[CR]Campy hub overhauls

(Example: Humor)

From: "Earle Young" <earle.young@tds.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 08:38:07 -0500
Subject: [CR]Campy hub overhauls

I have used nothing but Record hubs for my main road bikes since 1977. I used to regularly overhaul them, using Campy replacement balls. In the early 1980's, I bought a Lincoln grease gun, a pump similar to the one now sold by Pedro's that fits onto a tube of grease. [The Lincoln uses its own reservoir.] After thoroughly cleaning and adjusting the hubs, I filled the barrel with grease through the center clip. I used Phil Wood grease, which expands when it encounters water. After a rainy ride, I sometimes have a slight ooze of dirty grease. I clean it off, then inject a little more grease into the hub barrel. For the next few miles, I have just the smallest bit of grease oozing out of the hub, which is easily wiped off. This has worked even on my commuter wheels, which look like s*** from the outside, but turn butter smooth. I have had to slightly adjust only the hubs with the most miles on them, and only by a little bit. This is analogous to the cleanest of Silicon Valley clean rooms, which maintain a slightly positive pressure of very clean air, so that no contamination can get in. It has worked just fine, astounding the youngsters in the shop where I work. They see the decades of crud on the outside of my commute hub and assume that their new Ultegra hubs have to be smoother, then are blown away by the feel of Campy bearings working as they should. I also have used the Phil freewheel grease injector, but I use it with 30 weight motor oil. It works as well as grease for purging dirt, but doesn't hang up the pawls.

My $.02 and worth no more.
Earle Young
Madison, Wisc.