DT Swiss 180 Straight Pull Front Hub
The 180 is the hub DT Swiss builds its own flagship wheels around, and the one to choose when the brief is simply the lightest, smoothest wheel we can make.
This page covers the straight-pull DT Swiss 180 Straight Pull Front Hub. Straight-pull spokes leave the 180 flange in a straight line with no elbow, which lets DT Swiss cut the flanges lighter and lets us build a wheel with slightly more even tension. It also means the spoke choice for a 180 is the DT and Sapim straight-pull ranges rather than J-bend.
The DT Swiss 180 is sold here only inside a wheel we build. Choose the rim, spokes and nipples in the configurator and the wheel ships from Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
The bearings are the DT ceramic hybrid set: steel races, silicon-nitride balls, which are harder, lighter and rounder than steel and run with noticeably less drag. The 180 hubshell is machined thinner than the 240's and the flanges are straight-pull, a shape DT has refined over many generations of its own wheels. End caps on the 180 are the plug-in type, so the hub converts between axle standards with a cap change.
A front hub is a bearing carrier with flanges, and that is the whole job of the front 180: two sealed bearings on a stiff axle, end caps for your fork's standard, and flanges spaced to give the spokes a good bracing angle on the rotor side. There is nothing to engage and nothing to swap. Everything written about freehubs and engagement applies to the rear hub only; what you get up front is the same shell quality and the same seals without any of the moving parts.
How it rides
Spin a 180 in your hand and you understand the price.
The 180 is not a downhill hub and it is not the hub for a heavy touring load. For that the 350 or 240 in a J-bend version makes more sense.
On the road or the trail the front hub's job is to disappear: spin freely, keep water out, and hold the flanges still so the wheel tracks where you point it. The front 180 does that with the same bearings and seals as the rear and none of the rear's complexity, and because a front wheel carries less load and no torque it stays true longer than the rear on the same rim. When the rear finally needs a look, the front usually does not.
Specifications
| Position | Front |
|---|---|
| Axle options | QR 5x100mm Front |
| Drillings | 20h |
| Spoke head | Straight-pull |
| Brake | rim-brake |
| Left flange diameter | 28.3 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 28.3 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 38.4 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 38.4 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.5 mm |
| Weight | 87g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black |
This version
This version is the rim-brake hub in QR 5x100mm, drilled for 20h, about 87g, in black. Those are the only things that differ between the versions of the 180; the shell, bearings and seals are the same.
This is the rim-brake 180, 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 straight-pull DT Swiss 180 Straight Pull Front Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page and the axle and rotor options in the configurator: centerlock disc or rim brake, road and Boost MTB spacing. Straight-pull spokes only; we build the 180 with Aerolite, Aero Comp or Competition straight-pull, or Sapim CX-Ray and Laser straight-pull.
Rim pairings we build most on a 180: DT RR and XR rims, ENVE SES and M-series, Reserve, HED Vanquish and the light carbon options in the catalog. The configurator filters the spoke list to straight-pull the moment you pick the 180.
Build it with us
We build this hub to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the DT Swiss 180 Straight Pull Front Hub already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for road rim brake builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
How DT Swiss tests its hubs
DT Swiss hubs pass through the same Performance Test Center in Biel as its rims. DT Swiss states that its laboratory tests replicate what products endure in the field over the whole product life cycle, under an internal factory standard that ensures compliance with ISO 4210. DT Swiss publishes no bearing-life, salt-spray or water-ingress figures.
DT Swiss fits industrial ball bearings to all its hubs and describes them as easy to replace. It recommends cleaning and re-greasing hubs every 12 months in normal use and every 3 months in extreme conditions (regular riding in dust, rain or snow, or frequent transport in the rain). The warranty is 24 months from purchase against material and manufacturing defects; ball bearings are wear parts and excluded.
DT Swiss's videos
From DT Swiss
Certifications
- ISO 4210 / ASTM F 2043 — DT Swiss states its internal factory standard 'ensures compliance with the current international standards (e.g. ISO 4210)' and sets test parameters by ASTM F 2043 riding conditions (self-declared, no certificate published) (source)
- Warranty — 24 months legal warranty against material and manufacturing defects; ball bearings are wear parts and excluded (source)
- Service interval — Clean and re-grease every 12 months (normal use) or every 3 months (extreme conditions) (source)
Sources on DT Swiss's site:
- Performance test center | DT Swiss
- Ratchet EXP maintenance notice | DT Swiss
- FAQ | DT Swiss
- Warranty & Fair-Share | DT Swiss
- Ratchet EXP | DT Swiss
Everything in this section is published by DT Swiss. ProWheelBuilder is the wheel builder, not the tester, and the hub reaches us as the maker ships it.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
DT makes the 180 in Switzerland; ProWheelBuilder is an independent wheel builder in Georgia, not the manufacturer. Straight-pull hubs reward careful building, and we bring every DT 180 wheel up in stages with a tension gauge, stress-relieve it and true it to a tight tolerance before it ships. Spokes are cut from the measured ERD of the rim in hand.
The configurator only shows rims and straight-pull spokes that fit the drilling, strikes through anything not made, and prices the wheel live.
Warranty
DT Swiss's warranty. DT Swiss covers its products against material and manufacturing defects for 24 months from purchase, excluding wear parts such as bearings and tubeless tape. Carbon rims and carbon wheels bought new since 1 January 2020 carry an extended guarantee to the first owner against defects in material and workmanship, and DT Swiss runs a paid crash-replacement scheme on carbon wheels for up to ten years from purchase.
ProWheelBuilder. Wheels we build around this part are covered by our own one-year warranty alongside the maker's. Within the year: broken spokes replaced regardless of cause, and the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning or a complete rebuild - included. A manufacturer-covered rim or hub failure is a claim we make and manage for you; one they will not cover is answered with an eligible replacement at 25% off retail. Shipping each way is yours. Parts you supply yourself fall outside it.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
180 Straight Pull Front 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.
What does straight-pull change for me on a 180?
Nothing in day-to-day riding; it lets DT make a lighter flange and gives the builder slightly more even tension. It does limit spoke choice to straight-pull models, which the configurator handles automatically.
Are the 180 ceramic bearings worth it?
On a race wheel, yes: lower drag and a very long service life. For a daily commuter the 240 with steel bearings is the sensible buy.
Is the 180 suitable for gravel?
For gravel racing, absolutely. For loaded bikepacking or heavier riders we would steer you to a 240 or 350 J-bend hub with a stouter spoke.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the DT Swiss 180 Straight Pull Front Hub?
No. The hub is made by DT Swiss; we are the wheel builder in Georgia who laces it into a finished wheel to your spec and stands behind the build.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
QR 5x100mm Front. Measure between the inside faces of your dropouts if you are unsure, or text us.
Does it need special spokes?
Yes - straight-pull spokes only. The configurator filters the spoke list as soon as you pick this hub.
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.
