Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Dura-Ace vs. Nature

Four years ago, a messenger buddy was complaining to me about how his DA track hubs went to sh*t much faster than he expected, despite the specially machined races and high grade bearings. He was telling me this as we rode through a salty, slushy Chicago night, snow and grime coating our bikes. Gratuitus as his abuse of equiptment may have been, I remember the lesson and do not ride my DA equipped bike in the snow, or rain for that matter. I've always wondered though, how much weather can those things take? They are incredibly smooth, low-resistance, fairly inexpensive hubs, but how long do they last under regular street use? I wanna hear some testimonials!

Here's the diagram that from Shimano's website, looks like there's not really a seal....

http://bike.shimano.com/product_images/HB/ev_images/HB_7710-R_EV.pdf

does the word "track" ring a bell?

Since they are not, in the true sense, sealed bearings, they will require more attention. Life span can be very long if that attention is given. Otherwise, ride em till the wheels fall off......

a quick aside...i was at my lbs yesterday, and i overheard someone pronounce dura-ace like it was some sort of italian word- durrachi. have i been saying it wrong all along?

have i been saying it wrong all along?
yes. it is properly pronounced "SIR- LEE"

oh. i thought it was i...r...o.

I usually say "Soo-zoo"

Super-Bee?

Can someone help me figure out what spot in the line up my brake caliper is. It's older and says, I think, Shimano GOO. I've searched and searched and can't find any information on it. Please help! :cry:

Shimano 600, good brakes, basically Ultegra before it was called Ultegra.

Can someone help me figure out what spot in the line up my brake caliper is. It's older and says, I think, Shimano GOO. I've searched and searched and can't find any information on it. Please help! :cry:

like these?


http://images.andale.com/f2/115/106/3561856/1062911369197_satin_shim_600_brakes.jpg

Gosh peoples, I'm just kidding. Shimano GOO, SHEESH! Mine look a little older than those sohi. GOO! HAHA!

Gosh peoples, I'm just kidding. Shimano GOO, SHEESH! Mine look a little older than those sohi. GOO! HAHA!

I got it. :)

Mine look a little older than those sohi. GOO! HAHA!

like this?


http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003TA2.01._PE8_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

GOOd album. I like to pretend I'm a Cool Thing.

GOOd album. I like to pretend I'm a Cool Thing.Pretend is right, it's "Kool Thing". :eek:

does the word "track" ring a bell?

No **** man...Track equipment is made for the TRACK - short distances, smooth surfaces, no dirt or water, frequent maintenance.

Sooooo, let's ride the thing all day long during winter on the streets of CHICAGO, leave it parked outside in the rain, probably don't overhaul...what the fsck do you expect?

No **** man...Track equipment is made for the TRACK - short distances, smooth surfaces, no dirt or water, frequent maintenance.

Sooooo, let's ride the thing all day long during winter on the streets of CHICAGO, leave it parked outside in the rain, probably don't overhaul...what the fsck do you expect?


So a lot of people shouldn't be riding track bikes on the street then, right?

So a lot of people shouldn't be riding track bikes on the street then, right?

no. but no hubs without seals in harsh winter conditions. or no track frames in a half pipe etc.

I miss your old avatar sohi

tada..

Where can I get one???

Where can I get one???

sold out...

Four years ago, a messenger buddy was complaining to me about how his DA track hubs went to sh*t much faster than he expected, despite the specially machined races and high grade bearings. He was telling me this as we rode through a salty, slushy Chicago night, snow and grime coating our bikes. Gratuitus as his abuse of equiptment may have been, I remember the lesson and do not ride my DA equipped bike in the snow, or rain for that matter. I've always wondered though, how much weather can those things take? They are incredibly smooth, low-resistance, fairly inexpensive hubs, but how long do they last under regular street use? I wanna hear some testimonials!

Here's the diagram that from Shimano's website, looks like there's not really a seal....

http://bike.shimano.com/product_images/HB/ev_images/HB_7710-R_EV.pdf

i've had the same dura ace wheel for a little over 6 years now. last year, i had to replace the bearings because they had all developed a nice wear trench around the outside. i put some of the basic, low-grade bearings in there and they roll just fine. the next time i replace the bearings, i'll put the higher grade bearings in.

they actually come with little seal rings that you can slip into the cones to keep crap out of there, but they create a ton of drag when you first put them in. so much, that i decided it was better to just leave them as they are. i'm sure after a while, they'd loosen up.

the guy who pronounced it "durache" was probably joking around. it's a common joke. sort of like pronouncing cannondale as ca-NON-dalay.

no. but no hubs without seals in harsh winter conditions. or no track frames in a half pipe etc.

that's just BS. my DA hub lasted 4 years in boston without an overhaul, and the worn out bearings was something that one would expect after riding a wheel through 3 bikes, every day for 5 years. when i opened the hub, the only stuff that was in there was the bearings and the grease, and the grease was pretty much clean.

that's just BS. my DA hub lasted 4 years in boston without an overhaul, and the worn out bearings was something that one would expect after riding a wheel through 3 bikes, every day for 5 years. when i opened the hub, the only stuff that was in there was the bearings and the grease, and the grease was pretty much clean.

