

[Peter Griffin]

ive had more problems with my profile mini then with my wtp supreme which has 0 problems

[my name is joe]

i grind on my mini like hell. i have a ti axle and a ti driver. ill sell you the wheel if you want to. the only reason why im selling it beacuse the bike was stolen (along with the wheel on it) and i got a new one with a mix and then i got back the bike and i dont want to spend money on spokes to switch the hubs.

pm me if you're intrested. its lhd

[The_Trail_Pimp]

Hub shells crack.

[BDSM Master]

yeah if you don't grind and can maintainthem. people have problems cos they're delicate.

[YoungMilli]

I have the race mini and it's been wonderful. I'd buy a WTP though. It's cheaper and super good in general.

[Sketchy luke]

currently in this credit crunch we're in with everything so expensive, NOTHING is worth the money

[fitbiker]

Soo not worth the money, every replacement part is double the price than other hubs out there. And the chance of getting profile wobble is ridiculous for how much you pay for the hub. I had a profile before and sold it for a ody, much more reliable.

save your money.

[MSBNL]

I like the primo mix more because of the locknuts with way more threads then the profile locknut, and the lack of collars. I like the supreme more then the mix, because of the oversized driver bearings, and I'm pretty sure I'll love the Ratched! I've had a mix for the past 2 years and it's been great. Had a profile SS before that and I wasn't impressed to say the least.

[chroniccarl]

Profile hubs are awsome but I'm more than pleased with my Supreme.

[Big Ben]

I love how he's talking about buying a cassette and everyones saying wait for the Ratchet.

why do you love it?

[Fed_Tom]

Soo not worth the money, every replacement part is double the price than other hubs out there. And the chance of getting profile wobble is ridiculous for how much you pay for the hub. I had a profile before and sold it for a ody, much more reliable.

save your money.

if you think odyssey hubs are more reliable the profile youre doing something wrong.

[Macaroni Sandwich]

My buddy has ridden his Profile hubs, front and back, for years. He swears by them, and he has yet to have any problems with them.

It feels pretty responsive when I have ridden his bike. I would like to also add he rides pegs most the time, but is also not a huge grinder.

[chroniccarl]

why do you love it?

Nevermind I was spacing when I put that

[TerrorbabbleWon]

Profile hubs don't like pegs.
wait... Profile hubs don't like being ridden. There, that's better.

[B.E.N.]

I've seen too many hubshells crack for no apparent reason...

[chroniccarl]

Profile hubs don't like pegs.
wait... Profile hubs don't like being ridden. There, that's better.

To be fair, Profile hubs are made for racing. I have seen MANY people run Profile's on race bike's with no problem's at all. It seem's to me that they just dont like street/park like most race part's wouldn't like either.

[B.E.N.]

To be fair, Profile hubs are made for racing. I have seen MANY people run Profile's on race bike's with no problem's at all. It seem's to me that they just dont like street/park like most race part's wouldn't like either.

No. I'm sorry, they are marketed towards "freestyle" riders.

For instance, when was the last time you saw racing news on the come up? When was the last time your eyes were raped by a limited ed. colour advertising banner from profile?

[Checkerz88]

I would say go with the mix.

[chroniccarl]

No. I'm sorry, they are marketed towards "freestyle" riders.

For instance, when was the last time you saw racing news on the come up? When was the last time your eyes were raped by a limited ed. colour advertising banner from profile?

True. But weren't they originally made as a race part?

[B.E.N.]

True. But weren't they originally made as a race part?

That's irrelevant. Loads of stuff is sold as freestyle/street worthy these days whilst 3 years ago it would have been a race part.

ABS was originally developed for race cars but is now a basic option in most cars...

[Aesop Rock]

They were, but profile advertises them with a 14mm Axle, which wouldn't be for racing. They are awful overpriced pieces of junk. (sorry Cory). They are notorious for wobbling straight out of the box, but never to fret, profile will "fix" your brand new hub by offering you some paper thin washers. But that's if you manage to get the thing into your dropouts without cracking your frame. I hear they've supposedly "fixed" the issue by now offering thinner cone nuts, but they're already so thin they tend to strip out and mash the driver bearing. Great fix. Profile, step your fucking game up. You've been offering the same shit hubs for years now. Even Shadow has revised their hubs at least once.

