Most valuable hubs????
 

At the bike Exchange we are having a problem.

We have more wheels than we can store.

As a result we are going to have to throw away or some how get rid of those we are unlikely to be able to use or sell within a space of a few months.

I have suggested that before tossing we should check the hubs to see if they are worth keeping.

Campi hubs , of course, and Dura ace, are on my list but I would like input from you folks as to what other hubs we should cut out of a wheel and put on E bay.

We have hundreds of wheels hanging on racks and one storage room full of them plus wheels lining a hallway that are a code violation.

HELP!!!

If you are close to Silicon Valley and want some wheels we might be able to throw some your way.

Suzue and Miche, fo sho.

I'd keep most all vintage aluminum shell hubs that are complete with their original skewers and dust caps, paying particular attention to high-flange.

And don't worry about rust. There's gold under thar!

@capnjonny - if you run into a 7402 (8V) rear hub that is trashed except for the DS cone. I would like buy the whole thing or just the cone.

Some inexpensive French hubs may not be worth even cutting out, but the freewheels if not worn out are escalating in value. Atom or "regina"assembly scheme and axle and cone sets if the races are good.
No one is making new French threaded freewheels.

Shimano 600 get attention.
Don't let the inexperienced cut out the rear hub with the cogs still attached, freewheel or cassette.
Save the Quick releases.

Phil wood hubs have value, even with dead bearings.
Weyless, Hi-E...
French hubs with riveted flanges, (probably won's see those but...)

Omas frewheel hubs - esp. w/skewers.
Also nicer Shimano 7 speed freehub hubs: Tricolor, 105, Rsx. I am always looking out for those.

I second

Phil Wood
American Classic
Hi-E
Weyless

any Specialized or Suzue with sealed cartridge bearings are "keepers" as well as our faves: any Mavic 500 series!

I'd agree that MODERN Miche hubs are very desirable, but the OLD Campy NR clones (or clowns) are junk.

Nearly any of the other Italian "B-teams" (Ofmega, Avocet, Gipemme, Galli) that copied the Campy NR hubs made better products than Miche did.
Some Miche were also re-badged as "Cycle-Pro", and same lousy quality.

And will echo that GOOD quality FR hubs (Normandy Luxe with red or black plastic seals, and the "Gold" too), plus Pellisier but doubt too many of those will come along

Paul hubs also very nice

Shimano HB-MN72 Hi Flange
Sunshine Pro-Am

Definitely don't toss any of the better French ones (Maillard 700, Mavic, Normandy Luxe, etc)!!

I want to put forward the Mavic hub. Even if I have more than my share of Campagnolo hubs I always return to the Mavic 500, 501, 550, etc. They all look (almost) the same. Indestructable and serviceable forever.. If you get them they are most certainly worth saving.

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The vintage BMX folks are always looking for high flange Sunshine hubs. I’m looking for an Araya 36H 700c rim catalogued as RUSA #7498. If you have one or two of these and are willing to ship, I can alleviate your inventory a little.
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Got any 48-hole rear wheels? Or fronts, but those are probably way less common. Us touring folks like a wheel with lots of spokes. 😎 I'd be interested in buying a 700c wheel (9-speed) or just the hub if that's what you have.
Either way, thanks for your kind effort. 👍

capn, keep you eyes out for for 126 tubular....mavic GP4 rims

Bearing to die for. Might well be the nicest, smoothest rolling production loose ball FW 120,126 hub ever made. I raced and trained on them, taking them completely for granted. Found one of my racing ones last year and OMG! what nice bearings.

I will add Pelissier and MaxiCar to that list….

Most all Japanese Campy copycat hubs were/are damn good hubs, Sunshine, San Shin?, SunTour, Shimano and many, many others.

All worth saving and a big part of problem you have, if the hubs hadn't lasted, many of those wheels would have been scrapped long ago.

So basically any hub is worth saving.

This suggests that maybe a list of hubs not worth saving would be easier and more useful.

yup! Love em

A lot of the relatively common old MTB wheel sets have good value. Think anything with 26x1.75 dimpled Araya rims.

As far as saving hubs, I use the bolt cutter method, can save a set of hubs in about two minutes. Even so so hubs can supply cones.

Suntour and Specialized both had cartridge bearing hubs.

The "problem" with selling wheels is the shipping. It costs me as much to ship a pair of wheels as it costs to ship a frameset. Meanwhile, a pair of hubs can fit in a flat rated padded envelope~$9.50 postage.

+10 Some freewheels and cassettes can have good value too, depending on condition. Uniglide cassettes, Helicomatic to name just a couple.

save all the 5 speed 120mm rear hubs, people might want to build up a 700c wheel with them to restore an older bike...my local co-op had none!

Make sure you remove freewheels first.

Toss any steel wheels unless very early (50s)...their spokes and hubs are likely similar quality.

Open the marginal quality hubs and see if the cones or races are pitted. Easy scrap.

Keep the good rims in pairs. Those should store fairly easily.

Rust = recycle.

I'll add late 1980s to mid '90s Roval hubs (rear freewheel spaced 126mm), rims, spokes, and nipples. They are unique and not compatible (as best I can determine) with any other wheel brands.

I've been on a hunt to find replacement spokes for my rear wheel. Short of purchasing a complete wheelset to salvage two rear spokes, I've found no other sources.
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Not sure I saw SunTour Superbe hubs mentioned! I will take all of them! Any Suntour hubs should be saved.

Also, finding vintage rims that are not hoppy or dented is nearly impossible. I would be interested in 700c and 27" vintage Japanese rims - Araya and Ukai for sure!