AndrewMajor profile

Needle bearing as noted - King and many BMX hubs - seems to be the best solution but doubling up bearings and higher end cartridge bearings both make a difference.

I mean, weights are very similar and depend on the driver. They’re both Pawl systems with Hydra  using their unique 1-4/6 pawl arrangement for .52° and P321 using a 2/6 pawl co figuration for 1.7°, which is still damn quick.

Both systems are extremely low drag. The P321 has better stock bearings. Both companies have great reputations for customer service.

The I9 has be have a simpler assembly with no independent independent bearing adjustment and the P321 has a very smart fine-thread bearing adjuster. Preference will come down to philosophy. Also under philosophy, I9 uses leaf springs where p321 uses magnets to retract pawls.

Hydra is faster to service as there’s no bearing adjuster to remove, but neither is hard or time consuming to clean & lube.

Both come in pretty colours and are priced at the premium level of the market. 

For single speeding it’s hard to argue with Hydra (4 v 2 pawls loaded). For other applications I think you can argue for either depending on which factors you prioritize.

When you say “backslash” do you mean what a lot of folks call “windup,” or the feeling that after the pawls engage there’s a softness on the system?

Some high engagement systems do feel like that, which hub are you on? 

Hydra engages very solidly. Like ~ instant on/off with no ramp up. I should have mentioned it clearly in the review but there’s no different in feel between 1-4 pawls engaging. Push the pedal soft or hard and it’s on. I mainly road the hubs on a hardtail single speed so no where for weirdness to hide.

Crazy that shops don’t carry it. Product works as good as anything in Hope hubs too.

Only half? I’ve witnessed some pretty aggressive debates between mechanics on how tight bearings should/shouldn’t press into s drive shell (and as you note spoke tension has an effect on that). 

The hub shell bearings on this Hydra take about the same force to remove as any Torch hub I’ve worked on (which is less than most). I’ve never had a loose or sloppy I9 hub and most folks seem really happy with bearing life so I don’t find it a cause for concern personally. 

Good note though as it could potentially bother people used to having to really force bearings out and in.

Re. DT Swiss, I think the 350 is a solid choice if you don’t care about hub engagement. I focus on hubs with <5°. Don’t need instant but 20° or even 10° is a lot of potential pedal movement on techy climbs and pulling janky body English moves. To each their own of course.

It's a good question. I've only ever considered it from the perspective of ordering from Project 321 - bearing kit here - and that fact I would run them in other non-Chris King hubs but I haven't had the opportunity to need to chase that up by actually going out and ordering different EZO bearings myself.

MiSumi has no order minimums, will set up individual user accounts (apparently takes 3-mins), and sells EZO bearings. I've never purchased from them though so no first-hand experience. They sell Nachi as well which is another high-end Japanese made bearing.

Fastenal carries EZO as well but the prices will either make you laugh or spit unless if you have access to an industrial account with a solid discount.

Nice! It’s really straight forward but all the same, feel encouraged to hit me here with any service questions.

Are you making fun of me for mentioning it too many times in the teardown and this follow up?!

Dumonde Tech freehub grease. Really quiets it down.

Cheers!

I repack suspension bearings but in hubs there’s a real balance between longevity and drag if you’re running Enduro bearings.

With the EZO I didn’t repack them and it’s amazing how hat after all the 1fg riding I’ve put them through they’re still fresh. Definitely worth it to chase some down.

I know a few riders who’ve been on Hydra a while and couldn’t find anyone with a bad thing to say.

Some of them didn’t know how easy they are to service - it’s so easy to clean & lube - but I think everyone has bought some Dumonde Tech oil/grease and given it a go now. If you haven’t done a flush and lube it’s a great system that’s even better with some routine love.

Posted by: RAHrider

I've put in almost 400km on it and I like it 90% of the time but every time I take it on steep tech I wish I wasn't riding it.

Just out of curiosity, have you tried raising the bar 20mm (bar or headset spacers) for the steep tech? 

Or otherwise changing the weight balance - narrower bar, running the shock softer, or fork firmer, or dropping the seat more (mechanically after your dropper is bottomed)?

