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Madera – C4 Plastic Drive Side Hub Guard

October 9, 2019

Do you run a Madera or Profile Racing hub in the back? If you’re looking for a drive side hub guard, Madera have released their C4 drive side guard that utilizes a proprietary insert that replaces the jam nut on your axle to allow your guard to snap right into place. Hit play to let Matt Coplon tell you all about it, along with a detailed look at the guard and how it’s installed!

“Custom-made for both Madera and Profile Hubs, the C4 Drive Side Guard is designed to protect your hubs, keep you grinding smoothly, and all with only minimal weight.

It is sold as a combo including the guard and proprietary hardware that will fit on the Madera V2 Cassette, the Madera Gulf Coaster, the Profile Racing Mini Hub, and the Profile Racing Z-Coaster.

Buy the combo pack to start and replace the guard on its own later if necessary.

You must have the proprietary hardware that is installed with an adjustable wrench in order to run this guard.

Make sure to check out all of the other guards we make, including our C4 Plastic FRONT Guard and our C4 Plastic Non-Drive Side REAR Guard to match this guard below.”

Merritt – Tension Hub Guard Smash Test

June 11, 2018

Merritt put their Tension Hub Guard to the smash and grind test!

When it comes to testing BMX parts, a lot of it comes down to team riders taking a prototype out and beating the hell out of it, then making refinements to improve it until it’s perfect. But, even then, you have to look into other ways to test things to ensure it’s going to hold up to the abuse a BMX bike goes through. The guys at Merritt released their Tension Hub Guard a couple years back and it has proven to hold up quite nice. They decided to really push things to the limit and did a sledge hammer test, followed up by a grinder test to see how well it could take a beating. Here’s what happened!

“We took the sledge hammer and grinder to our tension hub guard to show how durable it is.The guard easily attaches to the spokes with a simple spring clip that keeps the guard under tension and in place. The tension system is away from the grind side, so it isn’t affected as the guard wears down.”

Eclat BMX – Overguard Hub Guard

March 18, 2018

Eclat BMX Overguard Hub Guard BMX

Do you need a hub guard, but you want something that will fit on either you drive or non-drive-side, and protect the dropouts? The Overguard Hub Guard from Eclat might just be what you’re looking for. Traditional hub guards are mounted between the hub and the dropouts of the frame, giving you protection for your hub, but not your dropouts. The Overguard gives you full protection of the dropouts and the hub. This hub guard is made from heat-treated 4140 chromoly and simply slides on between your dropout and the peg, with two anti-rotation pin slots so you can run this guard on either side of your bike. Due to its shape, it’s also universal for drive or non-drive side since the guard will fit over most 9-tooth drivers. The Overguard comes in black only, fits most frames and will work with pretty much all pegs and hubs, weighs in at 2.7 oz. and can be picked up for around $26.99 through most BMX shops and mail-order that sell Eclat worldwide.

The Overguard has two anti-roll pin tabs so you can fit the guard on either side of your back wheel.

Eclat BMX Overguard Hub Guard BMX

Here’s a look at Kilian Roth‘s bike with the Overguard on it.

What do you think? Do you have any questions? Let us know what you’re thinking! Not quite what you’re looking for? Check out more BMX Hub Guards here.


Madera BMX – Unboxing: Front Hub Guards

December 27, 2017

Madera’s latest “Memo” video gives you some insight on the Madera C4 and Profile Aegis front hub guards…

If you run a Madera or Profile Racing front hub and you need to get some hub guards, here’s a video for you! Madera had Mike Hinkens sit down to explain the difference between the Madera C4 front hub guard and the Profile Racing Aegis front hub guard, and how to install them on your hubs. I personally run the Aegis guard on my Profile Mini hub and love it. Super easy to install, works great and has held up for a really long time! Check it out!

“Madera Memo #20 – Unboxing – Front Hub Guards

Madera hubs are works of art, but you beat them up every time you ride! Make sure to protect your investment AND make grinding way easier by running hub guards on your front and rear Madera hubs. Click play for a short video explaining the front hub guard options we have as well as why they are necessary and how to install them.

