polished silver royce titan venus hub
Royce ‘Talent’ Hubs
Royce Front hub Spindles are machined from aerospace grade Titanium for stiffness, ensuring improved tracking and longer bearing life. The rear hubs are made from 17/4 steel for maximum strength and maximum stiffness. Their Hub Shells are CNC machined from single pieces of a solid billet of Aluminium (2014), and the deep polished, anodised surfaces resist corrosion and crack propagation. The aluminium comes from the 2000 series which is stronger than the 6000 series used in most hub manufacture. The 7000 series is another popular choice, however the hardness of this series can cause the hub shell to become brittle. They are made in New Milton, Hampshire, UK. The titanium axles come with a lifetime warranty. Chris Boardman used Royce Hubs to break the Athletes Hour Record.
Royce hubs offer good weight performance but more importantly an excellent lifespan. They are designed for many miles of trouble free riding. You may find over time that the freehub body becomes noisy. This may mean it is due some more grease. You can disassemble the hub for this, however it is better to use the Royce Lubrication system.
Royce Racing Gold Hubs
The locknuts are not slotted on Royce hubs. They are torqued up in the Royce workshop using a special vice. If you want to loosen/tighten them, it is best to have an aluminium contact surface or some other soft metal to prevent damage. The locknuts on Royce hubs have been made smaller, grippier and lighter using this system. Royce also use a barrel shaped front axle to provide superior stiffness and have used titanium to save weight on this design. Royce have also used NTN bearings on their hubs which are higher grade than standard cartridge bearings. They are bearings that are normally used in machining tools and have a superior lifespan. They normally use contact seals on the external bearings and non-contact seals on the internal bearings. Contact sealed bearings are slower and better sealed, non-contact bearings are faster. You can opt for all non-contact if you wish. There is also a non-contact shield which covers the bearings and will throw water out from the hub. This protects the bearings from the elements. Royce do not recommend the use of pressure washers on their hubs as the water penetrates the shields and the seals.
Royce hubs are drilled out to 2.3mm. This still allows compatibility with aero spokes like the CX-Ray, however it means they are not compatible with spokes like the Strong. Spokes must be 14g or 2.0mm at the elbow. The smaller spoke hole diameter is to create a snug fit with the spoke which extends the life span of the spoke and keeps the shell stronger. Spoke holes on mass produced hubs are generally larger to make it easier for machine lacing.
Spoke holes can be slotted for use with bladed spokes if necessary. There is a slotting charge of £35/hub for this.
The Royce hub range can be a little complex and overwhelming. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. The extensive range does allow there to be a hub for every occasion.
Front Hubs
– Ultra Light front – £172
This is the lightest hub in the Royce range coming with the smallest flange size and a smaller axle to save weight. This is not well suited to heavy duty applications or particularly heavy riders. The Ultra Light is available in 20, 24, 28 and 32h. There is also a bolt on version available for £150.
– Mid flange front – £172
This is the most versatile front hub in the Royce range. It has the highest hole count availability, it has the standard front axle diameter and it can be used for a broad range of applications. It can be used for light touring if necessary. If you are looking to get the highest performance possible out of your wheelset, it is probably best to go for the Ultra Light, probably in a lower drilling count. There is also a bolt on version available for £150. Mid flange hubs are available in 12, 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 holes. They are also available with 110mm spindle length if required.
– Track front – £158
The Track front hub is very similar to the Mid flange front hub, although the diameter is subtly different. The key difference is they come with a solid spindle rather than a quick release axle. This will then match the rear track hub and be suitable for track racing.
– Titan front hub – £202
This is the largest flange hub that Royce offer and it is only available in 36h drilling. This is recommended for heavy duty use, such as on touring bicycles.
– Front disc – £212
This is similar to the Titan only it comes with a 6 bolt IS disc mounting. So you can run disc brakes on this version, with all the features of the Titan hub. Only available in 32h drilling.
Rear Hubs
– Track rear – £231
The standard Royce track hub comes with track nuts and a lockring. It is available in 120mm, 130mm and 135mm spindle lengths. It is available in 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36 holes. These were the hubs used by Chris Boardman to complete the Athlete’s hour. The centre to flange measurement on the drive side is actually larger on this hub than on the non drive side. This is to help prevent wind up during extreme force.
– Venus rear – £251 Shimano, £260 Campagnolo
The Venus rear is the most common Royce rear hub. It is available in 16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 holes and 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 160mm axle lengths.
– Screw on hub – £175
This hub can be used either for single speed applications or for a geared freewheel. It is available in 28, 32, 36 and 40 holes. It can come with spindle lengths of 126 or 130mm. The axle on this has been specifically designed for use on this hub as freewheeled hub axles have bigger moments exerted at the bearings.
– Titan venus rear touring hub – £264 shimano, £274 campag
This is the rear version to match the front Titan hub. Again only available in 36h and with spindle lengths of 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 160mm.
– Rear disc – £292
This is the rear version of the front disc hub. Again only available in 32h and with spindle lengths of 130, 135, 140, 145, 150, 160mm.
Royce Racing Gold hubs open hub many more possibilities. It is essentially the opportunity to fully customise your set of hubs. Both the axles and the shells come with a lifetime warranty. Please contact me for more details. Prices start at £855/pair.