Originally Posted by
TiHabanero
Any reason not to use 105 or Ultegra hubs for touring? Lots of talk about Deore, Chris King, Phil Wood, etc., but not seeing anything about using the staple road hubs from Shimano.
I have some 5800 105 hubs with 36h that are on my current gravel bike which is being turned into a touring bike. They will see less extreme use in touring bike setup that they did in the gravel bike setup so I have no second thoughts about if they will work OK.
The new 105 and Ultegra hubs are easier to service than older versions of each hub- easier to take apart and easier to set back to proper tension.
The only reasons to not use 105 or Ultegra hubs for touring is if your rear is 135 or if you want a lighter weight hub. Being 130 OLD, road hubs arent used a lot on new builds since most touring bikes are set at 135 or 142mm. Also, Shimano hubs are not light compared to quality Bitex or various similar quality hubs.
My 105 5800 hubs are sealed fine for what I will need. They held out dry dirt, mud, grit & grime, and water for multiple years of gravel riding while spinning smoothly the whole time.