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Sram's New XX1 Group

72K views 476 replies 143 participants last post by  Epic_Dude 
#1 · (Edited)
What is everyones response to the new XX1 Group and idea of 1X11 as a whole?

At first I did the ol eye roll too :rolleyes: .. but after punching some of the gearings into my calculator I began to think it might be something Im looking forward to...

I pretty much ride exclusively 29ers these days, and for me the 10X42 cassette might work perfect with a 28/30 tooth single up front. I currently run 26 low and 36 high with a 11/36 cassette and rarely use my top end...

I wouldn't mind sacrificing a little tiny bit of top end to keep the extra weight off, extra shifting out and simplicity of a 1x11 ;)
 
#315 ·
Hmm. From the looks of it the hub body is the same with a different free hub and splines.

I wonder if you can simply switch out the free hubs?

I was thinking about this last night riding a 29er with i9 wheels and hoping I can do this with that rear.

I don't want to build new wheels I just want the gears.
 

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#316 ·
I know for sure that the Sram and DT swiss hubs have free hubs that just change out on existing hubs.

I am going to buy one for my DT240 so i can run this as well.

I cant speak for Hope or i9 but depending on how they are built i believe they are all coming out with just an replacement free hub that will go on the hub you already have.
 
#324 ·
It is the same Hope hubshell. You just need to change the freewheel. 5 minutes work! I'm putting on a bike that wouldn't fit in this part of the forum ;) It's a 2011 Marin Mount Vision XM9 so a 26" bike. I will upload some pics in the Marin forum when my bike is ready (tonight or tomorrow).
 
#325 ·
Can't wait to get my XX1 groupset over here in Nepal. I got the delivery confirmation that it already got to my buddy who is bringing it over here to me in another 10 days. The freehub body is on the way too. I'm hooking it up to a DTSwiss 240s rear hub.

I got the 156q BB30 to use on a Chinese carbon hardtail. Pics will be forthcoming.
 
#329 ·
I've had 2 rides with my XX1 group. I am in love. I put on the 30t ring on the 29er and it does feel (as the math confirms) like a 26t granny/36t cog.

The real beauty is no guide, total silence!! The cass and chain are super quiet. It's all very well executed. I was quite surprised that i can backpedal in 1st gear without the chain walking down the cassette.

I haven't been on anything too chattery but the chain hasn't come off.

The shifting isn't quite XTR smooth, nor is the shifter quite as ergonomic, but it's better than my last 10sp X9 SRAM group. I'll gladly give up a fraction of a second delay in shifting for the massive gains in performance in all other aspects.

The derailleur is massive and I'll shed a tear the first time i clip a rock with it though.
 
#330 ·
Someone broke a chain on one of my past group rides. When we were ganging up to fix it ASAP, to get back to riding, that's when I wondered how much easier it would've been to put the chain back together with the Cage Lock feature, rather than gripping the chain tight and pulling each end together, while fighting the RD's tension. I think SRAM 1-up'd Shimano with that feature.

krispy brings up a good point. Not sure how a solid RD that only moves inboard and outboard is gonna cope with hits. The last time I clipped my RD, I ended up with a broken RD hanger, and since I didn't carry a spare hanger, that pretty much ended my ride. It happens. I went off a modest rock drop that went into a sharp right, and there was a rock on the inside of the turn. Didn't think I hit it and thought the force of landing the drop caused the break. Tried to go chainless on the way back and secured the RD and cable, but that didn't work too well since the hanger was part of the dropout. Might be a very good idea to carry spare hangers, as all the force goes into that, without much, if any, of the force being absorbed.
 
#331 ·
I too cant believe how quiet it is. I went down an incredibly rooty and rocky trail littered with drops and rock gardens and the only noise I heard was the sound of tires on the dirt. Zero chain issues!

I do agree down shifting isnt as smooth as xtr, but upshifts feel great to me!
 
#332 ·
as others mentioned..this might be enticing to most, but the cost alone is insane! I did some math on the gear calculator and the difference between most 2X10 systems isnt much at all..im currently running 2X9 but just changed over to 1X10, i have no intentions on running this setup until they come out with a more cost effective groupset. 400 dollars for a rear cog? that weighs more than my current setup? hard pressed.
 
#334 ·
The 11s cassette is lighter than an XTR 10 sp cass is. It is heavier than XX.


XX 1099 11-36 208g
XG 1080 11-36 239g
XX1 1199 10-42 260g
XTR 980 11-36 275g

Keep in mind the XD driver (XX1 freehub body) should be a few grams lighter too.


