Hub recommendations - High Flange, fixed/fixed, SIlver and Sealed?

So I have to make my lady some new wheels. Looking for fixed/fixed, high flanged, silver and sealed bearing (cause they're used all year around).

Options seem to be:

Phils - way too expensive and shiny to be locked up outside pubs.
Pauls - stupid 44m chainline, also too shiny/expensive
'Formula/Dimension' - (inc System Ex, Ambrosio, On-One etc) - Anyone got any strong recommendations?
Royce - way too expensive
Levels - Don't trust their cog system to be around in the long run.

Miches are just single sided and Suzue Pro Max are only fixed/fixed in the loose-ball kind.

Is there anything else worth looking at? I would just get some of those nice Dia Compe Gran Compes from Brixton Cycles but the hubs have to be silver (shes definite on that).

Gromada's from Poland? Don't have the url at hand though.

I've had those silver System Ex hubs runnig for a few years now, loads of mileage, lots of crappy weather, crusty old roads, still running extremely smoothly - just like new. Don't know if I got lucky, or if other people are similarly impressed.

I've been running IRO's (which I think are Formula's) for about a year. They've been fine with the exception of the lock nut disintegrating a week ago.

I'm only changing mine because they're too wide for the stays and I don't want to be bending the stays for too many miles.

I've just bought a couple of pairs of Formulas (rebranded as something else) built onto Open Pros with DB spokes from a dude in Cambridge for £120 delivered. They were fine for the little tour we've just been on (will check the trueness later) which included about 25 miles of offroad riding using 90 PSI gatorskins, so the wheelbuild seems quite good. Have head lots of good things about the durability of these hubs and they seem like a good budget option. Only problem seems to be that the locknuts are prone to cracking, but they can easily be replaced.

Jos:Gromada's from Poland? Don't have the url at hand though.

http://www.gromada.waw.pl is the website. Still doesn't look like they're officially selling these. Anyone ordered 'em?

I think they're being made as fast as possible but that there might be a delay between ordering and arrival while they are made. The ones that I saw in Dublin looked really nice and well made. BTW the medium flange version is about equivalent to most high flange hubs. The Gromada high flange is really massive.

Absolutely enormous they are!

Another vote for system ex: cheap and still running strong. there's a set of ambrosio's on ebay for about £45 if i remember correctly?

Also forgot about:

Surly Track hubs
Soma Track hubs.

Going to try and see if I can weasle a Gromada but if not will probably just do the Formula/Ambrosio/IRO cheapness.

Ta for all the advice for far.

i like the look of the gromada's in a freaky kind of way,
fixedpip keep us posted if you have any joy getting hold of them...

They look infeasibly deep. But they look nice when laced up.

Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech available from BETD ltd
Goldtech
They are brilliant hubs I have them on three of my fixies and two are on 10,000 miles plus, replacement bearings are from about £10 and I only had to replace them in the second hand hub I bought.

Fixedwheelnut:Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech, Goldtech

Two problems with Goldtech hubs really: they're not silver (I don't have any control over that requirement) and secondly they have a 45mm chainline (or do BETD not know what they're talking about?).

Aside from that, everyone has love for the Goldtechs.

I throw in a massive no fucking way for forumla/iros. I fucked those things up so hard in the three wretched months that I had them. The tracknuts and locknuts are horibly cheaply made and crack under minimal pressure. Go for gromadas, or from what I've heard dia-comps. I checked my friends out who had them in black and it looks like they bought the mold off of Suzue when they stopped making the pro-max's.

I like my Goldtec - even got a rare unetched version due to needing it urgently), but as mentioned they're not silver if that's an issue, the chainline is a bit weird (though I've managed to set it up within reason on a fixed mtb), and the aluminium washers are crap.

I've had a replacement set, but they're still smooth which means there's not much bite, and they're very soft. I use a chain tug on the driveside to stop slip, and have stuck 2x10mm penny washers behind the non driveside, to stop the allen bolt deforming the washer.

First set of bearings still going strong after 1000s of commuting miles, and quite a few hub-deep adventures through all manner of mud, clay, and animal by-products.

I'm getting paranoid about the nuts on my System Ex now though...

I've got System-Ex's (same as Formula I think) and they are pretty reasonable. I don't think they're made any more though? What I was told.
I swapped the rear cartridge bearings a while ago but I've no idea what the mileage was on them. I ride through all weather.
If the nuts are dodgy on these I don't know because I use a combo of third-party and DuraAce nuts. Not hard to swap 'em ya know!
Gromadas.. Yet another Polish product I need to bring back on next visit! :)

ImOnCrank: fucked those things up so hard in the three wretched months that I had them.

Thats cause you ride like a moron :)

Fair comment though. Just heard enough bad things about Formula/IRO/System EX hubs, as well as seeing how easy people can strip the threads, to know that I want to build a wheelset with stronger hubs if possible.

Like you, I would go for the Dia Compe's myself but I've been told the hubs have to be silver. So I'm going to either get one of the new Soma hubs (no longer rebadged Formulas) or a Gromada (if I ever hear back from 'em).

Small flange dura-ace 36 hole are the best hubs I've ever ridden as a courier, 36 holes makes the wheel really strong, but the small flange gives a more comfortabe, compliant ride, large flange track hubs are for stiff wheels to ride on smooth tracks.....a bit harsh on the streets.
they don't have sealed bearings but in three years of working 5 days a week as a courier I had zero problems, also mine came packaged with optional circlip style silicon seals, which I put in, learning at the same time that Shimano use almost zero grease when building these hubs up (for minimal friction, I guess they assume you'll be racing on a track out of the rain) so when putting in seals it's a good idea to pack in as much grease as you can.....they are silver and look very classy if understated....it does say dura ace on them, if anyone's lookin!

Goldtechs would be my second choice.

could goldtec do you a silver pair?

MrSmith:could goldtec do you a silver pair?

One of the guys on ACF phoned them and got a red anodised pair so they may do a special if you ask, not sure how much extra it would cost you though.

fixedpip:Thats cause you ride like a barbarian with the heart of a fucking dragon :)

Yer damned right I do.

What about something like this are these any good ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Suzue-rear-track-hub-for-fixed-gear-fixie-36-hole_W0QQitemZ260108550491QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42332QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Silver High Flange not sure about sealed though how does one tell ?

Nah, its a lemon and the op wanted double sided.

mickster
badbean.com

onone high flange track hub not too bad abd cheap.

http://www.on-one.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=93&MMN_position=107:107