A report:

The invincible king Nankaï has reasons to worry; there is a rising generation of freecoasters coming onto the market. We compared, dissected, analyzed, and passed to X-rays the Boo Ares and the KHE Geisha, here is the result…

Because approximately 95% among you don't do any tricks on the back wheel and that a good percentage don't even know what it is possible, this new generation of freecoaster will only be useful for those who want to save weight (300gr on average). Odyssey, Twenty and Haro had already proposed a freecoaster with sealed bearings and aluminium bodies but they were in 14mm axis and their operation was rather random, which did not convince the flatlanders. Only sponsored guys rode with them and quickly returned to the invincible king Nankai. The king until this spring, when a new generation of freecoaster flowers, a little more close to the riders expectations and which thus propose an axis of 10, driver of 9 teeth and 36 spokes for sticking perfectly to the current trend.

The 2 best freecoaster are the Ares Boo and the KHE Geisha, which we compared, dissected, analyzed, and passed to X-rays. The result is below but you can notice that there are other alternatives that those 2 as the Profile freecoaster body which is perfectly adaptable inside the Nankai and thus saves 115gr (90 $ on Flatland fuel in 36 and 48s).

Oden bike proposes also a new freecoaster but it is closer to Odyssey Reloader than of the Geisha or the Boo. It should be noticed that Pascal Mintovt is currently testing a proto freecoaster from Generix with an aluminium body and needle bearings, therefore super light and functions very well. The test of the megaspin pedal was validated on it.

Here is the Comparative of the ARES and KHE freecoasters.
Tests carried out on 4 KHE freeco and 2 Ares.


ARES - BOO

Freeco characteristics?
Black or dark brown, 36 or 48 S, 3 sealed bearings, Cr-Mo axis, aluminium nuts, 9 teeth driver, aluminium body, 460 gr., 149 euros in France. 3 sealed bearings in opposition to 4 are apparently largely enough. The fact of having the wide aluminium nuts with acting as integrated washer is very interesting; at least one does not risk destroying a titanium axle or nut as that already happened to me with Knight Bike products in spite of TI prep… The 9 teeth driver of origin is a godsend (in opposition to KHE) but makes me become aware that 23X9 is not terrible to ride flat, therefore a reduction in the sprocket size is to be taken into account to optimize the animal. On the other hand, we can regret that the ultra slim chains as the FMF Hollow pine chain do not work from new and requires a surgical grinding. Assembly, adjustments? The first thing which can be noticed is the flanges width. They are quite large and it seems to me that they are slightly tilted to help with the spokes support but actually I am not 100% sure, without measuring precisely it is difficult to evaluate. In any case what is sure it is that the holes of the flanges are coupled with a kind of chamfer which does not make all the circumference of the hole and means that once the spoke is introduced, the elbow passes with difficulty: in fact it is necessary to force it a little to get in fully in. The consequence is that a portion of the head of spoke "penetrates" the body of the hub and thus optimizes the faces in contact thus there is a better distribution of the loads. Moreover this "tight" adjustment quasi makes the spoke perfectly immobilized in it's housing and annihilated all possible play. This will have a long-term effect to help preserve the body of the hubs during use. For disassembling, a key style Park tool of 19 is necessary but not essential. Besides that, nothing special, all is assembled and reassembled without problems, play nor adjustment necessary. And for the adjustments, as I have just said it I did not have any problem to disassemble, adjust or reassemble this hub, viva el sealed bearings.

Positive and negative points?
Personally I already find the price completely reasonable in comparison to the Nankai and in comparison to it's direct competitor the Geisha, and if not in a absolute manner for a sealed freecoaster with 9 teeth driver and aluminium nuts, it is very acceptable. Besides all, as a freecoaster it needs only a small click back in order not to engage it. It is nice and rolls a lot better than a Nankai. And like the others freecoasters, if you do tricks on the pedals, it will be necessary to remove a washer inside the hub, therefore to disassemble it. If not the gap is not big enough and the pedals will engage when rolling back. On a tested freecoaster, the pedals turned back all the time, like a free wheel, even when if you put a click back before the trick. The manufacturer said to us that it was normal at the beginning. It is accentuated if the chain is tighten to the max. If you remove the famous washer, this problem will not arise, idem if as Manu you tighten your chains to the extreme (minimum 1000T of pressure to the km3). ??? Means if the chain is tight - it is OK - or not ???

What would you improve?
To have done rather simple small tests I realized (bicycle holding on the seat and the handlebar) that the hub made a very light noise when you pedal very quickly and then let the pedals lax, the noise stops when you move the pedals back a little. This noise is very discrete but shows that there is friction somewhere since the wheel stops turning more quickly when the noise is there.

Riding, what does it change?
Since I do not ride much on the back wheel, I bought this hub to save weight. In addition I have a sprain thus the riding will become very light soon. However I think that one can be only satisfied with this hub.

