hughwill

I've just purchased a nice new Boardman Cyclocross carbon frame ( here ) and I'm looking to make it up with a SRAM Hydraulic disc group. At the moment I'm riding a Boardman alloy CX with a 10X2 speed Rival set with a 50-34 on the front and a 11-36 on the back.

(By the way, I noticed an earlier thread where this combo was questioned- all I can say is that it works flawlessly for me even to the point that I could (though wouldn't) ride silently on both small rings or both large rings. Before I upgraded it also worked with SRAM 10 speed Apex mechs.)

I'm near 66 and I must be one of the worst climbers even taking into account my age, and the thought of having less that my current 34-36 bottom gear combo fills me with some dread (for those who think no one needs such low gears all I can say is - lucky you!).

So the question is- has anyone tried the same trick with SRAM 2X11 speed sets? If the only difference is the spacing between the cogs, surely the 11 speed mid cage rds could cope with the same cog sizes as the 10 speed? But has anyone tried it? The only cassette which might fit the bill is the PG1170 ( here ) which SRAM say is only compatible with their Force 1X11 system and RD. But is this going to be different from and completely incompatible with all their other PG1170 cassettes made for road bikes?

I know I could have the 1X11 with a 10-42 cassette option but these sets have smaller single chainwheels. While I'm slow up hills I don't want to be spinning out on enjoyable descents.

Any ideas?

yetirider

No but I think its an interesting concept for those of us in hilly areas who are not speed freaks or need the speed.
I'm thinking of a hardtail with MTB gearing for just hill and general quick rides under 20 miles in the hills.

DougG

I did some research on this a while ago when I was considering a new bike and I am pretty sure that you could use the Rival 1x11 RD and cassette with the 2x11 shifters and FD. After all, the RD doesn't care what the FD is doing and the shifter pull is compatible between the 2x11 and 1x11 groups. The dealer that I was talking to about this setup confirmed that it would work and he was willing to do the component changes when I bought the new bike.

In the end, I decided to stick with my current bike (with some changes), so I can't confirm it with certaintly. (I'm in the same boat as you regarding climbing at 70yo and will be using a 50-34 crank with a 12-36 cassette on a Shimano 10-speed group).

Barrettscv 

I used a 1x10 drivetrain for two years. Mine was a Shimano 12-27 ten speed cassette with a 44t single chainring on a Cyclocross bike.

Northeastern Illinois is pancake flat, so the range was sufficient. However the bike was difficult to climb with when the hill was 7% or more.

I liked having the chain on the 16 or 17 cog while cruising along with quick shifts up and down the range as needed. I later discovered that a triple with a 42 or 39t middle ring provided a nice enough range with the big ring available for speeds faster than 25mph and the small ring useful for climbs greater than 6%.

roadweary

I've been looking at the PG 1170 too. I have a shimano 105 11 speed 11-32 with a compact 50-34. My bike shop said the 32/34 combination would be plenty for my needs, especially with a light carbon bike. I'll admit it's not bad, but it's not great either and I'd really like one lower gear, just so I'm not wasted when I reach the summits. I've read that the SRAM cassettes (and Shimano too) are interchangeable among brands. Please let us know how this works out for you.

TGT1

I'm riding a Sram Rival 10 sp 12X32 with a red yaw and 48/34 rings. Swapped that out from the stock 11-32 46/36

From what I've been able to glean off the gear specs, all an 11 sp does is gives you a rather useless 11 and the closer spacing at road speeds you'd get with a 12X??

You practically have to be falling off a cliff to spin out a 12X48 or 50

A much cheaper alternative would be to keep the 10 sp and find or cobble together a 12X36 cog. You'd be happier at flat speeds and still have the low climbing gears.

