Bike Setup: Traditional lugged steel Italian frame(s), all Campy, 32x3X wheels........ This is still the best.
Summary: Yet again, the folks in Vicenza show why their product is the best.
Strengths: Typical Campy superiority in metalurgy, design, tolerances, bearings and bearing smoothness - durability and strength.
Weaknesses: The majority of today's "riders" (no doubt Seig Heil obama followers) have their "bikes" outfitted with that fishing tackle company's "gruppo".
Therein lies a problem.....
Similar Products Used: No similar product, per se. One set of Hugi hubs I've used for over 15 years are, in their own right, phenominal.
Bike Setup: Trek 5200, Campy Chorus drivetrain, Record hubs, Kings headset, Thomson seatpost, TTT bars, Ritchey stem, Time pedals
Summary: Excellent product! I had the local pro bike shop build up a set of Mavic Open Pro laced to the 28-hole Record hubs 3-crossed (14/15 DB spokes) front and rear. Note that I only weigh around 150 lbs. and that you should always have custom wheels built according to your weigh and their intended use. Over the last 2.5 years, I had to ask the shop to true them only once after I blew out the rear tire from a bad puncture while doing almost 40 mph down a long hill with my paniers. The rear wheel was so well built that it was still straight enough for me to ride even after coming to stop at high speed on a flat tire. I have over 3500 miles on my Campy Record Open Pros and they are still going strong. They are my wheelset of choice when I climb the local mountains because of their light weigh and strength to handle all the miles of very rough road on the descents. I am so confident in these wheels that I use them regularly when I carry my paniers on my commutes. These things are so rock solid that I ordered a second custom wheelset based on Campy Record hubs - Mavic CXP-33 (semi-aero) with exactly the same buildup configuration as my Open Pro wheels.
Strengths: Light, strong, beautiful durable finish, and reliable. The Campy grease do not have to be replaced until after 15,000 miles! When built correctly, they can handle lots of abuse and still get you home. Super smooth (when you have not replaced the original Campy grease, they will spin forever). Lovely internals - the bearings sing when you cruise at high speed.
Weaknesses: Before I was told about the Campy 15,000 mile between grease overhaul, I had the shop replace the original grease after a year. The new lighter weigh grease required for the injection port leaked everywhere out of the exhaust ports on the hubs for the first two dozen rides. Very messy.
Similar Products Used: Rolf Sestieri - (DT hubs based wheels) even lighter but nowhere nearly as durable.
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Summary: In follow up of my last post, I've been informed by my LBS that they have had 4 Campy rear hubs returned to them in the last 2 weeks alone for the identical cracking problem I had. 3 Chorus and 1 Record. They are convinced that there is a significant production problem going on. Fortunately the hubs are covered by a 3 year warranty. All Campy hub owners would be well advised to have their rear hubs inspected. The problem seems to be limited to the the drive side spoke flange and the crack pattern has been identical on all hubs they have seen. Take the time now and avoid what could be a catastrophic failure at speed. Based on the apparent scope of the problem, I am lowering my rating on what is otherwise a stellar product.
Strengths: None
Weaknesses: None
Similar Products Used: None
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Bike Setup: Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel, Chris King headset, Record hubs, drivetrain and brakes, Open Pro rims
Summary: Great hubs except for the puzzling cracks. Have 4500 miles on the hubs on roads that suffer the normal vagaries of a 4 season climate. Fortunately the 3 year warranty should cover the hub and it was time to put new spokes on anyway. Just glad I discovered the cracks before the rim went catastrophically out of true on a 48 mph descent. Lesson to be learned is that it's worth the time to be anally compulsive about cleaning and inspecting every nook and cranny of my bike every 2-3 weeks otherwise I never would have noticed the cracks.
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