We've gotten way off base from talking about Eric's killer bike, but here we go. I've got 3 Phil rear hubs, so I've got SOME real-life experience. I'm sure someone on here has 8 pairs of 70-year-old Phil hubs that are amazing...BUT...I find it off-putting that they seem to spin the cranks/drivetrain when rolling forward. Most hubs will click through the paws on the hub body, and the bike rolls free with the pedals/cranks in a fixed position. People call it "ghost pedaling" or "chain drag", and it usually becomes less frequent with use (not always in my experience), but I'm not a fan. I've not had one wear out, so for longevity, I'd say they're fine, but personally, if I'm paying a premium, I'd prefer the hub to spin freely when rolling forward.
On Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 5:56:13 PM UTC-5 George Schick wrote: > Brian - I'd give a thumb's up for PW hubs as well. I've had a pair on one > of my bikes since the mid-90's and have nothing but good things to say > about them. Now, having said that, I'm referring to a rear 120mm freewheel > hub where pretty much only the PW hub with it's heavy duty axle caps keep > things going with a warp or break of the axle. I can't speak for subsequent > cassette models but I assume they have the same consistent level of quality. > > On Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 4:20:52 PM UTC-6 [email protected] wrote: > >> I’m curious to find out what sort of experience (pos or neg) gets Phil >> Wood hubs an “ok” rating. In my experience with everything from WI to Paul, >> Campy to King, Phil Wood hubs sit right at the top. >> >> Brian >> Lexington KY > > -- 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 [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/c68990c9-c9ba-469d-b21c-cdbac95e20c2n%40googlegroups.com.
