Hydra has landed!

Nice! Glad to hear it wasn't too tricky to put in. You can follow this Park Tools guide to make sure your're all good - they limit screws & indexing should be good if you were able to swap the cage with the derailleur on the bike (wheel & chain off, cable still attached), otherwise you'll have to go through the whole setup. Looks like you'll be able to get the guide pulley way closer to the 11T now, you've got a pretty big gap there.

I fiddled around with my M8000 a little bit and removed the EX1 from my bike. I'll be honest the SRAM piece looks more 'technologically advanced' or 'modern' with it's little cable pulley & guide and adjustment screw placement - a little more streamlined behind the hanger - but the Shimano is lighter, a little slimmer overall, and is definitely more elgant. I haven't ridden Shimano components in around 10 years and before it wasn't higher-end stuff like the XT. While I like that the SRAM has a lock button that you can use to lock the cage forward for easier wheel removal or chain removal, the Shimano has an adjustable/serviceable clutch that becomes so crazy stiff when you flip the switch to 'on'

I'll be honest, I mostly got the pulleys because they look cool, I had to stop myself from also getting their stem cap too because I already bought a different one lol. The M8000 has two 11T pulleys and only the lower one on the Garbaruk set is larger (16T) so I believe the only benefit (other than looking sweet and shaving some grams from my wallet) is a little smoother shifting from giving the derailleur a little more leverage & clearance. It's probably placebo though. "I spent money on it so it has make me less bad at this"

FWIW the SRAM EX1 does use larger pulleys (12T + 14T) and they state these help with shifting over a wider range. I use this as evidence to justify my bad spending habit
 
loamoaf said:
Nice! Glad to hear it wasn't too tricky to put in. You can follow this Park Tools guide to make sure your're all good - they limit screws & indexing should be good if you were able to swap the cage with the derailleur on the bike (wheel & chain off, cable still attached), otherwise you'll have to go through the whole setup. Looks like you'll be able to get the guide pulley way closer to the 11T now, you've got a pretty big gap there.

I fiddled around with my M8000 a little bit and removed the EX1 from my bike. I'll be honest the SRAM piece looks more 'technologically advanced' or 'modern' with it's little cable pulley & guide and adjustment screw placement - a little more streamlined behind the hanger - but the Shimano is lighter, a little slimmer overall, and is definitely more elgant. I haven't ridden Shimano components in around 10 years and before it wasn't higher-end stuff like the XT. While I like that the SRAM has a lock button that you can use to lock the cage forward for easier wheel removal or chain removal, the Shimano has an adjustable/serviceable clutch that becomes so crazy stiff when you flip the switch to 'on'

I'll be honest, I mostly got the pulleys because they look cool, I had to stop myself from also getting their stem cap too because I already bought a different one lol. The M8000 has two 11T pulleys and only the lower one on the Garbaruk set is larger (16T) so I believe the only benefit (other than looking sweet and shaving some grams from my wallet) is a little smoother shifting from giving the derailleur a little more leverage & clearance. It's probably placebo though. "I spent money on it so it has make me less bad at this"

FWIW the SRAM EX1 does use larger pulleys (12T + 14T) and they state these help with shifting over a wider range. I use this as evidence to justify my bad spending habit
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll read up on the guide tomorrow (today? It's late)! I was going to swap it without removing the cable, but I had to pull the clutch housing cover and clutch in order to get to the main bolt that holds on the derailleur cage. It was just too finicky to handle without being able to set it on a bench.

I might order a set of those pulleys if the cage works out well but I'm trying to restrain myself lol... I am already thinking about buying a better front fork and selling off this one after swapping it. I bought a custom stem cap from a local company and it didn't fit... annoyingly. The Protaper one on my bike has an entirely different taper geometry, and weirdly I can't find any information whatsoever about it on the internet because it seems like the main business that Protaper is in is motorcycle parts.
 
kwseattle said:
Don't think I'll be riding today... 😅

komonews.com

Strong winds, heavy rain brings on river, urban flooding throughout Western Washington

SEATTLE - Strong winds after several days of steady rain are not a good combination. Parts of Whatcom County got soaked by 6 inches of rain. Seattle has received nearly 4 inches in the past four days. And now, as winds gust 40-50 mph combined with our saturated soil, tree damage, power outages...
komonews.com komonews.com
Click to expand...
Same here on Vancouver Island.
 
