Industry Nine XD Freehub Body: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

SRAM Eagle drivetrains have become the go-to for many riders and in order to run the higher-end cassettes, the XD driver is a must. Read on as our friend Eric tells about his experience changing out his freehub body on his i9 Torch hubs so he can run the newer style cassettes.

Intro:

I purchased the 1x Industry Nine XD Freehub Body for XX1 on 2013 and up Torch Hubs so that I could convert my I9 Enduro 305 wheels from a Shimano freehub body to the XD freehub body. I was upgrading from an 11-speed drivetrain to 12-speed SRAM Eagle and needed the XD freehub. Worldwide Cyclery shipped the item the same day that I ordered it and I had it within a few days. It arrived in perfect condition and was greased up and ready to be installed. It doesn't come with new end caps, but this part does include all of the pawls and springs. This makes the installation a breeze.

Installing:

Installation was pretty simple...I just popped off the endcap on the hub and slid the Shimano freehub body off, cleaned everything up and popped the XD freehub body on. Then just replace the endcap, which will hold the entire assembly together. The Eagle GX cassette mounted up to the new freehub with no issue and I threw the wheel back on my bike. It spins just like new with the same near-instant engagement that I9 wheels are known for. The instant engagement of these wheels is truly amazing. It really makes a massive difference when climbing on technical trails. There is no lag between your pedal stroke and when the hub engages and the wheels start spinning!

Final Thoughts:

If you are considering upgrading your I9 wheelset from 11-speed to 12-speed Eagle, then it is the part you will need. You won't need this if you are getting an NX eagle cassette, however....only GX and higher Eagle cassette's require the XD freehub. I honestly prefer the XD freehub design to the Shimano style. The cassette is easier to install onto the XD freehub and it is all one piece. You don't have to spend time lining up the grooves and sliding each piece of the cassette onto the freehub as you do with the Shimano style. Thank you Worldwide Cyclery for your easy order process and super fast & free shipping!