Re: [CR]what's the beef with maillard 600 hubs?+

(Example: Framebuilders:Dario Pegoretti)

From: <PBridge130@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 12:05:56 EDT
Subject: Re: [CR]what's the beef with maillard 600 hubs?+
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


Galen <gvpoole@bellsouth.net> wrote:

"They're a little tough to adjust perfectly, the bearing surfaces aren't as smooth and hard as the best from high-end manufacturers, the shells are not highly polished, and they don't have any winged wheels or other identifying symbols to enhance their quality. I have built a couple of wheelsets with them, and find them to be durable with low rolling resistance (if adjusted just so). Just replace the bearings with highet quality ones next time you rebuild them, and you'll like them even more."

This stirred a memory in my own mind about some of the young racers who hung out in my shop in Boulder. They would use Normandy or Maillard hubs in training wheels, but before building the wheels, they would pack the hubs with simichrome and adjust, then run each hub for a minute or so, with the axle locked in an electric drill. The races would be, of course, mirror polished, and, with fresh Campy balls, the hubs adjusted impressively smoothly when cleaned, greased, and reassembled. Occasionally shells would be polished, as well, if a nicer set of wheels was under construction.

Did it make a darn bit of difference in the grand scheme of things? Probably not, but personal habits are part of building an athlete's mindset. By the way, one of these guys went on to win stages of the Tour.

Cheers,

Peter Bridge
Waxing nostalgic in San Diego CA