Front Wheels

Front Wheel Buying Guide

Buying a single front wheel makes sense when one wheel is damaged, when you want a spare for a different tyre setup, or when building up from individual components. The front wheel is simpler than the rear — no freehub compatibility to worry about, just axle spacing and wheel size.

Axle Standards

Modern MTB front wheels use 15mm thru-axles. Boost spacing is 110mm (15x110), non-Boost is 100mm (15x100). Older DH hubs use 20x110mm. Your fork's dropout spacing determines which you need — there are no adapters between Boost and non-Boost front hubs. The axle threads into the fork, so you also need to match the axle to your fork brand (RockShox Maxle, Fox Kabolt, or aftermarket).

Wheel Size

29" and 27.5" are the current standards. Wheel size must match your fork — a 29" fork is designed for a 29" wheel (axle-to-crown measurement, brake mount position and fender clearance all assume the correct wheel size). Running a 27.5" wheel in a 29" fork drops the front end by roughly 15mm and moves the brake rotor out of alignment.

Front Hub Quality

Front hub quality matters less than rear hub quality — there's no freehub mechanism, just bearings and an axle. That said, better hubs (Hope Pro 4, DT Swiss 350/240, Industry Nine) use higher-quality sealed bearings that run smoother and last longer. They're also lighter — a Hope Pro 4 front hub weighs around 100g, while a budget hub weighs 150-200g. For the front wheel, hub weight and bearing quality are the main differentiators.