jroth

I have two new hubs lying around, a 105 and an ultegra. These are road components. Any problem using them for mountain bike wheels?

thanks.

joel

ctp

Check the width of the axles and the width of your drops. They should be different. https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

genericbikedude

More specifically, check the OVER-LOCKNUT DIAMETER or O.L.D. Road should be 130mm and MTB should be 135mm. This is only rear however. Front shouldn't present any problems.

ctp

yea, my bad, I didn't get specific there. But I was figuring he'd go check out Sheldon's page and it'd all become clear

HillRider

Assuming you have bare hubs that you are going to build up with a new rim and spokes you can adapt the 130 mm OLD rear hub to 135 MTB use by adding 5 mm of spacers to the non-drive side of the axle under the locknut and recentering the axle in the hub. You will wind up with 3 mm of axle stub protruding from each locknut which is sufficient to locate and retain the wheel.

If you really want to do this by the book, change out the stock 141 mm axle for a 146 mm axle with the same spacer arrangement which will provide the more normal 5.5 mm of axle at each end.

cs1

If it is a real old MTB frame like pre 1990 it probably has 130mm spacing most newer bike have 135mm.


Tim

Avalanche325

Strength-wise: If you are going to do real MTBing, I wouldn't use them. If you are going to cruise on the road and mild trails, they would be fine.

I, at 195lbs, have been 6ft in the air at 35mph with a 300ft drop off on one side. I want my MTB components strong. And I just ride cross country.

jbrians

No doubt about it...at 306 feet from the ground, if you zig instead of zag, a 130mm hub wouldn't hold up!

Grand Bois

Are mountain hubs really stronger than road hubs, or are they just sealed better?

Point

Unless you're really into major drops, road hubs should hold up. I believe Bridgestone used a 28 hole Ultegra front hub on some of their early 90's MB-1's.

Sheldon Brown

That's good advice, exactly what I would have suggested.



That would be a foolish waste of money to no purpose.


There's no difference in the strength of the hubs. If you respace to 135 as Hillrider suggested, there's no difference in the strength of the wheels either.

Aside from the spacing issue, the only difference is that "road" hubs are not quite as well sealed against dirt getting into the bearings as "mountain" hubs are.

Shimano hubs are so spectacularly good, that even their "road" hubs are way better than other brands of "mountain" hubs. You need to be a sucker to buy anything else.

Sheldon "Hubs Is Hubs" Brown

Grand Bois

My Bridgestone MB-2 has Ultegra hubs and rear derailer simply because I like polished parts better than painted ones. I don't care about sealing because it's set up for the street with slicks.