[TexasIsSouth75]

If you swing through the bike gallery, you will see a bunch of people riding profile hubs which must mean something...

i personally have had my profile mini cassette for like 4 or 5 years with no problems at all except its starting to have a little bit of wobble but ive been thrashin (i only weigh like 145lbs though) on it for some time...

Maybe i just lucked out (i also have ti axle, a hubguard, and ti driver if that means anything), but from my personal experience its been a kickass cassette! nonetheless now that i am older and have better things to spend my money on now thus i dunno if its necessarily worth the investment when another cassette could probably suffice

[Gamlin]

If you swing through the bike gallery, you will see a bunch of people riding profile hubs which must mean something..

means they come in everything colour of the rainbow to match their stems/grips.

[B.E.N.]

Lets get real here, they are OK cassette hubs, but they cost way more than other OK cassette hubs, and the biggest flaws with the cheaper ones is the finish.

I'd rather have something tough, rugged and easily maintained than some highly strung piece of polished metal stuffed in my frame.

[chroniccarl]

Hmmm I guess the people I have seen run them without issue's were lucky.

I'd rather have something tough, rugged and easily maintained than some highly strung piece of polished metal stuffed in my frame.

I like my Marmoset and Q-lite :)

[B.E.N.]

Hmmm I guess the people I have seen run them without issue's were lucky.



I like my Marmoset and Q-lite :)

I equally enjoy my Marmo/Mix with a box full of spares... I just wish i had a larger driver right now...

[BDSM Master]

great thing about them is just pop in a primo mix pawl/spring set, and you're fine. i love mine

[FitTrailSlayer]

great thing about them is just pop in a primo mix pawl/spring set, and you're fine. i love mine

The better thing about them is they explode fast so you don't have to deal with them for very long.

Just get a primo mix or a WTP supreme.

[bensick]

Yes they are worth it.

[Aesop Rock]

No man, they really aren't.

[autopilot!]

Some will say yes, others will say no.

In my honest opinion, I will spend the money they are on the hubs because they are very good, however, I think they could drop a few bucks.

Also, they do make Profile specific hub guards.

I had a Profile, it was really nice but it was used so it lasted about 7 months, but it was fairly smooth in that time.

Edit: I would also probably say wait for the Ratchet hub since it is G-Sport, but it also might not be the greatest. Look at Odyssey's cassettes. They make super amazing parts except for their cassette hubs. I know close to ten people as well as myself that have owned and Odyssey cassette and we have all said they're utter shit. However, their Vandero hub was really nice.

[Dick]

I say yes, I ride two profiles and they are good hubs. My friend has a mini over three years old and not anything wrong with it besides some grind damage, but nothing too significant. They work for some people, they are race hubs if you didn't already know so what can you hold them to?

They have the most solid engagement besides chris king hubs, so if thats what your after go for it.

[ZepherDN]

Try and find the hubs from a couple years ago before the original owner died. Those are amazing.

[ohiooooo]

if you think odyssey hubs are more reliable then profile youre doing something wrong.

seconded

[rideabike1234]

almost everyone in my town rides profiles, and there are rarely problems. i've never had any, even though i have a madera, still basically the same thing.

the only problem anyone i know has had is 8 tooth driver bearings breaking, but that's somewhat expected. i'd say they are worth it.

[mutinous]

Id say mine is worth it. Bought it on 03' used on here. Been through 4 relaces. Still going strong, about to relace it again.

[PabstBlueRibbon]

mine are awesome. dre does a lot of pegless grinds on his, theyre holding up. kind of...

profile hubs are mint. but bear in mind they are race hubs...



theyre like £130 with a chromo driver, fuck ti parts.

exactly they are race hubs

i have a pair and dont run pegs so mine have been ace

[Laz]

NOT worth the money.

The internals fuck up left and right, if it's not a driver bearing, then it's your axle, or worse, an ovalized shell, which eventually breaks all of the above.

[super_chief]

Lets get real here, they are OK cassette hubs, but they cost way more than other OK cassette hubs, and the biggest flaws with the cheaper ones is the finish.

I'd rather have something tough, rugged and easily maintained than some highly strung piece of polished metal stuffed in my frame.

