The Paul hubs appear to be CNC cut rather than spun, of which I'm not a huge fan, and I still maintain that eventually people will realize that cartridge bearings are more trouble than they're worth. I have little hope that the exact right size cartridges will be available in fifty years but I'm fairly sure we'll still be able to find 1/4" (or 6mm at least) balls and grease.
Originally Posted by
LeicaLad
Current production Phil Wood hubs are "field serviceable", which means that they have the same removable axle caps that allow you to space a hub from 120 to 130. These cost about the same.
Key thing to remember is that the wheel must be re-dished every time you change the spacers!
Field serviceable? That's great news - I often feel the need to swap a wheelset from an old frame to a new one in the middle of a ride!
I'm all for reproducing vintage stuff but I'd rather those things be actual reproductions rather than "modern" items which just sort of look old. Depending on your interpretation, those Paul hubs are either a modern homage to classic hubs or they're designed for people who want to look like they have something old without putting in the time or effort. The ability to actually reproduce things like this is still within humanity's realm so as far as I can tell the only reason not to is ease and cost. I want everything in my life to be difficult and expensive
.