Edit: Mike Hinkens
Music – Intro/Outro: Drumlins

MADERA C4 FRONT HUB GUARD
– CNC machined from Delrin (strong and durable plastic)
– The hub guard slides over the hub cone – It will sit snug against your fork and hub cone when the wheel is tightened down.
– Weight: 28g/.98 oz

COMPATIBILITY NOTES:
– Can be used on Madera Pilot front hubs as well as Profile Elite, Totem, and Mini front hubs.
– Works only with Madera/Profile Knurled cones. You can buy an adaptable cone with the guard if you don’t have the right one.
” – Madera

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Madera Memo – Unboxing the Madera and Profile Racing Hub Guards

October 25, 2017

Due for some new hub guards? This weeks Madera Memo takes a look at the different Madera and Profile Racing hub guards that they have available, and how to install them! Check out the video featuring Mike Hinkens below…

“Madera and Profile come from the same factory and share some of the same components. Both companies’ hubs should be used with and have special hub guards available. These guards are specifically designed for our hubs and do a great job of protecting your investment as well as making riding easier. Click play to learn all about our guards and then go check out the hubs they fit on!

More info and links for purchase below.

Edit: Mike Hinkens
Music: Intro/Outro: Drumlins
” – Madera

Odyssey – Vandero Pro Front Hub & Hazard Lite Front Wheel

June 12, 2017

Let’s take a look at the brand new Vandero Pro Front Hub and the Hazard Lite Front Wheel from Odyssey!

Vandero Pro Front Hub

Is it time for a new front hub? Here’s a closer look at the new Vandero Pro front hub from Odyssey. This front hub starts out with a 7075-T6 aluminum hub shell with precision bored fully centric bearing seats for a smoother spin and prolonged bearing life. Inside you can find 6903RS sealed cartridge ball bearings with a 17mm 7075-T6 aluminum center axle with steel helicoil thread insert and 3/8″ heat-treated chromoly axle bolts with 17mm wrench flats and 6mm hex slots to keep it all tight.

As you can see from the photos, this hub comes with replaceable plastic hub guards on both sides that you can choose to run or remove. The Vandero Pro hub guards are made from a proprietary plastic and are designed to be press fit, so you don’t have to mess with the hub to install them.

The Vandero Pro Front Hub is available in black and polished with a weight of 11.2 oz. for $69.99 through BMX shops and mail-orders that carry Odyssey BMX worldwide now.

Odyssey Hazard Lite Front Wheel

If you’re on the hunt for a complete front wheel, then you’re in luck because the Vandero Pro Front Hub is also available on the new Odyssey Hazard Lite Front Wheel. This wheel starts out with the Vandero Pro hub laced to a Hazard Lite rim. The Hazard Lite 36-hole rim is made from 6000 series aluminum with a 32mm width, 17mm height with a 390 ERD.

The Hazard Lite Front Wheel is available in Black and Chrome for $149.99 – $159.99 through BMX shops and mail-orders that carry Odyssey worldwide now as well.

What do you think? Have any questions? Let us know in the comments and we’ll get back to you!

Check out more from Odyssey BMX

Profile Racing – Tech Tip: Hub Guards

February 10, 2017

Have you been trying to decide what kind of hub guards you should be running on your setup? The guys at Profile Racing and Madera have put together a guide explaining their different styles and types of hub guards that they offer. You can check out everything explaining the pros and cons between nylon and aluminum guards, along with a few insights from the pro team. Check it out here — Tech Tip: On Guard

5 BMX Innovations We Love

November 29, 2016

5-bmx-innovations-we-love

Over the course of the past few weeks The Merged have been putting out different Top 5 lists for different products. For example they released their Top 5 Pegs today that was pretty interesting. Looking at those lists, it got us thinking about all of the different innovations that we have seen in BMX over the past 15ish years that we really love. There is no denying that there has been A LOT of innovation making bikes lighter, stronger and look a hell of a lot better over the years. There has also been a lot of things done to simplify the process of working on your bike, which is always a perk. You can pretty much build a bike up with a allen key and a 17mm socket these days. That wasn’t always the case. With that, we decided to take a look at a few items in particular we have a lot of appreciation for.

