Apologies if this has been asked a thousand times.
I got a pair of WTB i23 tubeless rims a while back and have built a front wheel with a Shutter Precision dynamo. The other rim has been sitting around until I found the $ and time to build it up as a rear wheel. The time has come and I want advice on a disc hub (6 bolt preferred) for the rear. Options are:
XT M765A from Wiggle for $67. Solid and reliable, maybe a bit heavy.
Sram X9 from Bike24 for $62. Sealed cartridge bearings and 110g lighter than the XT, but not sure about reliability.
Or I drop the cash and get a DT 350 from Bike24 for $170. But it may be too light and soft for touring on.
Not keen on spending much $ if I can avoid it, so I’d be buying the DT before Hope.
Not M770/M780, those have a terrible reputation. M765A isn’t a thing, FH-M756A is the 9sp (aka 10 road or 11 MTB) XT hub though and appears to have a normal M10 steel axle.
DT350 would be an excellent choice, but less so for budget minded.
In shimano land, the XT, otherwise a Deore/SLX 9sp 6bolt like the M525A / M529 would weigh fractionally more than XT and cost even less. All shimanos have great bearing seals and super easy rebuild.
Or if you want 11sp &/or lower spoke counts there’s always the FH-RS5xx stuff, or M7000 SLX
Been using a 350 for that exact thing for the last 4 years. Great hubs, durable, low maintenance, tool-free servicing. Have changed the bearings once in that time, star ratchet system is great still going strong.
I’d pick that over an XT hub any day or Hope for that matter. Hopes are great hubs but really loud—love it on my trail bike less so on a gravel bike or touring bike.
FWIW, on my NFE I’ve got WTB rims to SP dyno front, XT M756A rear. I too was drawn to the cheapness of the M756A.
It’s been fine for a year or so of mixed terrain stuff but it got a bit grindy after some wet, gritty rides this winter so I repacked it and it’s running pretty smooth again. Easy peasy but something to bear in mind I guess, loose ball vs cartridge. Oh, and my M756A was 11-speed modded (by the multi-talented user:Squiggle) and it’s been fine wrt that.
I have a similar setup - SP front dyno & FH-M756A rear to Stans Arch Ex rims.
These replaced the Hope to Sun Inferno wheelset coz too loud for multiday riding & dyno for USB charging during the day.
As Blakey points out, the weight difference between XT and SLX or Deore is minor especially once you put all your kit on the bike.
I have heard stories of batches of the XT hubs having poorly adjusted cup & cone on the freehub side.
Mine seems fine now but will certainly be pulling it apart and checking before any extended trip.