This is the best/simplest put answer yet

[Big Ben]

I had a Profile, it was really nice but it was used so it lasted about 7 months, but it was fairly smooth in that time.


my oddyssey cassette which i bought second hand for £35 lasted a good 2 years, in which time i spent about £15 on it for 2 new axles and a new set of bearings. i was pretty much only doing grinds on harsh ledges at the time, and i eventually replaced it with a hoffman joytech clone because it was only £10 more than a 1pc driver for my odyssey (i kept snapping the screw on cogs on the 3pc driver). i would hope a hub costing 3-4 times what my odyssey cost would last for more than 7 months

[FBM.BMX]

^Ben i guarantee that once you've owned a pristine bike with all higher cost parts (though i don't think you will), the thought of going back to a cheap not so good build will make you cringe.

It's actually does making riding infinity more enjoyable having a lightish, smooth, solid bike. Just going out having nothing break, no strange sounds coming from anywhere, a straight wheel with tight spokes, hubs that spin forever, it makes for more pleasure on your bike.

If my bike feels rubbish it ruins my ride almost as badly as breaking something. Hopefully when you do something useful and get a real job, the cost a bike parts will seem like nothing to you, you'll end up with a pristine bike and wonder why you bitched about higher cost parts for ages. You don't notice the difference till you try it.

[super_chief]

Haha I hope that wasn't team serious.

[Big Ben]

Whether i have the money to buy matching profile mini hubs or not isnt really the issue here. The question here is are they worth the money-in terms of performance I would say no, a point i tryed to illustrate by pointing out how cheap my odyssey was to run even when it inevitably did break.
Im sure that most profile hub owners are very happy with their pristine hubs, but there are much cheaper hubs out there which still spin around, and are just as reliable as profiles but dont cost nearly as much.
If you want fancy machining and anodized colours, then i guess they are worth it, but if you just want a fucking hub that works there are cheaper alternatives.
Just because you can splash out and pay extra for the cosmetic luxuarys of a profile doesnt mean you have to, and i dont see the point in someone who is only going to smash it all up buying one.

[Big Ben]

and dean, just because my bike looks shit, doesnt mean i hate how it rides, im just a bitter resentful person who hates the world, and more often than not i channel some of my pent up frustration about the farce of an existance which i lead into my bike by moaning about it.

Apart from a ratchet some new bars, and a better brake (my fault for buying a lugless frame), I have what is pretty much my dream bike. Other luxuarys for me would be directors, and a marmoset front wheel, but i cant justify replacing the perfectly good front end of my bike just to make myself feel better in a shallow and materialistic way.

Team Serious reppin hard

[super_chief]

but i cant justify replacing the perfectly good front end of my bike just to make myself feel better in a shallow and materialistic way.

It's all the rage.

[Aesop Rock]

I'd just like to add that my second hand Odyssey V2 is still running after 3 years of me beating the shit out of it, and it really only sort of needs a new drive side bearing. It's pretty much perfectly smooth, does not wobble, and spins forever.

[Fed_Tom]

if you want profile hubs just buy profile hubs. they are obviously good, otherwise not as many people would have them. if you ride a lot of street you probably shouldnt be buying a race hub. its just common sense.

[Big Ben]

I'd just like to add that my second hand Odyssey V2 is still running after 3 years of me beating the shit out of it, and it really only sort of needs a new drive side bearing. It's pretty much perfectly smooth, does not wobble, and spins forever.

But does it have a machined logo, and is it available in 10 different colours?
http://www.profileracing.com/media/products/hubs4.gif
Because thats whats really important these days.

[Anon.]

My Odyssey cassette was hassle, pesky shitty driver. Having said that, I went from that to a Geisha Lite, which is some pretty "Frying pan/Fire" kinda shit.

Marmosets come in quite a few colours now, and have the G-sport logo etched on them, so they're catching up with Profile slowly but surely ;)

[FBM.BMX]

But does it have a machined logo, and is it available in 10 different colours?
http://www.profileracing.com/media/products/hubs4.gif
Because thats whats really important these days.

It isn't even the fact they have the have fancy machining that makes them a plush hub. They do roll quickly (infinitly faster than an odyssey hub/clone hub), near perfect engagement. They're good hubs, they do make your bike ride nicer.