mutiny-bikes-2017-obscura-bmx-frame-head-tube

Integrated Head Tube and Press Fit Bottom Brackets

If you have been riding BMX for more than 10 years, there’s no doubt that you have a great appreciation for the Integrated head tube and press fit bottom brackets. Prior to that, you had to pound in your own headset cups and bottom bracket bearing cups, which usually also used unsealed bearings. This was a pain in the ass and an extra unnecessary step. We’re sure some of you are having a flashback of a cracked headset cup, followed by 100 little silver ball bearings bouncing around on the floor. Once S&M Bikes introduced the Integrated headtube and brands ditched the American bottom bracket bearings for Mid and Spanish sizes, life got a whole lot easier. Drop the headset in place and tighten it down or give the bottom bracket bearing a push into the frame and you’re good to go. Less work, cleaner look and overall more reliable product. That is why we love this innovation.

american-bmx-headset-bearings
sunday-headset-hblu_5133

Thanks to integrated head tubes, we have far fewer parts to deal with when it comes to headsets. Bottom brackets also looked similar to the old headsets if you were wondering, too.

wethepeople-bmx-message-frame-holomatic-spectral-silver-dropouts

Integrated Chain Tensioners

Over the years we have seen A LOT of innovation in the chain tensioner department. When they were initially introduced, they were these over built, adaptors that were essentially a combination of a washer, bolt, plate and nut that pulled it together. Now days we have the integrated chain tensioner that runs directly through the dropouts. Not only is this a 100 times cleaner and lighter, it’s simple. Simply grab your allen key and adjust in and out to where you want your axle to sit in the dropout. How couldn’t you love this innovation?

bmx-chain-tensioner

Talk about simplified…. Fewer parts, less weight… So much cleaner!

eclat-bmx-bios-tripod-seat-post-bottom

Pivotal & Tripod Seats

Now, this is one of those innovations that might not necessarily appeal to everyone. We still see the railed seat and brands like Relic have even released a new railed seat recently. However, the majority of us are running Pivotal or Tripod seats, eliminating the need to battle it out with the railed seat post guts that were notorious for being a big pain in the ass to get set in place initially. Not only are they easier to install, but Pivotal and Tripod seats are lighter and look cleaner, too. Both systems use different designs, but both use one bolt to hold it all together and eliminated all the small parts that railed seats use. This is another one of those innovations that saved some time and frustration… So we love it.

bmx-seat-post-railed

The old railed seat posts essentially took two plates and one or two bolts to sandwich the rails of the seat. This is a look at the Snafu posts that came in a number of colors, but still were a whole bunch of fun to dial in.

how-to-install-shadow-conspiracy-interlock-bmx-chain

Half-Link Chain

The Half-Link… This is one of those pieces I think there is a love / hate relationship. Some people love how it allows them to get their rear wheel in the exact spot thanks to the shorter links and others claim they are weaker and break easier (depending on the chain). However, having that shorter link has been an innovation that has made its mark on BMX and is undoubtably loved. Whether you’re using a full half-link chain or a regular size chain with one half-link to get the benefits of that adjustability, it has made life a little easier… Except working on chains are still a bit of a pain and messy.

proper-bmx-select-drive-side-hub-guard-bmx-side

Hub Guards

Hub guards is one of those innovations that we have seen a lot of focus on in the past few years. Once street riding and grinding really took off and people were tearing the shit out of their hubs and spokes, it was a no brainer that there needed to be a guard to help resist all the damage. Over the years we have seen a number of different styles like G-Sport’s plastic guard that you could tie to your spokes with zip ties or shoe laces to the more modern style guards that replace your hardware and slide onto the axle. Whether you’re using a plastic or full chromoly guard, there’s a good chance that little guard has saved you a lot of time, money and hassle by having less spokes to repair and extending the life of your hub.

g-sport-bmx-bike

While looking for old photos of the original G-Sport hub guards, we stumbled across an old bike check George French did from around 2004 that had some prototypes of the guards, which have been modified a bunch over the years and are still available. This bike also has the old headset and bottom bracket, railed seat and more. This also has a number of creative / concept ideas that George was working on for G-Sport at the time. Either way, bikes now days look A LOT cleaner and are a lot lighter.

That’s 5 innovations in BMX we love. Did we miss any that you love? Let us know in the comments below!

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