Onyx Vesper Road Front Hub
This page covers the Onyx Vesper Road Front Hub.
The Vesper road hub is sold here only inside a wheel we build. Choose the rim, spokes and nipples in the configurator and the finished wheel ships from Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
It is machined and anodized in Minnesota for 12mm thru-axle road and gravel spacing with centerlock or 6-bolt rotor mounts.
Because the front Vesper has no freehub, it is the hub that asks for the least: a spin of the axle to check the bearings once a season and nothing else. The flanges, bearings and seals are the same as the rear's, the axle converts between the front standards with end caps, and the rotor mounts the same way. Choose it to match a rear of the same model, or on its own for a fork that needs a new front wheel.
How it rides
The bearings roll freely, the labyrinth seal keeps grit out, and the hub weighs no more than the boutique road hubs it competes with.
Front wheels on disc bikes take a beating from braking: the rotor side sees the whole braking torque and the spokes on that side run at higher tension. That is why we build the front Vesper with the rotor-side spokes crossed and tensioned to the rim's limit, and why the hub's flange spacing matters more than its weight. Ridden on a rim-brake bike the same hub makes one of the lightest, simplest front wheels there is.
Specifications
| Position | Front |
|---|---|
| Axle options | QR 5x100mm Front |
| Drillings | 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | rim-brake |
| Left flange diameter | 34 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 34 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 37.4 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 37.4 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 82g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | baby blue pc, black ano, black aura pc, black matte ano, blue ano, blue candy pc, clear ano, gold ano, green ano, green anti freeze pc, green florescent pc, green kawasaki pc, orange ano, orange florescent pc, pink ano, pink florescent pc, purple ano, purple candy pc, red ano, red candy pc, turquoise ano, white pc, yellow cardinal pc, yellow florescent pc |
This version
This version is the rim-brake hub in QR 5x100mm, drilled for 20h, 24h, 28h, 32h, about 82g, in baby blue pc, black ano, black aura pc, black matte ano, blu. Those are the only things that differ between the versions of the Vesper; the shell, bearings and seals are the same.
This is the rim-brake Vesper, 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
J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most Vesper road wheels with Sapim CX-Ray, Laser or D-Light spokes or DT Aerolite and brass or alloy nipples.
It pairs naturally with ENVE SES and G-Series, Reserve, HED, Nox, Boyd and DT Swiss road and gravel rims that match its drilling. The configurator recommends spoke count and lacing from your bike type and weight.
Build it into a wheel
This hub is live in our Custom Wheel Program for road rim brake, track and road single-speed and touring builds. Start a build with the Onyx Vesper Road Front Hub and the configurator opens with this exact hub pinned at the top of the Onyx list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
How Onyx tests its hubs
Onyx Racing Products hubs are made in the USA by a division of Christianson Systems in Minnesota; in a 2020 interview the company described itself as "Minnesota made and owned". Bearings are hybrid ceramic on the Classic line and an upgrade option on Vesper; the distributor states "Since early 2025 all Onyx hubs have been assembled with high-quality Japanese EZO bearings." Onyx specifies a grease service temperature range of -58°F (-50°C) to 248°F (120°C). It publishes no bearing-cycle, salt-spray, ISO 4210 or load-test figures. Onyx's specifications state radial lacing is not permitted on any Onyx hub and set a maximum spoke tension of 120 KgF.
The European distributor recommends "a seasonal check-up 2-3 times a year".
Inside the Onyx shop
Certifications
- Made in USA (Minnesota) — Onyx states it is "Minnesota made and owned"; retailer and distributor listings state "Made in the USA" (source)
- 5-year limited hub warranty — Hub 5 years to original owner; sprag clutch 1 year against manufacturing defects; wheel builds 1 year (source)
- E-bike approval (Classic hubs) — Distributor states Classic hubs are e-bike approved for mid-drive units with peak power output up to 1500W (source)
Sources on Onyx's site:
- Onyx Racing Products - Tech (site returned 403 at time of research)
- Onyx Racing Products - Limited Warranty (U.S. Only)
- Onyx Racing Products Wheels - Warranty
- November Bicycles: In their own words - Onyx Racing Products (April 17, 2020)
- Onyx Hubs Europe - Technology
Onyx publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the hub into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Onyx makes the Vesper; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. Spokes are cut from the ERD we measure on the actual rim, the wheel comes up in stages on a tensiometer, and it is stress-relieved and trued before it goes in the box; tape and a valve go on if you ask.
The configurator filters to what fits, crosses out what is not made, and prices the build as you go.
Warranty
Onyx's warranty. Onyx Racing Products covers its hubs under a five-year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship.
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.
Vesper Road 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.
Which spokes and nipples suit the Vesper?
For most riders a double-butted spoke such as Sapim Race or DT Competition with brass nipples; lighter riders can go to Sapim Laser or CX-Ray. The configurator recommends a gauge and count for the Vesper from your bike type and weight.
Is the Vesper e-bike rated?
No. Onyx rates the Vesper for pedal bikes; the Onyx Classic is the e-bike and downhill hub.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Onyx Vesper Road Front Hub?
We are not. Onyx manufactures the hub; ProWheelBuilder's part is the wheel: measuring, lacing, tensioning and truing it here in Georgia.
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?
No. It takes standard J-bend spokes, which the configurator offers in every gauge and finish we stock.
How long will the wheel take?
Build time comes down to parts availability rather than bench time. The estimated ship date is shown in the configurator before you check out.
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.
