Bitex RAR 12 Rear Hub
The Bitex RAR 12 is the rim-brake road rear hub from Bitex, the Taiwanese maker that supplies hubs to a large share of the wheel industry: a machined aluminum shell with low J-bend flanges, sealed cartridge bearings, a pawl freehub that swaps between Shimano HG and SRAM XDR bodies, and a 130mm quick-release axle, at a weight that undercuts hubs costing twice as much. It is the rear hub we build for classic road wheels on a budget, and it pairs with the RAF 12 front. This page covers the Bitex RAR 12 Rear Hub.
The RAR 12 comes from us only as a finished wheel: pick the rim, spokes and nipples, and we lace, tension and true it by hand in Georgia before it ships.
Design and construction
The RAR 12 freehub runs pawls on a hardened ratchet ring for prompt engagement with a light, quiet feel, and the bodies pull off for a swap between HG and XDR. Bearings are sealed cartridge units in common sizes; the axle is hollow alloy for a 130mm quick release; the flanges are low and spaced for a stiff road wheel. The shell is machined and anodized black.
How it rides
A RAR 12 rolls smoothly, engages promptly and stays quiet, and its bearings last through wet seasons. It is the hub for a rim-brake road wheel that has to be light and affordable, on a KinLin XR-31, H Plus Son Archetype or Velocity Quill. For a lifetime hub the White Industries T11 is the step up; for a good road hub at a fair price, the RAR 12 is the Bitex hub we recommend.
Specifications
| Position | Rear |
|---|---|
| Axle options | QR 5x130mm Rear |
| Driver bodies | Shimano HG 8,9,10,11 & Road 12spd (Anti-Bite), SRAM XDR 10,11 & Road & MTB 12spd (+$16.5), Campagnolo 9,10,11 & 12spd (+$16.5), Shimano Micro Spline 12spd (+$33) |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | rim-brake |
| Left flange diameter | 38.5 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 50.6 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 37.7 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 16.1 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 210g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black, silver |
About this listing
What sets this listing apart from the other RAR 12 versions: rim-brake rotor mount, QR 5x130mm, 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h drilling, about 210g, in black, silver. Pick the one that matches your frame and rotor and the rest of the hub is identical.
This is the rim-brake RAR 12, with no rotor mount at all: a lighter, simpler shell for road, track and classic frames that stop on the rim. It builds into the lightest wheel the model can make and it is the version to choose for a rim-brake bike; the disc versions of the same hub have their own listings.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Bitex RAR 12 Rear Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page in 130mm quick-release spacing with a Shimano HG or SRAM XDR freehub. It is a rim-brake hub. J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most RAR wheels with Sapim Laser, Race or CX-Ray spokes or DT Competition and Aerolite, and brass or alloy nipples.
It pairs naturally with the Bitex RAF 12 front, and with the KinLin XR-31, H Plus Son Archetype and Hydra, Velocity Quill and Fusion, HED Belgium R and Mavic Open Pro UST rim-brake rims. Pick road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for road rim brake, track and road single-speed and touring builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Bitex Rar 12 Rear Hub and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
Testing, standards and warranty at Bitex
Bitex Industrial Co., Ltd. is a hub manufacturer in Taichung, Taiwan. Its 2023 catalog is titled "HUB FACTORY / MADE IN TAIWAN" and marks "100 Years 1923 ~ 2023", tracing the business from the Valisum Bike Shop (1923) to its renaming as Bitex Industrial Co., Ltd.. Bitex states its hubs use aluminum shells (the BX305 road hubs are listed as "Aluminum 7075"), and each catalog page lists the exact cartridge bearings fitted, for example "2 (6803*2)" in a gravel front hub and "4 (Hub 6902*2 / Freehub 6802+6902)" in the matching rear. Bitex's UK distributor states standard fitment is TPI bearings with an orange contact seal outboard and a black non-contact seal inboard.
Bitex publishes no impact or fatigue figures, ISO certification, rider weight limit or written warranty terms. It does document two patented designs: the 6 Pawls System (Taiwan M519075, Germany Nr. 20 2015 106 474) and the Anti-Bite System (Taiwan M425782, USA US 8,443,951 B1).
Bitex's videos
Certifications
- Made in Taiwan — Catalog cover: "HUB FACTORY / MADE IN TAIWAN", factory at Shigang Dist., Taichung City (2023 catalog) (source)
- Patent: 6 Pawls System — Taiwan M519075; China ZL 2015 2 0925200.8; Germany Nr. 20 2015 106 474; USA listed as "Processing" (source)
- Patent: Anti-Bite System — Taiwan M425782; China ZL 2011 2 04061190; Germany Nr. 20 2011 051 875.2; USA US 8,443,951 B1 (source)
Sources on Bitex's site:
- Bitex HUB FACTORY catalog 1923-2023 (PDF)
- Bitex HUB FACTORY / MADE IN TAIWAN catalog (PDF)
- Bitex Hubs official site
- Bitex Hubs UK - About
- Bitex Hub Bearing Replacement Kits (UK distributor)
The figures, certificates and media above are Bitex's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the hub.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Bitex makes the RAR 12 in Taiwan; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. We measure the rim before we cut a spoke, bring the wheel up in three or four rounds with a gauge, stress-relieve it between rounds and true it last, then tape it and fit a valve if you want it tubeless.
Only compatible hubs and spokes appear in the configurator, impossible combinations are struck through rather than hidden, and the price is live.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Bitex warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Bitex and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
RAR 12 Rear Hub questions
Can I use this hub with disc brakes?
No - this is the rim-brake version and it has no rotor mount at all, which is exactly why it is lighter and simpler. It is the one for a rim-brake road, track or classic frame. A disc frame needs one of the disc versions of this hub, which are listed separately.
Which freehub bodies fit the RAR 12?
Shimano HG road and SRAM XDR, selectable in the configurator.
Is the RAR 12 disc compatible?
No. It is a rim-brake road hub; the BX 106 is Bitex's disc road hub.
What spoke counts suit the RAR 12?
24 to 32 depending on rider weight; the configurator recommends.
RAR 12 or White Industries T11?
RAR 12 for a light, reliable road hub at a fair price; T11 for a lifetime American-made hub with a titanium freehub and colors.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
QR 5x130mm Rear. Measure between the inside faces of your dropouts if you are unsure, or text us.
Does it need special spokes?
No. It takes standard J-bend spokes, which the configurator offers in every gauge and finish we stock.
Not sure? Text or leave a voicemail on 470-253-0929 or email info@prowheelbuilder.com — you will be talking to the people who build the wheels.
