DT Swiss

180 Carbon Ceramic Front Road Hub

It's true that DT Swiss' 240 hubs are often considered some of the best all-around road hubs on the planet, and really, we can't argue with that. However, the 240 isn't the end of the line, as the DT Swiss 180 Road Hub pulls out all the stops, enhancing the 240 wherever possible to create the hub masters' finest series.

Whereas the 240s front hubs use a forged aluminum shell that houses stainless steel bearings (balls and races), the 180 revises the entire design of both the shell and its internals. The aluminum flanges remain, but they are joined in the center by a carbon fiber central tube, a structure that sheds even more weight, and we think, looks pretty sweet, too. The bearings, however, are where the biggest improvement is made, upgrading the 240s in-house-made precision steel balls to ceramic ones, dramatically improving durability and service life of the bearings, while also noticeably reducing rotational resistance. The result is a featherweight hub that rolls with glassy smoothness and can be counted on to last for many, many miles. Further, thanks to the DT Swiss labyrinth seal system — non-contacting seals that utilize an asymmetrical path to resist moisture, muck, and grit — your bearings will keep their magical smoothness over the long haul, virtually regardless of riding conditions.

While the front hub you see here has nomenclature that designates it for road bikes, its construction is identical to that of the company's 180 mountain hubs, making these more than strong enough for rim-brake mountain bike duty or cyclocross.