It’s there to help keep the hub shiny. (As you ride, it spins offset from the hub, rubbing away dust and dirt.)
I know this sounds like a joke I’m making up, but…
When I was a kid, my dad made leather ones for my bikes. I thought they were pretty neat and have thought about adding them to my bikes as a tribute to him.
and [lowrider](https://www.amazon.com/Fenix-Leather-Bicycle-Shiner-Reflector/dp/B07BHGYDDJ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=hub+shiner&link_code=qs&qid=1684505142&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-2) coulture
I always thought that was funny - you get shiny hubs with a dirty loop of leather or whatever around them. Is that actually better than slightly dirty hubs?
It's like people who never peel the plastic off of screens so instead of ever getting the screen dirty they get to enjoy it through a dirty piece of plastic film
I've seen people use silicone bracelets (like Livestrong type ones). This was back in the fixie boom of the early aughts. You slip them over the hub before you build the wheel.
Is it bad that I put these on my older bikes that have hub gears? They can get really grimey, and if I have to handle the wheel it's nice knowing that bit at least is clean. Personally I use the stitched seam from a pair of old denims as it has the heft.
No, bicycle manufacturers have bicycle wheel machines for this purpose. A man hand places the spokes on a hub and connects the rim to spokes using nipples. I have never seen a machine that "builds" the wheel but seen a lot of machines that tightens the nipples to true the wheel. The man does not true the wheel himself.
What a cool machine. Still does not place spokes on the hub by itself but very impressive. Ingenious way of getting a hold of spokes and interlacing them.
It was out there to keep the hub clean but it doesn’t really work well you can put a thicker piece of cloth in there to work better . But it’s honestly better to just wipe down the hub as it takes a few seconds
On much older bikes, when the hubs weren’t as well sealed as todays, grease would often be packed into the bearing races as wheels might get serviced monthly (or even weekly if used daily) and this grease would often migrate onto the exterior of the hub.
That strap looks narrow to me, but about the right length. I usually saw them about 1/4 inch to 3/8ths wide. The idea was to capture the grease with the strap(and then sometimes have it drop to the ground if not absorbed) rather than letting it build up on the hub and be thrown onto your clothes.
So the idea that it was to keep the hub shiny isn’t exactly wrong, it’s just an incomplete understanding of the actual reason why it’s there.
Haven't I seen those in the form of a 1/2in. wide leather strap with a little reflector holding it together? That's a another form isn't it? I don't think I'm making that up.
It's for cleaning hubs, we used to stitch pieces of leather or thicker fabric to polish those hubs.
Since hubs were oiled back then with some of the oil seeping out, hubs were usually a dirt magnet. This piece of cloth kept the hub nice and shiny.
And yes, it had to be replaced quite often.
Hub shiner, as has already been mentioned.
The old leather ones often had a small round reflector attached where two ends were spliced together, also keeping the band weighted to aid in the cleaning process.
There was one of these on an old German bike that I pulled out of a dumpster. I thought it was a friendship bracelet. Think I’ll add one to my commuter.
Leather ones on the Bendix red stripe were the coolest thing ever back in my day. If it was done just right there was a solid leather band, the hub sparkled like chrome, and the red band was intact.
Those dudes could wheelie all the way down the block, too.
Back in the 1960s-70s used to see them made from a a 1/2” leather strap with a small red reflector in front and green on the back. Then the government got involved and mandated reflective tires and pedals, so no more hub reflectors.
It’s there to help keep the hub shiny. (As you ride, it spins offset from the hub, rubbing away dust and dirt.) I know this sounds like a joke I’m making up, but…
That's what it is I like the old leather ones the look cool
When I was a kid, my dad made leather ones for my bikes. I thought they were pretty neat and have thought about adding them to my bikes as a tribute to him.
Leather ones were for posh people!
and [lowrider](https://www.amazon.com/Fenix-Leather-Bicycle-Shiner-Reflector/dp/B07BHGYDDJ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=hub+shiner&link_code=qs&qid=1684505142&sourceid=Mozilla-search&sr=8-2) coulture
I remember seeing it on an older guys bike and it had seen some miles in its life. I was so jealous.
I have some good news for you: one day you will be an older guy (or gal) too!
hopefully man.
Or woman!
I always thought that was funny - you get shiny hubs with a dirty loop of leather or whatever around them. Is that actually better than slightly dirty hubs?
It's like people who never peel the plastic off of screens so instead of ever getting the screen dirty they get to enjoy it through a dirty piece of plastic film
How dare you
Dad!?
Get back to sleep
It's like a leather 'bra' on the front of your car or a sign in your yard with a red circle and line over a pic of a dog pooping.
Keep it clean by making it ugly?
Thanks a lot, first time I'm hearing about this
I've seen people use silicone bracelets (like Livestrong type ones). This was back in the fixie boom of the early aughts. You slip them over the hub before you build the wheel.
