Retro Bob said:
In my continuing list of "does it really matter" questions, I'm
wondering about hubs. OK, sealed bearings have advantages, no
question about that. Also, a hub that lasts a long time is a nice
thing to have. A glorious finish is fun too. But, well greased cheap
alloy hubs from 1965 are still running smooth and I don't need to
use my hubs for mirrors.So, is it worth the extra money for a really expensive hub?
"Worth" is so subjective, no one can possibly answer this except yourself on a
case by case basis. What is your calculus for weight, appearance, and sundry
small factors?
I have Dura Ace hubs and Sora hubs. Dura Ace is a little bit lighter and has a
nice polish. Dura Ace came out of the box properly adjusted.
Sora is a little heavier and isn't as nicely finished. The bearings were
decidely too tight out of the box and needed adjustment before installation.
They were pretty smooth once adjusted. Not silken like Suntour Superbe, but
plenty good enough for training wheels.
I don't know about durability. My Dura Ace is still going with no trouble, but
I don't ride on it as much. Sora has taken over for training the past 3-4
years. Works great so far. I don't anticipate trouble.
Quoted message said:In the
relative scheme of forces, can a slightly rougher hub have any
significant effect on speed or effort required to propel the bike ?
I doubt it factors much -- very fractional at most. Wind resistance and
overcoming gravity are the biggies. I train on rather generic 36 spoke wheels
with inexpensive hubs. That's my calculus.