Shimano XTR HB M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front Hub
The Shimano XTR HB-M9110 is the front hub for Shimano's flagship 12-speed XTR groupset: a 15 x 110 Boost front with a centerlock rotor mount, angular-contact cup-and-cone bearings with labyrinth seals and a light, refined shell in 28 and 32 hole. It is the front half of the XTR hubset and the partner for the FH-M9110 rear. This page covers the Shimano XTR HB M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front Hub.
The XTR front hub is built to order here. Choose the rim, spokes and nipples in the configurator; the wheel leaves Georgia laced, tensioned and trued.
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 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.
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 XTR HB-M9110 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 XTR front hub spins as smoothly as any and weighs less than the XT. It builds into a light, stiff front wheel on any centerlock cross-country or trail rim, and it is the front hub we suggest to match an XTR 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 XTR HB-M9110 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 | Thru Axle 15x100mm Front, Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost Front |
| Drillings | 28h, 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | centerlock disc |
| Left flange diameter | 44 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 44 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 137g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | gray |
Which version this is
Version notes. Centerlock rotor mount, Thru Axle 15x100mm, Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost, 28h, 32h, about 137g, in gray. If your frame or fork uses a different standard, the other versions of the XTR HB-M9110 front on this site cover it.
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 XTR HB M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page in 15 x 110 Boost spacing with a centerlock rotor mount. J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most XTR wheels with Sapim CX-Ray, Laser or D-Light spokes or DT Aerolite and Competition and brass or alloy nipples.
It pairs naturally with the XTR FH-M9110 rear, and with DT Swiss XR and XM, Stan's Crest and Arch, Reserve 28 XC, Nox Skyline and ENVE M5 rims that match its drilling. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Build it with us
We build this hub to order. Open the Custom Wheel Program with the Shimano XTR Hb M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front Hub already selected and pick the parts around it; it is offered for gravel and road disc, touring, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds, and the configurator will not let you assemble a combination we would not build.
Shimano's testing and certifications
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 XTR HB-M9110 front; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. The build is the same every time: measured ERD, spokes cut to the half millimeter, staged tensioning with a gauge, stress relief, a final true, and tubeless tape and a valve on request.
The configurator shows only rims and spokes that fit the XTR HB-M9110 front drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel live.
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. Lace this into a wheel here and the finished wheel gets our own one-year warranty as well as the maker's. For twelve months we replace broken spokes however they broke, and the work on the wheel is on us - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild where it is needed. If the rim or hub is covered by its manufacturer we put the claim in and chase it; if it is not, we supply an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off the current retail price. Carriage both ways is the customer's, and this does not cover wheels built from parts you send in.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
XTR HB M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front 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 spokes and nipples suit the XTR HB-M9110 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 XTR HB-M9110 front from your bike type and weight.
Which spokes and nipples suit the XTR M9110?
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 XTR M9110 from your bike type and weight.
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.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Shimano XTR HB M9110 Centerlock Disc Black Front Hub?
No. Shimano makes the hub. ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia that builds it into a finished wheel to your spec.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
Thru Axle 15x100mm Front or Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost 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.
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.
