Hi All
Hoping that a member might be able to give some advice to help me buy the right Hub upgrade for my son’s 13th birthday.
He has a Specialized Rockhopper Sport 2022 27.5″ and wants to get some new front and rear Hubs (Hope Pro 5’s) but I’m really struggling to know which version I need to order. Info on the bike is:
[https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/80459/2022-rockhopper-sport-27-5/](https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/80459/2022-rockhopper-sport-27-5/)
Front and Rear Hub Info
https://preview.redd.it/z1hbg00it6tb1.png?width=941&format=png&auto=webp&s=6bef1c8beff7cd916607387b0ff0d58a854391fa
I’ve looked at a couple of shops [https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c/wheels-and-tyres/hubs](https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c/wheels-and-tyres/hubs) but not really sure what I need to order.
Would anyone have any advice / guidance on which ones I need to order?
Looking at online videos I think I can probably do the switch myself – at least I think I have or can get the right tools. Am I being an idiot to think I could tackle it myself?
Thanks so much
by JediLard
4 Comments
It can be done but you’d end up with hubs that cost 50% of the bike (ok maybe slightly exaggerated) and still have lousy rims. Just find a 27.5 wheelset with hope hubs in the right size and call it a day.
The sizing is fairly standard QR dimensions. It may well be that Hope doesn’t sell hubs in that size as it tends to be the very cheap wheels that still carry this sizing. Not a lot of people out there putting high end hubs on cheap bikes. Just sayin’…. 
In any case, Hope has a pretty extensive website that lists all of their products. If it’s not on there you’re probably going to be out of luck.
I would strongly advise against spending ~$350 upgrading the hubs on a bike that was $700 brand new.
You might think that you could just use these hubs on another bike if you eventually upgrade but the hub width on the Rockhopper is different from the spacing on most higher end bikes, commonly referred to as “Boost” spacing, which is 115mm front and 148mm rear.
If your son is really into mountain biking, you’d be much better off not putting any more money into the Rockhopper and just getting a bike that is better right now and worth upgrading in the future. There are some great sales going on right now.
Hey, it looks like an old hub standard. In general, looks like the pro5 100mm front with parts HUB419 or HUB487 for centerlock or 6bolt, respectively. For the rear, the pro5 135 with HUB260 or HUB257. That said, he’ll need rims and new spokes to go with it, and then someone to build them up. I don’t want to rain in his parade, because they’re sweet, but that bike has the old hub standard. If you end up upgrading the bike, those hubs aren’t going to be able to make the move.I’d advise upgrading something else on his bike if he wants some bling.
Some will say, “Lacing a wheel is easy.” And some will say, “Eff that nonsense!” I’m on the “eff that nonsense” side. I don’t have the patience.
You will need new spokes if the distance from the new hub spoke hole is different than the old hubs.
I would just have a wheelset built that you could swap to a bigger frame (in 12 months??) by a pro.
If you and he built the wheels that would be a lifetime memory.