A Revolution in Ride Dynamics
Sidekick Hubs & Wheels
"Revolution, Not Evolution"
– Fabien Barel (Canyon CLLTV)
What is Sidekick?
The Sidekick Hub by e*thirteen is a revolutionary rear mountain bike hub designed to enhance suspension performance by eliminating pedal kickback and filtering chain vibration.
How does Sidekick Work?
A proprietary freehub mechanism disengages the drivetrain from the rear wheel when coasting, and an adjustable engagement deadband filters kickback and chain vibration before it reaches the pedals, isolating all pedal feedback from the suspension.
What is Pedal Kickback?
Pedal kickback occurs when suspension movement applies tension to the chain, causing unwanted pedal movement and compromising suspension performance.
- The Sidekick Edge -
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Unseen Suspension Saboteur
There is a misconception that the effects of pedal kickback are something always perceptible to the rider. Pedal kickback and its knock-on effects dramatically degrade suspension performance even when riders don’t feel it happening. Sidekick is the first and only solution that isolates the drivetrain from suspension while freewheeling. This eliminates pedal kickback in nearly all riding situations, silences chain and freewheel clatter, and provides a whisper-quiet freehub ratchet.
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The Superior Suspension Solution
Other crank spider-based solutions attempt to eliminate pedal kickback but do not disconnect the drivetrain from the frame suspension. In fact, while helpful in damping pedal kickback forces, with this type of solution, kickback, and chain vibration must happen for the device to function. Sidekick is a superior technology because it eliminates these forces by disconnecting the drivetrain from suspension movement.
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Engagement Overload
While faster engagement might be marketed as an advantage, it doesn’t improve suspension performance. For instance, while coasting at 15 mph (25 kph) a hub with 1-degree engagement can engage over 1000 times per second, leading to significant pedal kickback and poor suspension performance. A hub with 18-degree engagement in the same scenario can engage over 60 times per second, also resulting in a high likelihood of pedal kickback.
What can you expect?
Improved Suspension Performance and Traction
With pedal kickback and chain vibration isolated from the suspension, your bike and rear shock act as they were designed, smooth and predictable in any terrain, at any speed, even during heavy braking. Efficient and predictable suspension means better traction and more control, providing confidence to push harder and ride faster! Sidekick is equally at home on long-travel Enduro and DH bikes, shorter-travel Trail or All-Mountain bikes, and Class 1 e-bikes.
Free Speed
Freehub pawls are disengaged during coasting minimizing drag. With your suspension working more efficiently and the lack of drag from the freehub pawls, there is a noticeable increase in how speed is carried through both smooth and rough terrain.
More Comfort & Less Fatigue
As your bike works more efficiently to absorb bumps and impacts, your legs and body work less, control and comfort increase, and fatigue is reduced. This means longer, more enjoyable rides, the confidence to push hard on the longest tracks, and improved body positioning.
Reduced Vibration and Chain Slap
With chain tension filtered within the Sidekick freehub’s deadband, expect less vibration to be transferred to your feet, meaning a quieter, more comfortable ride.
Near Silent Operation
With the freehub pawls disengaged from the drivetrain during coasting and chain slap nearly eliminated, Sidekick wheels are whisper-quiet, providing a more immersive riding experience, where the only sounds you hear are your tires on the trail.
Adjustable Deadband
The adjustable pawl-pusher allows the deadband in Sidekick hubs to be easily tuned between 12°, 15°, and 18°, for customization to personal preference, bike kinematics, and the terrain you’re taking on.
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Reduced Fatigue
Grappler Flux wheels significantly reduce vibration and harshness transmitted to the rider, ensuring better control at high speeds and reducing rider fatigue. Sustain higher speeds for longer runs, navigate with precision at the edge of control, and finish rides with energy to spare.
Enhanced Traction
The rim and tire work in unison to improve grip on the trail, increasing control and affording the confidence to push in technical terrain. With the enhanced traction from Flux compliant rims, the suspension setup can be optimized for speed and enjoyment.
Reduced Tire Deflection - Improved Tracking
With perpendicular compliance optimized, Grappler Flux wheels reduce tire deflection and track precisely through even the roughest sections of trail, without the annoying tire-roll-over feel of some compliant rim designs on the market.
Guaranteed Durability
Grappler Flux rims share the same legendary strength that has made LG1 and Grappler Race wheels famous on the World Cup DH and Enduro stages as the only wheels that perform stop after stop, throughout the season. We stand behind them with a lifetime warranty on carbon hoops and a 5-year crash replacement policy on alloy.
Hassle-Free Setup and Service
Our innovative captive thread endcap means end-caps conveniently thread on and off by hand without creating the preload on bearings and allowing tool-free service. Grappler Flux Wheels come with e*thirteen tubeless tape, and Quick Fill Tubeless Valves installed. They’re fully compatible with all popular tire inserts, providing additional protection and peace of mind.
Sidekick Flux Wheels
More than a component, it's a revolution in ride dynamics!
What is Flux?
Inspired by the legendary strength and durability of our LG1 Race rims, our riders called for discipline-specific DH and Enduro rims that pair our historic resilience with a more forgiving and compliant ride. The Grappler Flux Rim is our response: a masterpiece of engineering designed to deliver the robustness racers trust, with enhanced ride quality for peak performance and comfort.
How are Flux rims different?
Grappler Flux rims are a fusion of unique low-profile rim sections materialized in high-modulus carbon fiber or 6069-AL, meticulously engineered for the ultimate balance of strength and compliant, controlled ride feel. These innovative rims redefine performance in mountain biking, offering a new dimension of durability, ride quality, and comfort.
Who is it for?
Tailored for the competitive racer and the passionate enthusiast alike, Grappler Flux rims are available in Enduro and DH variations. Grappler Sidekick Flux wheels come in all popular axle configurations and are suitable for class 1 e-bike use. They’re the ideal choice for riders who challenge the limits of speed and agility on fast, aggressive tracks and trails while desiring more comfort, reduced fatigue, and enhanced traction.
Sylvan Sidekick Wheels & Rims
Blending a light and dynamic ride feel with the robustness required for aggressive trail riding.
- Featuring our first-ever asymmetric rim design -