This is when you take an old bed sheet and some paracord and make a sail! Think of the extended range! If you get blown away I'll keep your Hydra warm and safe for your return

The up-side is tomorrow & wednesday are supposed to be no rain and even a little sun, so I'm taking a couple days off to go play outside, I got cabin fever!
 
kwseattle said:
Mounted up the Garbaruk derailleur cage... not too bad, but since it was the first time I've ever taken apart a derailleur it took quite a while. This derailleur cage is pretty thin and light, I'm a little nervous it'll get bent at some point but I've never had it happen before so...

I bought some reusable KMC master links so I can swap it out so I'm not reusing a potentially compromised Shimano one. This video covers a very similar derailleur model:

I've not yet gotten to test ride it, but I think I still need to adjust the shifter cable tension a bit. I'm not sure what the benefit of a larger tension pulley is (the ones Garbaruk sells), so I didn't buy one. Excited to see how it helps!

View attachment 106966
Click to expand...
I have an M8100 derailleur coming this week so we can compare notes.

A month of rain has left our ground saturated. I'm waiting for it to freeze so I can ride off-road again!
 
@TDA78 sweet, I didn't learn of it's compatability with the MX000 shifters for 11spd until after I ordered the M8000 derailleur so I had to go all-in on the Garbaruk - I think if you can get a hold of it the M8100 derailleur is definitely the cheaper option. Doesn't look as cool though :p

I managed to snag an M9000 shifter for $100 new from Singapore where elsewhere that actually had them were wanting ~$180, shipping just takes a while. And if you'll believe it my Wolftooth chainring has been sitting at a FedEx location in town all weekend without going out for delivery today. Who expected that?

I can't wait for the snow in the mountains to pack down a little and freeze up, I studded one of my Snow Avalanches over the weekend but I'm waiting for my rims to come in so I can inflate the other before I install. Too much pain on the wrists and there's alot of studs in each tire, here's how many I have left to put in the 2nd tire. Pole Bikes actually sent me a free set of Huck Norris tire inserts with my 2XL's too so I think I'm gonna be set!
1637015054027.png
 
Here's an interesting angle I had not thought to check before... The chain is literally touching the chainstay in the highest gear (no weight on the suspension). See that angle there?

Edit: I think this is because of the lack of chain tension my derailleur is providing after swapping the cage. Working on this now.

20211115_154148.jpg


Here's an exaggerated drawing to try and illustrate that better:

20211115_154148_1.jpg
 
Last edited:
kwseattle said:
Here's an interesting angle I had not thought to check before... The chain is literally touching the chainstay in the highest gear (no weight on the suspension). See that angle there?

View attachment 106989

Here's an exaggerated drawing to try and illustrate that better:

View attachment 106992
Click to expand...
Mine is the same. I slapped some frame protector on that spot but it’s going to wear down. Can’t wait to see if a spacer and Garbaruk solve this.
 
Here you can see a couple different images of the chainring on the outside of thespider - one on a fatbike spider the other on a standard. There are people who put them inboard like yours is but those a rigid with different rear geometry. I wouldn't ride it without at least flopping the chainring to the outside to not risk the carbon.
1637021100323.png
1637021137480.png


Different frame geo running inboard. Almost looks too close to their tire to get into the taller cogs but maybre just the angle
1637021536453.png


Frey & Luna run a chainring with no guard outboard (fattie on theLuna)
1637022200941.png
1637022296181.png


Most people wind up with a Raceface or cheap Deckas narrow-wide chainring and don't run the guard - as long as you don't have baggy pants or floppy laces no risk - but if you ever resize Wolftooth also had different sized guards as well. If this is a new issue that previous customers haven't encountered I'd try to search for other Hydra owners who've posted bike pics on here
 
I can't yet, I'm waiting for spacers in the mail. (Or, more accurately, I can't mount the guard in the outboard position without spacers)

So a small update, I decided since it stopped raining that I'd run out and test out my new light as well as the modifications I made over the weekend. The throttle upgrade with the Honeywill SS49E hall effect sensor is MASSIVE and it's actually usable now. Small inputs = small power outputs.

