I’m thinking of getting a new rear wheel as the stock hub has always been a bit shonky. Has a peculiar 11mm Allen key tightening that appears to enjoy unwinding itself and introducing slack.
Probably look to either a DT Swiss 350 or hope, with a DT Swiss rim. On the strength of that, I managed to buy an EX 481 rim cheap, which I plan to have laced to the existing front hub. It has sealed and removable bearings, a spacer between, is boost spacing and torque caps. I can’t see how a spangly new front hub would be any better.
Not missing anything am I?
PS, can get aftermarket DT Swiss hub decals so I’ll be none the wiser when it’s built.
As long as it’s got decent bearings / decent seals and doesn’t weigh a ton then I wouldn’t worry too much about the front hub. I got a spangly light Erase Components one and the thing eats bearings in uk weather. Now save that for nice weather and have a reliable (heavier) Hope hub for mucky stuff. Works ok actually as I have a 2.5” dhf on the fair weather hub and a 2.6” Magic Mary on the Hope for the worse weather.
On the rear I’d run Hope, DT Swiss or Bitex I think. The Erase one again is light but has a complete lack of freehub sealing so I’ve had to do a few bearings on that too. Planning a Hope or Bitex winter wheel build for that one at some point too.....
Most front hubs rely entirely on the bearing seals anyway- Hope, DT, etc cover them up with the endcaps but there's usually no sealing (DT240 20mm an honourable exception). So as long as they're competently made (ie machined the right size and parallel), and the bearing isn't a ridiculous size, then it doesn't really matter much.
Front hubs are the best place to save money on a wheelset. I usually go for Hope as you know it will last forever and have brilliant resale value.
most hubs are much of a muchness. I have a Hope one, that I swap out in bikes with QR, or 15mm thru, or 20mm thru (!) as I know the end caps are easily available. other bikes I have novatec, normally bought second hand for £10 or so.
Im in this conundrum at the moment - love how the comments so far seem to be nah go for the budget option / save money..... aka hope
Hope is not a budget hub imo when you can pick up a Shimano deore for £15....
My biggest issue is the new pikes I've bought are SRAM torque cap compatible so I've no idea it if it's worth getting a compatible hub just for the 'extra' stiffness which could all be marketing bs
I like the torque cap system. I’ve got it on a couple of Hope hubs and an Ibis hub.
I'd happily go for a cup & cone deore level shimano* front hub even, they last forever & the big rubber sealing seemed really good that the bearings never looked bad or the grease particularly dirty compared to the rear, which ended up a brown muddy pitted mess.
*I'm talking about 15+ years ago Deore though, I've no idea if current front deore hubs are as good.
Shimano XT hubs are well sealed and last forever. If you are looking at Hope and thinking "that's budget" then you are way off.
If you’d like to take advantage of torque caps you can get a Bitex front hub for around £50 with torque caps. I’m running them in a 29er 160mm Lyrik so not a fork lacking in stiffness - but it makes it easier to get the wheel / axle in then without torque caps. Looks neater too.
Unless I'm buying a wheelset I always go budget on the front hub, usually Superstar or Novatec. As long as the bearings are a common size they'll be serviceable for as long as you have a fork they fit. Rear hubs are always Hope as I'm a tart when it comes to Barnoldswick Bling 😊
*I’m talking about 15+ years ago Deore though, I’ve no idea if current front deore hubs are as good.
One of my bikes came with Deore hubs in the wheelset and I was pleasantly surprised to find they are both housing cartridge bearings! Changed when they went to Microspline from what I've been told.
I ended up getting an slx front hub as it was part of the clear2022 code on CRC so a £10 off. Means I won't be going down the torque cap route. Going to be paired with an xt rear on nextie rims.
Aliexpress ZTTO hubs for me... the ones 'inspired' by dt Swiss star ratchet hubs (following expiration of the patent obviously...) about £80 for both hubs and all the Dt Swiss 240s spares fit perfectly.