What an awesome idea!

[silly_yak]

http://seaotter.mtbr.com/2009/04/28/hubdock-at-sea-otter-2009-a-rear-hub-revolution/

I know that it was done before, but why hasn't it caught on? Seems so brilliantly simple.

[BottomBraket]

The question is where are the drive side axel bearings? Are they in the body of the hub or inside the gear cluster? The location determines the stresses on the hub-cluster interface.

I see the "freehub" as one of the greatest bicycle inventions since Humber invented the "diamond frame" bicycle in 1891 and certainly since the invention of the multi-geared freewheel. The freehub moves the drive side axel bearing further out on the axel, under the rear cogs instead of under the spoke flange. This greatly reduces stress on the axel. The result- no more bent axels. I don't think I've ever seen a bent freehub axel.

I've got plenty of bent "freewheel" axels if somebody wants to buy one.