So, the freewheel threads are getting ratty on the surplus-store hub that is presently propeling my old cruiser, Humma Hah, down the road. The last swap from 18T to 16T was difficult, and it is time for a new hub.

So I'm thinking, why not spend $150-200 on a new hub for a bike I bought brand-new for $62 in 1971? That makes sense to me. The same kind of sense the Brooks B-72 saddle, Campy cranks, and Cycl-Art powdercoat job made. I'll eventually catch up to some of the expensive bikes on this forum.

The problem is, figuring out what size Phil Woods hubs are. The dimensions in their website are rather confusing. They have a dimension on some of their Tech pages that show "Axle Width" of 110 mm on a few BMX and track hubs. But when I look up that same hub on their price sheet, they show it as a "135 bolt". They also tend to use notation like 28, 32, and 36°, which I suspect is spoke count, but maybe it is really an angle?

An example is the HMK635 Kiss-Off MTB Single Speed Hub. It may be perfect, but if not, it is a $164 mistake.

Anybody here know how to break the code?

You probably want a 120 mm hub, but use a ruler to be sure.

The 28º, 32º and 36º thing is the spoke count.

If you can't find out anything, just give Phil a call and tell them what you need, or give Harris Cyclery the same.

The dropouts are definitely 110 mm. I measured Monday to be sure, but that is the standard American coasterbrake dropout, also found on early track bikes. Early derailleurs were 120 mm. The hub on it now was originally 6-speed der and used spacers to make it 120, so it converted to 110 easily.

Harris lists the HMK635 Kiss-Off as a 135mm. The Phil price list does the same, but their tech page says it is a 110, but then says it is 135 mm bolt. I e-mailed Sheldon Brown a few day ago, but he's a busy guy and I have not heard back from him yet. Phil Wood and Assoc. has gotten back to me on a couple of other hubs I was looking at that are out of production but they still have a few, intended for BMX singlespeed (where 110 mm was originally common).

You want Phil BMX hub. They are spaced at 110mm. Phil sells the hub in 110, 120, 126 and 130...I believe all the these hubs use the same hub body with different length spacers.

The Kiss-off is a mountain specifc single speed hub and is spaced at 135mm

Tom, here is another thought. Since Humma deserves the best, think about a Chris King BMX hub. It's spaced at 110mm and is a single speed cassette hub so you don't need a freewheel. It is very easy to change to different sized cogs and it has a couple of spacers so you can get the chainline perfect. The down side is the hub is around $350. I believe Kings sells it in 28 and 36 hole configuration.

http://www.chrisking.com/hubs/hbs_bmx.html

Even if you don't go with a King, think about a cassette hub instead of a freewheel.



Check http://www.danscomp.com/products.php?cat=PARTS&show=Hubs

They are large BMX retailer and they have a lot of cassette BMX hubs

Dave,

I already have a lot invested in freewheels of various sizes, including a pricy White Industries ENO that I really like.

My impression was that Phil Wood hubs are pretty highly respected, if a bit old-school. Their company history suggests they are also "period correct" for a 1971 bike ... I think that is the year they went into business. Not that Humma is an authentic period bike ... it is a continuing evolution of what was, almost from the start, a highly customized machine.

They have a few HTB600-series singlespeed BMX hubs left, at the bargain price of $109, and that may be what I wind up with.