Did the Baldy Ski lifts last weekend and wished I'd had a 36 granny gear!

hughwill

Thanks for that info Doug. I'd for some reason not thought of using the 1X11 mech with the bigger cassette. If it works I will post. It should be of some interest as I'm set on using discs as well- possibly hydraulic if I can afford it (and source the bits!).

bogydave

Look at the 10 speed 11 - 40 cassette ?
Br in law has a bike shop in Kent Wa that has them $80
Sent me the info today
Thinking about just like you, 34:40 low gear on the steep stuff

Don't know if it's an easy swap from a 11 -36 to a 11-40. Will it work with the 2x10 - 50/54 crank ?
Might just need a couple extra teeth in the chain ?

Sunrace CSMS3 11 40T 10 Speed Wide Ratio Cassette Black New in Box | eBay


11 40 Cassette Cycling | New and Used Bicycle & Cycling Accessories

qcpmsame 

I think that the capacity of the RD is going to be the determining factor for your idea. Doesn't the 1X, single chain ring system require the special RD, with the clutch built into it? If the rd you chose will handle the 36T cog, you may be good to go, and I have read an article that had the 38T back cog and it worked satisfactorily for them, cannot remember which mag, or forum it was in, though. I'm pretty sure that it would work, I just would want to look into the chain angles, and the RD being compatible with everything.

Please keep us updated on how this turns out, if you do decide to go with it. there is a lot of thought going in to the single ring systems, Specialized has their Lunch Ride road bike (they changed the name this year,) that is a good seller, in some markets. And, I see more and more CX, and gravel bikes with a 1X system on them from the manufacturer. Its interesting to follow, even if I don't need the capability here in NW Florida. Best of luck on your project.

Bill

OldsCOOL

How often are you taking this bike offroad? Just curious. Man, that is a ton of low gearing.

bykemike 

FWIW, I have the Sram 11 speed Force group on my Tarmac, 50/34 compact with the 11/36 cassette. I put it together earlier in the year (posted about it) and took it up to the Blue Ridge Parkway about a month after I dialed it in and climbed just about everything on the southern end of the Parkway from Little Switzerland down to Cherokee with no big issues. Some of the climbs had me a little beat but really not too bad for a Florida guy (66). Despite some of the discussion I used the 11 on every downhill.

I would want lower if I were to cyclocross in a hilly area but on paved it was good. It is really so subjective though.

DosWheelsBtr

you could put an 11-32 cassette and put the b screw all the way in. saves you money

hughwill

No, this is just for road riding. I can't do the high percentages (15+) without really low gears and nowadays much prefer keeping up the
cadence as much as possible because it's more fun and less pain. If I can have a 50-11 through to a 34-36 I don't see why not. At 66 I'm not
bothered much about gaps between cogs and I suspect that bike firms are missing a trick about many more of my age group
who have the cash but not the strength.

I'm taking delivery soon, I'll let everyone know how it goes. Thanks to Bykemike for the encouraging information.

bogydave

+1
Lots of "Boomer" riders,
& we still want to ride, more "boomer friendly" bikes are showing up.
Let's hope Sram or Shimano are already seeing the market potential of "Boomer gear ranges"

The mt bikes with 3 sped cranks with small light weight tires climb well . Lots of fork options .

A 50/40/30 with an 11 - 40, 10 speed cassette, on a lightweight road bike, disc frame .... 30-40 will Climb a wall & 50-11 still hit 30 down hill.

We might have to build our own !!!!
Get a gear range like that on a compact crank. Bingo !
The first production line ones with multiple gear packages, in a mid price range will be a big seller.

They don't have any retired working men who have ridden for many years for fun & fitness on their design staff.
Retired bike racers , when they worked, went bike riding.
They have total different muscles from us that ride a couple-3 times/week. & many times, injury, work & family got in the way of riding for years.

I go to bike shops looking for gearing help & they say, keep riding you'll build up your strength.
These guys don't have a clue, I ain't 25 & in my prime,
We might "Maintain " our strength if we keep riding & exercising , but we are beyond the muscle building stage.

bykemike 

Very good post Bogydave

Wanderer

Boy, would I love to have a 50-34, paired with a 12-36 or 12-40, 9 spd, evenly spaced, with shifters which would work flawlessly....

