Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - hub benefits?

So I'm still looking at my options of building wheels, though I'm pretty sure I've set on the delgado's. What I'm wondering now, is what is the benefit of a high flange hub? It is just looks? Also, how important is a flip-flop hub? I was hoping to get something of quality and in a high flange flip-flop and I was looking at the high flange dura-ace's but they aren't flip-flop, but the low flanges are flip-flop. or would you say screw dura-ace and go with a paul non-flip-flop high flange?

:edit: I haven't searched for this topic yet, so if there are a lot of responses to this already, I apologize. I will search now.

High flanges are supposed to make it more laterally rigid. This matters for velodrome racing.

So for around town use I wouldn't notice a difference in performance between high or low flange then?
How important is flip-flop, because it seems pretty important. I mean, if you somehow mess up the threads on one side, all is not lost. Or you have some gearing option, though I doubt I would actually be swapping it regularly. I still think the first point is a pretty good one though.

Most importantly, which one matches you messenger bag more and gives you more street cred?

Hi vs. Low: Hi looks cooler. The lateral strength thing is kind of bogus with wheels nowadays; DA hubs don't even come in hi flange anymore. Lo saves you some weight too. But, in my opinion, hi's are easier to build, and if you want a wacky lacing pattern (3 leading 3 trailing, 4x), it'll be easier to do without bending the crap out of your spokes.

flip-flop vs. normal: go with a fixed/fixed. You can strip one side, and still have a usable hub. You can still run a freewheel if you revert to the coasting lifestyle. Boom, done.

Hi vs. Low: Hi looks cooler. The lateral strength thing is kind of bogus with wheels nowadays; DA hubs don't even come in hi flange anymore. Lo saves you some weight too. But, in my opinion, hi's are easier to build, and if you want a wacky lacing pattern (3 leading 3 trailing, 4x), it'll be easier to do without bending the crap out of your spokes.

flip-flop vs. normal: go with a fixed/fixed. You can strip one side, and still have a usable hub. You can still run a freewheel if you revert to the coasting lifestyle. Boom, done.

minor point; dura ace DO come hi-flange, they're just not sold outside of japan.

but "theoretically" would the high flange be any better? I guess not because they arne't flip flop, but like boston fixed said "which one matches my bag better" and those black sides are pretty nice....hehe

It would not be theoretically better for anything outside of riding sideways down the street. It would look cooler. Thats it.

minor point; dura ace DO come hi-flange, they're just not sold outside of japan.

minor point; dura ace are built hi-flange, but they just dont COME here.....



(in large, commercially available quantities ;) )

minor point; dura ace are built hi-flange, but they just dont COME here.....



(in large, commercially available quantities ;) )

minor point; dura ace are built hi-flange, but they just aren't sold here directly, they tend to take complicated, circuitous routes on their way to the wheels of american japanese-obsessed bike-geeks :D

but "theoretically" would the high flange be any better? I guess not because they arne't flip flop, but like boston fixed said "which one matches my bag better" and those black sides are pretty nice....hehe
I don't quite follow here... hi flange hubs can be flip-flop too. IRO, for one, sells them. Flange height and flip-floppedness (new word!) are not mutually exclusive.

High flange was traditionally believed to increase lateral rigidity due to a greater bracing angle to the rim. This along with tied-and-soldered spokes has been lab tested and shown to offer no significant advantage.

It does allow building 4X wheels as greater spacing between spoke holes keeps spokes from riding on the heads of other spokes. It also allows you to change a broken spoke without removing the cog, as long as your cog isn't too big.

Mostly people still make HF hubs because people who are used to them like the look and because the stiffness superstition carries on.

You probably have a better chance of getting away with radial lacing as well, because there's more material between the spoke holes. Not much of an attraction for me, as I find both radial wheels and high-flange hubs ugly...

I don't quite follow here... hi flange hubs can be flip-flop too. IRO, for one, sells them. Flange height and flip-floppedness (new word!) are not mutually exclusive.

I should have been more specific, I was speculating that the high flange dura-ace may be better than the low flange flip flop dura-ace.

The high-flange Dura-Ace do come in a double-fixed flip flop.

m.

high flange dura ace are available through QBP stateside. shorter spokes, stronger wheel, everything else being equal.