Phil "Rivy" freewheel wheelset opinions?

[Ryan J]

I was wondering if any of the members here have had experiences with the Phil Rivy freewheel hubs.  I was thinking about getting a set for my 650b Sam Hillborne instead of using shimano cassette wheels.  Never had much of a problem with freewheels in the past, but I don't have any experience with Phil hubs.  They have a good reputation, anything to look out for?  Anybody question my sanity of going with a freewheel instead of a cassette hub?  I really like the looks of the hubs.  Thanks.

[Garth]

I use Phil FW hubs, and had a second pair built last year. No issues with them , other than check the end caps every once in while to make sure they are sung. I've used but never owned cassette wheels. I may some day .... but I've got a large stock of FW's to last likely for my life ... so I'm in no hurry.  I'll only buy cartridge bearing hubs, and have used them since the early 80's. I'd never used Shimano hubs for that reason alone. I can't believe it's 2011 and they're pumping those cups/cones out. Cartdridge bearings are so much easier to live with.

If you want to use FW's today ... just make sure you have FW's in combo's you can live with... then buy lots of spares. Do you many spare FW's Ryan, or are you looking to get some new ones?

[Ginz]

I have a set of older Phil Touring hubs without the field serviceable
axle. I bought a few freewheels from Riv. I would absolutely by a
brand new set today so long as I were comfortable with a 7 or 8speed
setup. Why? Simply because there are barely any quality cassette
hubs with cartridge bearings in the price range. You have to spend a
lot more to get that in a cassette hub. The new Velo Orange touring
hubs are worth considering.

[Ryan J]

I am going to have to buy a few as I don't have any on hand, but the freewheel gear ranges that Shimano makes seem like they would work fine for the riding I do.  It isn't too terribly hilly where I live so using an 11 tooth or a 34 really isn't necessary.  The freewheels seem cheap enough that I could stockpile a half dozen or so for the future. 

 

I really kind of want a hubset that doesn't require repacking in the future.

[EricP]

I have had a Riv Phil f/w hub on my Sam Hillborne for the past couple
of years. No problems with the hub. Pretty surprising, as it was my
first wheel build. Don't have much current experience with non-
Shimanopore freewheels, so can't contribute there.

Eric Platt
St. Paul, MN

[Montclair BobbyB]

I have a Phil 7 speed FW hub on my Bombadil... It's blissful.

BB

> > hubs are worth considering.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Minh]

I too have a recent "rivy" Phil Wood FW hub on my hillborne. I bought
it last year, as long as your comfortable that you'll be able to
source reasonable freewheels for the next few years then go for it.
More practical people would tell you to get a Deore or LX freehub
built for the same price because in practical terms that would meet
your functional needs perfectly fine and you have security with the
cassettes. But since you're asking about a Phil Wood hub, i think
there is something more emotional going on (at least there was for
me), so go for it. Other then the potential limitations of a
freewheel there aren't any downsides to the PW hubs.

p.s. i also have a freewheel PW rear hub from the early 80's, it's
still spins nice and smooth

[Garth]

Then Phil are your hubs Ryan! 

You know ... the demise of the freewheel was thought of long ago .... yet they still keep on going. I remain unsold on the whole cassette idea to this day.... it's so nice to be able to choose your FW mechanism... rather than be stuck with what the Mfr. decides to include in a hub.  I remember the promise of custom cogs too.... ha ha.... didn't last long. You can make a custom today but it's not so simple .... besides ... if you on need a 13-28 .... how many cogs do you need... 6, 7, 8,9 or 10?  I only need 6 for that spread, 7 for a 13-32... the rest is overkill.... but I'm not racer mindest so there you go. I tried a 9sp a few times ....all the extra shifting was silly. 9 may be fine ... 8 may be great .... but 7 is heaven :)

Then you have the hubs .... it's mostly been high priced or cheap hubs, nothing between. As Ginz mention... the VO hubs look promising , but they're brand new and unknown. That's why PW FW hubs are so great ... even though their price has jumped quite bit in recent years. You get a top notch hub that outlast us with minimal maintenance.  BTW .. I don't use the Rivy ones ... I don't dig the slots ... just more work when I bother to clean them! LoL

[Belopsky]

So these hubs are gone gone right?

[Paul Y]

As of 20 November 2017 it appears they still have them in stock.

I have several Shimano "Tourney" 7 speed freewheels in a drawer that I must have got for about 10 bucks each.

I really love this hub... I got mine in 2010. I agree with "9 is fine, 8 is great, 7 is heaven".

[Joe Bernard]

All they have left is a front hub.

[Nick Payne]

I've had a Phil Wood freewheel tandem hub give up on me. We were half way up a hill and the pedals started spinning without the bike going forward. I was cursing (as I initially thought) the crappy Suntour tandem freewheel, but when we finally got home and I removed the wheel from the frame, I found that there was nothing wrong with the freewheel - it was the threaded part of the hub that had given way. I unspoked the wheel and sent the hub back to Phil Wood, and they replaced it without any fuss, but I looked around at what was available, and rebuilt the wheel using a Bullseye tandem hub instead. At the time (about 35 years ago) the Phil hubs were not user serviceable when the bearings needed replacing, whereas the Bullseye hubs were, and (particularly under the stresses of tandem use) the sealed bearings only ever lasted a season or two before starting to feel rough.

I still have those Bullseye hubs in service, but unless you want to keep a vintage bike using vintage components, I can't see the sense in buying a new freewheel hub or wheelset today.

[Belopsky]

"unless you want to keep a vintage bike using vintage components, I can't see the sense in buying a new freewheel hub or wheelset today."

This discussion happens every time freewheels are brought up.

The appeal seems to be dishless rear wheels..I suppose there are other ways to do this but I dunnos

[Tim Gavin]

My Riv (97 Road Standard) had Phil hubs (pre-"Rivy"), and I rebuilt the rear dishless with a 650b Synergy OC rim.  

But, I ended up selling off that wheelset to a list-member because of the "freewheel issue".  Aka, there are few freewheels available, with ever-dwindling gear selection and quality.  

I used one of the DNP Epoch freehwheels with good results, but I convinced myself that those wouldn't be around forever.  The Shimano 13-28 and 14-34 freewheels (and their clones) will be around forever, I don't doubt that.  But I don't like either of those gear ranges.

Don't get me wrong, you could easily buy a 20-year supply (which would be, maybe 3 or 4?) of your favorite DNP or IRD freewheels and be set for a long time.  And with Phil FW hubs, bearing replacements are cheap and easy (they take a very commonly available size).

But, I used it as an excuse to build a new set with a dynamo and a freehub, and sold the Phils to a new home (with new bearings, of course).  And I love my 3 x 10 with an 11-32 cassette and road triple.

It's a personal choice, with good reasons in favor of each case.  But no one can deny that the market has spoken on freewheels.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Trevor saxton]

I have a 650b rivy wheelset that I am looking to sell, they have about 300 miles on them, were built by Rich at RBW. I don’t use them anymore as I’ve moved have moved to single/fixed gear full time (I use a white eno/Dyno combo on my Bombadil full time now and am loving it)

Rivy wheelset was amazing though, one very long ride and then grocery runs were all they were used for before I switched over 18 months ago they sit comfortabley in my basement now.

Email if interested saxt...@icloud.com.

[Belopsky]

Tried to send you a message..

[Jim Bronson]

Why do you think you need a dishless rear wheel?  How much do you weigh?

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--

------------------------------------------------------------------

signature goes here