WE DIG
WE DON’T
ABOUT THE PROJECT 321 G3 HUBS
Project 321 say they are “Made In Canada. Born in the USA”. The Oregonian development and Ontario design and manufacturing is performed in the pursuit of precision-engineering products which enhance the rider experience. In the case of the G3 mountain bike hubs, they sought rock-solid and instant engagement, giving it their M-Pulse drive system and a host of unique features.
M-PULSE TECHNOLOGY
Unlike traditional spring-actuated freehub mechanisms, Project 321’s M-Pulse system uses magnets to actuate the pawls. It eliminates the small springs that can be lost, damaged or misplaced during servicing, and is claimed to reduce drag in the process. Improved reliability, easier maintenance and faster rolling, sounds good, right?
A 72-tooth drive ring with oversized teeth is combined with eight magnetically-actuated pawls. These pawls work in pairs of two, resulting in 288 points of engagement (POE), which equates to a snappy 1.25° engagement angle.
6-LOCK TECHNOLOGY
The 6-lock brake rotor mounting design offers a unique solution to adapt between a centerlock and 6-bolt brake disc. 6-Lock mounts a 6-bolt rotor with a stainless steel thread plate and alloy carrier, giving 6-bolt conversion without the need for a lock ring. 6-Lock pinches to the centerlock teeth and is a step forward in centerlock adapter tech. And a standard centerlock rotor can be mounted with a lock ring, if desired.
AXLES, BEARINGS AND SEALS
Anodized 7075 aluminum axles feature two double-row bearings at high stress points, adjusted with a finely threaded preload adjustment with a locking nut. Around the drive ring is a new two-piece seal system, upgraded from the G2 to keep out fine dust better than most. As a result, the oil inside remained nice and clean throughout testing.
HUB SHELLS
Project 321 machines their hub shells from tough 7075 aluminum, giving dependable strength. The tall hub flanges produce a stiffer wheel system in torsion with less weight. The flanges are angled, giving the spokes a straighter path to the rim, and the flange sizes are optimized to balance spoke tension.
COMPATIBILITY AND COLORS
Project 321 offers the G3 hubs in both 28 and 32-hole options. The front hub is made in 100x12mm, 100x15mm, 110x15mm, 110x20mm, and Lefty 2.0 size options. Torque caps are available for the 15mm hub variations. The rear G3 hub is available to fit 142x12mm, 148x12mm, and 157x12mm hub sizes. HG, XD, and MicroSpline freehubs are available to fit all major drivetrain standards.
The Project 321 G3 mountain bike hubs are offered in a choice of 12 anodized colors, with the shells, end caps, and 6-lock available to mix-and-match. Pricing begins at $210 for the front and $440 for the rear hubs, respectively.
THE DIRT
I’ve been lacing, maintaining and building every version of these hubs in the bike shop I have worked as a mechanic at for years now. I’ve seen Project 321’s hubs in all types of riding styles and conditions in this time, and I was impressed with them before I put my dirty, grease-stained mitts all over their smooth, luscious cylindrical bodies…Ahem…
Project321 was founded here in Bend, OR, and is an excellent example of why rider-owned and designed companies are worth supporting. The G3 is the third iteration of their hubs, offering a stronger, better sealed, and more reliable system than the G2. With each iteration, the designer has pulled the hubs apart after some serious miles, carefully examining them for signs of wear to determine how the next design could be superior to the last. As for me, I was excited to finally get these on my trusty steed and see how they perform, and they didn’t let me down.
First off, the hubs they sent were purple with neon yellow caps, and they featured a badass Loam Wolf logo etched right into the hub shell. They came laced up to some recycled carbon Forge & Bond Pickleball Paddle rims. I couldn’t wait to hit the courts with these things. Needless to say, I was much more excited about the hubs than the failed carbon hoop company’s rims they were laced to, even if those rims were damn good.
Mounting the Project 321 G3 hub-equipped wheels to my bike, I decided to use their 6-Lock adapter to see firsthand how well it would hold up. All my centerlock wheels constantly need to be re-tightened, which has become tiresome. I was pleasantly surprised that the rotors remained nice and tight over months of riding these wheels into oblivion. A word of caution: I have ham-fistedly snapped a proprietary T25 Torx bolt when tightening the rotor. The torque spec is really low at just 3.5 Nm, so proceed with care.
The ratchet system held strong through full power tech climbs and never slipped, avoiding so much as a single noise during testing. Opening up the driver after months of abuse, the oil looked good, with no fine grit or sand to be seen. I happily pressed the driver back in after this check and went on my way. The bearings still felt smooth and required no adjustment of the preload. I have adjusted my good friend’s, The Hempdogg, Project 321 hubs once or twice on his well-ridden DH race rig over the years, so I’m aware that it is extremely easy to do. I’m happy a company is still offering an adjustment that clamps down and is not just relying on the thru axle design of the frame manufacturer.
As for the bearings themselves, I’ve had great luck on mine so far, with no signs of giving up yet. I have serviced and replaced a handful of them on other riders’ bikes – the usual suspect is the small bearing on the outside of the driver, since there’s such little wiggle room for sizing up a bearing.
I’ve since then swapped these wheels over to my old trusty non-EEB enduro while I review a different set of wheels that don’t have hubs remotely as reliable as these Project321 G3’s. I’ve been loving the quick pick-up of the Project 321 hubs for the tech climbs on the enduro bike, too, and they’ll remain on it until I can get them back onto the greater-ridden eBike.
The Wolf’s Last Word
The Project321 G3 hubs are some top contenders in the hub world. They stay sealed in extremely nasty conditions, support the spectrum of riding styles, and rarely need to be serviced. Using magnets for actuation feels so futuristic, I’m guessing P321 hit 88 MPH in their DMC DeLorean to come up with this design. Either way, I don’t know if I can say enough good things about these hubs. Go buy them, they’re one of the best on the market. 
Price: $210 – $700
Website: Project321.com