All other things being more or less equal, are cartridge bearing sealed hubs better than other sealed bearing systems? What is the best type of hub for a road bike that rides 6,000 miles a year?

In my opinion, a well adjusted cup and cone bearing hub will outroll cartridge bearings. The problem is that most mechs don't know how or don't want to take the time to adjust them to perfection when *on the bike*.

What people don't seem to understand is that metal is compressible. That means when you clamp down the QR to the proper force, the axle is now shorter. And that means the bearing that were adjusted to perfection with the wheel loose in your hand are now too tight.

The correct way to do it is to take off the tire and adjust the bearings a little to the loose side. Put the wheel in the bike and lightly tighten the QR. Now you should have slight play at the rim between the brakes. You'll be done when that is gone with the QR tight. Now tighten the QR to normal and start to crank it down. When the play goes away just as it approaches the fully locked position, is when you got it just right. If it tightens down too early, just loosen 1/8 turn and try again. If it still has play, tighten 1/8 turn.

Do that on some nice DA or Campy hubs you'll coast like crazy and I doubt there's cartridge bearing hubs that will come close.

It depends on the bearing. There be good bearings, and there be bad bearings.

All other things being more or less equal, are cartridge bearing sealed hubs better than other sealed bearing systems? What is the best type of hub for a road bike that rides 6,000 miles a year?

The benefit of adjustable hubs is that they are adjustable. The drawback is that they need to be adjusted.

If you give your equipment good care and regular maintenance, and are willing to periodically tear down, clean, re-grease, and re-adjust your hubs, a really good high-quality hub such as Dura-Ace or Record are hard to beat. Have to remember the time investment to learn to do it properly, and the investment in tools and parts required as well. It's nothing insurmountable, but it's there. It's worth acknowledging that insufficient or improper maintenance and adjustment can ruin adjustable hubs. It can happen with cartridge hubs too, but is much less likely.

But their 'superiority,' such as it is, is as much about the individual quality of those items as it is about the technology. Get very well made cartridge bearing hubs with good bearings installed, and it's as close to a dead heat as not to matter. The truth is that a cartridge bearing's races are aligned to the loads a wheel encounters somewhat better than cup-and-cones are, so they'll stay in spec better, longer. That's good for both longevity and performance. There's less maintenance required, and when it is finally time, it's simplicity itself.

Bottom line, you really can't call one type better than the other, as they both have compromises to consider. Cartridges are the more practical choice. Don't bother with adjustable hubs unless you're getting the top-line models.

All other things being more or less equal, are cartridge bearing sealed hubs better than other sealed bearing systems?

No.

What is the best type of hub for a road bike that rides 6,000 miles a year?

Campy makes a pretty good non-contact sealed bearing design with loose balls. Other companies make good hubs too. No such thing as "best type of hub." It's a LOT more about execution details than about "type of hub."

still nothing beats a 32 hole wheel with record or dura ace hubs, there is just something about them, I have had alot of wheelsets and my old dura ace hub/ campy rim wheelset is still my favorite even though it's now the spring beater wheelset.

I was thinking of building some new dura ace wheels now that shimano has gotten off their high horse and made the new dura ace hubs compatible with other cassettes like the sram 10 sp ones.

I was thinking of building some new dura ace wheels now that shimano has gotten off their high horse and made the new dura ace hubs compatible with other cassettes like the sram 10 sp ones.

You should do it. I've built one pair on Velocity Aeroheads and another pair on Kinlin/Nio30s. The 7850 rear hub smooth, great looking and virtually silent.

Cartridge "sealed" bearing hubs do a better job at keeping grease in than water out. They do a much better job of keeping water in than letting it out too.

For me they're not "maintenance free" for sure. The ones I've had needed service (pop out the seals, clean, de-water, re-lube) after messy rides. Hmmm, much the same as cup & cone hubs.