Finally Hydra System Straight-pull 12x142mm 32h Rear Hub Top Reviewed [uHIrelGz]

Building upon a long legacy of reliable hubs, Industry Nine evolves once again with the Hydra - an all new series of hubs that replaces the successful Torch series. Most impressively, the Hydra rear hub boasts a seemingly impossible 690 points of engagement - that's one click for every 0.52° rotation. Industry Nine was already ahead of the pack with their Torch Classic hub at 120 points of engagement - Chris King has 72. Hydra has almost 600% more than previous gen Torch hubs; let there be zero doubt in your mind that there isn't any with a more satisfying hum. While the Torch Classic sounded reminiscent of a pack of angry hornets following you, the Hydra is has a more subdued sound, like the rumble from the pit of a three headed dragon’s belly - the namesake of the hub.

So how exactly did Industry Nine accomplish the task of packing in 690 engagement points? The innovative new design utilizes a continually phased six-pawl system, creating a procession of engagement points between pawl and drivering. In a new implementation of the pawl system, Hydra utilizes the inherent flex of the axle to accomplish positive second, third or fourth pawl contact, ensuring that there is always instantaneous, solid transmission of power from your legs to your pedals. Not only does this design offer unprecedented pawl engagement, it also creates a system that is able to account for the forces and pressures that a hub encounters, dispersing them throughout the hub's components. This results in longer lasting bearings and decreased drag in the system.

Other changes include larger bearings in the hub driver and shell, which, in combination with the revised axle design, result in an increased life span. The new axle is also claimed to increase overall stiffness in the hub itself.

The Straight-Pull Hydra hub is built specifically for Industry Nine's proprietary thick-gauge aluminum spokes, which are available in all the same colors as the hubs. The spoke threads directly into the hub, creating an incredibly strong and stiff junction. Fanatik Bike Co. is the only wheel builder in the country that is authorized to build Industry Nine's proprietary hubs and spokes.

All Industry Nine hubs are precision-built right at home in the USA at their Asheville, North Carolina factory.