New Industry Nine Hydra Arriving this Year

Industry Nine first introduced the Hydra in 2019, and it quickly became the company's flagship, gaining attention for its impressive 690 points of engagement, distinctive buzzing sound, and vast range of color options. Now, rumors suggest a new version is on the way, potentially bringing a significant leap in reliability. The current discounts on Hydra wheelsets and hubs only add credibility to this speculation.

On the other hand, many users have experienced problems, particularly broken inner axles and premature wear of the drive ring and bearings. It’s a great hub with exceptional ride quality, but it requires regular maintenance to prevent these issues.

For 2025, the rumor is that Industry Nine—who recently acquired part of We Are One Components—will release an updated version of the Hydra, featuring improved seals, pawls, and bearings. However, the most significant update might be a new inner axle.

The current i9 axle is made of aluminum, which is great for weight savings but has terrible reliability. It is a well known issue of this hub that the axle can snap, especially if you ride a heavy bike and you don't keep the maintenance up to date, sooner or later, it'll happen. The updated version is supposed to feature a stainless steel axle, and this, along with the improved seals, should make it bombproof like some of its competitors.

For those who already have the Hydra and are concerned about the axle issue or have already experienced it, Pinner Machine Shop in Whistler sells a high-quality titanium axle that is worth every dollar and won’t let you down. If you are considering purchasing a new Hydra, it might be worth waiting until Sea Otter to see what new hot stuff Industry Nine has to offer.

What to expect from the 2025 Hydra?

  1. Improved overall reliability, this could supposed the addition of better seals and bearings.

    Reinforced inner axle made of stainless steel.

    Updated pawls and drive-ring.

    Sick colors

While this is all speculation, it's easy to identify the flaws of this hub and how it could be improved.