Ted,
Your note implies that high flange hubs were sold to an unsuspecting public that didn't know any better, and that as everyone got smarter the market moved to low flange. Do you really mean that? Are low flange hubs better? In what way?
You mention cost too. Were high flange hubs more expensive than low flange?
You wrote (snipped):
I asked several of the guys that had a racing background exactly the same questions, because there was a resurgence in cycling and there were many importers bringing racing bikes in who had no real "BICYCLE" background. Answer: COST! The commodity brokers in the bike game wanted Deluxe stuff to sell to any shop who wanted to buy. Ergo: If it cost more, it had to be better! SOOO- What cost more for the sucker Americans who didn't know any better but wanted the best "PRO" stuff? High flange hubs, Finger tip controls, Adjustable handlebar stems (TTT), and Sew-up-racing-tubular tires! That's what. Which is why so much of this equipment was around in the '60's. As the U.S. market for racing and good touring became more sophisticate these things changed. The real good shops did the best possible to educate the advanced cyclists and between the European publications and our minestrations, common sense was restored and chaos reigned as the gas shortage and the bike boom of the '70's prevailed.
Marcus Helman
Huntington Woods, MI