Industry Nine Hydra Backcountry 360 29in Boost Wheelset for Sale, Reviews, Deals and Guides

We'll admit that we can be a bit nerdy when it comes to progression in the bike industry, but when the progression lands us with better technology for getting shreddy, can you really blame us? Okay, so some of the tech might be a little dry, but in this case we're pretty confident that Industry Nine's new Hydra Backcountry 360 29in Boost Wheelset will spark some curiosity, amp up the stoke, as it ramps up your steed for some of the most exciting and ride-changing progression you'll find on the market these days. These progressive hoops combine the wide and stiff platform of I9's Backcountry rims, and laces up neatly with alloy spokes to the all new, ultra-snappy, Hydra freehub. These telepathically fast hubs up the ante well beyond the Tourch hubs we've loved in years past, and offers a phenomenal 0.52-degrees of engagement for power that transfers near instantaneously to the trail.

The Hydra hubs build on Industry Nine's previous drive system, which is pretty easy to spot if you take a peek at the internals. You'll spot a similar pawl layout that we've seen before in the Torch, and the same pristine CNC machining coming straight from Asheville, North Carolina. Like the old Torch hub, the Hydra features a 6 pawl design, but the drive ring amps things up to a 115-tooth drive ring, as opposed to the 60-tooth used in the Torch, crating a whopping 690 points of engagement, blowing the 120 points of engagement of the Torch out of the water. These 690 points of contact translate directly to the snappiest hubs we've ever seen, with only 0.52-degrees of engagement, propelling you forward just about the instant you put any power down. Furthermore, the engineers opted to keep things simple for those of us who tinker on our bikes at home, making the hub fully serviceable without any proprietary tools.

The Hydra hubs on this wheelset neatly lace up to the familiar Backcountry 360 rims that we've seen in years past. This rim-and-hub partnership offers the perfect platform for riders who covet wider tires, extra flotation, and a boost in traction for uncovering deer trails far beyond the beaten path. I9's Backcountry 360 rims offer a 36mm inner width ideal for wide-trail tires ranging anywhere from 2.6-to-3 inches in width, that offer just the right balance of plush traction, and quick-rolling speed to power up the mountain. This model utilizes 32 stiff aluminum spokes with direct-thread straightpull technology for a solid, flex-free junction.