Well, Maxicar are ideal, but also rare and expensive. Both Normandy Competition and their decendants Maillard 700 were excellent hubs. Some claim Campy Record were smoother, but I find little difference. Some claim Campy lasted longer, but I've never worn out a Normandy Competition or Maillard 700. If something a bit newer is appropriate, Mavic hubs are IMHO every bit as good as anything Campy ever made.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Charlotte Bronte <j1847e@yahoo.com>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Advice on French hubs for vintage touring bike
\r?\n> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
\r?\n> Date: Sunday, May 17, 2009, 8:10 AM
\r?\n> I'm hoping to find some sage advice here--not yet
\r?\n> disappointed!--about French hubs for my retro-vintage
\r?\n> touring bike I'm building. On the advice of this list,
\r?\n> I've already procured a Stronglight crankset, a set of
\r?\n> Simplex derailleurs, Mafac brakes and levers, and now am
\r?\n> pondering hubs. I slso have a nice set of Mavic Module E
\r?\n> clinchers awaiting a build. This is my first foray into the
\r?\n> French parts, so my only point of comparison is Campy high
\r?\n> flange, which I love.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Which French hubs will give me comparable performance and
\r?\n> longevity: Maillard, Atom, Normandy, Maxi-Car, others?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Shining a penlight into the dark here, so any advice
\r?\n> welcome.
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Robert Aguirre
\r?\n> Windsor, ON
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
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