Phil Hubs, was Re: [CR]Let's BADLY assemble an Alex Singer - now 1975

(Example: Framebuilders)

Date: Sun, 05 Jun 2005 21:01:18 -0400
From: "HM & SS Sachs" <sachs@erols.com>
To: hersefan@comcast.net, Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: Phil Hubs, was Re: [CR]Let's BADLY assemble an Alex Singer - now 1975


I'm indebted to Mike Kone for all that I've learned from him, and some nice things I 've bought from him, but I still must differ with him in one small matter. Mike wrote <wrt the Cupertino Singer build sheet and options>:

Arrgghhhh....... <snip> No mention of MaxiCar - or course not, since Spence was such a Phil Wood Fan. But MaxiCar was so much better! A quick inspection of a MaxiCar hub shows that Phil Wood made a silly choice for bearings. There was no need for enthusiasts to put up with the silly wobble at the rim caused by the Phil bearings inability to support a side load. +++++++++++++++++++ I've never owned or opened a MaxiCar hub, but they look just beautiful, and I'm sure they work as well. But, I don't understand the complaints about Phil hubs. I've got 'em on the tandem (48 hole), had 'em on a triplet (48 hole), and have used them on a number of bikes. I have barely perceptible play on one of the three hubs I just checked, none on the others. The bearings are conventional symmetric cartridge units, which are not designed for high axial loads, but bike wheels generally don't see high axial loads. Now, I can imagine a couple of ways to get a bunch of side play on a Phil. (1) riding a worn-out bearing. If one side goes, it will still get side play; doesn't take both. (2) Bad installation: easy to damage the bearing by pushing on the wrong part. Otherwise, mine have been pretty bullet-proof for decades.

your mileage may vary.
harvey sachs
mcLean va