The FAIRWEATHER ALL ROAD HUB.

This product is packed with challenges we took on, so I thought I’d leave a little of the story behind it here on the blog.

Before I knew it, I was building just as many disc brake wheels as track wheels. And despite building them so regularly, I realized there was a big gap when it came to good mid-range hubs.

Having something in the middle means you don’t have to use high-end parts unnecessarily, but you also don’t have to settle for something cheap simply because there are no other options. I think it’s an essential price range, one where you can feel genuinely satisfied with your choice.

The Velo Orange disc hub is pretty much the only strong contender in this category, and it’s a very versatile hub. Still, I sometimes found myself wondering whether it was the right choice for a sportier build or something that wasn’t going in a classic direction. I guess that’s the kind of obsession you develop when you spend practically every waking hour thinking about bikes.

I looked everywhere for a hub that felt just right, but couldn’t find one with a design I truly liked. Eventually, I decided to try designing one myself.

Designing a hub shell for the first time was definitely not easy…

The project got underway in April 2025, and I think we ended up spending around six months just getting the design approved.

The hub features an asymmetrical flange design, with the non-drive side engineered to account for spoke tension and braking forces. But at that stage, it was still nothing more than a drawing.

After working through a number of issues, we finally moved on to producing samples.

Once the samples arrived, we put them through 400-kilometer long rides, off-road riding, and repeated wheel builds, gathering feedback from everyone within the shop along the way.

The ability to switch between quick-release and thru-axle setups also came directly from that internal feedback.

A quick detour.

Fewer and fewer overseas factories are willing to take on polishing work these days, which is making it increasingly difficult to produce silver components.

The reason so many brands now lean heavily toward black parts and why even the largest component manufacturers are offering more and more parts exclusively in black is partly down to this polishing issue.

Considering the circumstances, we should be genuinely grateful that companies like DIA-COMPE, NITTO, and MKS continue to produce silver components.

By the time we finally brought the hub to market, an entire year had passed.

From the original hub shell design down to the smallest details of its specifications, we ended up obsessing over just about everything. But I think we managed to achieve a great balance of quality, design, and price.

We’ve also been adding more complete wheels built around the ALL ROAD HUB to our online store, so please check those out as well.

I truly believe the ALL ROAD HUB will be a great choice for a lot of people. I’d be happy if it comes to mind the next time you’re building a wheel—or putting together a new bike.

See you next time.