Most e*thirteen rear hubs provide exceptional levels of customization, with cross-compatibility of steel and alloy axles, all major freehub standards, and 3-Pawl/6° or 4-Pawl/3° freehubs.
Rear hub engagement refers to how quickly your bike's rear wheel starts moving when you pedal the cranks. It's calculated by dividing 360 degrees by the number of engagement points (POE) a hub has. For example, if a hub has 60 points of engagement, it has an engagement angle of 6 degrees.
Hubs with rapid engagement have a low engagement angle. These are often preferred for quick response, especially useful for technical climbing or situations requiring frequent gear changes. However, while rapid engagement can be efficient, it can impact suspension performance and pedal kickback which makes it less optimal for longer travel bikes.
High POE hubs, can be less durable under heavy strain, such as with powerful e-bikes. They also tend to increase pedal kickback - the sensation of the pedals jerking back under rapid suspension movement, like when riding over rough terrain. This is particularly noticeable on bikes with longer suspension travel, and negatively affects suspension performance and predictability.
In essence, there's no one-size-fits-all for hub engagement for off-road bikes. Different riding styles and terrains may benefit from different types of hub engagement.
3-Pawl / 6°
Grappler DH, Grappler Enduro, Grappler e*spec Enduro, and Sylvan e*spec Wheels intended for gravity disciplines or e-MTB use, come equipped with 3-Pawl drivers (or freehubs), in which all 3 Pawls engage simultaneously. This provides 60 POE or a relatively low 6° engagement and high levels of reliability in high torque and heavy impact environments. It also minimizes pedal kickback which is more pronounced in bikes over 150mm travel, especially during high-speed descents on rough terrain.
4-Pawl / 3°
Optimus Trail, Sylvan All Mountain, and Piedmont Gravel Wheels utilize a 4-pawl driver, in which the pawls are clocked to engage two at a time. This doubles the POE, to 120 points of engagement with the same robust 60T ratchet ring, or 3° engagement. In All Mountain, Trail, and Gravel applications, this provides efficiency in technical climbing situations. With shorter travel bikes, pedal kickback is a less common problem, allowing a greater focus on efficiency.