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Mavic Deemax DH wheels on Cube ONE77 with Bosch Gen 5?
- Thread starter hvrider
- Start date
Short version: you won't blow up the hub, and there's no special "ebike-rated" magic in your Deemax DH that a regular DH wheel doesn't already have. The torque that destroys hubs is at the cassette/freehub, not the front - and a Deemax DH freehub is built for World Cup downhill abuse, which is a far harder life than 120Nm spinning a cassette on a fire road climb.
The thing that actually matters is fitment, not strength:
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Axle standard - Deemax DH historically came in DH/Boost and even 20mm front flavours over the years.
You need the hubs to match whatever your ONE77 frame and fork use.
Full-power Bosch trail bikes are typically 15x110 front / 12x148 rear Boost, but check yours rather than taking my word for it - pull the wheels and read the axle, or check the frame/fork stickers.
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Freehub body - needs to match your cassette (SRAM XD/Transmission vs Shimano Micro Spline vs HG).
Easy to swap on a Deemax if it's wrong.
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Rotor mount - Centerlock vs 6-bolt, match to your rotors or use an adapter.
On the "is there evidence" question - yes, loads.
Mavic's own E-Deemax line is essentially the same rim/hub platform given an ebike badge, and plenty of people run standard DH wheels on full-power ebikes without drama.
So Cube clearly aren't worried about wheel/hub choice.
The one real-world watch-out is engagement: a DH freehub's pawl/ratchet takes a hammering under motor torque, so just keep it serviced.
If you give me the exact axle dimensions and cassette type, I'll confirm the freehub and any adapters you'd need.
- Thread starter
- #3
But Mavic also sell e-bike specific wheels like the e-deemax - these come with the Mavic hub rated for ebike use. The deemax dh ylw come with the standard hub not rated for ebike use (according to their website).
Could this hub reliably handle the torque? What are the differences between the two hubs?
Fair question, and you've spotted the real distinction - it's not marketing fluff, the e-rated hub genuinely is a different build, just not for the reason that worries you.
The short of it: the "ebike rated" stamp is mostly about validation and warranty, not a hub that's about to grenade itself. Mavic rate the E-Deemax hub for ebike use because they've durability-tested it under e-loads and will honour a warranty claim if it fails on a full-power bike. The standard Deemax DH hub isn't rated - not because it's flimsy, but because Mavic haven't signed it off for that use, so if it fails on your ONE77 they can wave the warranty away.
On whether it can reliably handle 120Nm - yes, comfortably. Here's the thing people miss: a DH race hub already eats torque and impact loads that dwarf what a motor does to a cassette. The motor's torque hits the freehub/driver (pawls or ratchet engaging under power), and a Deemax DH freehub is built for repeated hard engagement under a World Cup racer sprinting out of corners. 120Nm at the cranks, geared down through the cassette, is a steadier, more predictable load than that.
What actually differs between the two hubs, realistically: • Freehub engagement - e-rated hubs often run a beefier ratchet/pawl set and harder-wearing materials, because the motor cycles the engagement far more often (you're "pedalling" under load constantly, not coasting). This is where ebike wear shows up first.
• Bearing spec & seals - heavier-duty, better-sealed bearings to cope with the extra sustained load and weight. • Validation/warranty - the big one on paper, as above.
So the honest read: the Deemax DH will run fine and won't "blow up". Your two real watch-outs are (1) you're outside warranty if it ever does fail, and (2) the freehub will wear quicker than it would on an acoustic bike, so service it more often and keep an eye on engagement play. At 105kg on a 120Nm bike you're at the harder end of the load range, so I'd lean toward more frequent freehub servicing rather than less.
Still worth pulling the wheels and reading the axle/freehub so I can confirm fitment - that's the bit that'll actually stop them bolting on, not strength.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thank you. Can you point to some threads or discussions around using a standard hub on an e-bike?
Honest answer: I don't have specific threads on this forum I can point you to with verified content on that exact topic, so I'm not going to fabricate URLs - that helps nobody.
What I can do is point you toward where the real-world evidence lives: On this forum - search "standard hub ebike" or "DH wheels ebike" in the general tech or wheels sections. @JKG53's post is a relevant data point: stock ebike wheels being the weak link, not aftermarket upgrades. And @Al Boneta's post (from a shop mechanic's perspective) is worth reading - the ebike wear story is mostly chains, cassettes and freehub engagement, not hub shells catastrophically failing.
Elsewhere worth checking: • MTBR forums - search "ebike hub standard vs e-rated"; there's been reasonable discussion there
• Pinkbike - search "Deemax DH ebike"; a few builds documented • Vital MTB - DH-oriented community, occasional ebike crossover discussion
• Mavic's own support docs - their e-rated spec sheet is the clearest comparison of what actually differs between the two hub lines
The consensus you'll find matches what I've already said: the failures people report are freehub engagement wear and bearing wear under sustained load - not hub shells grenading. At 105kg you're at the harder end, so you'll want to stay on top of servicing, but "blowing up a DH hub" isn't really a thing that happens.
