Track hubs... hmm, I could write about the Phil Wood jewels that are on my Merckx but that would be a waste of time... after all everyone knows that Phil stuff is good... but the price kind of puts it out of reach of a lot of folk so instead I'll write about the Goldtec hub on my Condor.... in short these are ace...

OK, they're not as shiny and bling bling as Phil hubs but on the other hand they're a lot cheaper, still beautifully made and they have a rugged , functional appeal of their own. I suppose my main reason for giving them a big thumbs-up is their durability. Track hubs used on the road have to carry an awful lot of stress through the bearings... especially here in Cornwall where the road always seems to be heading upwards. Combining that with winter weather and poor surfaces means it's no real surprise that I seem to 'eat' the cheap sealed cartridge bearings in most track hubs used on the road. The Ambrosio hubs on my Rush might go through 3 sets on the rear in a year... it's not really a big deal as replacements can be found for a measly £1 or so. Not so my Goldtecs... so far they're still running silky smooth after a couple of thousand miles of hard use. OK, that doesn't sound a lot but compared to any other track hub I've used (Surly, Ambrosio, Miche to name a few) that's pretty good.

It's not just the bearings... there are some other things that are nice about these... the axle nuts are recessed hex bolt into a hollow threaded axle which looks a lot tidier than a standard track hub... and is more convenient for wheel removal on the road. The chainline is further outboard than most regular track hubs (usually 42mm or so), I can't remember the specific measurement but it's between 43.5mm and 44mm depending on what sprocket is fitted. The benefit is that it makes it much easier to get a decent chainline if you're converting road kit to fixed use rather than using a dedicated track crank/bb combo.... the chainline lines up pretty well with the outer ring on a conventional road chainset. Also handy if you want long cranks as most track cranks are only available in 165mm and 170mm length.

The only thing I would like to be different is that it would be nice if they were available in a polished silver finish, they really would be a rival for Phil then...

So, there you go... get them from Betd here...