Anyone Try SRAM 1X System?

[Hawker]

Just stumbled on an article about the new SRAM 1X system which is essentially one smaller chainring and a super wide rear cassette. No front derailleur is used and the chainring is 42 or 44 and the rear cog something like 11-36 or 10-42.

Not meant for road racing but possibly for crits? More for around town or light touring. Looks like it comes in Rival and Force. It's not meant to replace double chainrings but might be interesting for those who want to simplify and aren't super picky about being in the optimum gear. Might be interesting to try in certain circumstances.

http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/components/first-look-sram-force1-and-rival1-drivetrains

[Vinci]

I replaced my 50/34 rings and front derailleur with a 50T X-Sync ring a few weeks back. I only ever used the big ring in Florida anyhow, so I am not missing the extra equipment.

Be warned, those rings are NOT light. That 50T weighed as much as the SET of 50/34 rings it replaced...

[eBAUMANN]

Been using sram 1x for cx/gravel for the past 4 years, past 3 years with wolf tooth narrow wide rings.

I would never put it on a "road" bike but its the only drivetrain ill ever put on a cx or "gravel" rig.

[Mark McM]

Not meant for road racing but possibly for crits? More for around town or light touring. Looks like it comes in Rival and Force. It's not meant to replace double chainrings but might be interesting for those who want to simplify and aren't super picky about being in the optimum gear. Might be interesting to try in certain circumstances.

I don't think its for criteriums. You only need a single chainring for criteriums, but you don't need a wide range cassette - something on the order of a 11-21 or 12-23 is all you need for crits.

I think these wide range single ring drivetrains are really aimed at gravel grinders and adventure bikes - places where you want a simplified and robust drivetrain, need a reasonably wide but not super wide gearing range, and on terrain that varies so frequently that you don't need (or want) small size jumps between gears.

[Lovic]

I run the WiFLi option on the left of this chart and love 2X10 for FL, the SE, and my bad knee.

I do think 1X configured to your local terrain right can be a great option and something I look to try soon. Maybe not the best race day setup, but certainly an applicable range for most riders.

For what its worth, my girl runs 40 X 11-36 on her around town CX bike with comfy townie bars and thinks it provides great range.

[Hawker]

I replaced my 50/34 rings and front derailleur with a 50T X-Sync ring a few weeks back. I only ever used the big ring in Florida anyhow, so I am not missing the extra equipment.

Be warned, those rings are NOT light. That 50T weighed as much as the SET of 50/34 rings it replaced...

Huh...heavier? That's not good.

[Hawker]

I don't think its for criteriums. You only need a single chainring for criteriums, but you don't need a wide range cassette - something on the order of a 11-21 or 12-23 is all you need for crits.

I think these wide range single ring drivetrains are really aimed at gravel grinders and adventure bikes - places where you want a simplified and robust drivetrain, need a reasonably wide but not super wide gearing range, and on terrain that varies so frequently that you don't need (or want) small size jumps between gears.

I think the crit racer that is quoted in the article was using a 52 with an 11-26. However, he had to use a different bike for training, especially if he wanted to spin.

[gospastic]

I had it on a crit bike and raced it a few times this past season, it worked well enough. 52t up front and 11-25 in the back. A 1x clutch RD wasn't really necessary in the back.

[Vinci]

Huh...heavier? That's not good.
That 50T ring was right around 150g and the 50/34 rings it replaced were around 146g. I used slightly lighter bolts when I put the X-Sync on, so that made up the difference and they were a wash.

Bear in mind that you do still save the weight from the front derailleur and cabling. In my case, I think that was around 100g, coming from a Rival front derailleur and Gore cable/housing.

[enr1co]

Trying it out on this CX, light off road bike just built.

Really like the simplicity of the 1 x setup - super convenient to cover all terrain and grades with your right hand! The Red hydro shifters with the Force CX mech shifting is crisp and fast.

Not in it for any weight savings as the Shimano XT 11-42 cassette by itself is over a 1lb. Could have saved a few grams with a lighter SRAM cassette but didn't want to shell out ~ $100-150 more for one nor did I want the additional expense and sourcing involved with x-drive conversion to rear hub. The Shimano XT 11-42 or XTR 11-40 fit directly on a std 11 spd hub.

http://imagehost.vendio.com/a/3577307/view/IMG_8149.JPG

[stien]

We have matching his&hers Trek Farley 8s with Sram 1X and love it. All you need for MTB/snow/sand. 11 speed 10-42 cassette!

[chiasticon]

Be warned, those rings are NOT light. That 50T weighed as much as the SET of 50/34 rings it replaced...why would the 50t x-sync be heavier? also sram says the 42t ringt is 75 grams. are you sure you weighed the 50t at 150 grams? did you possibly have some legit weight weenie rings on before or something?

i have confuse...

[crashnburn]

I've converted 2 of my cx bikes to 1x as I don't shift the front chainrings as much.

Was initially using a 38T then moved to 42T after a few rides figuring it was too small.

But as they say, its is fairly flat in Illinois.

[eBAUMANN]

I think its worth mentioning that the above drive train is an EXTREME example of what 1x can do, and complete overkill for most.

Ive found that a 40t front and 11-32t cassette can get you up and down just about anything in NE (except mt washington).

Bottom line - know what kind of terrain you are dealing with and gear accordingly, you really dont need as many gears as you think you do...

[enr1co]

why would the 50t x-sync be heavier? also sram says the 42t ringt is 75 grams. are you sure you weighed the 50t at 150 grams? did you possibly have some legit weight weenie rings on before or something?

i have confuse...

My 38T ring and other pieces are in close alignment w/ the weights in this article. The 46T is claimed to run 98 grams so perhaps by 50T size, SRAM had to bulk it up more to ensure rigidity?

http://www.bikerumor.com/2014/10/17/unboxed-weighed-installed-sram-force-cx1-cyclocross-group-hydraulic-disc-brakes/

[ptourkin]

Sven Nys is running Shimano 1X by grinding the teeth off an outer ring and using a prototype 44 inner:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/11/video/video-trick-cross-tech-spotted-in-the-pits_388587

[mtb_frk]

I built up my cross bike this year using the SRAM 10 speed hydraulic shifters, a X9 type 2.1 rear der and 42 front, 11-36 I think rear. It all seems to work quite well and it hasn't felt lacking in the few cross races I have tried it in so far.

[matt_od]

I spent the month of September touring from Vancouver, BC back home to San Francisco, CA and did it on a Niner RLT-9 Steel featuring a SRAM 1x.