It just reads like you’re fighting your bike but there’s nothing in your build that stands out as an Achilles’ heel.

Posted by: velocipedestrian

Wow. Badarse.

Gonna read the piece, but first a guess about how many responses came through about the oval of the Thomson being 90° wrong?

It gives you more compliance that way! Hahahahaha.

I was digging through some old NSMB material tonight and came upon Perry's piece on his PDC circa 2013 and I thought we should all take a second to appreciate #HotSanta's OG commitment to steepening STAs. 2013!

Just think of the potential fore-aft adjustment (especially if the main post had M5 hardware). 

The article is here for more photos.

Posted by: RAHrider

Our day to day admissions for non-covid illness are way down. My hospital is under capacity for the first time since it was opened! 

This is awesome news; hopefully a B.C.-wide trend. 

Thank you for being there!

Posted by: T-mack

Posted by: DemonMike

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: DemonMike

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: T-mack

Posted by: DemonMike

1992 Giant ATX 660 Bought it new , had a 50mm RST fork.

Did you buy it at High Gear??

It seems to me like there are so many (old) Woodlot / Bear Mtn / Red Mtn / Burke and etc mountain bikers around and yet Floyd / High Gear are all but forgotten, which is sad to me. Basically, all the bike shops from out that way that I frequented as a kid are gone: Cyclepath/BlackDog, High Gear, The Ridge, AKA The Bike Shop, Overtime hell even Cap's Westwood. I ran into the Dan Sedlacek, previously of OnTop, the other day and it's easy to forget how many genuine folks have simply moved on to other things, even here on the Shore.

Anyways, before I start crying into my beer, I didn't know Floyd at High Gear as a person (separate from the High Gear experience), but I wrote a little something about him on my personal blog if you're interested.

- - - - - -

So I'm not being a thread-ruiner.

If you ask me today, my first real mountain bike was a 1995 Iron Horse, fully rigid in metallic blue and sporting a full Shimano STX-RC build. BUT, if you'd asked my at the time my first mountain bike was a neon-green-and-black hi-ten steel Raleigh with SIS friction shifting, and steel rims. Perception right?

Dealt with all those shops. Made many friends through them as well. Floyd was the best. Great guy he is missed. Troy at Maple Ridge Cycle is there still. Hes just behind the old store.

For whatever reason I never really clicked with that shop. Have a great Troy experience though:

I was sitting at the top of Switchback/Eric Dunning (Sp?) at Mike Lake in Golden Ears when it was it very new and he comes pedalling up the fire road on an orange Norco Bomber leading a shop ride.

Looks at me.

T: “Did you already ride upper Incline? Was it greasy?”

A: “Upper Incline?!”

T: ~ “Just keep going up, you can’t miss it. The best trail around here!”

After they passed I sat for a bit and then finally convinced myself to ride up and see if I could find it. Easily the nastiest, greasiest, rooted jank I had ridden to date. Walked half of it. Crashed hard twice. Went back for more the next time I was up.

LOL

Yay the incline was a nut kicker in spots. Had a couple bad crashes on it.

Troy still has that Bomber , and the yellow one.

Oh my 2nd bike was a Kona Kileau? , the burgundy color yr 93?94? I also had a Marin Zig Zag Trail at the same time. Think it was a 94.

I totally remember being a 14 year old and riding my bike from Pitt Meadows to High Gear all the time to be an annoying shop rat. Floyd was one patient man lol! AKA was where I really cut my teeth with biking though, I still talk to Ian almost daily and go on an annual guys trip with him and some buds.

Amazing. So many questions but I’ll keep it to: Ian was involved in Local Ride after AKA? I worked on the sales desk at Orange when they opened. Tell him I said hi!

Bought my first pair of Profile Racing cranks from him and Dave when the shop was in Pitt Meadows.

I have this memory that around the time the shop was broken into when some ne’er-do-wells broke through the wall of the neighbouring business?!

Posted by: DemonMike

Posted by: AndrewMajor

Posted by: T-mack

Posted by: DemonMike

1992 Giant ATX 660 Bought it new , had a 50mm RST fork.

Did you buy it at High Gear??

