3 main hubs and what they can be used for…
- 142mm – Derailleur, Single speed (SS) and Internal Gear Hubs (IGH).
- 148mm Boost – Derailleur, Single speed and IGH (with adaptors)
- 157mm SUPER Boost – Derailleur hubs 148mm had issues...
- 142mm is the winner for versatility and options. BUT lets have a look at the others...
157 Super Boost Pros:
- Wider flange spacing.
- Wider chainline for PLUS 2.8” tyre clearance
- Q-factors get wider making it harder to swap cranks over
- Heal Rub -even if standard cranks can be used there will be heal clipping
- Component compatibility
The above 157 SB+ Cons outweigh the Pros for a Hardtails and this brings us back to the main question that everyone should be asking themselves. What am else can this bike be used for?
There are no 157 internal gear hubs and no 157 single speed hubs. 157mm SUPER boost is looking for a problem that was self-inflicted from the creation of 148mm. To solve these issues 157mm will be creating others.
157 SB+ makes sense, on an enduro bike – but not a hardtail. If bikes become too specialised then they miss out on the versatility.
148mm has issues...
I feel rant mode coming on here mainly because it was “sold” to the riding public, by the SR*M marketing machine... 148mm Boost promised a stronger wheel by adding 3mm to each side. This extra 3mm was supposed to give more chain clearance on the emerging 27.5 plus (27.5x3.0mm) tyre standard.
It is harder to find 27.5x3.0” tyres these days, as most people have worked out that the rotational weight on a 27.5x3.0” tyre does not suit a derailleur bike with a 148mm hub anyway. 148mm is now looking exposed to being killed off by another format like 157mm Super Boost coming along. 
142mm is being resurrected thanks to Gravel Bikes.
142mm has been adopted by Gravel bikes and there are loads of single-speed hubs that are 135mm an 142mm... 135 & 142mm are extremely popular with internal hub gears. Rohloff, Kindernay both offer 142mm. Shimano Alfine 11 comes in 135 and the Secondhand Rohloff market is full of 135mm hubs. There are however a lot of PLUS and FAT tyre riders who choose hub gears. Hub gears have wider flanges and a better chainline.
142mm is the winner for versatility and options.
At OLSEN I made the decision to have the first frames 142mm for the simple reason that 142 is backward compatible with 135mm.
OLSEN RocknRollout dropouts can be replaced and 142 can be replaced for 135. 142 is a stable internal hub gear format for Kindernay and Rohloff. 135 has a large second hand market with Rohloff and Alfine11.
142 FRONT 142 REAR CONCEPT:
This also means that we can return to the Surly Pugsley concept of same Front and Rear Wheel spacing. OLSEN HQ wanted to do something similar – filling the gap in the FAT Fork Market with existing the single speed rear hub format 142mm, instead of 150mm.
Expedition:
It fits a rear wheel - so that you are always running a spare if your freewheel has mechanicals.
Jungle:
FAT on Front and skinny on the back - giving you a passive suspension. This is popular over splippery roots - in Jungles.
Dingle:
Having a rear wheel up front means that you can have some other gear ratio options for singlespeed. Load: with the posibility of a larger tyre on the front.
BIKES with 142mm WHEELS have OPTIONS...
