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Onyx Hubs

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
Pretty sure that mechanism is high drag, since it's basically "dragging" the sprags along the whole time. Totally silent though.

A riding buddy here broke several of the original hubs, but he's a monster and breaks every hub.

My voice gets hoarse yelling at hikers, so I like my hubs to make some noise.
The Onyx on my DH bike spins longer than the I9 Hydra on my trail bike. Way less drag.
 

Brian HCM#1

MMMMMMMMM BEER!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 7, 2001
32,119
378
Bay Area, California
But then again it would, if the DH bike has heavier wheels and tires...
Not really. Yes, the hubs are heavier, but the hub really isn't rotational weight that would give the wheel momentum. Hubs Onyx Classic, rims are Stan's MK4 28h, double butted spokes, alloy nipples. Tires Maxxis DHF 2.5 DD front, 2.4 Shorty DD rear.

Trail bike: I9 Hydra's, Stan's carbon 32h, double butted spokes, alloy nipples. Tires Michelin Wild Enduros 2.4 F & R which are roughly the same weight as Maxxis.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
But this kind of thing happens when you axlelot of questions to opinionated connoisseurs online.
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
They arrived today. Spokes are prepped. Brass nipples. Stans rims. Borrowing a Park stand to do the build. Kind of nervous. It's been a while.
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,626
5,442
They arrived today. Spokes are prepped. Brass nipples. Stans rims. Borrowing a Park stand to do the build. Kind of nervous. It's been a while.
I bought this E-book thingy, printed out about six pages that are useful to me.
1659867419669.png
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
We spoke about this. Just don't let the tension get to you and it will be fine.
 

Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
996
973
On a more serious note, wouldn't the Onyx design be better for ebikes than high POE ratchets/pawls, since it kind of eases into the engagement? I know a lot of ebikes that come with DT hubs get spec'd with the 18t pawls to try and address it, but I've heard of people exploding even those on their ebikes.

I was really tempted to try Onyx on my last wheel build (the idea of silent hub and just hearing tires was appealing), but then I realized that I'd hear every little creak and rattle on my bike all the more, so went with a loud hub instead.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,030
5,918
borcester rhymes
On a more serious note, wouldn't the Onyx design be better for ebikes than high POE ratchets/pawls, since it kind of eases into the engagement? I know a lot of ebikes that come with DT hubs get spec'd with the 18t pawls to try and address it, but I've heard of people exploding even those on their ebikes.

I was really tempted to try Onyx on my last wheel build (the idea of silent hub and just hearing tires was appealing), but then I realized that I'd hear every little creak and rattle on my bike all the more, so went with a loud hub instead.
I think there is some legit concern with hub strength that would have me concerned with a high-torque ebike application. I bet the hub could be reinforced because it sounds like the problem is on the shell side/where the clutch engages rather than the clutch itself.

As for the rattles- it's very real. I spend more time paying attention to squeaks and rattles when I can't hear the soft whirr of the hub. PITA but then you have a truly silent bike, which is bananas.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
On a more serious note, wouldn't the Onyx design be better for ebikes than high POE ratchets/pawls, since it kind of eases into the engagement? I know a lot of ebikes that come with DT hubs get spec'd with the 18t pawls to try and address it, but I've heard of people exploding even those on their ebikes.

I was really tempted to try Onyx on my last wheel build (the idea of silent hub and just hearing tires was appealing), but then I realized that I'd hear every little creak and rattle on my bike all the more, so went with a loud hub instead.
if anything i would think its the opposite - someone was telling me that its either sprag clutches or one way bearings don't hold up well under high torque. i could be wrong, but i swear someone knowledgeable on the subject told me that once.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,573
1,069
La Verne
I9 torches are okay when you ride tuek and they are are what was tested above.
I9 say hydras are better but I think they are much worse than torches.....
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,825
13,054
So apart from the 9zero, fuck all worth worrying about unless you're trying to win elite level races.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
Which one the colored charts or the blue?
Colored. That's why the low temps. At low temps some hubs and lubes are like peanut butter. We typically replace grease in some of the bearings with low-temp grease that doesn't. Molykote.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,825
13,054
Colored. That's why the low temps. At low temps some hubs and lubes are like peanut butter. We typically replace grease in some of the bearings with low-temp grease that doesn't. Molykote.
Good job 907 isn't local specializing in fat bikes then!
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,558
24,181
media blackout
Colored. That's why the low temps. At low temps some hubs and lubes are like peanut butter. We typically replace grease in some of the bearings with low-temp grease that doesn't. Molykote.
so it was more an assessment of grease viscosity at low temps than pure hub drag? were these factory greases/lubes?
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,850
9,556
AK
so it was more an assessment of grease viscosity at low temps than pure hub drag? were these factory greases/lubes?
Yes, but the factors weren't isolated (same grease applied to each) so there still could be more hub drag in some of them.