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5Spot 2x9 setup suggestions

1K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  morganfletcher 
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone,

I'm trying to buildup my 08 5Spot and want to go the 2x9 route as I don't ever use the big ring in my current setup. In terms of parts, I plan on going it the way listed below - would appreciate feedback as to any issues this setup may cause or if there are better alternatives...also any photos of similar setups would be greatly appreciated!!

cranks - M970 XTR
inner ring - 22t (from M970 crank)
outer ring - 36t (is there an XTR or XT version of this? Other brands?)
E13 104mm 36t Bashguard
Shimano SLX FD-M667 traditional swing 2ring FD
XTR chain
SRAM XO RD Med Cage
XT M770 11-32 cassette

Many thanks!
 
#2 ·
The SLX is an excellent choice, I run one and could not be more pleased. It is the ideal shifter (the best, IMHO for 2 ring setups). Shifting is almost as nice as XTR. I run mine with a 22/34 combo.

Blackspire is another good choice for chainrings as well, pretty sure they make XTR compatible sets.

Don't forget the bashguard. :)

 
#3 ·
I don't know what kind of riding you are planning on your setup but here are a couple of things to consider. A 36t chainring is great if the bike is being primarily geared towards gravity duty. If you have a lot of technical climbing on your trails or up and down where you'd rather not be in the granny most of the time, a 32t or 34t might serve you better. If on the other hand your typical trails are climb on a fireroad for two hours and then rip singletrack downhill then the 36t is spot on.

I recently changed crankset on my RFX and went to a 2-ring SLX, this comes with a 22t and 36t. The trails I ride most often on this bike tend to have a lot of technical up and down but no sustained long climbs and descents and I find myself riding in the granny a lot more than I used to. The shock you have on the bike is a huge variable in determining whether granny gear performance is adequate or not.

The other question is on your choice of components. You are pairing an XTR crankset with a E13 bashguard. E13 bashguard are very heavy, you could use a light aluminum bash ring and shave off almost a 1/4lbs of rotating weight. If you need the strength of the E13 bashguard then perhaps you should rethink the XTR crankset. Alternatively, if a little extra weight doesn't matter too much to you, you could put a XT crankset on and save a bunch of money.

I agree with TLL that for a 2 ring setup, the SLX front derailleur is money.
 
#4 ·
I am currently running a 2x9 on my spot. It's my first time running a drivetrain like this, and it's not perfect, but it works pretty good. I have; 175mm XT cranks (M760) with stock 22/32 rings, Straitline bashguard (max 36T), long-cage SRAM X.0 rear derailleur, SRAM X.9 front derailleur, SRAM 11-34 cassette and shorter chain. My shifters are X.0 twist shifters.

Some thoughts; the stock shimano crank bolts never got fully tight with the 32t ring and the bash guard. This caused creaking and I think, combined with aggressive use of the bash guard, led to me losing a chainring bolt and taco-ing my middle ring recently. I've since switched to Truvativ chainring bolts, which don't bottom out with this combo and do get fully tight. (I like the 5mm / 6mm setup, lets me get them tighter than the 5mm / spanner combo of the Shimano bolts, and they come with some mild threadlocker on them.) The 32t ring is definitely too small for most of my riding. I've been meaning to switch to a 34t or 36t, just haven't gotten around to it. I think the long cage derailleur is maybe not right for a 2x9. I think a medium cage rear and a shorter chain would be ideal. I did put the big ring back on for the Downieville xc race this summer, so it was nice to have the long cage for that, but I think I'd race my Flux next year anyway, so med cage would be good. Figuring out front derailleur height is trickier without a big ring. The 1-3mm of space between outer cage and big ring teeth model just doesn't work with a 2x9. I faked it by holding the old big ring up next to the crank and adjusting for height.

Shifting is otherwise good, no real complaints. Sometimes the chain rubs a little on the bashguard, but it's no big deal.

Anyway, some feedback.

Morgan
 
#5 ·
Hey thanks for the feedback. I wasn't aware the E13 was so heavy - isn't it just a piece of high density plastic? I was actually considering it cause i thought it'd be just as light as an aluminum guard and just as sturdy...thanks for the comment on the 36t. Now that you mention it, I think a 34 may be a better option.

nybike1971 said:
I don't know what kind of riding you are planning on your setup but here are a couple of things to consider. A 36t chainring is great if the bike is being primarily geared towards gravity duty. If you have a lot of technical climbing on your trails or up and down where you'd rather not be in the granny most of the time, a 32t or 34t might serve you better. If on the other hand your typical trails are climb on a fireroad for two hours and then rip singletrack downhill then the 36t is spot on.

