Operator, you're missing landgolier's point in multiple places. The proffered reason to buy the expensive hubs was that they are made to "stricter tolerances", but if no one can say what those are or where they apply then this reason has no force.

I guess that cartridge bearings are more resistant than loose balls (not that this makes any difference for any of us) but you can't tell me that the bit about how "the races are smoother" (which landgolier was responding to) wasn't more or less pulled out of thin air.

I don't understand what your point about replacing messengers' bearings has to do with landgolier's saying that cartridge bearings' going out can never ruin the hub.

On the subject of very strict tolerances, here is a guy measuring the axle on a Dimension hub. This btw is a great article.

http://projekto-b.blogspot.com/2008/...-bearings.html