Maintenance Free Sealed Cartridge Bearings Built Specifically For Bike Touring
Choosing the right hubs for a touring bicycle is extremely important because the entire weight of the rider and gear is supported by them. Bicycle hubs may look similar from the outside but the interior contains big differences in quality and durability. There are two main types of hubs used on touring bicycles: loose bearing and sealed cartridge systems.
A loose bearing system means that the interior of the hub is basically screwed together but still exposed to the elements. This makes the interior of the hub vulnerable to water and dirt. Once dirt enters the bearing system it acts like sand paper grinding down all the moving parts. Because bicycle tourists are regularly exposed to bad weather loose bearing hubs need to be regularly disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled while paying close attention to spacing and adjustment. The only advantage to loose bearing hubs is that they are cheap to manufacture. Shimano mass produces the vast majority of the hubs found on bicycles these days and has stuck with the loose bearing system to cut costs. Do not be fooled by Shimano's claim to have a "sealed mechanism." This only means that there is a cheap rubber sleeve attempting to cover the bearings.
The alternative to a loose bearing hub is a sealed cartridge system where the interior workings of the hub are permanently sealed at the factory. Moisture and road grime never contaminate the system. This means that the bearings and grease last much longer than a loose bearing system because there is no contamination from the elements. Phil Wood & Company makes the best sealed cartridge hubs that I have used. They even have a special model designed specifically to handle the extra weight and punishing conditions of bicycle touring. As with anything; better equipment costs a bit more, but will pay for itself with years of trouble free use.
Phil Wood Sealed Cartridge Bearings
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH USING STANDARD MOUNTAIN OR ROAD BIKE HUBS FOR TOURING?"
I hear it all the time, "But Tim, I have used my Shimano hubs while touring and never had a problem." This may be true for short trips, especially when their hubs are new. However, if Shimano hubs are not maintained frequently it will not take long for a beautiful trip to literally grind to a halt because dirt has entered the hub mechanism. Another common problem is that Shimano hubs were never designed for the extra weight of a loaded touring bike. This extra weight causes broken axles and cracks to form in the hub body. Once the hub body cracks the entire hub needs to be replaced. This is expensive because the hub has spokes and a rim built around it that has to be completely taken apart. Broken axles can be replaced but this requires a high degree of mechanical skill to completely disassemble the hub and rebuild it with a new axle. Few people we meet know how to do this or carry the special tools, grease, and replacement axle necessary for the job.
WHY DO CINDIE AND I ONLY TRUST AND RELY ON PHIL WOOD TOURING HUB SETS?
To put it simply; We do not like to perform regular hub maintenance or have mechanical problems while we are on the road. Our cycling adventures are about the people and places we visit as we ride around the world. With our Phil Wood Bicycle Touring hubs under us I can forget about break downs and concentrate on more important issues like finding a better taco or reading Chinese road signs.
Another major benefit to using the high quality Phil Wood hubsets is not having to carry specialized cone wrenches, spare ball bearings, axles to replace broken ones, and grease. If you like to travel light and hassle free then think hard about the components on your bike before you leave home.
Mechanical break downs due to using the wrong hub are common among the bike tourists we have met. Cindie and I have personally met cyclists stranded by hub problems. I usually know how to repair their hub but because I use Phil Wood sealed cartridge hubs I do not need or carry the additional hub tool, spare parts or grease in my panniers. Often these cyclist do not have all the necessary tools and parts themselves. In this situation I can only offer advise and information about taking a bus or flight to the nearest modern bike shop. An even worse situation is when these frustrated cyclists are in countries where 9 speed hub tools, axles, and mechanical knowledge does not exist. They are not left with many options.
I recommend buying a sturdy set of wheels hand built by someone who understands the kind of punishing situations touring cyclists experience and the extra weight they carry. It is all about picking the right tool for the job.
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