Originally Posted by Landgolier

Stricter tolerances? Are you a qualified machinist with the tools to determine this, or did you just read this somewhere? If so, where?

The materials are better? It's the same steel and Al, really it is, I promise. There isn't some VIP section of the periodic table you can't get access too for under $100 a hub, and the types of alloys used in this stuff don't differ enough in price to talk about. I will give you that the formula lock nuts are made from steel that is a little too hard and brittle, but this can be remedied for $2.

The races are smoother? Apples to oranges, with a faint whiff that you don't even know what you're talking about. The formula hubs most of us use are cartridge bearing, the races are in the bearing itself. What's machined into the hub are the bearing seats, which I've looked at and they're primo.

Thread quality? Please describe for us the tools you used (or would use) to tell the difference in threading quality between formulas and more expensive hubs.

Lockrings that last? Newsflash: most formula hubsets and prebuilt wheels don't come with lockrings, and the ones that formula does sell are perfectly good. Some complete bikes do come with cheesy stamped lock rings on fomula hubs, but whose fault is that?

Axle, cone, and bearing quality is a million times better? I've never heard of any issues with the axles on formulas. Campy axles are nothing to get excited about, DA are stainless which looks great but isn't necessary, and phil uses hi-ten steel just like formula. Formulas don't even really have cones, not sure what you're talking about there. The bearings are very, very good, and when they go they can be replaced with the highest grade out there for not much money. Also, the nice thing about formulas (and phils) is that the bearings going out can't ruin the hub. If a Campy or DA hub gets run dry the races can pit, and then it's done for.

I have formulas, campy record road hubs, and a lot of good shimano stuff, and under no circumstances have I ever been able to feel the difference in any quality hub while riding. Anyone who thinks they can is full of it, hubs just don't contribute anything significant to road feel.