Why Sometimes A HEAVY Hub Is A Good Idea!

Here at AVT we supply parts to customers all over the world for some very different applications. Sure, much of what we do tends to be focussed on high performance gear, but mixed in with this we sometimes get some more unusual requests like this one from Aussie, Nigel Smith who has been touring the world for 7 years and is still going (check out his fully laden touring rig above).

Given the extreme demands a fully laden touring bike like this places on parts like hubs, it was no surprise to hear that Nigel has already gone through several pairs of Shimano XT & Novatec hubs in recent years. With an upcoming 20,000km leg of his world tour coming up in Africa he was looking for something more robust, that would last the distance and cope with the daily punishment on tour in remote parts of the world.

Step forward the heavy duty, high quality Phil Wood touring hubs which weigh in at an impressive 731g for the pair. But for once weight is certainly not everything, these hubs are without doubt some of the strongest on the market with stainless steel internals that withstand much higher loads than regular hubs. They also allow a greater degree of serviceability on the road, should you need to take them apart to service.

So we wish Nigel well on his tour with his new hubs and we'll be following his progress on his Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/browsinaboutonabike/