Phil Wood, who developed and popularized the modern American bicycle's sealed cartridge ball bearing wheel hub assembly, along with a number of other bicycle bearing advancements, has died in California after losing his battle with prostate cancer at age 83.

Mr. Wood developed his version of the bicycle wheel bearing hub in 1971. Previous bicycle hub bearings had either been too difficult to maintain with finicky cup and cone adjustments and labyrinth seals, or nonadjustable pressed-in cones, prone to contamination and rough, fast-wearing bearings.

The wheel hub developed by Mr. Wood splits the difference -- nonadjustable, but precision machined using standard bearings with a lip and strong sentry seal that keeps out contaminants while allowing the bearing to turn freely.

Like other nonadjustable units, when the bearings inevitably wear in Mr. Wood's hubs, they do become looser. But because they are better protected, contaminants are less likely to cause the bearings to wear prematurely or unevenly. When the bearings do wear, they can be replaced as a unit in the hub.

Mr. Wood also developed and popularized the sealed cartridge bearing for bicycle bottom bracket cranks. He also developed the first sealed bearing pedals.

Mr. Wood sold his eponymous company in 1991.

Today, the Phil Wood company manufactures over 400 different high-precision bearing units for bicycle and wheelchair applications. 5251R9N7.

Beyond bearings, Mr. Wood also developed and patented the spoke cutting and threading machine now used by virtually every manufacturer; the first no-tools bicycle disc brake; special tubing for tandem bicycles; "waterproof" grease; and "waterproof" oil.