Sleeper is something that succeeds when no one thought it would. Albeit nobody “in the know” would doubt Erase Components or the technology found in its lineup, the Belgian manufacturer has not received the credit or recognition it deserves. After this article, you will know what Erase hubs are made of – and hopefully appreciate them accordingly.
Made in Belgium
Erase Components resides in Belgium. That is also the place of manufacturing. All of the parts – shells, axles, axles, and titanium (more of the later) – are made in-house.
Self-sustainability gives a 100% control of manufacturing, quality control as well as making the production as efficient as possible by timing production runs according to demand, and stock inventory.
Ratchet Mechanism
Erase hubs rely on a tried-and-true ratchet mechanism which is known to be reliable, easily serviceable, and can be built around a respectable POE number (points of engagement).
The ratchet mechanism itself can be described as neat. Instead of two separate ratchet rings, the freehub driver body is splined radially, therefore acting as the mating surface for the ratchet ring itself. The layout can be described simple, lightweight, and easily serviceable with minimal number of parts.
When it comes to POE numbers, the MTB, and Road lineup have differing features. In MTB riding, a high POE number is seen beneficial in technical climbing, and fast-paced accelerations. Therefore, the MTB hubs are equipped with a POE number of 60.
The Road hubs, on the other hand, come with a POE number of 36 since quick engagement is not as critical on smooth surfaces, and lower numbers might come with a ever-so-slightly smaller amount of drag.
Grade 5 Titanium
Erase hubs have a ace – and a joker – in their sleeve when it comes to freehub driver bodies. Those are made out of grade 5 titanium for maximum durability, and optimized strength-to-weight ratio. The reasoning by the manufacturer is as straightforward as it gets.
We use Grade 5 titanium to make the freewheel. Why? Because we didn’t want to see anymore sprocket marks on the freehub without taking too much weight.
It’s worth noting that titanium parts are a rare find in any type of hub, not to mention hubs of this price range. Erase punches way above its class on this regard!
Vast Lineup
The Erase hub, and whee lineup covers nearly all cycling disciplines imaginable: XC, trail, enduro, downhill, road, and gravel. See the “Belgian Sleeper” selection below, and purchase a set of wheels that are joy to use.