Shimano XT FH M8110 Centerlock Disc Black Rear Hub
The Shimano XT FH-M8110 is the rear hub Shimano makes for its 12-speed Deore XT groupset, and it is a reminder of why cup-and-cone bearings still have a following: adjustable, rebuildable, and when set up properly by someone who knows how, smoother and longer-lived than most cartridge hubs. The M8110 is a 12 x 148 Boost rear with a centerlock rotor mount, a Micro Spline freehub for Shimano 12-speed cassettes, angular-contact bearings with labyrinth seals, and Shimano's quiet, quick-enough pawl freehub. This page covers the Shimano XT FH M8110 Centerlock Disc Black Rear Hub.
The XT M8110 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; on the XT the bearings are angular-contact, which takes side loads better than a cartridge, and the seals are labyrinth-type behind a contact seal. The freehub is Micro Spline, the 12-speed standard with a 10-tooth small cog, and it uses Shimano's pawl mechanism with quick, quiet engagement. The shell is forged and machined aluminum with J-bend flanges in 28 and 32 hole, black, with a centerlock rotor mount and a 12mm thru-axle.
The XT hub is the sensible one in Shimano's range: it shares the XTR's bearing design at a fraction of the price, with a little more weight.
How it rides
A properly adjusted XT hub is as smooth as any hub made, and it stays that way for years if the cones are checked once a season. The freehub is quiet and engages quickly enough for trail riding, and the seals shrug off mud. It is the hub we suggest for a Shimano 12-speed trail bike that wants a wheel to match, at a price that leaves room for a good rim.
For instant engagement an Industry Nine Hydra 2 or Onyx is the step up; for a lighter Shimano hub the XTR M9110.
Specifications
| Position | Rear |
|---|---|
| Axle options | Thru Axle 12x142mm Rear, Thru Axle 12x148mm Boost Rear |
| Driver bodies | Shimano Micro Spline 12spd |
| Drillings | 28h, 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | centerlock disc |
| Right flange diameter | 61 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 307g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black |
This listing
This is the centerlock version: Thru Axle 12x142mm, Thru Axle 12x148mm Boost, 28h, 32h drilling, about 307g, in black. Same internals and flanges as every other XT M8110; only the mount and axle differ.
Centerlock is the lighter, quicker rotor mount: a splined rotor drops onto the hub and a single lockring holds it, so a rotor swap takes a minute with a lockring tool and there are no six small bolts to torque or lose. Shimano and most current road and gravel rotors are centerlock; 6-bolt rotors fit with an adapter.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
The Shimano XT FH M8110 Centerlock Disc Black Rear Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page in 12 x 148 Boost spacing with a centerlock rotor mount and a Micro Spline freehub for Shimano 12-speed cassettes. J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most XT wheels with Sapim Race or D-Light spokes or DT Competition and brass nipples.
It pairs naturally with the XT HB-M8110 front, and with DT Swiss, Stan's, WTB, Race Face, Reserve and Nox rims that match its drilling. Give the configurator your bike type and weight; it picks a sensible spoke count and lacing pattern, which you can override.
Put it in a custom wheel
Build a custom wheel around the Shimano XT Fh M8110 Centerlock Disc Black Rear Hub — the link drops you into our Custom Wheel Program with this hub pinned, ready for you to choose the rest. It is set up for gravel and road disc, touring, mountain bike and fat bike builds.
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”. For the 2026 Dura-Ace WH-R9370 wheels Shimano states the system offers 30% lower rotational torque than typical cartridge bearings, that durability is enhanced with improved waterproof seals, and that balls, cups and cones are all replaceable. 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
Shimano publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the hub into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Shimano makes the XT hub; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. Cup-and-cone hubs reward a builder who sets the preload properly, and every Shimano wheel we build leaves with the cones adjusted, spokes cut from the measured ERD of the rim, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief and a final true.
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. Any wheel we build on this part carries ProWheelBuilder's one-year warranty in addition to the manufacturer's. Broken spokes are replaced for a year whatever the cause, and all wheel-side labor is included - truing, re-tensioning, rebuilding. Where the maker covers a failed rim or hub we handle that claim for you; where they decline, an eligible replacement comes at 25% off current retail. The customer covers shipping in both directions. Components supplied by the customer are not covered.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
XT FH M8110 Centerlock Disc Black Rear Hub questions
Will my rotors fit this hub?
This is the centerlock version, so a splined centerlock rotor drops on and a lockring holds it - one tool, no six bolts to torque or lose. If your rotors are 6-bolt they will fit with a centerlock adapter, or take the 6-bolt version of the same hub, which is a separate listing.
Which cassettes fit the XT M8110?
Shimano 12-speed Micro Spline cassettes, XT, XTR, SLX and Deore. It does not take HG or XD cassettes.
Why cup-and-cone bearings?
They are adjustable, rebuildable and, on XT and XTR, angular-contact, which takes side loads well. Set up properly they run smoother and longer than most cartridge hubs; we set the preload before the wheel ships.
XT or XTR?
Same bearing design and freehub; XTR is lighter with a more refined shell at a higher price. XT is the value choice.
Is the XT hub e-bike rated?
Shimano rates it for trail use; for e-MTBs we recommend a hub with a steel-reinforced or full-contact freehub.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
Thru Axle 12x142mm Rear or Thru Axle 12x148mm Boost 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.
