I would have to bet that I ride more than most of you, ride harder than most of you, and put my bike through more hell than most of you... I base this on my work (messenger), the miles I lay down (about 10,000 / yr), and the fact I ride 12 months of the year in the frozen north.

I also work as a bike mechanic so I see all kinds of stuff.

With that being said... I am running Formula hubs which deliver some good bang for the buck and seem to hold up really well for myself and for the folks I have built wheels for.

I can't afford to have my bike failing as although I have a spare, the time it takes to get it costs money.

If you get a Surly or a better hub and don't install the cog and lock ring properly you will F it up and I have seen professional mechanics completely bork people's hubs too.

It pays to know how to do this yourself as it will save you money and time and then when things do go to hell you know who to blame.

traab - The drive train on a fixed gear is no different from that on a geared bike in that you have to take care of it and geared drives take a lot more care and attention. Fixed is simple... just make sure the cog and lock ring are tight and you're good to go and check it regularly.
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And for those of you that can't stop bickering over nothing... go for a ride and come back when you're feeling more amicable.

I am sure this thread will still be going strong unless we have hit the point where the topic changes to chicks and tattoos...