It seems to me like there are so many (old) Woodlot / Bear Mtn / Red Mtn / Burke and etc mountain bikers around and yet Floyd / High Gear are all but forgotten, which is sad to me. Basically, all the bike shops from out that way that I frequented as a kid are gone: Cyclepath/BlackDog, High Gear, The Ridge, AKA The Bike Shop, Overtime hell even Cap's Westwood. I ran into the Dan Sedlacek, previously of OnTop, the other day and it's easy to forget how many genuine folks have simply moved on to other things, even here on the Shore. 

Anyways, before I start crying into my beer, I didn't know Floyd at High Gear as a person (separate from the High Gear experience), but I wrote a little something about him on my personal blog if you're interested.

- - - - - -

So I'm not being a thread-ruiner.

If you ask me today, my first real mountain bike was a 1995 Iron Horse, fully rigid in metallic blue and sporting a full Shimano STX-RC build. BUT, if you'd asked my at the time my first mountain bike was a neon-green-and-black hi-ten steel Raleigh with SIS friction shifting, and steel rims. Perception right?

Dealt with all those shops. Made many friends through them as well. Floyd was the best. Great guy he is missed. Troy at Maple Ridge Cycle is there still. Hes just behind the old store.

For whatever reason I never really clicked with that shop. Have a great Troy experience though:

I was sitting at the top of Switchback/Eric Dunning (Sp?) at Mike Lake in Golden Ears when it was it very new and he comes pedalling up the fire road on an orange Norco Bomber leading a shop ride. 

Looks at me. 

T: “Did you already ride upper Incline? Was it greasy?”

A: “Upper Incline?!”

T: ~ “Just keep going up, you can’t miss it. The best trail around here!”

After they passed I sat for a bit and then finally convinced myself to ride up and see if I could find it. Easily the nastiest, greasiest, rooted jank I had ridden to date. Walked half of it. Crashed hard twice. Went back for more the next time I was up.

Posted by: FLATCH

Posted by: AndrewMajor

My single speed is silent but for the noise of my tires, and my the fork oil breathing... have to do something to let the hikers, cougars, and bears know I'm coming. That's why I always belt out Celine Dion's Top-10 while I'm riding.

The theme from Titanic is my favourite. I like to hang way out over my bars and proclaim I’m the king of the world.

I may have seen you riding Lower Crippler yesterday morning when my daughter and I were hiking up?!

I wasn’t sure at the time but now I think “I’M KING OF THE WORLD” is what buddy yelled as he rolled the Candi Cane (first wooden roll near the top).

Posted by: T-mack

Posted by: DemonMike

1992 Giant ATX 660 Bought it new , had a 50mm RST fork.

Did you buy it at High Gear??

It seems to me like there are so many (old) Woodlot / Bear Mtn / Red Mtn / Burke and etc mountain bikers around and yet Floyd / High Gear are all but forgotten, which is sad to me. Basically, all the bike shops from out that way that I frequented as a kid are gone: Cyclepath/BlackDog, High Gear, The Ridge, AKA The Bike Shop, Overtime hell even Cap's Westwood. I ran into the Dan Sedlacek, previously of OnTop, the other day and it's easy to forget how many genuine folks have simply moved on to other things, even here on the Shore. 

Anyways, before I start crying into my beer, I didn't know Floyd at High Gear as a person (separate from the High Gear experience), but I wrote a little something about him on my personal blog if you're interested.

- - - - - -

So I'm not being a thread-ruiner.

If you ask me today, my first real mountain bike was a 1995 Iron Horse, fully rigid in metallic blue and sporting a full Shimano STX-RC build. BUT, if you'd asked my at the time my first mountain bike was a neon-green-and-black hi-ten steel Raleigh with SIS friction shifting, and steel rims. Perception right?

My single speed is silent but for the noise of my tires, and my the fork oil breathing... have to do something to let the hikers, cougars, and bears know I'm coming. That's why I always belt out Celine Dion's Top-10 while I'm riding.

Posted by: craw

...For a moment there I thought I should convert It to singlespeed but can't quite bring myself to do It.

Too worried you're going to break it?! Only reason I can think of not to SS it with those beauty dropouts all ready to go.