diff --git a/hub/rclone-mount@.service b/hub/rclone-mount@.service
deleted file mode 100644
index 19dc0c8..0000000
--- a/hub/rclone-mount@.service
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-#~/.config/systemd/user/rclone-mount@.service
-
-[Unit]
-Description=Rclone mount of %i
-After=network-online.target
-Wants=network-online.target
-
-[Service]
-Type=simple
-ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/mkdir -p %h/mnt/%i
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/rclone mount %i: %h/mnt/%i \
-    --config=%h/.config/rclone/rclone.conf \
-    --vfs-cache-mode writes \
-    --vfs-cache-max-size 256M \
-    --allow-other \
-    --log-level INFO \
-    --log-file %h/.local/share/rclone-%i.log
-ExecStop=/bin/fusermount -u %h/mnt/%i
-Restart=on-failure
-RestartSec=10
-StartLimitInterval=60
-StartLimitBurst=3
-
-[Install]
-WantedBy=default.target
diff --git a/hubspoke-helper.sh b/hubspoke-helper.sh
index b3f6778..253d342 100755
--- a/hubspoke-helper.sh
+++ b/hubspoke-helper.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # hubspoke-helper.sh - Manage hub/spoke rclone mounts
 # Assumes spoke Docker files exist in ~/autossh-tunnel/
-# Assumes hub rclone service template is manually placed (or not needed)
+# Simplified hub mount uses direct rclone commands (no systemd services)
 
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ SPOKE ACTIONS (docker-based, no systemd):
   logs          Show container logs
   show-cmd      Show manual autossh command (non-docker)
 
-HUB ACTIONS (systemd user service for rclone mount):
-  install       Install the rclone user service (needs service file)
-  start         Start the rclone mount service
-  stop          Stop the rclone mount service
-  status        Show service status
+HUB ACTIONS (simplified rclone mount - no systemd):
+  install       Show simplified setup instructions
+  start         Start rclone mount in background
+  stop          Stop rclone mount
+  status        Check mount status
   mount         Manual foreground mount (testing)
   unmount       Unmount manually
 
@@ -96,55 +96,72 @@ EOF
 }
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
-# Hub actions (rclone user service)
+# Hub actions (simplified - no systemd templates)
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
 hub_install() {
-  local SERVICE_DIR="$HOME/.config/systemd/user"
-  local SERVICE_FILE="$SERVICE_DIR/rclone-mount@.service"
-  local TEMPLATE_FILE="$(dirname "$0")/hub/rclone-mount@.service"
-
-  echo "Installing rclone mount systemd user service..."
-
-  # Create service directory if it doesn't exist
-  mkdir -p "$SERVICE_DIR"
-
-  # Check if template exists
-  if [ ! -f "$TEMPLATE_FILE" ]; then
-    die "Service template not found at $TEMPLATE_FILE"
-  fi
-
-  # Copy service template
-  cp "$TEMPLATE_FILE" "$SERVICE_FILE"
-  echo "Copied service template to $SERVICE_FILE"
-
-  # Check if user linger is enabled
-  if ! systemctl --user is-enabled --quiet user@$(id -u).service 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "WARNING: User linger may not be enabled. Run: sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER"
-    echo "You may need to reboot for user services to start automatically."
-  fi
-
-  # Reload systemd
-  systemctl --user daemon-reload
-  echo "Systemd user daemon reloaded."
-
+  echo "Simplified hub setup:"
   echo ""
-  echo "Next steps:"
-  echo "1. Ensure /etc/fuse.conf has 'user_allow_other' uncommented"
-  echo "2. Ensure you're in the 'fuse' group: sudo usermod -aG fuse $USER"
-  echo "3. Start the service: $0 hub start"
-  echo "4. Enable auto-start: systemctl --user enable rclone-mount@${RCLONE_REMOTE}.service"
+  echo "1. Ensure /etc/fuse.conf has 'user_allow_other' uncommented:"
+  echo "   sudo sed -i 's/^#user_allow_other/user_allow_other/' /etc/fuse.conf"
+  echo ""
+  echo "2. Ensure you're in the 'fuse' group:"
+  echo "   sudo usermod -aG fuse $USER"
+  echo "   (You may need to log out and back in for this to take effect)"
+  echo ""
+  echo "3. Create mount point directory:"
+  echo "   mkdir -p \"$MOUNT_POINT\""
+  echo ""
+  echo "4. Test manual mount:"
+  echo "   $0 hub mount"
+  echo ""
+  echo "5. For auto-start, consider adding to crontab with @reboot:"
+  echo "   crontab -e"
+  echo "   Add: @reboot $0 hub start-background"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Note: This simplified version doesn't use systemd services."
 }
 
 hub_start() {
-  systemctl --user start "rclone-mount@${RCLONE_REMOTE}.service"
+  echo "Starting rclone mount in background..."
+  mkdir -p "$MOUNT_POINT"
+  nohup rclone mount "${RCLONE_REMOTE}:" "$MOUNT_POINT" \
+    --config "${HOME}/.config/rclone/rclone.conf" \
+    --vfs-cache-mode writes \
+    --allow-other \
+    --daemon >/dev/null 2>&1 &
+  echo "Mount started in background (PID: $!)"
+  echo "Check status with: $0 hub status"
+}
+
+hub_start_background() {
+  # Internal function for crontab/auto-start
+  mkdir -p "$MOUNT_POINT"
+  rclone mount "${RCLONE_REMOTE}:" "$MOUNT_POINT" \
+    --config "${HOME}/.config/rclone/rclone.conf" \
+    --vfs-cache-mode writes \
+    --allow-other \
+    --daemon
 }
 
 hub_stop() {
-  systemctl --user stop "rclone-mount@${RCLONE_REMOTE}.service"
+  echo "Stopping rclone mount..."
+  if hub_unmount; then
+    echo "Mount stopped."
+  else
+    echo "Could not unmount. Trying force unmount..."
+    fusermount -uz "$MOUNT_POINT" 2>/dev/null && echo "Force unmounted." || echo "Still could not unmount."
+  fi
 }
 
 hub_status() {
-  systemctl --user status "rclone-mount@${RCLONE_REMOTE}.service" --no-pager
+  if mountpoint -q "$MOUNT_POINT" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "Mount point $MOUNT_POINT is mounted."
+    mount | grep "$MOUNT_POINT"
+  else
+    echo "Mount point $MOUNT_POINT is NOT mounted."
+    echo "Check if rclone process is running:"
+    pgrep -af rclone || echo "No rclone mount processes found."
+  fi
 }
 
 hub_mount() {