Campag Pista hubs on a road fixie?

proto

Planning to build up some wheels for my fixie project. Plenty of choice but tempted by Campag Pista. Me? Bike tart? Yeah, fair comment.

Anyway are Campag Pista hubs up to road use? I'm concerned about ingress of water into the very fine cup/cone bearings. Or should I go Miche/Suzue/Other.

Recommendations please for what I hope will be a classic steel road fixie in the Cinelli mould.

Something like this:

jalapeno

new pista hubs presumably. short answer = no. long answer is seals (or lack of) plus bearings won't stand it. if you want shiny bling then go Phil Wood.

tatanab

I have a sheriff star pista front hub that has been on my ride to work hack for 10 years now. The outside is pretty pitted with salt etc, but the bearings are perfectly fine. I strip and regrease it about very year, or when I feel like it.

While there are no seals as such, are they really much more vulnerable than any old style cup and cone hub? I don't think so.

The only problem I have had with these hubs is that I broke the flange on one, but that is a common failure because there is not much metal around the spoke holes.

So I say use them if you like - just maintain them.

jalapeno

tatanab wrote:

I have a sheriff star pista front hub that has been on my ride to work hack for 10 years now. The outside is pretty pitted with salt etc, but the bearings are perfectly fine. I strip and regrease it about very year, or when I feel like it.

While there are no seals as such, are they really much more vulnerable than any old style cup and cone hub? I don't think so.

The only problem I have had with these hubs is that I broke the flange on one, but that is a common failure because there is not much metal around the spoke holes.

So I say use them if you like - just maintain them.

Bear in mind that if you do use 'em on road then forget about any warranty (assuming you buy new hubs) http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/record-track.html Also, do you really want a high maintenance hub (i.e poorly sealed) in British weather?

hangsheadinshame

proto wrote:

...Or should I go Miche/Suzue/Other

I would go for Miche as they are tough as old boots. Planet-X's PriceShaggers site also has a bunch of extra cheap sale item Suzue and Planet-X track hubs on at the moment which might see you right too.

NickM

Or Royce if you want ultimate quality plus Brit manufacture. And they're aesthetically pleasing to most people - certainly more in keeping with a classically styled bike than Phil Wood.

Just watch out for the slightly outboard-of-standard chainline (which should work well with the outer ring of a standard road double chainset).

AndyGates

I have an old large-flange Record Pista track hub that's gone offroad and done Dunwich twice. It has rubbish seals and needs more frequent greasing than this modern stuff, but it doeth the do. I've been told repeatedly that my pie-friendly carcass should have snapped the flanges on the first ride...