"Robin Hubert" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
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>
> "Wayne T" <
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>
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> >
> > "Jay Beattie" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
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> > >
> > > "Bluto" <
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> > >
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> > > > "Wayne T" <
[email protected]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > As I mentioned earlier, I am having my wife's and my bike
converted
> > > from
> > > > > freewheel to cassette. Also, I am converting my wife's 27" wheels
> > > to 700c.
> > > > > On the back, I can't use her current Phil Wood hub because it wont
> > > work with
> > > > > a cassette, so I am buying a Dura Ace.
> > > >
> > > > Going from a Phil hub to a Dura Ace cassette is a _big_ step down in quality and longevity.
> > > > It also imposes bearing adjustments that
need
> > > > not be performed on the Phil hub. Bad idea.
> > > >
> > > > It's like getting rid of your wife's Bentley in favor of an Acura because you like the idea
> > > > of front wheel drive.
> > >
> > > Have you had bad experience with DA? Longevity is such a hard thing
to
> > > judge with changing axle widths and the forced retirement of
equipment,
> > > but I have gotten good service out of DA/Ultegra hubs and Phil hubs. With the introduction of
> > > field serviceable bearings, some of the
burdens
> > > of owning Phil hubs are now gone. Back in the day, I found that the labyrinth seal on Shimano
> > > hubs sealed much better than the rubber
wiper
> > > on the old Phil hubs -- so the Phils stopped being my first choice for riding in the rain.
> >
> > Then you are saying that you prefer Dura Ace hubs for riding in the rain over the Phil hubs?
> > Sounds like you don't buy the statement that
trading
> in
> > a phil hubed wheel for a Dura Ace is a big mistake. Anyone else have
any
> > feelings on this?
> >
> > The Phil Wood hubs on my wife's bike are about 23 years old and seem to
> spin
> > like new. However, I wonder if I may be pushing it by sticking with
them
> > instead of replacing with the Dura Ace hub. Her Phil Wood bottom
bracket
> > spins real well but the frame builder told me that it is dry and need servicing, which he
> > believes he can do. The Phil Wood bottom bracket on
> my
> > bike turns rough. It is about 25 years old.
>
> Like JB says, age means nothing to mechanical things. It's use that matters, the amount and type
> of use to be specific. "I've got 500 year
old
> hubs and they're in perfect shape" means nothing.
Very good point. Actually, we didn't put on as many miles as some of our friends and layed off
biking for a while because when our son got too big to ride on the back, he never cared that
much for biking. Also, some of that time carting our son around was on the back of a custom
built Sterling tandem. However, it appears that the sealed PWs held up much better than my
Campy's since they are not sealed. Of course, it is only a matter of stripping them down and
relubing and replacing bearings to bring them back up to snuff. Had a friend who never had his
Campy hubs torn apart because he felt that a bike shop could not get the adjustment up to the
factory specs so he would periodically pump in lube until the excess coming out of the port was
no longer dirty but clear.
>
> >
> > I still have a pair of Phil hubs from '74, but they
> > > are on their third (or more) set of bearings. When the bearings go
this
> > > time, so go the hubs. Phil gave up his life-time warranty and now charges to replace worn-out
> > > cartridge bearings. This policy reversal pisses me off since I bought into the whole "life
> > > time warranty"
thing.
> > > Hey, I haven't died, I just ride like I have. -- Jay Beattie.
> > >
>
>
> Robin Hubert