Biking, biking, biking and never having to worry about the gears. At Eurobike 2022, 3X3 will be presenting what sounds like every carefree biker's dream. The nine gears of the new 3X3 NINE hub gear system offer a gear range of 554 %. This is made possible by a planetary gear inside the hub. The gear steps are 23.76 %. Shifting under load and when stationary should also be possible with the NINE. 3X3 claims an efficiency of 98 %. "At least! We Swabians take it very seriously!" adds one of the engineers at the Eurobike stand.
Unlike many competitors, the gearbox is not lubricated with oil, but with grease. This eliminates the need to change the oil. The sealed system prevents dirt from getting into the gearbox and the calibration of the gears should not require any attention for the life of the bike. The result: a maintenance-free gear hub. On the test benches of the 3X3 developers, the new NINE has already run 50,000 kilometres without any problems. The environment also benefits from the elimination of oil changes and the maximised reduction in wear.
Stable enough for 250 Nm torque
The new hub gear "Made in Germany" is said to be able to handle up to 250 Nm of input torque, making it compatible with the most powerful e-bike motors. Speaking of e-bikes: with the 3X3 E-Shift system, the two-kilo hub can be controlled electronically. The system draws its energy from the e-bike's main battery. For the time being, this control is reserved for e-bikes with Bosch motors. Compatibility of the E-Shift system with other motor manufacturers and non-motorised bikes is being planned. Alternatively, the 3X3 NINE can also be controlled purely mechanically via two shift cables in the twist-shift system.
Compatible with thru axles, quick-releases, belts and chains
The NINE is compatible with the most common rear triangle standards. The hub is not only suitable for classic 135 millimetre quick-releases, but also allows thru-axles measuring 12 x 142 and 12 x 148 millimetres (Boost). It accepts brake discs between 160 and 220 millimetres in diameter and can be driven by either a chain or a Gates Carbon Drive belt. There is a choice of 32 or 36-hole versions.
Industry expertise for OEM customers
Behind 3X3 is H+B Hightech GmbH, a supplier to the automotive industry. Thanks to the possibility of in-house metal 3D printing, the development time for the hub was reduced to two years. Production takes place with a high degree of automation at Industry 4.0 level in Adelmannsfelden near Stuttgart in Baden-Württemberg. The aim is to ensure high quality. Up to 250,000 hubs per year could be built on the assembly line in Swabia. However, direct sales to end customers are not planned. This means that the hub cannot be retrofitted, but is to be installed as an OEM part by bike manufacturers directly in complete bikes. In this way, the integration of the required torque support into the dropout of the frame can also be realised inconspicuously.
Available in the first complete bikes in 2023
For 2023, 3X3 is launching a limited edition of the hub gear and plans to scale up the number of units each year. Next year, the 3X3 NINE will be the first to be available in the Nicolai Argon GX Slide gravel bike. In terms of price, 3X3 wants to position itself more favourably than the classic hub gear system from Rohloff.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