I recently changed crankset on my RFX and went to a 2-ring SLX, this comes with a 22t and 36t. The trails I ride most often on this bike tend to have a lot of technical up and down but no sustained long climbs and descents and I find myself riding in the granny a lot more than I used to. The shock you have on the bike is a huge variable in determining whether granny gear performance is adequate or not.

The other question is on your choice of components. You are pairing an XTR crankset with a E13 bashguard. E13 bashguard are very heavy, you could use a light aluminum bash ring and shave off almost a 1/4lbs of rotating weight. If you need the strength of the E13 bashguard then perhaps you should rethink the XTR crankset. Alternatively, if a little extra weight doesn't matter too much to you, you could put a XT crankset on and save a bunch of money.

I agree with TLL that for a 2 ring setup, the SLX front derailleur is money.
 
#6 ·
I'm running 26/36 in combination with 11-34 on my Spot. Running mostly very technical terrain and find my self using the granny a lot. I got the Straitline 36t bash to protect my middle ring. Been using the XTR front derraileur without any problems, but got an SLX waiting to be tested.
 
#7 ·
yes the e13 bash ring is around 205gms and most of the truvativ plastic bash rings are about 100-120gms. I had an old race face aluminum bash ring and it was about 105gm if I remember correctly.

Have you thought about running an e13 DRS. I love that chain guide. It keeps the chain on and reduces chain slap on high speed downhills. One of the things I noticed going to a 2x9 was that the chain would tend to fling off more on downhills than before because I was running it in the niddle ring where before I was running it in the big ring.
 
#8 ·
Don't you need ISCG tabs to run the DRS? Looks sweet though - do you know the weight of the system? thanks

shanedawg said:
yes the e13 bash ring is around 205gms and most of the truvativ plastic bash rings are about 100-120gms. I had an old race face aluminum bash ring and it was about 105gm if I remember correctly.

Have you thought about running an e13 DRS. I love that chain guide. It keeps the chain on and reduces chain slap on high speed downhills. One of the things I noticed going to a 2x9 was that the chain would tend to fling off more on downhills than before because I was running it in the niddle ring where before I was running it in the big ring.
 
#9 ·
No you do not need ISCG tabs, all the e-13 guides come with an adapter that fits between the frame and bb cup to mount the guide if your frame does not have ISCG.

The e-13 bash (supercharger) is heavy, but it is way more durable than any aluminum bash and is/was designed for protecting rings on DH bikes at world cup speeds....It is overkill for a trail bike, but they work quite well.

there is a new generation of e-13 guides comming soon that utilize a new bash (turbocharger IIRC) that are quite a bit lighter yet still as durable.


Keep in mind, shimano is doing some 'odd' things with the newest versions of their cranks that can make bash/guide instalation a bit more difficult. The newest XT and Saint have thicker chainring tabs that push the large ring (or bash) out further....forcing consumers to use only shimano rings (for now). IIRC, XTR has something 'non-standard as well in this itteration, but you would have to check around to verify.
 
#10 ·
I'm using a SLX front D with a Raceface bashguard/34t Raceface Racerings/ 22t Shimano granny/ homemade granny guard on my XTR crank.

The SLX is really nice, it conforms very closely to the shape of the bashguard and shifting was no difference from the XTR before it. The granny guard is basically a piece of 3mm aluminum with a I.D hole identical to that of the BB spacers. The piece in the picture was actually a prototype of my friend's, he passed it to me when he machined something nicer. So I took it, used a file to make the external chamfer (so it wouldn't rub against the chain in the granny/34t cog combination). I got the largest drill bit I could find and drilled some lightening holes into it, deburred the thing and sprayed it with matt black paint for a stealth look.

As you can see from the first picture, it's not even really visible, just hiding behind the granny. The third picture shows the top-down view in the granny/34t cog combo, there's no rub either. With this combo I never suffered any chaindrop and zero chain drag which you get from other forms of chain retention device. I'm so glad I have cool friends. :thumbsup:
 

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