Hello everybody! I was thinking of upgrading my rims on my Marin Rift Zone XR , but decided to just replace the hubs (I've heard their hubs aren't that good, that is why I wanna upgrade). Since I've seen so many recommendations for the DT Swiss 350 I decided on that one. I just wanna be sure I pick the right one.
I already have a new cassette, but it doesn't fit on my current hubs so the DT swiss one has to fit this one. Is this the correct hub? Also do the rear and front hub have to be the same, or can I keep the front Marin one? Thank you!
by Thunder_Nuts_
4 Comments
You need it to fit your bike (OLD dimension, 142mm, 148mm, 135mm, etc). You need it to match the same freehub. You need it to match the spoke count. You need to have the same brake rotor mounting (unless you want to faff with an adapter, which may or may not work for you).
And most importantly, you will likely need to buy new spokes (of the correct length) and nipples.
I would strongly suggest you look at a whole new wheelset instead. Building wheels is not the easiest to get right without a truing stand, dishing tool, and spoke tension gauge, and experience. There’s a lot of ways it can go wrong. Or you can pay a shop.
But by the time you buy a hub, the spokes, nipples, new rim tape, and either the tools you need (or pay a shop to do it) you can probably buy a nice new takeoff or barely used wheelset for a similar price. And then you can sell your old wheelset to offset the price. Your old hub’s resale value will pretty much be $0.
That SLX cassette requires a shimano microspline freehub. And you need to match your bikes rear spacing, which is usually boost 12x148mm, and in your case is the same on that bike. Rear and front hubs do not need to match. If you’re buying a front hub too you’ll want 110x15mm.
I would just order a whole wheel if you’re not comfortable with building it yourself. It’s not the easiest task and is the one thing I refuse to do myself when it comes to maintaining and upgrading my bike
DT Swiss just came out with the 350 DEG if that’s any interest.
https://bikerumor.com/dt-swiss-350-deg-trickles-down-fast-5-engaging-tech-to-25-more-affordable-mtb-hubs/
If you cannot build wheels, pay a shop to do it and also pick your hub.