Originally Posted by
andre nickatina
I disagree... the difference between looseball and cartridge is felt on the road IMO if you're actually going fast and throwing in hard accelerations. But the difference is not noticeable at all between okay cartridge bearings (Formula) and better cartridge bearings (Phil), atleast in my experience.
If looseball bearings didn't make a difference, what reason would there even be for their continued sales? Hell, Dura Ace road hubs are all loose ball today, they're just well sealed.
Horse hockey. The typical rider, even a seasoned one isn't going to notice the difference between a cartridge and loose ball setup. Hell, the typical rider isn't going to notice whether his loose ball is too tight or just right.
Loose ball systems, I'm guessing, are cheaper to manufacturer, easier to service and provide for a greater level of commonality.