Ask the experts

[kalisto]

I'd probably go SLX. What chainring you going to run?

Going to be loading up the bike with anything? How strong are your legs relatively speaking?

The 11-51 feels overkill, but depends on above ^. Also means the gears are spaced further apart which can be annoying if you're sensitive to cadence changes.

[jm2e]

Sorry guys, but that Deore cassette has BETTER spacing than both the SLX and XT cassettes. Those are the 11-46 cassettes that guaranteed every mountain bike would have a Sram drivetrain by 2019.


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[El Chupacabra]

This is for Mrs C, who has a 10-spd Deore 11-40 currently on her bike. It used to be my bike, and I put that cassette on as a 1X experiment. She could use a lower climbing gear.

Chainring on the bike is a direct mount 28T steel SRAM X Sync, which appears to be indestructible. If I get the 11-51 Deore cassette: 28 x 51 is ridiculously low, but that'll give her several lower gears for climbing - rather than jumping straight from 37-46 on the SLX or XT cassette.

[El Chupacabra]

I am wondering how crisp the Deore shifter feels, compared to an 11-spd XT or SLX.

[jm2e]

Chup, FWIW I’ve found the really big cassettes can have finicky shifting and backpedal drops with the smaller chainrings. If you have issues it’s worth trying a 30t or 32t ring on there.


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[El Chupacabra]

Chup, FWIW I’ve found the really big cassettes can have finicky shifting and backpedal drops with the smaller chainrings. If you have issues it’s worth trying a 30t or 32t ring on there.


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Thanks. The SRAM rings are cheap, and a 30x51 will give plenty of range.

[HankScorpio]

Speaking of cassettes, I’d like to get more gear range from the standard 42t 11 speed cassette on my hardtail. It currently has an X1 derailleur that SRAM says can handle a max of a 42t cassette but I’m tempted to put a 46t cassette on there instead of getting a new drivetrain.

Anyone running a wider range 11 spd set up like this? Does it work?


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[rideit]

I ran a 28-51 combo for my trip to Colorado. Rode up to over 13K. Having or not having that additional low gear had absolutely NO negative effect, in fact, I was likely much faster. Too low? Drop a few gears. It’s that simple.
EDIT: Gonna go back to the 30 for riding around here, though. Not exactly sure why...

[GiBo]

I have a SRAM GX 12 on my bike. I crashed it and bent the drop out for the RD. I bent it back and it looks straight, but for the life of me, I cannot dial in the shifting with the barrel adjuster. I have the b gap tool, so I'm pretty sure that's correct. I get it dialed in on the stand, but invariably when under load, I get skips. Especially from a dead stop. And when shifting into the harder gears it skips a couple of rings, but does fine going up into the easier gears. I'm wondering if the RD is off just enough from bent drop out that I no amount of adjustment will get a clean shift?

[jm2e]

Yup. The ONLY people complaining about modern cassettes going too low are the Internet heroes waving their dicks around.


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[panchosdad]

Speaking of cassettes, I’d like to get more gear range from the standard 42t 11 speed cassette on my hardtail. It currently has an X1 derailleur that SRAM says can handle a max of a 42t cassette but I’m tempted to put a 46t cassette on there instead of getting a new drivetrain.

Anyone running a wider range 11 spd set up like this? Does it work?


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I've had good luck with the e13 9-46 11 speed. Same range as a 12 speed.

[teledad]

I have a SRAM GX 12 on my bike. I crashed it and bent the drop out for the RD. I bent it back and it looks straight, but for the life of me, I cannot dial in the shifting with the barrel adjuster. I have the b gap tool, so I'm pretty sure that's correct. I get it dialed in on the stand, but invariably when under load, I get skips. Especially from a dead stop. And when shifting into the harder gears it skips a couple of rings, but does fine going up into the easier gears. I'm wondering if the RD is off just enough from bent drop out that I no amount of adjustment will get a clean shift?

Probably still bent. Go to a shop, they have a tool to check and fix alignment (you can buy it but it's like $80 so easier to just go to a shop). Or just get another hanger if it's replaceable.

Also check for chain wear, could be unrelated to the crash.

[XXX-er]

I site down the chain line from low/3 feet behind the bike and have always been able to straighten a bent der hanger

The shop tool is nice but its gona cost to have a shop do it SO just get a new hanger which should fix your problem and then you will have a spare hanger which is a good thing

sometimes it works to take the hanger off and hammer it flat

[jackstraw]

Probably still bent. Go to a shop, they have a tool to check and fix alignment (you can buy it but it's like $80 so easier to just go to a shop). Or just get another hanger if it's replaceable.

