entry-level fixed track hubs
 

heĺlo!
i'm putting together my first fixed gear bike. i have a raw steel track frame, but i need wheels. (especially a rear one)

..and i want to assemble them. i'm gonna use some nice road bike rims friends' shop has lyin around.
i'm gonna need to buy some hub though!

what are some nice cheap (but hopefully durable) fixed gear hubs? considering i'm gonna use the bike mainly for street riding?
i was thinking about :

miche primato high flange (found the couple for 67eur)
miche primato low flange (couple for 65 eur)
novatec (heard they're durable) (found rear hub for 30 eur)

also: lo flange or hi flange??


thank you!

I've had Novatecs in the past and imo they are very good for their price point - better than Formula. As for high vs low flange, high with get you a tad more stiffness, low will save you a smidge of weight, I don't think one's head and shoulders better than the other,

I've got the miche, they're smooth and nice. Double check the cones, for whatever reason my rear hub tightened up from the lock nut not being tight enough against the cone and it wasn't after too many trips on the bike. Problem solved and they still spin beautifully and built up nice.

High flange hubs result in shorter spoke lengths and shorter spokes will be stronger. However, it may make some lacing patterns less than desirable. Sheldon Brown has written on this.

Novatec
 

I have now two wheelset with novatec hubs and they are great. One is a more basic design, the other is Ben's cycles Milwaukee bicycle co branded hub which is amazing. Got one of their in house wheelset builds. Both buttery smooth. I also personally like the hollow axle detail which shaves a few grams.

Sturmey Archer also makes a nice and reasonably priced track hubset, the model number escapes me at the moment.

Lots of options out there. I may get blasted for this, but I am personally a fan of formula loose bearing hubs. When serviced and adjusted right, they are a fantastic as well. Unsure which model forumla loose I have, but they are a bit older.

You are not wrong about the loose bearing Formula Hubs. Keep them greased and at the right tightness and they are fine. Regular commuters that ride in severe weather prefer sealed bearings for obvious reasons. Many of us don't ride in slop so the Formulas work just dandy.

Not super cheap but not over the top crazy expensive for what you are getting, the All City New Sheriff SL hubs are quite nice. Some of the lightest track hubs with quality bearings useful axles that can take a 6mm Hex or 15 Box wrench. If you are looking to up the budget a touch but not go Phil Wood or Mack or Paul or something ultra fancy they aren't a bad way to go.

thank you all for your feedback, and for clarification about lo/hi flange... looks like i gotta go back to study old sheldon's ;)
btw, i think im going with high flange.

yeah, im quite the tinkerer myself, i always like some grease on my hands... might consider loose bearings. but which models? i honestly dont know how to tell them apart (although i've set up countless old loose ball bearings in the past)

so... up for the novatecs and miches... also ty for the all city. it IS interesting, though it looks quite unaccessible from here in europe, isn't it?

You probably can get All City in Europe through QBP. In the U.S. QBP is common amongst many many shops but I don't know how it is in Europe but I assume probably most reasonably sized shops will have an account.

The MKE branded hubs are exactly where I had my experience with Novatecs - that wheelset was amazing, it felt like you could actually gain speed coasting on a flat surface they were so smooth. One of these days I need to get Ben's to build me up another set of wheels with them.

Milwaukee bicycle co
 

Got these built at Ben's. The fit and finish on the hubs is top notch. Silky smooth. Went with fixed/fixed. Will likely get another set based on value.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...98b00de44d.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c3d7895194.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b09bc3260.jpg

Another fan of formula loose bearing hubs here.
Heck, I even enjoy the maintenance on them...

that wheelset looks nice as heck! how much did you (/would you) pay for it?

though i can easily service loose ball bearing hubs, i cant tell them apart from sealed ones while buying new... whoch ones are the loose formulas you guys are talking about?

thank you everyone for your support!
right now my choice has been boiled down to novatecs vs ambrosio zeniths
also, i'll check in shops for the allcity!

cheers! ;)

$166 shipped. Sale, plus rewards points and a PayPal discount.

Typically they run $200 shipped which is still a bargain in my humble opinion.

https://www.milwaukeebicycleco.com/m...odoldays-304/p

They build in shop by hand, not machine built. Rims are a bit narrow, but I fit 28mm without any issues. Wouldn't run much larger based on inside width.

Gran Compe is pretty good bang for buck

I have built eight SS wheels with Surly "Ultra New" hubs and have put thousands of trouble-free miles on each of them. Hollow stainless steel axles, 6mm hex bolts, available in every combination of fixed and free. 100, 120, 130, 135mm spacing.