The lightest E 13 XCX guide is 56g., So the weight is right about the same ad 1x10 depending on your top guide, the weight of a spider and the ring you choose.

For me there's still no comparison since 1x10 is a pain in the ass (low back to be exact) to run year round in the Rockies. For me it's just to tall for cold winter rides, long days in the steeps etc so i end up switching back and forth. Done with that now!!

I'd imagine that the boys at SRAM are working on an X9 level group. I'd hope that they have both a 10t version and an 11t version that would fit on standard hubs so that mfg's can spec them on a wide variety of bikes for '14.

I'm not trying to defend SRAM, the stuff is ridiculously expensive, just trying to state the facts.
 
#335 ·
Mind you i am sporting a 1X9 as of right now, i also have a XTR rear cog which is 30 grams lighter than the claimed weight of the XX1, my front crank just has a 30t chainring, and a ethirteen bash, which is something i would use with the XX1, i also have ceramic ball bearings for the crank which were only 19 bucks each. Total weight of my entire setup will either be dead close if not less than the XX1. Even if i decide to go with 1X10, its not much heavier over my current setup. (as i can still use current crankset).

But as i stated earlier, to pay 400+ dollars, that cog better weigh much less over my current setup to even be worth mentioning. The rear deraileur is nice, but the price..overkill imo. Sram is taking advantage considering they are the only manufacturer to produce a 1X11. However like what i mentioned, check gearing ratios, its not something that over the top to where it justifies that price tag. I have the money to spend, but i cannot justify the chnge over jmho.

I recently purchased a xtr rear der and a 10 sp cog and a xt shifter. All of which will be added prior to next season depending on weather. But all i spent was 300 total..got alot on sale through jenson and amazon. Huge difference in cost in comparison to.
 
#337 ·
Jesse

I agree the prices are high and guess they will come down in time. Your system 1x9 or 1x10 may be close to the same weight as the XX1, but does not have the same gearing so it is not really apples to apples. To have the same gearing you would have to make your system a 2X adding more weight. I run a 1X9 on my local trails, but when heading to the mountains I put the 2X stuff back on which is a pain. I do have XO stuff and will more than likely will get XX1 when it wears out which is less than XX if you by in a group. If they make the rear cassette in a lessor grade I would get it.
 
#338 ·
I agree it would be nice if the price came wayyy down lol even if the cog went up 20 grams in weight for cost svings or whatever..the current price cant be justified.

I dont see the need to go back to 2X anything, especially when i convert over to 10 spd i currently have 32 and 30 tooth chainrings, which will cover a great del of riding for me in the springs and curt gowdy area. I even took my current 1X9 setup out to great falls mt and never felt the need for a 22t chainring. Maybe if i stop riding for a few months i can potentially see the need for a 2X system, but as of right now i dont touch it.

Im even debating stepping away from my 1X9 and going to a 10 spd as there really isnt much of a difference, i think from a ratio from 23.5 to 22?
 
#341 ·
I agree it would be nice if the price came wayyy down lol even if the cog went up 20 grams in weight for cost svings or whatever..the current price cant be justified.

I dont see the need to go back to 2X anything, especially when i convert over to 10 spd i currently have 32 and 30 tooth chainrings, which will cover a great del of riding for me in the springs and curt gowdy area. I even took my current 1X9 setup out to great falls mt and never felt the need for a 22t chainring. Maybe if i stop riding for a few months i can potentially see the need for a 2X system, but as of right now i dont touch it.
If you are happy with 1x9, I don't see why you would even look at XX1...

XX1 is a replacement for someone on 2x or 3x. If you convert from 2x or 3x to XX1 you can drop a fair amount of weight, have a more durable drive chain and at the same time lose very little gear range.

If you compare XX1 to XX, the price of XX1 is reasonable. The XX cassette is $395, but the XX crank set is $200 more. If you add in a FD and a second shifter you are looking at several hundred $ less for XX1. It is also lighter and should last longer.

I'm currently on 1x9 due to my front shifter breaking. I feel I'm missing a gear at both ends. Similar to krispy I'm getting lower back pains doing lots of climbs with 1x9 (e.g. last weekend did 22 miles / 4700 ft climbing). For me XX1 makes sense, even at the current price, so I plan on buying it early next year.
 
#340 ·
this is where i got mine for my XT 770 crankset, just removed all the hardware, slapped this ring on and my bashguard and i was good to go. setup is pretty damn light, others are using bling rings and so on, but you will have to purchase a new crank along with chain rings. This guy makes them so we can use our current cranks with very little modifications. here is the thread in regards to, i took pics of my particular setup at the end of the thread:

http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-components/30-tooth-104-bcd-485289-8.html#post9961020

I have been running a 1X9 with my stock 32T chainring, i added a 30t to put a little less strain on my legs when im on those 20mile rides or so. been on 37% grades with this setup and havent had any issues. this can also be run with 10spd setups no probs. so if i do decide to run my 10 speed setup when it comes in, i can. I am still debating though, i might call and cancel my orders considering the ratio differences..very small in comparison to.
 
