After a good bit of discussion on other topics yesterday, I thought now would be a good time to chime in with a question about something that I think would be perfectly on-topic: vintage Campagnolo hubs!
Let me start by saying I love to look at vintage bikes and read about vintage bikes, but I actually KNOW nothing. Nada. Zip. So I'm coming to the folks that do know.
I'm curious about the quality of various non-Record hubs in the Campagnolo product line. I think high flange hubs are the best looking thing around, but I'm not super fond of looks of the long slot Record high flange hubs. I always though the high flange Tipo (also called "cheapo", I've heard?) looked great. Then I saw the high flange Gran Sport hubs (EX: there are a bunch of NOS shells on E-bay right now, such as item 280455622264) and realized it had gotten better....or had it?
How do the quality of the "other" Campagnolo high flange hubs stack up against Record hubs, and what is the difference? I'm assuming that similar vintage Tipo or Gran Sport hubs would be heavier than Record hubs, but is there a difference in design, bearings, or races that make them somehow less useful or reliable? I'm not worried about a couple of ounces due to an aluminum part on a Record hub being substituted for a steel part on a Tipo hub, but I would not want to build up a wheel with one only to have problems with it. Any thoughts?
All the best,
Kurt Henry
Lancaster, PA