We often get asked which upgrade makes the biggest difference to a wheelie bike. Our answer is the rear hub. Here is why engagement matters, and what to look for.
What engagement is
When you stop pedalling, the rear wheel keeps turning while the pedals stay still. That is the freehub at work: pawls inside the hub slip over a ring of teeth. When you pedal again, the pawls have to catch the next tooth before your effort reaches the wheel. The gap before they catch is free play.
The number of engagement points decides how big that gap is. Divide 360 degrees by the number of points and you get the angle the hub turns before it picks up. A hub with 24 points engages every 15 degrees. A hub with 120 points engages every 3 degrees.
Why it matters on one wheel
A wheelie is a constant series of small corrections. When the front starts to drop, you pedal to bring it back, and the hub decides how quickly that pedal stroke takes effect. With a lot of free play, the correction arrives late. With high engagement, the drive picks up almost instantly, which is exactly what small corrections need.
Hub 2
Collective’s Hub 2 has 120 points of engagement, so the drive picks up every 3 degrees. It is CNC-machined from 7075-T6 aluminium, runs on four sealed bearings at the rear, and has a 10mm bolt-in axle that is ready for pegs, for nominal 135mm dropout spacing, with a Shimano HG-pattern cassette freehub. It comes as a hub set or built into the W2 wheelset: 29-inch double-wall alloy rims, 36 holes, 14-gauge spokes and a 22mm profile.
The through axle has a second benefit on the C100 V3, whose standard rear wheel is quick-release: fitting Hub 2 or the W2 wheelset makes it peg-ready.
And the sound
Yes, the sound matters. The buzz of a high-engagement hub has become part of the culture, and riders care about it.
Your first upgrade, not your only one
Once you start progressing, a high-engagement rear hub is the upgrade to make first. After that, grippy pedals and a cockpit that suits you. You do not need to replace everything straight away: a complete C100 V3 or C3 is a full wheelie bike to start on, and upgrading part by part lets the bike develop with your riding.
See Hub 2 and the W2 wheelset, or read the 2026 Wheelie Bike Buying Guide for everything else that matters on a wheelie bike.
