Spank HEX Front ISO 6 Bolt Hub
It is a tough, quick, well-priced hub for trail, enduro, downhill and e-bike wheels, and it matches a Spike rim. This page covers the Spank HEX Front ISO 6 Bolt Hub.
The Hex comes from us only as a finished wheel: pick the rim, spokes and nipples, and we lace, tension and true it by hand in Georgia before it ships.
Design and construction
The front Hex has a 32mm shell in 15 x 110 Boost with conversion caps for 20 x 110 and standard spacing; the rear is 12 x 148 Boost with caps for 12 x 142 and quick release.
Because the front Hex 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 for a long time and are cheap to replace. It is the hub we suggest for a gravity or e-bike wheel on a Spank Spike or Oozy rim, or any tough trail wheel where the budget should go into the rim.
A front wheel is where you feel a hub least and a build most. With no drive torque to carry, the front Hex can be laced two-cross or even radial on the non-rotor side on a rim-brake bike, which makes a lighter, more direct-feeling wheel; on a disc bike we lace both sides crossed so the rotor's braking torque has spokes to pull against. Either way the front wheel is the one that steers, and a stiff, true front wheel is most of what makes a bike feel precise.
Specifications
| Position | Front |
|---|---|
| Axle options | Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost Front, Thru Axle 20x110mm Boost Front |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | 6-bolt disc |
| Left flange diameter | 58 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 58 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 25.5 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 40.5 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 173g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black, blue, green, orange, pink, purple, red, silver |
About this listing
What sets this listing apart from the other Hex versions: 6-bolt rotor mount, Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost, Thru Axle 20x110mm Boost, 32h drilling, about 173g, in black, blue, green, orange, pink, purple, red, silver. Pick the one that matches your frame and rotor and the rest of the hub is identical.
Six-bolt is the original disc mount and still the most universal: any ISO 6-bolt rotor from any brand bolts straight on, rotors are cheap and easy to find anywhere, and the six-bolt flange is a robust, simple interface that has been on mountain bikes for twenty-five years. Centerlock rotors do not fit it.
Sizes, fit and compatibility
J-bend spokes in any gauge; we build most Hex wheels with Sapim Race, Strong or CX-Sprint spokes or DT Competition and brass nipples.
It pairs naturally with the Spank Spike 359, 369 and Race 33, and with DT Swiss, WTB, Stan's and Race Face gravity rims that match its drilling. Pick your bike type and weight in the configurator and it recommends a spoke count and lacing pattern.
Build a wheel around it
Offered for gravel and road disc, track and road single-speed, mountain bike, MTB single-speed and fat bike builds in our Custom Wheel Program. Start with the Spank Hex Front ISO 6 Bolt Hub and the configurator pins it for you, then checks each choice you make against it.
Testing, standards and warranty at Spank
Spank's HEX Drive hubs use a "CNC optimized forged alloy hub body" with a matte anodized finish. Spank states the front hub runs "Ø32 Oversized bearings" that "allow adaptability up to 20mm thru-axles", with an "Advanced seal system" that "improves prevention of bearing contamination"; oversized bearings are said to increase durability "while maintaining the lighter weight of alloy". Published weights are 165g (±) for the 15/20mm front and 173g (±) for the Boost front; rear hubs start at 300g.
Spank publishes no hub-specific fatigue or impact figures, but states its components are tested to an internal requirement that "doubles EN/ISO testing severity", plus an "Electric +" pedelec standard (max 25km/hr) that raises fatigue, impact and static loads; both are run in-house and "regularly correlated within 3rd Party Test Labs such as SGS". Warranty is two years from purchase against defects in materials or workmanship with proof of purchase from an authorized seller; bearings are wear items excluded from the crash-replacement scheme (50%, 40% or 30% off MSRP in years one, two and three).
Certifications
- In-house test lab correlated with SGS — EN/ISO, Spank internal and Electric+ standards tested in-house and "regularly correlated within 3rd Party Test Labs such as SGS" (source)
- Electric+ e-bike test standard — Pedelec (max 25km/hr) standard that increases fatigue, impact and static loads; ASTM 4 & 5 products suitable for E-MTB (source)
Sources on Spank's site:
- SPANK Buyer's Guide - Hubs
- SPANK Industries Announces New HEX DRIVE Hubs
- SPANK HEX J-Type Front Hub
- OOZY / SPIKE Rear Hub Steel XD Std Freehub
- SPANK Hubs collection
Spank publishes those results; ProWheelBuilder builds the hub into a wheel and does not test it in a lab.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Spank makes the Hex; ProWheelBuilder is an independent custom wheel builder in Georgia and not the manufacturer. We measure the rim before we cut a spoke, bring the wheel up in three or four rounds with a gauge, stress-relieve it between rounds and true it last, then tape it and fit a valve if you want it tubeless.
Only compatible hubs and spokes appear in the configurator, impossible combinations are struck through rather than hidden, and the price is live.
Warranty
Manufacturer's warranty. Spank warrants this product against defects in materials and workmanship. The duration, conditions and claim process are set by Spank and can change without notice, so ask us and we will confirm the current terms before you buy.
ProWheelBuilder. If we lace this into a wheel for you, that wheel also carries ProWheelBuilder's own one-year warranty, which covers broken spokes regardless of cause and all wheel-related labor, including truing and rebuilding, for a year from purchase. Where a rim or hub is covered by its maker, we make the manufacturer's claim for you and coordinate it; where it is not, we offer an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off current retail. Shipping to and from us is the customer's. This cover does not extend to wheels built from components you supply yourself.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
HEX Front ISO 6 Bolt Hub questions
Will my rotors fit this hub?
This is the 6-bolt version: any ISO 6-bolt rotor bolts straight on with six T25 bolts, which is still the most common and the easiest rotor to replace anywhere. Centerlock rotors do not fit it - for those, take the centerlock version of the same hub, listed separately.
Is the Hex e-bike rated?
Yes. the factory builds its e-bike wheels on it; pair it with e-bike-rated spokes, which the configurator does when you pick e-bike.
Can I convert the Hex front to 20mm?
Yes. the factory sells a 20 x 110 conversion kit for the front Hex, and caps for standard spacing.
Which axle spacing does it fit?
Thru Axle 15x110mm Boost Front or Thru Axle 20x110mm 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.
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.