A DA _TRACK_ hub?

yes, a DA TRACK hub. high flange.

there isn't any difference between the bearings and races on a DA road hub, when compared to a DA track hub. what do you think, that they somehow make the track hub to be more delicate or something? Dura Ace is Dura Ace. it's some of the most durable, high quality stuff on the market, just because something is manufactured for the track, doesn't mean it's somehow more fragile that something made for the road. there are plenty of dura ace road hubs still on the road that have been through all kinds of sloppy weather, guess what, they aren't sealed bearing. in fact, NONE of the standard shimano road hubs are sealed bearing. i don't know about their prebuilt low spoke count DA labelled wheels, or the 500 and 540 wheels, but the hubs that come with the groups are unsealed. the biggest different between the road hubs and the track hubs are the outter dust covers on the road hubs, and they don't do squat when it's downpouring, or there's a ton of salt and grime on the road. you're not going to ruin a cup and cone hub by riding it in the real world.

As long as you take care of them, they should last. there aren't any difference in bearing dustcaps between campy super record track hubs and road hubs. I would imagine it's same for shimano.

oh yea. i was wrong.

here it says:
"Dura Ace Track Hub, front, excellent seals for the bearings"

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fixed.asp

Ira in Chi:
your friend is expecting too much then :)

GOOd album. I like to pretend I'm a Cool Thing.

I like to pretend I'm anorexic.

I pronounce Cannondale "crap".

Dura Ace is too nice for bad weather. That's when I ride the Campy Record bike. :rolleyes:

when it's all you have, you have no choice.

What is the suggested TLC procedure for your hubs after a slushy ride? I have Paul hubs that I love tons and want to use forever. This stuff worries me.

you don't really have to do anything to a hub after a slushy ride...you might want to do an overhaul after probably after 4 or 5 months of slushy rides.

i'm pretty sure the paul hubs are cartridge bearing hubs, so there's pretty much zero routine maintenance with 'em.

Just another reaso to love cartridge bearings versus loose ball cup and cone style.

Most of the stuff that gets destroyed by abuse just pops out and fixed up with $5.

I pronounce Cannondale "crap".

Can you qualify that drive by or are you just talking out of your stern tube.

Just another reaso to love cartridge bearings versus loose ball cup and cone style.

Most of the stuff that gets destroyed by abuse just pops out and fixed up with $5.

The cartridge bearings in my Ksyriums have 6500 miles on them. I may adjust them a touch this year. Just a tiny bit. Some day I'll knock them out and replace them, I can't imagine when.

Just another reaso to love cartridge bearings versus loose ball cup and cone style.

Most of the stuff that gets destroyed by abuse just pops out and fixed up with $5.

and same with cup and cone stuff. bearings are like, $.10. and there's usually 18-24 in each hub. the cones are usually pretty durable, i'd say as durable, if not moreso than standard cartridge bearings. cones are usually not too expensive unless it's a super nice hub, and even then, it's not too bad.

in my experience, it doesn't take that much longer to overhaul/repack a cup-n-cone hub than it takes to pop out the bearings in a cartridge hub.

in my experience, it doesn't take that much longer to overhaul/repack a cup-n-cone hub than it takes to pop out the bearings in a cartridge hub.

Yes, but you gotta do it a heck of a lot more often. And if you don't maintain them, you'll ruin the hub.

Yes, but you gotta do it a heck of a lot more often. And if you don't maintain them, you'll ruin the hub.

nnnaaaah, sorry. not true...unless by "maintain," you mean adjust them like, once every year and a half.

I pronounce Cannondale "crap".

dumbass

Yes... Yes, the judges would also have accepted "dumbass".

You advance to the next round.

I pronounce Cannondale "crap".

in defense, i agree....the frames are ugly, the super strech aluminum is ****** (when the get older they have issues) and seriously, it's cannondale

in defense, i agree....the frames are ugly, the super strech aluminum is ****** (when the get older they have issues) and seriously, it's cannondale

The frames are beautiful. Classic geometry (no compact geometry frames), nice colors/styling (in general), and wonderfully finished welds. Oh yeah, and they're handmade in PA.

I don't own a Cannondale, but I hate it when people bash them for no good reason.

It's older and says, I think, Shimano GOO.

You are my idol. Let's get married, whaddya say? :love:

in defense, i agree....the frames are ugly, the super strech aluminum is ****** (when the get older they have issues) and seriously, it's cannondale


You guys don't really know what you're talking about. The only problem with cannondales, or any other aluminum bikes for that matter, is that they will probably break at some point. I've never had any problems with any sort of stretching either, my track frame is quite a few years old at this point and still stiffer than anything else I've ever ridden.

"and seriously, it's a cannondale"??!? What the hell is wrong with that? Cannodale(along with klein) basically pioneered the use of aluminum, which is now pretty much standard. They have always supported racing of all sorts. And unlike your iro/surly/soma/pista/fuji/khs/langster/etc... they are actually made in the US, which counts for something as well, to me at least.

But if you want to ride a steel bike, by all means ride one. There are great things about steel, as well as some drawbacks. It's all about personal preference, I wouldn't dis anyone for riding what they like riding, that's all.

I pronounce Cannondale "crap".

A citizen of Poseurville has spoken.

no material is perfect.
except titanium of course ;)

nnnaaaah, sorry. not true...unless by "maintain," you mean adjust them like, once every year and a half.

If you let them go for 3,000 miles without repacking and replacing the balls you will. The balls and the cone will get damaged. If you repack and replace the balls about 2000 maximun you will be OK. That's less than one year for me.