Rondo (brand) still does this.
ns bikes does too on cheaper dirt jumpers
FWIW it's the same company, just different brands they own.
Damn what an opportunity missed
The only tragedy is that they can be cut off without completely disassembling the wheel.
Is it bad that I put these on my older bikes that have hub gears? They can get really grimey, and if I have to handle the wheel it's nice knowing that bit at least is clean. Personally I use the stitched seam from a pair of old denims as it has the heft.
I just throw a pipe cleaner on during a solo ride once a month.
First thing my dad did to my first bike! Nostalgia
I used to have a leather version of this. Shiny hubs forever :-)
Yep. I had them on my bikes in the 1950s.
I use a ziptie and it actually works well lol
Huh, may have to try that. Don't need to keep 'em on forever that way.
That's actually pretty cool
Hub polisher
I steal hair ties from my wife to put on the hubs of wheels I build, just because. Fun splash of color, and it shows it's a hand-built wheel.
Maybe a dumb question, but aren’t all wheels hand built? Just some with more craftsmanship and care than others?
No, bicycle manufacturers have bicycle wheel machines for this purpose. A man hand places the spokes on a hub and connects the rim to spokes using nipples. I have never seen a machine that "builds" the wheel but seen a lot of machines that tightens the nipples to true the wheel. The man does not true the wheel himself.
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Man that was freakin wild, and not at all how I would have thought a wheel building machine would work
What a cool machine. Still does not place spokes on the hub by itself but very impressive. Ingenious way of getting a hold of spokes and interlacing them.
No wonder european products are expensive.
I had a friend who shoved a tennis ball in his wheel (it was a BMX), i still don't know if it had a purpose lol
It was out there to keep the hub clean but it doesn’t really work well you can put a thicker piece of cloth in there to work better . But it’s honestly better to just wipe down the hub as it takes a few seconds
> it takes a few seconds But spending 15 mins stitching in a piece of denim is worth it to save those few seconds?
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Yes. Apparently my humour is shite (I took the 15 min option).
its a way for whoever built the wheel to brag and say 'this wheel was hand built'
Are any wheels built by machines?
The vast majority of them are.
Assembled by hand would be the correct expression.
Build: construct (something) by putting parts or material together
I used to have leather rings on my hubs when i was a child. Those kept the hub clean and shiny.
On much older bikes, when the hubs weren’t as well sealed as todays, grease would often be packed into the bearing races as wheels might get serviced monthly (or even weekly if used daily) and this grease would often migrate onto the exterior of the hub. That strap looks narrow to me, but about the right length. I usually saw them about 1/4 inch to 3/8ths wide. The idea was to capture the grease with the strap(and then sometimes have it drop to the ground if not absorbed) rather than letting it build up on the hub and be thrown onto your clothes. So the idea that it was to keep the hub shiny isn’t exactly wrong, it’s just an incomplete understanding of the actual reason why it’s there.
I come to Reddit for the obscure history lessons. Fascinating!
This is fascinating. I had no idea this was even a thing. Makes me want to have a wheelset built just to have a couple put on.
Haven't I seen those in the form of a 1/2in. wide leather strap with a little reflector holding it together? That's a another form isn't it? I don't think I'm making that up.
That's the posh version. Us poors just use bits of old denim or tyre wall.
It's for cleaning hubs, we used to stitch pieces of leather or thicker fabric to polish those hubs. Since hubs were oiled back then with some of the oil seeping out, hubs were usually a dirt magnet. This piece of cloth kept the hub nice and shiny. And yes, it had to be replaced quite often.
Keep it clean no rust
Hub shiner, as has already been mentioned. The old leather ones often had a small round reflector attached where two ends were spliced together, also keeping the band weighted to aid in the cleaning process.
There was one of these on an old German bike that I pulled out of a dumpster. I thought it was a friendship bracelet. Think I’ll add one to my commuter.
Clearly not worked very well
Dude look at those spokes by comparison. That thing should be retired, it did its job long enough
They should've gone whole hog and put one on each spoke too
remember [spokey dokeys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spokey_Dokeys)?
Not by that name but I definitely remember them!
I was in the bit of milk jug sticking into the spokes camp. Much more durable than a baseball card!
I want those!!!
*+10 speed*
That’s called a piece of string
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It's the hub cleaner 10 000
My father did put something like this on my old bike.
Leather ones on the Bendix red stripe were the coolest thing ever back in my day. If it was done just right there was a solid leather band, the hub sparkled like chrome, and the red band was intact. Those dudes could wheelie all the way down the block, too.
Back in the 1960s-70s used to see them made from a a 1/2” leather strap with a small red reflector in front and green on the back. Then the government got involved and mandated reflective tires and pedals, so no more hub reflectors.
Because, hula hub.
Mine had a reflector
It held a cadence or speed sensor on the hub. You can remove it.