EDIT: IGNORE THIS NEXT PART. I did a dumb and skipped this part of the video on accident. Just fixed.

With the derailleur, something I did didn't turn out correctly and it slackens chain tension after a few cranks of the pedals. I was riding in the dark so I couldn't see what was going on, but I am wondering if there was supposed to be a rotational preload on the spring that rotates the derailleur cage? The guide I watched didn't mention it. Any input?
 
Last edited:
After fixing my mistake, a Garbaruk derailleur cage test run review:

Derailleur needs some slight adjustments to lock into every gear correctly but the big thing is that it STILL SKIPS in the highest gear, although less severely than before. I'm hoping spacing the chain ring to reduce the chain cross will improve it even more.
 
@kwseattle where did you find out about the hall sensor mod?? I've been [lazily] hunting around for a solution for a slimmer, smoother throttle and designing/printing one out isn't an issue, but it wouldn't be worth the effort if the response from the sensor wasn't nice and smooth like the X1 torque sensing. Whole point of the throttle for me is use at lower speeds over tough obstacles so that sounds perfect for me. Probably cost $15 to print, $4 bearing, $2 in magnets, $1 spring, that hall sensor, and a 3-spin higo wire. I can make the thumb pad nice and textured with a soft TPU pad so the few times I use it it'll feel pretty swanky.

You should be able to flip the position of the chain guard & chainring on the spider without needing spacers and at least get a little better chainline. For all the wind we were supposed to have it was pretty clear and still where I'm at until later in the evening - even then not bad.
 
kwseattle said:
After fixing my mistake, a Garbaruk derailleur cage test run review:

Derailleur needs some slight adjustments to lock into every gear correctly but the big thing is that it STILL SKIPS in the highest gear, although less severely than before. I'm hoping spacing the chain ring to reduce the chain cross will improve it even more.
Click to expand...
Disappointing, but valuable information @kwseattle , thanks. Chainring and chainline adjustment next. I will try that while waiting for the Garbaruk cage.
 
It's using the 108x throttle which is supposed to be compatible with Bafang's throttle. I ordered this version from eBay which looks like it has the right connector type and length for the Hydra but won't be able to confirm till it arrives probably around Dec 15. https://www.ebay.com/itm/403292728217
 
mmcarm said:
It's using the 108x throttle which is supposed to be compatible with Bafang's throttle. I ordered this version from eBay which looks like it has the right connector type and length for the Hydra but won't be able to confirm till it arrives probably around Dec 15. https://www.ebay.com/itm/403292728217
Click to expand...
I like it but don’t fully understand it. Is that the dropper on the top in the second pic, next to the display?
 
loamoaf said:
@kwseattle where did you find out about the hall sensor mod?? I've been [lazily] hunting around for a solution for a slimmer, smoother throttle and designing/printing one out isn't an issue, but it wouldn't be worth the effort if the response from the sensor wasn't nice and smooth like the X1 torque sensing. Whole point of the throttle for me is use at lower speeds over tough obstacles so that sounds perfect for me. Probably cost $15 to print, $4 bearing, $2 in magnets, $1 spring, that hall sensor, and a 3-spin higo wire. I can make the thumb pad nice and textured with a soft TPU pad so the few times I use it it'll feel pretty swanky.

You should be able to flip the position of the chain guard & chainring on the spider without needing spacers and at least get a little better chainline. For all the wind we were supposed to have it was pretty clear and still where I'm at until later in the evening - even then not bad.
Click to expand...
@Jayaznpride did the mod in his Hydra thread, I ordered the same sensor and wired it up as he showed. I reused the little breakout board that the original sensor came on just to mount the sensor to, but I unintentionally destroyed the traces on the board so I couldn't reuse the original wiring.

I actually noticed last night that my spacers arrived EARLY (thanks USPS), so I'll install them after my first class today and test it out this afternoon!
 
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