I have broken one hub flange: a late 1970s (I think) Shimano high flange front. I noticed the crack across three of the spoke holes before anything catastrophic occurred.
Aesthetically, I think high flange hubs look most appropriate on bikes with fancy lugwork and centerpull brakes, but I do not consistently follow my own advice because of parts availability and general Scots cheapness. I have ridden many high-flange and low-flange front and rear hubs over the years, some cross-3, some cross-4, and I even did some brief experimenting with radial front, but I never felt any difference arising flange spoke circle diameter. I have pretty much standardized on cross-3 for every wheel I build or rebuild, with torque/drive spokes heads-outward on the rear (that's a whole 'nother discussion in itself
). I do think my newest road bike, the 1982 Bianchi, would look weird with high flange hubs.
Original equipment matched 1982 Campione d'Italia specs. Frame date is late 1981. "Charcoal" color not found in catalog listing.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069