But back to cost, i said earlier, they're just as good hubs for less. If you want something pretty you gotta pay a premium.

I forgot to mention my real dislike for profile using 3/32" teeth on their one piece drivers, haven't they cottoned on that a mojority of racers don't use micro-gearing?

[B.E.N.]

^Ben i guarantee that once you've owned a pristine bike with all higher cost parts (though i don't think you will), the thought of going back to a cheap not so good build will make you cringe.

It's actually does making riding infinity more enjoyable having a lightish, smooth, solid bike. Just going out having nothing break, no strange sounds coming from anywhere, a straight wheel with tight spokes, hubs that spin forever, it makes for more pleasure on your bike.

If my bike feels rubbish it ruins my ride almost as badly as breaking something. Hopefully when you do something useful and get a real job, the cost a bike parts will seem like nothing to you, you'll end up with a pristine bike and wonder why you bitched about higher cost parts for ages. You don't notice the difference till you try it.

How do you think G gained such a high level of respect within the BMX industry and amongst his customers?

It was for finding a good balance between price-point, weight and quality. He took industrial manufacturing practices and made something in the most cost effective, durable, and usable fashion possible. He didn't bump up the cost of the product with superflous crap, that at the end of the day, doesn't matter.

I'm pretty certain i could dial in a £500 complete and wouldn't be able to distinguish it from my own bike for a period of time.

The problem with profile hubs is that they are fragile, costly and mostly superfluous.

It isn't even the fact they have the have fancy machining that makes them a plush hub. They do roll quickly (infinitly faster than an odyssey hub/clone hub), near perfect engagement. They're good hubs, they do make your bike ride nicer.

But back to cost, i said earlier, they're just as good hubs for less. If you want something pretty you gotta pay a premium.

Profile cassettes are essentially the same design as an odyssey clone in terms of rolling, you can fuck them up in pretty much the same way...

Reading the last line of your post, however, we seem to be coming from a similar place...

[Big Ben]

But back to cost, i said earlier, they're just as good hubs for less. If you want something pretty you gotta pay a premium.

which is what i was saying and illustrating the point with the experience i had with my odyssey hub, I never said they were total crap, in terms of their internals i fail to see how they are that much better than say a mix.

For the record, my gsport hubs are faster and smoother than any other hub ive ran, i cant wait for the ratchet to come out

[carnage]

Profile hubs are for chavs, i'm surprised they haven't come out with a burberry one with solid gold nuts.

Do Profiles really use such better bearings that they make your bike roll faster?

[Scunny]

Dean + Ben = Jelly fight

I liked my profiles, felt really nice/smooth etc

I probably wouldn't buy another set, purely because spares are so expensive compared to other brands. I only bought mine as i got them dirt cheap, i've now sold them and replaced them with a v2ndero front, proper back (temp) and i cant fault either hub

[FBM.BMX]

Dean + Ben = Jelly fight

YMCA jelly fight at slack?

[FBM.BMX]

Profile hubs are for chavs, i'm surprised they haven't come out with a burberry one with solid gold nuts.

Do Profiles really use such better bearings that they make your bike roll faster?

Profiles do roll noticeably faster.

[Big Ben]

I think i might just shoot myself instead

[carnage]

Profiles do roll noticeably faster.

Is there anything apart from bearing quality/pawls/springs that would contribute to this extra speed? Just theoretically, not related to Profiles.

I can't see the other manufacturers using springs and pawls that would slow their hubs down.

[issac503]

supremeeeeee

[Milton]

My rear profile wobbles like a cunt. My non drive side is fucked because i grind a few waxed ledges. I know its my fault but oh well.

[carnage]

I just got negged for my chav comment, so I would like to add that Profiles are also for really touchy insecure people who like to leave snide abusive insults. Cheers Tom for strengthening my anti profile sentiment.

I own a set of Profiles and they are too poncey for me to even think about lacing up, they are just sat in a box unused.

My opinion on the original question is no they are not worth the money. They are pure longmint.

[Anon.]