Conclusion?
Put aside the gear ratio that it is necessary to adapt to the 9 teeth driver, this freecoaster seems to me well designed, in addition its dimensions are rather reduced compared to the others. For me it is a very good purchase, until proof of the opposite…


KHE- GEISHA

Characteristics of the freeco?
Gold colour, 32 or 36s (soon 48), 4 sealed bearings, EAS system, 9 or 11 teeth driver, aluminium body, from 458 to 528 gr. Depending on the studs and nuts, 179 euros in France Designed with 4 sealed bearings, 2 smaller for the driver and 2 larger for the body of the hub. That allows a greater resistance and precision that traditional balls bearings freecoaster. Inside the hub, a new system of release is used making pressure on Heat Treated balls. No spring is used as on the other brands. It didn't slip during the test. The EAS System was designed by KHE to allow a greater resistance of the axle, and an impeccable finishing. 2 ends (Stud axles) are screwed into a hollow oversize central axle. The Stud axles have cone spanner flats to allow easy disassembling if a stud axle breaks. This system allows to have a similar weight in 10 or 14mm (4gr of difference!!!). KHE also proposes EAS axes out of Aluminium, Cr-Mo, or titanium. That makes it possible to build your combinations on each side of the hub according to your riding.

Assembly, adjustments?
Nothing to say, on the contrary, it goes quicker considering than one does not have to adjust the nuts which tighten the bearings. Therefore you just have to tighten the chain and the 2 nuts, that's it.

Positive points?
The weight (around 300gr less than the Nankaï).
No washer to remove so that the freecoaster does not turn on pedals tricks and no "time for adaptation". The 1st tricks that I tested with was a megaspin pedal and the freecoaster did not move and during the tests the pedals did not turn back once. Play (the gap when we come back on the pedals is rather negligible to see non-existent). It is the principal advantage of the KHE compared to it's competitors (Ares, Nankai, Suntour,…) is where the freecoaster should be disassembled, to remove the washer inside and reassembled without forgetting anything so that one can make tricks on the pedals and in any case, you will then have a play of an obligatory quarter of turn. All that thanks to the fact that the KHE does not use a spring, therefore it is a completely different system. Sealed bearings: thus, the wheels have no bearing play or on the contrary, bearings which are too tight to turn. The 9T driver, which goes perfectly with my 20 teeth sprocket, but especially the system with the screws and nuts which are mounted in a central axle, with the result that you have much less chance of break-in an axle and if it is the case, you won't have all the freecoaster to disassemble and call the clock and watch maker on the corner for you to reassemble it, you will have just to change the "studs". The choice of Studs, all depends on your riding and on your budget but you have the choice between several types of screw (Cr-Mo or titanium, 10 or 14) and you can even push the vice as me by exchanging the Cr-Mo nuts which are with the titanium studs by titanium models, which will still make you gain 20gr!

Negative points?
The price: a little higher than the Ares but KHE shows a new technology, therefore that has its price. Without counting that in all the other countries, the Ares is more expensive than the KHE (at Parano garage.de, Geisha is 149 and Boo at 169 euros), that is mainly due to the fact that in France there is an intermediary in less considering the distributor and the single shop to sell it are the same ones. The color: that it is a question of taste will you say to me but personally I find gold horrible, I do not support to see anything which shines. A good blow of spray and the problem is resolved. On one of the 4 KHE tested, during the first days of test, when one pedalled back, something forced at a moment, rather strange but it left at the end of one week and the manufacturer said to us not to worry, it is normal they say. On 2 of the 4 tested, when one rolls back without engaging the retro on, that made a noise of pan as if there were a friction whereas the wheel turned perfectly! That disappeared at the end of one week also.

What would you improve?
Difficult to better do, I would say mainly the colour (hein, what? but not I am not irritated!!)

Riding, what does it change?
The weight does not change practically anything, 300gr saved is not felt as much as that (especially if you have a 9kg bike like Malo and me) on the other hand the sealed bearings are an advantage especially for the turbines, finished the losses of acceleration due to frictions of the nuts on the bearings thus that rolls and turns perfectly without jolts nor loss speed. The rolling will be thus longer and if you arrive at starting again in turbines as an eel then you are likely to make a good additional package of turbines and that it is not negligible, believe me!

Conclusion?
Having the chance to be sponsored, I had the choice to take the one I wanted, it is the KHE that I chose mainly thanks to the fact that Geisha innovated in a product which had not evolved for 30 years! The Boo is beautiful for sure but it comes with the same technology as my 1986 Suntour. Sealed bearings put aside, it is the same one. For information, the Suntour hub costs 13 euros in road cycling stores!! Consider; thanks to the sealed bearings there is no more friction and thus less wear on the body of the hub, the brands can now offer it in aluminium, therefore it is super but coming out with a 160 euros hub right for that, I find that indecent. At least, KHE shows ingeniousness and proposes something new: the system with central hollow axle and especially the fact they removed this fucking spring which can make you half turn of crank when you return on the pedal!


Winner: not by KO but KHE nevertheless


Note: between one month waiting for a 9t KHE driver because the French distributor takes the order one by one and the fact that the Ares freecoaster is available only in one store in France whereas it is in all the others foreign shops, the question about the availability of these products can be posed. It is as certain as that it will be arranged with the request which should be increasing on this product. Thus; no need to panic. Take a pic of your Nankaï Freecoaster, soon it will be obsolete and collector's item!


Text by Malo and Manu with the help of Marksou,Vincent, Stephanie and Baptiste.
Thanks to California Style shop.
Translated by Guiom

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