Shimano 105 HB R7000 Front Hub
The Shimano 105 HB-R7000 is the front hub for Shimano's 11-speed 105 rim-brake groupset: cup-and-cone bearings that are adjustable and rebuildable, a 100mm quick-release axle, labyrinth seals and a forged aluminum shell in 28, 32 and 36 hole. It is the front half of the best-value road hubset made and the partner for the FH-R7000 rear. This page covers the Shimano 105 HB R7000 Front Hub.
The 105 front hub is not sold bare. You choose the rim and the rest of the build in the configurator, and it ships from our shop in Georgia laced, tensioned and trued by hand.
Design and construction
Shimano hubs run loose balls between a cone on the axle and a cup in the shell, with the preload set by the cones and locked with a nut; set properly, they are smoother and longer-lived than most cartridge hubs and they can be serviced with two cone wrenches anywhere in the world. The HB-R7000 front matches it.
This is the front hub, and a front hub has no freehub. What matters here is the part of the hub that carries the wheel: the bearings, the seals, the axle and the two flanges, and the front 105 HB-R7000 front shares all of them with its rear partner. It is the simpler half of the pair and the one that runs longest between services. The driver and engagement story belongs on the rear hub's page; this page is about a front wheel that spins freely, stays sealed and builds stiff.
How it rides
A properly adjusted 105 front hub spins smoothly for years and can be serviced anywhere. It builds into a light, inexpensive road front wheel on any rim-brake rim, and it is the front hub we suggest to match a 105 rear.
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 105 HB-R7000 front 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 | 32h, 36h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | rim-brake |
| Left flange diameter | 38 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 38 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 35.8 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 35.8 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 149g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black, silver |
This listing
This is the rim-brake version: QR 5x100mm, 32h, 36h drilling, about 149g, in black, silver. Same internals and flanges as every other 105 HB-R7000 front; only the mount and axle differ.
No rotor mount here: this is the rim-brake version of the 105 HB-R7000 front, which drops the disc flange and the weight that goes with it. It suits rim-brake road, touring and track frames and it is often the lightest hub in the family. Disc-brake frames need one of the disc versions listed separately.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Shimano 105 HB R7000 Front Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page in 100mm quick-release spacing. It is a rim-brake hub. J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most 105 wheels with Sapim Race or Laser spokes or DT Competition and brass nipples.
It pairs naturally with the 105 FH-R7000 rear, and with the H Plus Son Archetype and TB14, Velocity Quill, A23 and Deep V, HED Belgium R, Mavic Open Pro UST and Astral Radiant rim-brake rims. Pick road as your bike type in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build it with us
We build this hub to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the Shimano 105 Hb R7000 Front Hub already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for road rim brake and touring builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
What Shimano says about testing
Shimano publishes no load, fatigue, or salt-spray figures for its hubs. Its US warranty states that most bicycle products are warranted free from defects in material and workmanship for two years from original purchase, and that DURA-ACE and XTR components and wheels are covered for three years, for the original owner with proof of purchase. Competition or commercial use, improper assembly or repair, finish deterioration, labor, and normal wear are excluded; bearings, corrosion, dust seals and spokes are listed as wear parts.
Shimano's higher-end hubs, including the Dura-Ace R9270 wheel hubs, use cup-and-cone loose-ball bearings, which Shimano says “effectively displace lateral and vertical loads for smooth rotation and excellent durability — [and are] easier to adjust and service”. Dealer manuals instruct that only Shimano-specified lubricants be used, internal parts not be oiled, and the hub be inspected if the wheel becomes stiff. In 2023 Shimano introduced the TC600, TC500/QC500, QC400 and QC300 cartridge-bearing hubs with “Labyrinth & Contact” seals, described as double-sealed. A 2007 Bicycle Retailer report described Shimano's Malaysian hub and wheel factory as ISO 9001 and 14001 compliant, 89,000 square meters with 2,087 employees.
Certifications
- Warranty: 2 years / 3 years — Most bicycle products two years from original purchase; DURA-ACE and XTR components and wheels three years; original owner, proof of purchase; wear parts excluded (bearings, dust seals, free hubs, driver bodies, pawls, spokes) (source)
- ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 (Malaysian wheel/hub factory) — Reported by Bicycle Retailer, 19 Dec 2007: factory producing wheels incl. Dura-Ace, hubs, cranks, pedals is “ISO 9001 and 14001” compliant; 89,000 sq m, 2,087 employees (source)
Sources on Shimano's site:
- SHIMANO Warranty Policy | Ride Shimano US
- Is Shimano abandoning cup and cone hubs? - road.cc
- Shimano says RIP to cup-and-cone bearings with new hubs - BikeRadar
- Shimano's new Dura-Ace wheels double down on cup-and-cone hubs - BikeRadar
- Shimano Dura-Ace WH-R9370 C50 first look - BikeRadar
The figures, certificates and media above are Shimano's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the hub.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Shimano makes the 105 HB-R7000 front; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. Every 105 HB-R7000 front wheel we build gets spokes cut from the measured ERD of the rim, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief and a final true before it ships.
In the configurator you will only see parts that fit this drilling; combinations that are not made are struck through, and the price updates as you pick.
Warranty
Shimano's warranty. Shimano covers its bicycle components for two years from original purchase, with three years on DURA-ACE and XTR and one year on wheels, footwear and soft goods. Shimano's obligation is to repair or replace at its option, against the original dated receipt.
ProWheelBuilder. Our one-year wheel warranty applies to any wheel we build around this part, alongside whatever the manufacturer offers. Inside that year, broken spokes are replaced no matter how they broke, and the wheel labor is ours - truing, re-tensioning or a full rebuild. A rim or hub failure that the maker covers, we claim for you and see through; one the maker declines, we answer with an eligible replacement at 25% off current retail. Shipping both ways is yours, and components you supply yourself fall outside this cover.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
105 HB R7000 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 105 HB-R7000 front?
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 105 HB-R7000 front from your bike type and weight.
Why cup-and-cone bearings?
They are adjustable, rebuildable and serviceable anywhere with two cone wrenches; set properly they run smoother and longer than most cartridge hubs.
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.
