ALUMINUM SPOKES?
By starting with a 20-25% larger cross-sectional area, our machined 7075-T651 aluminum is equal in tensile strength to any 14-gauge or 14/15 DB spoke available. In many ways, the Industry Nine spoke is much stronger, because we have removed all the weak points (known as stress risers) inherent in the design of a traditional hooked steel spoke. First, the spoke has no bend. This is nothing new, but remains an intelligent design. Most steel spokes fail either at the middle of the bend, or the first thread at the nipple end. By eliminating the bend altogether, the spoke is instantly less prone to fatigue stress failure. Second, the root diameter of the Industry Nine one-piece spoke thread is actually larger than the diameter of the length of the spoke. Other spokes fail at the first thread because the root diameter (the bottom of the thread's “V”) is actually the smallest diameter of the spoke, just where slight relative motions of the nipple apply additional bending forces.
STAY TRUE?
Actually not any more than a traditional spoke. The larger cross-section allows the spoke to act like a very long screw. By using similar very hard alloys in the spoke and hub, and lubrication during assembly, the spokes remain free of corrosion – which is the true cause of frozen nipples, along with metal-to-metal galling that happens with multiple-piece designs. We've also eliminated the need for special tools of any kind. A standard Park Tool SW-0 spoke wrench (.126” /15 ga) fits perfectly. While very similar in practice to truing traditional wheels, the larger thread pitch of our spokes requires a small adjustment in practice, because less rotation is needed to effect the same increase in tension (which is really a measurement of elongation in the case of a spoke). Once the mechanic learns to think in quarter-turns, even 1/8-turns, truing the wheels becomes second nature. We do recommend that the spoke tension be remeasured after an initial break-in period of 4-6 hours.
STICKS AND STONES
Obviously, the aluminum spoke is not going to hold up to abrasion as well as steel. We feel the benefits far outweigh the weaknesses. We challenged our test riders to break stuff. In many cases, we have seen spokes chewed nearly in half by maladjusted drivetrains continue to hold tension without adverse affects. We have also seen wheels with half the spokes obviously bent by a foreign object show no loss of trueness. We have even seen wheels with four spokes missing from a derailler failure off the first drop complete a day of downhill runs (after which it did require a new rim). We recommend replacement of nicked or chewed up spokes at the earliest convenience. In short, an Industry Nine wheel will hold up as well, if not better then a traditional steel spoked wheel or other system wheels available to riders today.
DIFFERENT RIMS
We believe that our own in-house designed Torch Series rims, including our 2015 PillarCarbon by Reynolds Cycling, as well as Stan's No-Tubes rims to be unparalleled in quality and consistency. We also understand that everybody has an opinion about their favorite rim, and we don't know everything all the time. We can mate our Torch series hub and spoke chassis to your 32 hole rim of choice. We will machine spokes to any length imaginable, accommodating almost all 32 hole rims on the market, including those by DT Swiss, WTB, Spank, Derby, NOX, Ibis, Atomik, Whisky Parts Co, Specialized, etc. All we need is the ERD (effective rim diameter) of the rim in question. We may have suggestions or cautionary advice about using certain rims with our hubs and spokes, and our body of experience is continually growing. Due to the mould process and nipple requirements ENVE specifies, we can not build our Torch system chassis to ENVE hoops.
Please work with your LBS to order your Torch System Chassis. For the sake of accountability and quality control we are currently performing the assembly of all Industry Nine wheels in-house.
We DO NOT accept Light Bicycle or Nextie and we reserve the right to decline building on a rim we are unfamiliar with.
120 POINTS BABY
Holy 120 engagement points! How strong is your drive mechanism?
The Industry Nine drive mechanism is a fairly simple, tried-and-true pawl arrangement. When engaged, each of the three driving pawls itself has three points, providing nine points of contact to the hardened A2 drive ring. The drive ring has 60 teeth, which would normally allow a 6-degree engagement – among the fastest in the industry. Our proprietary mechanism allows for a second set of three pawls, phased three degrees from the first. This feature cuts engagement time in half, to a mind-blowing three degrees! Our lightning quick take-up has become highly desirable on singlespeeds, twenty-niners, and disciplines with gate starts. We have tested our drive system beyond 700 ft-lbs of torque, which amounts roughly to a super-chipped Ford Power Stroke turbo diesel engine. In over two years of prototyping and testing, we have had zero drive mechanism failures.
LOUD AND PROUD
The pawl mechanism of our hubs has a distinctive buzz that gets quieter with break-in time. It has the sound of nothing more than the highest-quality sprung pawl system. Most riders report that the noise is inaudible over the wind at higher speeds. It is loud enough to be heard, yet not so loud as to detract from the experience you are trying to enjoy.
SERVICEABLE? WELL OF COURSE.
Our near-instant engagement mechanism is not magic, but rather built on solid mechanical principles. Having said this, it is assembled in our facility under highly controlled conditions by persons intimately familiar with its operation. Disassembly by the end user is possible, and fairly easy with the proper tools. To a skilled and versatile mechanic, it will present no problems, especially once we have published an exploded view and service instructions. In the immediate meantime, we recommend contacting Factory Technical Assistance for rear hub service. Hubs that experience failure after unauthorized service can of course be repaired, just not under warranty.
20 X 110 BOOST? OR?
Please check with your local bike shop, or fork manufacturer to determine if you have a 20 x 110 boost fork or 20 x 110 non boost fork. The fitment guide below can help you determine your current set-up before placing an order.
11 SPD ROAD GROUPSET ON MTN?
Any of our mountain bike hubs or wheels - 2005 to 2012 "Legacy" generation - or 2013 to current Torch generation products are compatible with SRAM 1x11 MTB drivetrains using an XD1 FH body or Shimano XTR 11spd using the "tradtional" HG-style FH body.
*These are mountain bike drivetrains and will not work with Shimano or SRAM 11spd road cassettes.
LEFTY?
Industry Nine does supply an extraction cap and/or bolt for our Lefty hubs, or wheelsets built with Lefty hubs. The bolt will also work with our MatchStix multi-tool handle.
BUILD YOUR OWN
Sorry, but we don't offer our straight pull system hubs/spokes by themselves, for mountain or road/road disc. We want to ensure all of our wheels built with our proprietary chassis be done to our exact specifications for QC and warranty qualification and accountability. The only way to ensure the processes are to our standards is to limit assembly to our approved dealers and distributors.