With the whirlwind of new standards, both from the frame and fork side of things and from the drivetrain side, it can seem like no part can be of use for very long, but that's not the case with the likes of Chris King, White Industries, and the other brands we carry. Each brand varies with the options, but pretty much all of our brands allow you to easily swap axles, and drivers (or driveshells as Chris King calls them) to accommodate different dropout and cassette standards.
For example, if you have a White Industries CLD hub with an HG driver and a thru-axle style axle, but you want to convert it to a campy or XD/XDR driver (White Industries uses the same driver for both), or maybe a quick-release style axle, all you have to do is get the appropriate axle and driver, remove the old ones (an easy task), and install the new ones. It's really as simple as that! The same rules that apply to any hub, like not being able to convert a non-boost hub to boost, still apply, but within the standard confines, your options are pretty extensive.
For Chris King, you have two styles of freehubs based on hub models: Classic and R45. The latter is smaller, lighter, and has fewer points of engagement, and uses a different driveshell and axle. If you have a Chris King ISO rear hub with a 135x10mm quick-release style axle, and you want to change the axle to a 142x12mm Thru-axle, all you need to do is get that new axle, and swap it out. By the same token, if you want to change the driveshell on that hub from an HG to an XD, all you need to do is get that new driveshell.
If you have an R45 hub, it's a bit more complicated because the most driveshells use their own specific axle, so they have to be swapped out together. But you still have lots of options. We recommend getting in touch with us before you order in order to ensure that you get the parts you'll need for your hub.
With Industry Nine hubs, each hub type has its own driver, axle, and endcap design (some encaps cover more than one hub type, but not all), and within each type, you can get all relevant driver types and axle standards (so no XDR or Campagnolo on Hydra hubs, for instance). Essentially, you can get any option you want, and it's easy to change things later if you want to! We don't currently list all of the small part options online, so if you're looking for a part, just contact us, and we'll get you what you need!
Phil Wood is a lot like White Industries in that as long as the hubshell is the correct width, you get to choose whether you want a steel or alloy axle, thru or QR-type axle, and XD (no XDR available yet), HG-11, or Campagnolo freehub because for the most part they're interchangeable. There are a few limitations within this (such as there being no Pro axle available for Touring hubs), but overall the system is very modular. Get in touch with us for details on what the options are with any given hub.
With Onyx Racing Products hubs, there are axle and freehub options for just about every standard, but there are variations in axle and freehub, so you just need to make sure you get the one that will work with your hub. If you would like to change your axle or driver type on your Onyx hub, just get in touch, and we'll help you figure out what your options are!
