so here's the deal. i'm building up a cross-check soon, and i'm debating about what hubs to use. the phil offroad hubs are really nice, but i can't find them for anywhere near the price of the track hubs.

the track hubs are available for $220 for a pair, and can be spaced at 130 (which works on the crosscheck)...i can't find the offroad phils for under 300ish for the set. are the KISS hubs really more substantial than the track hubs? what makes them more suited for offroad applications, other than the spacing?

if the wise minds of the fixed forum don't think that (fairly light) offroading on the phil track hubs would cause undue stress or damage, then i'll just go with that.

Shucks son, where ya been?
Don't you steal my John Henry idea gol' durn it!

you know exactly where i am. look out the window and you'll see me giving you the finger. hows the eisen coming? and stop trying to derail my thread!

holy hell, a new batman movie...who saw that coming?

somebody is going to suggest levels eventually, so I might as well do it now. They were pretty much designed for offroad applications... unless you have the ever common phil phetish... understandable, but threads and bumps are not best friends

i still don't like the idea of all my cogs coming from one, small manufacturer...the idea is sound. i daresay even brilliant, but until they've been around for a while, i don't think they're for me.

eh... I'll get the cogs while I can (probably a full set eventually)... I figure by the time the stainless cogs wear out the hub would probably be worn out anyways... How many cogs do you burn through you inhumanly strong beast?

no wise minds? hmm.

Not Phils, but you could try Pauls. A Fhub/WORD setup runs about $230, and are every bit as sexy. You can call Spicer to get cogs drilled for ISO disc brakes, but you'd have a fixed/free setup at that point, or you could DIY.

Does crosscheck have good chainstay clearance to accomodate 42mm chainline? if so, it's probably fine for light offroading. one thing I would concern about using phil track on dirt would be the nuts slipping. their tracknuts are kinda small, and KISS hubs have quite a bit bigger nuts. but then again you can always use chain tensioner for that.

for the sake of argument, let's assume this is the only differing aspect between the kiss and the 120mm hubs.

we'll too - again, for argument's sake - accept the chain tensioner solution, as presented to us by trespasser, as being sufficient for our intended purpose of (fairly light) off-roading.

consider, then, matt chester, who swears by his 135mm phils.

[edit] chester, on his website, lists his phils as being "custom". i am unsure of the implications here. [/edit]

I totally understand ink's thoughts about the "WHO KNOWS IF THEY WILL BE HERE IN A YEAR" statement on the LEVEL's..

But that being said...another nice benefit to the Level Hubs (as well as the fact that they can be spaced to 135mmm) is the fact that with their cogs (yes, the ones that only they make) you can have the chainline switch from 45mm to 52mm by simply flipped the cog over.

Like Shiznaz said...they were originally designed for offroad use...

So again I understand some people being cautious as they don't want LEVEL's to turn into another CHUBHUB fiasco...But I am very confident that they won't...They better not, I've bought a boat load of them!

I run a Phil Wood KISS hub on my Cross-Check. I felt the 52mm chainline gave me more flexability in my choices for cranks. Those nuts are absolutely monsterous, I've yet to have to retighten the chain since installation.

About the best pricing I've seen on the Phil's is Speedgoat.

Speedgoat carries the Phil's for a pretty decent price. $87 for the front, $170 for the rear fixed/free.
Those prices include shipping. Check it out here:

https://www.speedgoat.com/catalog.asp?cat=260

I run a Phil FSA front hub on my Cross Check. Works fine and has held up to occassional short offroad jaunts. I imagine the track hubs would be fine, also.

baker