e*thirteen Sidekick Hub [Rider Review]

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Modern bikes today have amazing suspension kitamatics; however, some can have chain growth, causing pedal kickback. e*thirteen came out with the Sidekick to help eliminate the kick. See what one of our customers think about the hub!

Overview

I’ve been running the e*thirteen Sidekick hub for 6 months now, and it’s honestly one of the more interesting upgrades I’ve tried on a downhill/shuttle bike. I wasn’t really looking to solve pedal kickback in the first place, as it’s just something you kind of live with or don’t pay attention to. But the Sidekick caught my attention because it does that without adding extra parts or weird pulleys, and after riding it, I can say it actually changes how the bike feels in a good way.

The basic idea is that the hub has a built-in deadband, which means when your suspension compresses and the chain gets tugged, the hub isn’t engaged right away. Instead, it gives the suspension a little “float” before the drivetrain locks in. Out on the trail, what that translates to is less of that harsh tug at your feet when you’re bombing through braking bumps or hitting a rock garden at speed. On a shuttle day, when you’re doing lap after lap, it’s noticeable how much less beat up your legs feel because your feet aren’t getting yanked around by the bike.

For downhill specifically, it just makes sense. I’m not pedaling much mid-run. I’m mostly trying to hold lines, stay off the brakes, and let the suspension do its thing. That’s exactly when pedal kickback is most annoying, and that’s exactly what the Sidekick helps with. My bike feels like it tracks straighter through chatter, and I’m not bouncing off my pedals as much. Landings feel smoother too, like the cranks aren’t trying to spin underneath me. It’s a subtle change at first, but once you notice it, you don’t really want to go back.

I haven’t tried an OChain personally, but I’ve looked into them, and what I like about the Sidekick is that it’s all contained in the hub. No extra linkages, no extra moving parts bolted to your crankset. That means less stuff to maintain, and for me, that’s a big plus. I don’t mind rebuilding a hub now and then, but I’d rather not add another component that can wear out or start creaking. The Sidekick is definitely a bit more complex than a regular hub, but it’s still just one thing to look after instead of stacking on more parts.

It’s not perfect, though. There’s definitely a tiny delay before engagement when you start pedaling, and it can catch you off guard on tight uphill moves or technical climbs. On a downhill bike, that doesn’t matter much, but if you were trying to run this on an enduro bike and do a lot of pedaling, you’d probably notice it more. It’s also a little heavier than a regular hub, and the price isn’t cheap. Those tradeoffs are real, but for me, they’re worth it in the context of a DH rig.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Sidekick hub feels like a clever, low-maintenance way to tame pedal kickback and free up your suspension. On big shuttle days, it makes the bike feel smoother and more planted, and I don’t feel as beat up after a long day. It’s not something every rider needs, but if you’re into DH riding and want a bike that feels calmer and more controlled through rough sections, this hub really delivers.