Clever Engineering

I'm always impressed by the large and small innovations I stumble on. The latest is the White Industries ENO Eccentric hub.

If you're building a single-speed where the frame has vertical (road) style rear dropouts, figuring out how to tension the chain becomes a real issue. You can't retrofit an eccentric bottom bracket, so if the manufacturer didn't think of that, now what? From everything I read, most chain tensioners suck - they skip, slip, or otherwise malfunction at the least convenient moment. So, now what?

Enter White Industries. The ENO Eccentric has the axle bolts mounted off-center. Rotating the axle moves the hub fore and aft and tensions or loosens the chain. Elegantly simple. And, as the bike shop owner who suggested it said, "Well, you really dont' have any other choice...".

In addition, it's a great hub. Cartridge-style bearings, great finish. Seems every bit as good as the more pricey Chris King or Phil Wood hubs -- and they don't offer the eccentric configuration.

Plus, the move to a dedicated single-speed hub (instead of converting a geared hub with a single cog and spacers) moves the flanges outward for a wheel that's 40% stronger. Bonus!

Still dialing in the gearing -- I think at 31-16 it's too tall. When you've only got one gear, it seems to put the pressure on getting it right! Once I figure it out, White makes a freewheel that's supposed to be IT. Hoping to hit the dirt this weekend.

-Sean-