Originally Posted by
globecanvas
Anybody using one of those new sram cx1 clutch RD thingies?
i've ridden one. watchu looking for?
if you're a lover of double-tap, then there's value to it. if you prefer shimano ergonomics, get a shimano MTB RD (10- or 11-speed mechanical are available; di2 available in the near future).
a clutch is valuable, but if this is for your crux and you might ride/race in mud, i'd be hesitant to skip out on the outer guard. a clutch won't stop a mud-caked chain from derailing, and narrow-wide rings won't prevent that, either. (wolf tooth specifically talks about this; it's true for other rings but they don't bring it up.)
the clutch absolutely DOES quiet things down / reduce chainslap (meaningful mostly for MTBs, but can also help if one is not so careful about slamming their bike to the ground after running some barriers). in theory, more tension adds more friction (wonder how much it amounts to).... but the cost of a derailed chain in a race is high.