Spank HEX Rear ISO 6 Bolt Hub
The Spank Hex is the hub Spank builds its own gravity wheels on: a machined aluminum shell with a six-pawl freehub on a 102-tooth ratchet for 3.5 degrees of engagement, sealed cartridge bearings, Boost spacing with conversion kits for 20 x 110 and other standards, 6-bolt rotor mounts, 28 and 32 hole drilling and Spank's anodized finishes. 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 Rear ISO 6 Bolt Hub.
The Hex 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
The Hex freehub runs six pawls in two offset groups of three on a 102-tooth ring, so three pawls engage at once and the other three sit half a tooth behind, which gives 3.5 degrees of pickup and spreads the load over three pawls. The shell is machined from aluminum with J-bend flanges and an oversized axle on sealed cartridge bearings in common sizes, and the factory sells bearing kits, end-cap kits and driver bodies for it. Freehubs swap between Shimano HG, SRAM XD and Micro Spline.
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.
How it rides
A Hex engages quickly enough for technical climbing and trials moves, coasts with a moderate buzz, and takes park and downhill abuse without complaint. 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.
For instant engagement an Industry Nine Hydra 2 or Onyx Classic is the step up.
Specifications
| Position | Rear |
|---|---|
| Axle options | Thru Axle 12x148mm Boost Rear |
| Driver bodies | Shimano HG 8,9,10,11 & Road 12spd, Shimano HG 8,9,10,11 & Road 12spd (Steel), Shimano Micro Spline 12spd, SRAM XD 10,11 & MTB 12spd |
| Drillings | 32h |
| Spoke head | J-bend |
| Brake | 6-bolt disc |
| Left flange diameter | 58 mm |
| Right flange diameter | 64 mm |
| Left center-to-flange | 37 mm |
| Right center-to-flange | 20 mm |
| Spoke hole diameter | 2.6 mm |
| Weight | 318g |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Finishes | black, blue, green, orange, pink, purple, red, silver |
Which version this is
Version notes. 6-bolt rotor mount, Thru Axle 12x148mm Boost, 32h, about 318g, in black, blue, green, orange, pink, purple, red, silver. If your frame or fork uses a different standard, the other versions of the Hex on this site cover it.
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
The Spank HEX Rear ISO 6 Bolt Hub comes in the drillings listed on this page with the axle and driver options shown in the configurator. Six-bolt rotors. 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. Tell the configurator your bike type and weight and it suggests a spoke count and lacing pattern to suit.
Build it into a wheel
This hub is live in our Custom Wheel Program for gravel and road disc, mountain bike and fat bike builds. Start a build with the Spank Hex Rear ISO 6 Bolt Hub and the configurator opens with this exact hub pinned at the top of the Spank list — you choose the rest of the parts and it validates every combination as you go.
Spank's testing and certifications
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". A flange design that "reduces dish requirement and minimizes tension range between the drive side and non-drive side spokes" is claimed. Published weights are 165g (±) for the 15/20mm front and 173g (±) for the Boost front; rear hubs start at 300g.
the HEX Drive rear uses a 102T ratchet ring for "3.5º ENGAGEMENT", with "Six independent pawls, each with 3 steps" giving "18 points of contact with the ratchet ring per click". Freehubs interchange across HG, XD and Microspline; HG bodies carry "a reinforced steel spline", and steel HG-E, XD-E and Microspline-E freehubs are offered for e-bikes.
Spank's videos
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
The figures, certificates and media above are Spank's own. ProWheelBuilder does not run these tests; our part is the wheel we build on the hub.
Building it at ProWheelBuilder
Spank makes the Hex; 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 Hex's drilling, strikes through combinations that are not made, and prices the wheel 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. Built into a wheel by us, this part is covered by our own one-year wheel warranty on top of the maker's. For a year we replace broken spokes whatever caused them, and we cover the labor on the wheel - truing, re-tensioning, a rebuild if it needs one. If a rim or hub fails and its maker covers it, we run that claim for you; if the maker says no, you get an eligible replacement rim or hub at 25% off retail. You pay the shipping each way. Wheels built from parts you send us are excluded.
Full terms are on our Policies & Warranty page.
HEX Rear 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.
How many points of engagement does the Hex have?
102 teeth with offset pawls, which works out to 3.5 degrees of crank rotation before pickup.
Which freehub bodies fit the Hex?
Shimano HG, SRAM XD and Shimano Micro Spline, selectable in the configurator.
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.
Is ProWheelBuilder the manufacturer of the Spank HEX Rear ISO 6 Bolt Hub?
No. Spank 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 12x148mm Boost Rear. Measure between the inside faces of your dropouts if you are unsure, or text us.
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.
