Industry Nine, or i9 as they are often affectionately referred to, are a company specializing in wheels and hubs. Based in North Carolina, USA, all of their manufacturing is also done at their Ashville HQ, so we're not talking about a brand only, but rather an actual Western manufacturer of bike components.
The 101 series was launched in 2019 as a budget alternative to the previous Torch and current Hydra hubs, and I decided to test this product as soon as it became available through i9's Finnish distributor MCarbon. The 101 still shares the same technical features are Hydra, but in a less fancy and refined package. The front hub in question here is only available in 15x110 Boost, black and 6-bolt or centerlock, whereas the Hydra has many more alternatives. I think this is a smart move from i9, as most modern mountain bikes meet these standards anyway, and the 20-30g weight penalty vs. the more expensive Hydra is negligible at best. The 101 was later renamed the 1-1 in 2020.
This exploded diagram shows the basic structure of the hub, consisting of:
- Hub shell, with less refined machining than Hydra
- 2 18307 bearings
- Shaft spacer
- End caps with contactless labyrinth seals
The sealing arrangement has been changed from Torch's contacting rubber seal to a contactless labyrinth, which reduces friction related losses. I have now ridden this hub for about 700km without any issues. I did put a bit of grease between the bearing and the end cap when I first started using the hubs, but other than that no maintenance has been required and they still run as smooth as new. My previous Mavic hubs were TorqueCap compatible, whereas these are not, but I have not noticed any difference in stiffness from the hub.
If you're after premium hubs like I was, but have a boost specific bike, I see no reason to choose Hydra over the 101 in the front apart from the bling factor. A nice, solid hub that works just as it should. Recommended!
The 101 series was launched in 2019 as a budget alternative to the previous Torch and current Hydra hubs, and I decided to test this product as soon as it became available through i9's Finnish distributor MCarbon. The 101 still shares the same technical features are Hydra, but in a less fancy and refined package. The front hub in question here is only available in 15x110 Boost, black and 6-bolt or centerlock, whereas the Hydra has many more alternatives. I think this is a smart move from i9, as most modern mountain bikes meet these standards anyway, and the 20-30g weight penalty vs. the more expensive Hydra is negligible at best. The 101 was later renamed the 1-1 in 2020.
This exploded diagram shows the basic structure of the hub, consisting of:
- Hub shell, with less refined machining than Hydra
- 2 18307 bearings
- Shaft spacer
- End caps with contactless labyrinth seals
The sealing arrangement has been changed from Torch's contacting rubber seal to a contactless labyrinth, which reduces friction related losses. I have now ridden this hub for about 700km without any issues. I did put a bit of grease between the bearing and the end cap when I first started using the hubs, but other than that no maintenance has been required and they still run as smooth as new. My previous Mavic hubs were TorqueCap compatible, whereas these are not, but I have not noticed any difference in stiffness from the hub.
If you're after premium hubs like I was, but have a boost specific bike, I see no reason to choose Hydra over the 101 in the front apart from the bling factor. A nice, solid hub that works just as it should. Recommended!
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