At 345g and £74.99 the Halo Spin Master Pro rear hub is about the same weight and price as an Ultegra rear hub. There's plenty of reasons to think about speccing one over the tried-and-tested Shimano offering though.
For a start, it's a really nicely constructed hub. The CNC shell holds four sealed bearings to keep everything running smoothly, and the aluminium freehub has a 30-point engagement from three pawls – more than the usual 24 – which gives you a nice quick pickup when you hit the gas.
Secondly, it's available in a range of colours (with a superlight front hub to match). Ours was black but you can also have white, polished and red anodised to match your bike.
Thirdly, it makes a nice noise. It's a faster click than usual thanks to the higher engagement point count, and it's a good volume: audible without being intrusive. Quite comforting, in fact. You can easily switch between Shimano/SRAM and Campag too; replacement freehubs cost £40.
I've been running this hub laced to a Mavic Open Pro rim with Halo's own double butted spokes, and the resulting wheel has racked up about 600 miles so far in all weathers. Well, mostly rain.
The hub is bearing up very well; there's some slight notching on the freehub body but no more so than is usual with an alloy carrier, and doing the locknut up nice and tight will stop the cassette moving very far. Everything's running smoothly and there doesn't seem to be any water creeping inside in spite of some very wet rides, so the seals are doing their job.
The hub's available in 24H and 32H drillings; the matching front hub comes in 16H or 24H versions and claimed weight is a paltry 79g.
Verdict
Good quality rear hub with positive engagement and a nice click.
road.cc test report
Make and model: Halo Spin Master Pro rear hub
Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Our Lightweight road hub with a lightweight price tag.
Super-light sealed bearing all alloy QR cassette hub.
4 smooth sealed bearings, lightweight alloy axle and alloy CNC shell, plus a 30 point fast pick-up freehub drive system.
CNC 7075 hard Aluminium cassette body in either Shimano or Campag compatible splines.
Alloy CNC machined sweeping Halo shell
Lightweight alloy QR axle.
7075 Hard alloy cassette body.
4 Sealed bearings.
30 point 3 pawl freewheel mechanism.
Shimano or Campag compatible options.
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
7/10
Rate the product for value:
7/10
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Construction, clicky sound.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Yes.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.
Age: 40 Height: 190cm Weight: 102kg
I usually ride: whatever I'm testing... My best bike is: Genesis Equilibrium with SRAM Apex
I've been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
Focus Paralane has threaded bb and endurance geometry. Available in your price range 😉 ...
I just saw a weight for this bike on a retailer's web site. 9kg for the Ultegra build. If that's not an error, it's shocking and beyond off...
17 minutes, you say, gosh say public transport users, how terrible for you. ...
Who's looking after your bridge while you're posting on here?
Horse. Stable Door. bolted.
Rather more than a Boardman SLR 8.6 at £650 with Claris. Cycling UK members will probably get a discount off that price....
With the wattage these guys are generating on their downstrokes, their lack of mass above the hips, the low gearing they're using to get up the...
Mixed first impressions from me. Applied to a previously waxed Ultegra chain which had first been washed almost clean on a very wet gravel ride,...
I just saw the word 'smart' and instantly thought "No. It really isn't". (as is invariably the case with any item that is prefixed 'smart')....
That is a fascinating discussion, thanks....