Also check for chain wear, could be unrelated to the crash.

That's exactly what just happened to my kids bike. Tough to tell how bent the hanger is without that tool...for us anyway...and his chain was toast. The other thing is you need to straighten your wheel for the hanger tool to work properly.

[jackstraw]

I site down the chain line from low/3 feet behind the bike and have always been able to straighten a bent der hanger

I'll have to try that next time. The other thing we learned was to insert your hex tool into the derailleur bolt and use that to bend er in the field...or at home I guess. We always are bending somewhat randomly assuming it almost always bent inward.

[Dee Hubbs]

Speaking of cassettes, I’d like to get more gear range from the standard 42t 11 speed cassette on my hardtail. It currently has an X1 derailleur that SRAM says can handle a max of a 42t cassette but I’m tempted to put a 46t cassette on there instead of getting a new drivetrain.

Anyone running a wider range 11 spd set up like this? Does it work?


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What cassette do you have? Can you modify it?

I have a OneUp 44 on my XX1 cassette. Shift step is 32-36-44. Shifts great.
I also have a Wolftooth 44 on a XX1 cassette. Shift step is 32-36-44. It shifts great too. They also make a 46.
My wife’s bike has a OneUp 47 on a Shimano M8000 cassette. The shift steps are 37-42-47.

The 2 XX1s are shifted by XX1 derailures.
The M8000 is shifted by a XTR.

[Dee Hubbs]

SO just get a new hanger which should fix your problem and then you will have a spare hanger which is a good thing,

40% of the new hangers are not straight and need to be aligned once installed on a bike.

That's exactly what just happened to my kids bike. Tough to tell how bent the hanger is without that tool...for us anyway...and his chain was toast. The other thing is you need to straighten your wheel for the hanger tool to work properly.

Your wheel could be crazy out of true and the tool will still work. You just need to rotate the wheel and measure the derailleur alignment tool on the same part of the wheel. I personally line the derailleur hanger tool up with the rim at the valve stem, and rotate the wheel and make my 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock measurements all against the same spot on the rim, at the valve stem.

[XXX-er]

I'll have to try that next time. The other thing we learned was to insert your hex tool into the derailleur bolt and use that to bend er in the field...or at home I guess. We always are bending somewhat randomly assuming it almost always bent inward.

IME the further back/ the lower you get behind the bike the easier it is to eyeball how bent the der hanger is

the der hanger is usually bent inwards from tagging a rock or crashing the bike or even just other bikes being piled on it, so you gotta take the der off to screw in the park tool for use which will get it straight in one try or If I don't have the tool I would just use a cresent wrench to eyeball/ form the der hanger which might take a couple of attempts but does the same thing

If you don't even need to adjust the cable tension after forming the der hanger that is an indication that you got the hanger straight

In training at IBM they told us " we are charging a lot of money here so you never bend anything ... you form it

[XXX-er]

40% of the new hangers are not straight and need to be aligned once installed on a bike.

well i usually just bend them straight or smash with a hammer, havent done it in awhile

I had one of those northshore hangerbangers on my last bike and the X9 der stayed straight

[Iowagriz]

I'm guessing you all are using them, but anyone have a SRAM XX1 x-sync 30t chainring for sale?

Might as well ask before I buy.

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[volklpowdermaniac]

Replacement for a steel hardtail:
Short travel to compliment sb165:
Ripley
Spur
Trance
Ti Hardtail.


thoughts?

[GiBo]

Thanks all. Ordered a hanger. I bent this one back with a big crescent wrench. Kinda tripping on the fact that 40% of hangers aren't straight. Seems like a pretty easy part to make within spec. We'll see how it goes.

[jm2e]

Park DAG


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[plugboots]

Replacement for a steel hardtail:
Short travel to compliment sb165:
Ripley
Spur
Trance
Ti Hardtail.


thoughts?

SS Ti hardtail 29” or gravel bike.

[Cabinfever]

[QUOTE=jm2e;6017355]Park DAG


This.

Clean shifting is a pleasure. Shit gets bent. $80 tool eliminates guesswork and downtime. Should last a lifetime. Owning one will likely be cashflow positive over the life of the tool.