Stevan,
Your post is very well received and considered, and as applies to all bike equipment. Such perspective is of infinite value to everyone, and for more than just obvious reasons. There are so many ways to get seriously injured out there on a bike, it is wise to be cautious at every "turn". As a recent accident has once again taught me, I still need to be more careful.
Thanks for the heads up.
Dennis Young Hotaka, Japan
> Something to bear in mind about Phil axles: They used to break with
> regularity, I asked him about this at a trade show and his reply was "I'm
> almost all
> the way through that material, after it's gone, there won't be any more
> breakage
> because I now have better stuff". That's not an exact quote, but it IS the
> gist. He had the same attitude about his collapsing hub flanges. He made them
> wrong, did not recall them, and if you survived the crash, he'd give you a new
> one. I realize he is no longer associated with the company, but this very
> early
> and despicable association regarding quality (or lack of it) and the lives of
> the people using it lives on. The only Phil Wood thing I will use is his
> excellent spoke threader. I will not TOUCH a hub or bottom bracket without
> clear
> memory of life threatening breakage that was common in the early days. Ask
> yourself, how do you know you do not have an early axle prone to breakage?
> A well regarded frame builder known to the list, knew someone whose (Campy)
> crank broke while climbing a hill. He fell under the wheels of a car and was
> killed. Parts that break are potentially deadly. I was appalled and disgusted
> by
> Phil's attitude and regret that his parts are held in such apparent high
> esteem by people who apparently don't know the past history of his parts.
> Caveat
> Emptor. There are all kinds of better vintage parts available if you are
> willing to search: Edco, OMAS, Stronglight, etc.
> Stevan Thomas
> Alameda, CA