It's not a matter of better,but a matter of proper application of product. In general terms, high flange hubs were prettier?(to the commodity broker importer),and several $ more expensive. A lot of the older racing bikes were fairly flexible so a stiffer more responsive high flange balanced some of that out. High flanges were also nice for short course tight corner racing. Remember, there were few racers but a lot of new riders who wanted fast , light bikes and a racing bike is what they got. A good clincher wheel sport touring bike with lesser quality equipment was cheaper and obviously not as good. There were few good frame sport touring bikes on the market during the '60's. Custom, sure, but not production hand built as the " racing bikes" were. It was not a matter of the customer getting smarter as it was the shops and importers getting to know bikes better and wising up. Maybe the europeans had a little sales con going on also to get rid of less popular items at home. The small flange hubs were better for rough roads and long distance riding. As the frame tubing metallurgy improved the stiffer frames allowed for more small flange hub use and it got to be standard as time went along. In my opinion a large flange hub is still nicer for short course snappy riding. But with today's technology. metallurgy, carbon, aero shaped rims, one can beat themselves to aches and pains. My feeling on this is only for vintage bike use. Today's equipment is much nicer, but the old stuff is much more fun. Modern riders and, equipment are blended with comfort, weight,and efficiency in mind. During the '60's-'70's I raced on 28h Arc en Ciel rims, high flange hubs in all the So. Cal. races and hardly ever had to touch up the true. Ted Ernst.
>
> Ted,
>
> Your note implies that high flange hubs were sold to an unsuspecting
> public
> that didn't know any better, and that as everyone got smarter the market
> moved to low flange. Do you really mean that? Are low flange hubs
> better?
> In what way?
>
> You mention cost too. Were high flange hubs more expensive than low
> flange?
>
> You wrote (snipped):
>
> I asked several of the guys that had a racing background exactly the same
> questions, because there was a resurgence in cycling and there were many
> importers bringing racing bikes in who had no real "BICYCLE" background.
> Answer: COST! The commodity brokers in the bike game wanted Deluxe stuff
> to
> sell to any shop who wanted to buy. Ergo: If it cost more, it had to be
> better! SOOO-
> What cost more for the sucker Americans who didn't know any better but
> wanted the best "PRO" stuff?
> High flange hubs, Finger tip controls, Adjustable handlebar stems (TTT),
> and
> Sew-up-racing-tubular tires!
> That's what. Which is why so much of this equipment was around in the
> '60's.
> As the U.S. market for racing and good touring became more sophisticate
> these things changed. The real good shops did the best possible to educate
> the advanced cyclists and between the European
> publications and our minestrations, common sense was restored and chaos
> reigned as the gas shortage and the bike boom of the '70's prevailed.
>
>
> Marcus Helman
> Huntington Woods, MI