Industry Nine’s new Grade 300 wheels get hollow bead rims with a triple cavity rim design
Targeting downhill, bike park and long-travel e-bike riders, the Hydra Grade 300 V2 features Industry Nine’s hollow bead design. Traditional hook-shaped rims create a pinch flat risk with the narrow bead pressure points and to combat that, Industry Nine’s solution is the triple cavity shape of its Hydra Grade 300 V2 rims, which is more similar in profile, proportions and shape to a carbon rim than legacy alloy designs.
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The triple cavity rim design is said to create a broader rim bead surface to dissipate energy during terrain impacts and lessen the risk of a rim pressure point pinch flatting your tyre. Industry Nine’s testing recorded the Hydra Grade 300 V2 being 65 per cent less likely to create a pinch flat than the brand’s previous alloy rim designs.
Beyond its benefits regarding tyre health when charging off big drops or rushing through technical rock gardens, the Hydra Grade 300 V2’s triple cavity rim bead also brings structural strength advantages, claims the brand. Benchmarked to Industry Nine’s product data, this is the most robust alloy rim the American company has made.
Available in both 27.5 and 29” sizes, the Hydra Grade 300 V2 wheelsets have an internal diameter of 30mm and recommended tyre sizes are 2.3- to 2.6” in width. Whether you’re a downhill racer who prefers the rolling speed of 2.4” wide tyres or an e-bike rider who wants the additional air volume and rolling comfort of larger 2.6” casings, the Hydra Grade 300 V2’s rim structure is shaped to seat big tyres with confidence.
A 32-hole spoke pattern laces these new alloy rims to Industry Nine’s renowned Hydra hubs, with their rapid 0.52° engagement, which deliver excellent responses to rider inputs under demanding conditions, like technical climbs. With 11 available hub colours, matching these Hydra Grade 300 V2 wheels to your bike build won’t be an issue.
Wheelset weights for these new Industry Nine alloy builds are 1990g for the 27.5”, 2040g for an MX set-up and 2040g for the 29” Hydra Grade 300 V2 wheelset. Recommended retail pricing for these new Industry Nine alloy wheels starts at £1,480.