Us older guys just have different needs, and my heart meds would appreciate less work.

hughwill

As promised the results of the build. After about 100 miles not one shift has missed
and as can be seen from the second photo it happily cross chains to provide all 22 gears. Pity that SRAM are so coy about having
produced such a great piece of kit for us oldies (even to the point of an agent suggesting that warranties might be void if non-recommended
combinations are used).

The specs are as planned with Force 22 Hydraulics, chainset and normal (not 1X11) Mid-cage RD. Right, off to my favourite bete noir hill.....

Thanks again for all the advice and comment.

qcpmsame 

Looks great, Hugh, glad to read that it works, as advertised, too. Out of curiosity, was the agent a bicycle shop person, or did you speak with someone from SRAM? I imagine that they are most likely talking about the Force 22 RD being needed to achieve the true 22 gears. I looked at the Force 22, and the Rival 22, RDs, they look like adaptations of SRAM's MTB ders, to me.

Happy riding, the entire bike looks fantastic, Boardman has some sweet offerings.

Bill

Boudicca

Spot on.

First road bike I bought, maybe 15 years ago, came with a regular double (to my surprise, I somehow assumed they would offer a triple). When I questioned this, the snotty salesman just replied "you'll get stronger".

Two thousand miles later, I was still struggling on the hills, and went back to switch the regular double out for a compact double, which helped a lot.

But I still struggle on the hills. There has to be a better way.

reedwm

I started cycling again about 4 years ago at age 72. As I got in to it, I bought a 2012 Specialized Roubaix Elite Rival Compact. It came with a rear sprocket of 11-32. That was OK until I started doing moderate hills. A couple of years into it, I decided I needed more range at the rear. Sram had just come out with their 11-36 for the Mtn. bikers. With a bit of Googling, I determined that would work, but would need the long mtn. bike derailleur and a slightly longer chain. All parts were easily installed, and hills immediately got easier. A year later I decided to ride the Dempsey 70, a quite hilly course, with one hill aptly named Puke Hill. I attempted a test ride and could not get up Puke Hill. By then the mtn bikers had gone to 1x11 with a 42 tooth big ring on the back. I installed a Wolf Tooth 42 tooth big ring on the back, and swapped out the 15 and 17 tooth gears for a Wolf Tooth 16 tooth cog since I only could install 10 gears on the back, and had added the 42 tooth behind the existing previously largest 36 tooth cog. Had to lengthen the chain a bit more. I am using the Sram X9 long derailleur, but it does not quite have enough range. I can't use the 50 on the front and the 42 on the back. Everything else works fine, and during the actual event, I ascended Puke Hill while others walked up. My Roubaix road bike has the same gearing range as my mountain bike which has a front triple.

Speaking of heart meds, I am on Toprol XL-50 mg. With the permission of my cardiologist, this summer I cut back to just half a pill (they are scored) and found hill climbing much easier.

Reed

Wanderer

OK, tell me more about puke hill! Where?

hughwill

Thanks. The bike shop quoted the SRAM agent they deal with. They (the bike shop) were very keen to give it a go as they understand
that such information is very helpful when the mature person comes in looking for some forgiving wheels!

Hugh

yetirider

Hi Hugh

Where did you source the cassette?
Is it the 11 speed or 10?

I have a Shimano setup but would like to try an 11-36, I have a long cage mech and a rough try with a 10 speed 10-36 which seemed to work.

Living in the Peak District i need all the help I can get on our hills.

reedwm

Follow this link to Ride With GPS. Dempsey Challenge 70 mile 2012 - Lewiston, Maine Puke hill is on the Dempsey Challenge 70 mile route.

Reed

chasm54

Slightly OT, and of course if you want really low gears, get them, but this isn't actually true. Every relevant study I have ever seen shows that people in their sixties see increases in muscle mass and proportionally much greater increases in strength when put through a systematic, and sometimes not especially strenuous, program of resistance exercise. And obviously, the more sedentary people have been, the bigger the gains they are likely to see.