I'm guessing the actual quality and precision of the construction of Profile hubs plays a part in how smooth they roll? If you've got bearings that are perfectly aligned with the axle (i.e. have a really well machined bearing seat, not some cheap, badly machined seat) then that's going to help. Just minor stuff like that, pretty much. Precision of construction is going to play a big part, seeing as the bearings aren't really that much different. Once you've blown them up and replaced them with 'normal' bearings they still roll nicely anyway.

[mutinous]

I have not been anything remotely similar to nice towards my hub.

Served side by side with a kink OG peg that I ground through. It does not wobble, seize, or anything of the sort. Its not a mini though, so that may make a world of difference. Fuck though, second hand and lasted me five years is fantastic.

[ohiooooo]

I'm guessing the actual quality and precision of the construction of Profile hubs plays a part in how smooth they roll? If you've got bearings that are perfectly aligned with the axle (i.e. have a really well machined bearing seat, not some cheap, badly machined seat) then that's going to help. Just minor stuff like that, pretty much. Precision of construction is going to play a big part, seeing as the bearings aren't really that much different. Once you've blown them up and replaced them with 'normal' bearings they still roll nicely anyway.


i love profile but i still dont get why they have 3 shims in the hub?

[t.wreck]

All this talk of excellent rolling... a riding buddy's front wheel won't spin for more then four seconds. The spacing is that shit.

Another one has the dreaded wobble.

I used to have an SS. Now I have G-Sport. I won't be going back.

[mutinous]

My vandero2 is a piece of crap compared to my profile I think. From the box its never spun properly. After taking everything apart and lubing it spins a little better but still not like my cassette.

[BASHY]

im now rollin' on 2 homers and ive never been happier with my bike.

[Big Ben]

i love profile but i still dont get why they have 3 shims in the hub?

yeah seems daft, and why on earth would they assemble batches of hubs without them in only to have to send the shims out to everyone whos hub was wobbling? seems like a poor effort on profiles behalf especially seeing that their hubs are so expensive

[Sammm]

im now rollin' on 2 homers and ive never been happier with my bike.

Yep, best hubs going definately.

I think my bike's rolling speed increased 10fold when I got my Homers.

[BDSM Master]

i'd love to get kings with ceramic bearings haha. i'm thinking about switching my mini rear for a sun ringle 4 stroke. should i do it?

[RampUptheCamel]

I swore I'd never have a profile hub in my life just because it seemed way too overpriced before even thinking about buying replacement shit for it...

Sure enough I'm running a profile SS in the rear now.

I didn't buy it though, it was a friends spare wheel and I traded him a stock cassette rear wheel and a pack of Malboro's for it. It was in decent condition but my friend revamped the thing at his shop with bearings and trued it and it's perfect now.

So if you get some weird deal or something go for it, it's a pretty nice hub, I like the sound and engagement is sick.

[streetStreet]

Im running a Khe Lolita hub, opther than the odd skip in the cog it'll hold until the ratchet comes out.

And besides if your profile hub fucks up you cant come on bikeguide and get answers from the designer.

[super_chief]

Mmm,

my profile spins extra fast.

That's what I am chasing after in a rear hub.

[Fed_Tom]

I just got negged for my chav comment.

because it was stupid. i wanted to elaborate but thats about it really.

everyone is chatting shit in this thread. my profiles are the best hubs ive hever had, but then again the only other hubs ive had were wethepeople pi hubs (which were good) and some ciaris which are basically profileish copies with a freewheel.

if you ride heavy street no i wouldnt recommend profiles. if you ride more park or trails (or indeed as they were intended, race!) yes i would recommend profiles. i wouldnt say any hubs are necessarily 'better' than profiles just more suited to the different applications within BMX. in my experience profiles do feel nicer to ride, but wont last as long with peg use and abuse like that. if youre gonna do that get a different hub.

jesus.

[carnage]

because it was stupid. i wanted to elaborate but thats about it really.



Yes my comment was stupid, and I was trying so hard to be serious.
There really was no need to call me a "fucking idiot"

if you ride heavy street no i wouldnt recommend profiles.

The original poster rides street, the question was about grinding and wether they were worth the extra money for him. Everyones got an opinion, yours is valid too but even though your hub experience is limited you must admit there is an awful lot of bling factor and flash git syndrome amongst Profile owners.


jesus.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3225/2986710443_ddff503e4c_o.jpg
Relax a bit, they are only hubs.:cheers: