Phil Wood bolt on rear hub

[lconley]

Just received my 135mm 9 speed 48 spoke Phil Wood touring hub that was converted to bolt-on. The Phil touring hubs had smaller drive side flanges in order to equalize spoke lengths so that riders on tour only needed to carry one length of extra spokes. I bought this in a set of wheels from Peter White in 2011. There was nothing wrong with the wheels, still ran true, but I find myself wanting wider rims than the Chukkers now. The front 48 spoke SON hub from the wheelset is destined for my Riv Cargo bike commuter. This hub is destined for a 48 spoke 700C Velocity Cliffhanger for my Gus Boots Willsen. The front is a 40 spoke bolt-on Phil Wood hub that I got in a great deal on eBay. Once I had it, I decided that bolt-on made sense on a Hillibike, so I unlaced the old wheel and sent the rear hub back to PW for conversion. Still looks and feels new. That is the old QR axle and spacers in front.

Laing

Delray Beach FL

[Patrick Cronin]

May I ask, what did you hope to gain from the switch? 

Are you breaking spokes and noticing wheel flex on the quick release axle? If so, I'm not sure the Hillibike is what you need. Perhaps a smaller diameter wheel, not a solid axle, would provide the strength you need.

Cheers,

Patrick

[lconley]

The bolt-on and quick release axles are the same strength and I never broke a spoke on the hub.

Note that when the hub was quick release, the wheelset was used on a now-sold Sam Hillborne (actually two different now-sold Sam Hillborne frames), a Betty Foy and the Mystery Bike / Protoveloosa. I was changing the rim on the hub from a Chukker to a Cliffhanger to put on the Gus Boots Willsen. The GBW has yet to be fully assembled or ridden.

Truth be told, it was probably more matching the front bolt-on hub than anything else as a reason for the switch (I do not share Grant's fondness for the asymmetrical), plus the cleaner look of the bolt-on hubs vs an actual quick release. I had used a Pitlock on the hub since new and always lived in fear of loosing one or both of the Pitlock keys when I was riding and figured that now was the time to make a change. No chance of a bolt snagging something and accidentally releasing either, not that I am going to be riding through dense brush or anything.

Laing