Industry Nine Hydra Classic 6B Rear Hub

First of all, I'm a I9-fan, but why?

Install it and forget it!

Okay that's not possible you can’t forget/ignore your I9 because:

A - of great sound

B - the nice finish - its an eyecatcher 😇

I have always two wheelsets for my main bike (Santa Cruz Megatower). Note: if you want a second wheelset for quick changing without a adjust brakes or shifting, use the same hub manufacture/model, same disk rotors and same cassette. Else a little adjusting is needed every time - or you can try your luck with washers (not my recommendation).

One set with durable and grippy tires - for bike park, home trail up to 700hm and bad wet conditions.

• I9 Hydra 32 hole XD silver
• DT Swiss 511EX rim
• Sapim Laser/Race spokes silver
• Sapim Alu nipple silver
• build by https://www.hexenwerk-laufraeder.com/ (recommendation)

With tires like Maxxis Assegai DD Maxxgrip front and rear (or Tomahawk DD, DHR DD Maxxgrip) or currently Continental Baron for winter conditions. Baron is my new favorite for freezing or low temperatures, rubber is still "soft" and grippy on roots and stones, black chili is more durably than maxxgrip and maxxterra, rolling resistance is less than maxxgrip, casing is lighter than DD but more robust than EXO, no wobble like maxxis sometimes and made in Germany.

And the other is a bit lighter setup - for "downcountry", xc-loops, home trails more than 700hm and dry conditions.

• I9 Torch 28 hole XD black (used)
• Newman EG30 29“ EWS Edition silver rim (new)
• Sapim Laser/Race spokes silver (new)
• Sapim Alu nipple silver (new)
• This wheelset is currently by the wheel builder. I reuse the Torch hubs which I had two+ years in use.
• With tires like DHF skinwall front and Maxxis Rekon skinwall - just EXO tires.

Comparison with:

DTSwiss 370’s pawl

The DT 370’s wheelset I had, was okay. It does it’s job but if you used to ride with high engagement hubs, you won’t be happy. I had many moments on the trail where I "fall" into the crank. The "free stroke" doesn’t feel good and can bring you in situations you don’t like (on up- and downhill riding).

DTSwiss Ratchet System

Have also a DT Swiss Ratchet wheelset, which is okay, but the 54T is less engagement that I9 offers. Biggest con for me on ratchet is the sound. I always think there is something corrupted. While coasting it sounds up and down and up and down again…my spoiled ears don’t like it.

Novatec

I had a wheelset with Novatec, they had also 3° quick engagement, but destroyed the pawl’s and bearings after a few weeks. So maybe the "specification" Novatec vs I9 looks very similar on paper but no comparison in real life! Maybe a lighter rider at 50kg would see it different than me…

I9 torch vs I9 hydra

Torch is louder and they "feel a bit harder“ when engaging (hope that makes sense for you).

Instant engagement is 3° vs 0.52° - you feel it on the bike stand, but in real life riding - sorry not really.

With torch you don't need a bell, with hydra - not every hiker or older people will hear you 🤷🏼‍♂️. Hydra can be tuned with grease to be relatively quiet.

I'm having a hard time to write more about the I9 hubs because they just work. No problems with the bearings (and I have to say I have to change the bearings every 6 months in my pedals, at least once a year in the suspension links, but not on the hubs!) Easy to rebuild or put some oil or grease on the pawls. Use oil for loud freewheel and grease for quiet. (Unfortunately no experience with expensive oil or high-tech grease - I just use inexpensive 0815 stuff). Pawls look like new (I weigh about 95kg and use a 28T in front which means some power to kill freewheels like in the past e.g. DTSwiss, Ringle, Shimano, Novatec, …)

Conclusion:

It is definitely a good investment in the future and will accompany you on several bikes.

Greetings from Tyrol, Mike