surly Hubs vs. Formula
 

I'm in the process of having a new wheelset built. I searched SURLY hubs in the directory and didn't find anything really weighing them against the formula hubs which everyone seems to like on here. So ....experiences? anyone? The dudes at NYC Velo recommended them. (they also recommended some phil's but i'm not sure if i have the bank for that.)

The set up would be Deep V's laced to either Surly or Formula's.

They're both perfectly decent hubs (no frequent horror stories like Suzue Jr. or Quando). That being said, I've gone w/ Formula hubs twice because I prefer the aesthetics (I paired those hubs up w/ the new Surly cogs/lockrings though). Surly stuff you should be able to get from damn near any bike shop ... Formula might be a bit harder to come by, but all the online usual suspects will stock them.

Either way, you're fine. Phils are absolutely gorgeous/bomb proof/awesome company in general, but you pay a huge premium.

a huge premium that comes with a lifetime warranty...

I ride on a surly in the rear and I have had never had any problems. Solid hub.

Ya, and that's not the issue. I fully realize how good the hubs are and would love a set for myself. Sometimes the budget just doesn't allow for a $300 hubset though and that's the end of it.

I have both and have not had a problem with either.

yeah thats cool, they are pricey no joke. get what you can and enjoy the hell out of it.

My rear Formula hub is screwed up. The metal where the cog would screw tight against bent in one area and now my cog sits crooked. I really have no idea how it happened, I just noticed it one day while trying to figure out wtf was wrong with my chain line. It looks as if the cog was mis-threaded when the LBS put it on…. But I really have no idea.

My buddy has Surly hubs and the only story I have to share is me riding his bike down a steep hill one day I threw his chain, wrapped it between the cog/spokes and broke 8 spokes sheering some off. The hub was fine and dandy.

thanks for the advice...

Yeah, budgetary constraints suck. I'm totally tempted cuz i understand the lifetime guaruntee of phil's and am usually of the shell it out now, be super satisfied for a long time mentality...but in the short-term, eating next week is pretty appealing too..haha.

Unless you really like the look of one or the other... Go for the cheaper wheelset (Unless you like the guys at NYCVelo and want to support your LBS). There are plenty of threads about places that sell formula hubs. IRO comes to mind.

Methinks that at the end of the day the two hubs are going to basically be the same quality.

Of course, there's always the next bike ... with the new, improved and inflated budget. ;)

Just about two weeks ago I stripped the thread in my Surly hub. Just as easily, if not more, than my previous Quando hub. I have to say they were very surprised at my LBS, almost couldn't believe it, so I guess I just got a bad one.

surly hubs blow.


they blow out and strip out mad easy.


formula hubs are the ****, especially with a surly cog and lockring. And, if you're lucky enough to live in boston, and blow out the bearings during one of boston's ****ty ****ty winters, then you can ride right over to action bearing in allston, and get a new set of bearings for 6 bucks. New bearings that will last another year or so, even another winter. Or ****, phil makes bearings that fit formula hubs if you want. They're real easy to work on, and bet parts for, and replace if need be.



get some formula's.

Well. This is no longer a consideration. I just cannot get the formula hubs as they don't make a 135mm fixed hub. Surly does though.

Well. This is no longer a consideration. I just cannot get the formula hubs as they don't make a 135mm fixed hub. Surly does though.

i've never used either hub, but until guerillaidiom's post i was all set to recommend the surly's, if only for the reason that if something ever went wrong with the hub surly is usually pretty good at resolving disputes if you contact them directly through their site.

What makes you say that about surly hubs?

By the way you can replace bearings that easily on all cartridge bearing hubs, including surlys.

false. IRO sells their formula hubs with an axle that can be respaced to 135.

plus one on the formula, just due to direct experience. surly hubs are a bit pricier, no?

also, plus one to whoever pointed out that you can put phil wood bearings in formulas. that's what i plan to do eventually...

On-one and kogswell both have 135mm fixed hubs available too. More choices = good.

yeah because "they blow out and strip mad easy" is a really compelling point. It was even backed up with an anecdote.

For real though, i stripped one side of surly fixed/fixed but it wasn't the hub's fault. It was the fact that i left the stock fuji cog on when i upgraded wheels (04 fuji stock wheels are the worst). I put an EAI cog on it and haven't had a problem since (which includes the fact that its been a year without needing a retrue).

i merely said that seeing as i personally have no first hand experience with either hub, while guerillaidiom on the other hand, seems to have had some sort of... experience... or something.

Yeah, but formula hubs don't come in 135mm. IRO's do and yeah, they are made by formula, but they are not formula hubs. Surly hubs are not made by the formula company. Ahhh! The great myth of the Phil bearings. You'd save yourself some dough by doing to a bearing dealer (most cities have them) and just get grade 25 bearings, because that's all that Phil's are anyway.

IRO hubs are rebranded Formula. The word IRO screened on the shell does not make it not a "not Formula hub".

Phil bearings are high quality, and priced in line with other high quality bearings. At $6 a pop for a 6001 bearing that is right in line with what you will find at your bearing dealer for other brands of similar quality. It doesn't take mythology to sell $6 bearings for $6.

how much would NYCVelo get you the surly's to Deep-Vs for?

i also say spend more on hubs and less on rims, especially being the skinny dude you are. the pauls to fusions probably aren't a whole lot more than the surly's to deep v's or formulas to deep v's, and the quality of the hub is worth it in my opinion. you seem pretty set on deep v's though, but Fusion's aren't a whole lot different.

Fusions and Deep V's are a lot closer in price than Phils and formulas. I doubt you would find those two setups for similar prices. But if you do, snag the phils!