Danmozy66

On closer look I didn't find the subtle differences you mentioned. They are identical. Safe the code on the 'body' part which is identical in appearance.

This from the 1994 catalog, the 1993 link didn't work. My bike is a 1994.

easyupbug 

I prefer properly maintained cup and cone, Shimano or Campagnolo, but I'm retired so more frequent servicing (basically just grease) with cone wrenches is not a problem for me and when you need new balls they are cheap. I have a few wheels sets that are cartridge bearing and they spin great for seeming a long time until they don't at which time you might need special drifts and spanners or just a socket and hammer. I long ago gave up tracking milage but know I have 30+ year old cup and cone hubs. Again not being a weight weenie cartridge can be lighter but I don't notice the fewer grams.

easyupbug 

I prefer properly maintained cup and cone, Shimano or Campagnolo no matter, but I'm retired so more frequent servicing (basically just grease) with cone wrenches is not a problem for me and when you need new balls they are cheap. I have a few wheels sets that are cartridge bearing (not cheapo Chinese stuff) and they spin great for seemingly a long time until they don't, at which time you might need special drifts and spanners or just a socket and hammer. I long ago gave up tracking milage but know I have 30+ years on cup and cone hubs. Again not being a weight weenie cartridge can be lighter but I don't notice the fewer grams.

billytwosheds 

I was looking at the 1993 catalog. It's possible that for 1994 the internals were mostly the same. The product range catalog from 1994 does distinguish between the models in that the Record and Chorus have levers which are forged/pressed/anodized, at the Record has some sort of carbon composite material in the body. But yes, otherwise they are mostly the same for that model year.

CATALOGUES CAMPAGNOLO: CAMPAGNOLO 1994

Dfrost 

Over the last 38 years, I’ve owned and serviced a pair Campy Record hubs from the 8-speed Exadrive period, a pair of Mavic sealed bearing 501’s, a pair of DT 240’s, and LOTS of Shimano 2nd tier hubs (my current ones): 600 tricolor (6200 and 6400), Ultegra (6500), earlier XT, and maybe a few lower levels in the past. I’m familiar with several sets of Dura-Ace hubs. On the workstand, the DA and 501’s feel the tiniest bit smoother, but on the road, they’re all excellent, assuming they’ve been properly adjusted to account for QR axle compression. It would be remarkable if anyone could honestly tell the difference on the road. As easyupbug points out, cup and cone are easily serviced, and any of these better hubs have fantastic labyrinth seals. The position of your elbows will have much more effect than the quality of hub at this level.

I rebuild many hubs, usually mid to lower end, but also a few very high end (see threads on Fuso and Ciöcc rebuilds) on bikes donated to Bike Works. Hard to remember a Shimano hub that couldn’t be adjusted to be quite smooth, except that one left lying in water so one side was completely rusted...

Dfrost 

One other thought: Shimano cassette hubs seem essentially immune to axle breakage due to their outboard bearing placement. But I’m sure someone will weigh in if they have experience to the contrary.

I mention this because a nephew, certainly far from heavy at maybe 160lbs, nor heavy-load rider in his LA commute, recently suffered a rear axle breakage due to “asymmetric axle load” according to his LBS. No idea what the hub brand was, but it was remedied with a Shimano hub.