Hubs and wheels

FREDBLACK said:

hello

is there any real difference, in terms of performance, between the 105 and the ultegra hubs? i am interestedin a blue set of 32-spoked Rigida DPX Rims laced to 105 hubs with DT Swiss spokes. I am unsure about the 105 hubs, and would have preferred ultegra. However, this set is on offer for AUD 400 (as opposed to the AUD560 for the Velocity Aeorheads, which are black, and the blues have to be ordered).

thank you for your feedback.

It depends on which models. 5600 105 to 6600 Ultegra are quite similar

its a shimano 105 FH5500. thanks

daveornee said:

It depends on which models. 5600 105 to 6600 Ultegra are quite similar

FREDBLACK said:

is there any real difference, in terms of performance, between the 105 and the ultegra hubs?

The bearings in the Ultegra & Dura Ace hubs are slightly better (higher grade) & the races are polished ... that means that they can, in theory, be adjusted to run with slightly less resistance.

Similarly, CERAMIC bearings (in case you were interested) are supposedly even MORE ROUND than the highest grade steel bearings ...

I dunno. We use high grade steel bearings for alignment purposes in the lab. We can typically get sub-micron accuracy too which means (does a quick bit of math) that the bearings are at most 2-3 microns out of round. The races in a hub are not machined and polished anywhere close to that tolerance.

Campy used to spend a fortune on accurate bearing races which is why the hubs were so expensive, yet sought after. Smooooth. What you really want is a perfect, super-hard bearing race and a grade of bearings that closely matches. I'd pick softer bearings than the race material, too, since bearings can be easily replaced and races typically can't.

Anyways. Enough thread hi-jacking... Personally, I think 105 hubs are fine.

John Swanson
www.bikephysics.com

alfeng said:

The bearings in the Ultegra & Dura Ace hubs are slightly better (higher grade) & the races are polished ... that means that they can, in theory, be adjusted to run with slightly less resistance.

Similarly, CERAMIC bearings (in case you were interested) are supposedly even MORE ROUND than the highest grade steel bearings ...

FREDBLACK said:

hello

is there any real difference, in terms of performance, between the 105 and the ultegra hubs? i am interestedin a blue set of 32-spoked Rigida DPX Rims laced to 105 hubs with DT Swiss spokes. I am unsure about the 105 hubs, and would have preferred ultegra. However, this set is on offer for AUD 400 (as opposed to the AUD560 for the Velocity Aeorheads, which are black, and the blues have to be ordered).

thank you for your feedback.

The 105 hubs are very good. Unless putting food on your table and a roof over your head depends on the performance of your hub races/bearings, 105 will should meet all your needs.