MTB Drivetrain - What speed is your current drivetrain and what will you buy next?

[Iwan Kemp]

With SRAM's 12 speed Eagle groupset officially announced, what will your future drivetrain upgrade look like?

 

 

[RocknRolla]

Riding a bike with a rear sprocket bigger than the front chainring just seems wrong...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Riding a bike with a rear sprocket bigger than the front chainring just seems wrong...

it actually does really good things for pedalling efficiency when in the larger gears at the back. Reason being that the chain pulls the rear wheel down instead of up, thereby counteracting suspension movement and resulting in a far more efficient transfer of power than if the rings were the same size. This is true if the top of the chainring is at the same level or lower than the main pivot point, and the chianring is smaller than the cog being engaged at the back. Essentially an anti-bob feature.

 

I must say though. If I were to change, I'd probably rather go the way of the e-13 11sp 9-44 cassette. It's less expensive than the SRAM at $309 ex shipping, and I won't have to upgrade anything else. All it needs is an XD driver freehub. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/someone-explain-how-chainring-size-affects-suspension

http://www.ridingfeelsgood.com/suspension-linkage-kinematics-basics-anti-squat-pedal-kickback/

http://reviews.mtbr.com/does-gearing-effect-suspension-performance

[raptor-22]

Amazed that in 2016 chain effects on suspension still has to be explained. Maybe it's because people just buy into hype about valves that "sensetheterrain".....

 

Can't wait for August

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Amazed that in 2016 chain effects on suspension still has to be explained. Maybe it's because people just buy into hype about valves that "sensetheterrain".....

 

Can't wait for August

Lol. Tbh I just think they see pivots and OMG 50 TOOTH!!!

 

No critical thinking or analysis.

[raptor-22]

oh and btw a 1x drivetrain also provides a more consistent suspension platform since the main pivot only needs to be optimised for a much smaller spread of chain-ring sizes opposed two rings.

 

I can already see how wonderfully consistent VPP bikes perform with 1x.

For 4bar and faux bar links as well as single pivots, this can only be magnified by 1.735

[RocknRolla]

Thanx for the insights.

Does this mean pivot systems designed with multi chainring options in front will work better now that only one chainring is used?

Or does raptors post only refer to bikes and pivot systems being designed from this point onwards to be optimised to its full potential?

 

Sorry, my questions seem layman, but to be honest, 90% of consumers do not go into the mechanics of drivetrain effieciency. They also like to not work too hard going up hills, so I guess this TT sprocket at the back makes perfect sense.

 

I personally have not given gears much thought, even when I had 30 of them.

 

I think since the whole wheelsize debate has clearly subsided, the R&D guys had to come up with something new to keep themselves and the marketing dept in employ. Good job so far!

[kosmonooit]

You are missing this option in the 2nd list:

 

It ain't bust, I am not going to fix it

Edited March 26, 2016 by kosmonooit

[Patensie]

Rohlof speedhub comes into play from a price perspective. I don't really care about weight. Especially when reliability is proven.

 

For my personal riding ability, a 10-42 cassette gives me the range I need.

[raptor-22]

I looked into rohloff and its not far out in terms of weight. It's just that you have the weight concentrated in the back wheel where it feels heavy.

 

Any suspension will be be more consistent with 1x even on older bikes. Those optimized around 44T may find the suspension will now be a little firmer since the suspension would be designed to be firmer in the 28/29T chain rings since this would be used for climbing. This is easy rectified through a few psi less in the rear shock

Edited March 29, 2016 by raptor-22

[SwissVan]

oh and btw a 1x drivetrain also provides a more consistent suspension platform since the main pivot only needs to be optimised for a much smaller spread of chain-ring sizes opposed two rings.

 

I can already see how wonderfully consistent VPP bikes perform with 1x.

For 4bar and faux bar links as well as single pivots, this can only be magnified by 1.735

 

Have you got a link that explains this, preferably with pictures...my heads already hurting trying to picture the theory.

Note: I'm not disputing what you say, just trying to understand the principal.

[Beefy]

Rohlof speedhub comes into play from a price perspective. I don't really care about weight. Especially when reliability is proven.For my personal riding ability, a 10-42 cassette gives me the range I need.

That is a very good point. I assume also with single speed like chain and cog wear efficiency.

[raptor-22]

Have you got a link that explains this, preferably with pictures...my heads already hurting trying to picture the theory.

Note: I'm not disputing what you say, just trying to understand the principal.

 

 

Look at a picture of a mtb side on from the drive side.

 

now think of the chain as a force line. See where it intercepts the main pivot with a two ring set up and a single ring set up.

 

You'll see that the top of a 36 /38 T chin ring just covers the main pivot.

Now look at the same bike with the chain in the small ring (for a 2x set up) and you'll see that the chain now runs below the main pivot. This line of force tends to lock out the rear sus more or the couple tends to pull the wheel toward the ground.

With a triple this effect is even more exaggerated.

 

so with a single ring the suspension action is governed by the force line applied via only the single ring hence a more consistent action

[Iwan Kemp]

1x12 (19 votes) and 1x11 (17 votes) leading the way in the poll so far.

[Iwan Kemp]

Can we revive this vote? Let me know your current and future drivetrain speed choice