#343 ·
Ok I have just been for a 2 1/2 hour ride with my Jet9 RDO with full XX1 set up, But took the wheel with the XX1 cassette off & fitted the wheel with the 10 speed casette on it gave it a small tune & went out for my ride.

Here is how it went.

Shifter Rear cog
1st 1st = mint
2nd 2nd = mint
3rd 3rd = mint
4th 4th = mint
5th 5th = mint
6th 6th = mint
7th 7th = mint
8th 8th = mint
9th 9th = mint
10th 10th = clicking & not changing down
11th 10th = mint

So is well usable & can work well, not perfect but for those that want to build a XX1 bike but cant get the free hub yet, short term you can get away with running the 10 speed cassette.

I hope this helps someone.
 

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#345 · (Edited)
I got in a nice solid ride today. I did some stupid steep climbs, up steep hiking trails that are good DH runs. These are climbs i can't clean nonstop on any bike/gearing setup. Equipped with the 30t ring, the climbs were doable, but stopping a few times and the heart rate at redline. The feel of the suspension under power and the smooth feel of the ring, chain and cassette was fantastic. The gearing is adequate for the majority of my rides and gives me a tall gear for high speed descending and road work to and from the trail head. I'd like to switch to a 28t for the winter when i'm breathing in cold air and riding some snow.

The runs down were just as rocky and offered a nice array of patchy snow and ice. I completely forgot about the drive train and was just focusing on the trail and surfy snow ruts.Thinking back i know i back pedaled to move my feet around, and coasted long sections without getting a forward rotation in. Every time i slid around an icy corner with a foot off i'd jump on the pedals for a few strokes upon exit. I don't recall my chain doing some janky dance for a second before figuring out where it belonged. Just clean and totally silent power delivery. The front ring locks the chain on so well, it seems to help the rear of the bike as well. No doubt the stiff clutch and the completely revised RD linkage are adding up as well.

The shifting is pretty good. It's reasonably quick from gear to gear from 2nd to 11th. Hopping up to the big ol' alloy 42 isn't 100%, especially in a panic shift to your bailout gear. I can live with it. The other high end Sram cassettes' alloy cogs aren"t much better though.

As excited as i am to have a wide range in a 1x setup, the quiet-controlled-dependable-locked in feel the drive train has is really a big step forward in bicycle drive trains.
 
#346 ·
One thing i didnt think about that I really love is the simplicity of cleaning the single ring up from. After my ride last night my buddies all had a ton of mud/pine needles caked around the front deraileur, but my bike was fairly clear in that area.
 
#347 ·
Got my new xx1 cranks yesterday and ran them with a 2012 X9 9 speed shifter and derailleur along with a 1090 chain and Shimano 770 9 speed 11-34 cassette. No chain guide or n-stop. Went 12 miles and didn't drop chain on stuff I normally would. Shifted very well and it was very smooth and quiet. This is a great alternative to my old set up with bash guard and n-stop. Got them at Universal for $285. I added $15 more and used VIP15 to get 15% off $300. I the way I look at it I paid $240 for them. Not sure I want to spend the $$$ to go with the full xx1 set up. I must just stick with the X9 and go up to 10 speed and put the 9 speed on my other bike.
 
#377 ·
So... I was wondering here. I tried to order XX1 cranks to replace my 3x10 drivetrain but my supplier said that I need a different chain with XX1 and then it wont work with my XTR rear mech. I rarely need the 3x10 so I want to change to 1x10 and I would love to use the XX1 cranks so I don't have to use chain guide on front. Ideally the full groupset would be perfect but I'm an a student budget :madman:

I guess the cranks should run fine with normal 10spd chain, as I believe the inner width is the same afterall?
 
#350 ·
that price seems more appealing..however you will still need to purchase a bottom bracket depending which setup you currently run.

I agree, if they come out with a XO or X9, it will pretty much be standard on most bikes. At that point i will consider. but even at a 1000 dollars, just for a crank, shifter, chain, sprocket and derailleur?

on average each piece is 250 bucks..then you will also need to purchase a bottom bracket. At any rate it is a nice system, but yes...im kicking back waiting on the XO setup or even the X9, thats if they dont make the rear cog into a boat anchor.
 
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