SRAM XX + road bike
#1
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SRAM XX + road bike
I generally get along just fine, and actually prefer, a standard double setup. However, there are a few times each year when I would not mind a stupid-low-gear, such as the final few miles of Everest Challenge. For various reasons (but mostly because of my Quarq CinQo power meter) I don't want to change my crank for that one event, so I watched with much interest as rumors of SRAM's forthcoming 10 speed double "XX" mountain bike group leaked out, and picked the RD and cassette when it became available. Yes, the price tag on that cassette is obscene, and no, I didn't pay that.
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8206.jpg)
I needed an RD to complete my cross bike anyway, which also has a standard crank for power metering reasons, so the RD lived on the Tricross for a time, and happily coexisted with the Red road shifters. Jump ahead to this weekend, I'm staying with my in-laws for Christmas and planned on spending the day riding around the Santa Monica mountains, home to some steep, albeit not particularly long climbs. No trouble, I've done them just fine on my 39x26.
However, complicating the matter, my coach directed me to keep my power under 220W and my cadence at 85-90rpm on the climbs. A few quick calculations and I figured that even with my 39x28 that limited me to about 6% grades. Well, that just wouldn't do, all the fun climbs are much steeper than that! So I fast-tracked my plans and spent about an hour swapping the XX RD onto my Tarmac. The cable routing presented an interesting challenge, as it enters the RD from the top instead of the back, and I didn't want to alter the cable and housing so that I can easily swap back. I had to zip-tie the excess to the seat-stay so that it wouldn't flop out and hit my foot.
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8556.jpg)
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8555.jpg)
It works seamlessly with the road shifters, the trick cassette is really nice and the extra gear helped me keep my cadence up, most of the time. Yes, it's dirty, I just got back.
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8557.jpg)
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8206.jpg)
I needed an RD to complete my cross bike anyway, which also has a standard crank for power metering reasons, so the RD lived on the Tricross for a time, and happily coexisted with the Red road shifters. Jump ahead to this weekend, I'm staying with my in-laws for Christmas and planned on spending the day riding around the Santa Monica mountains, home to some steep, albeit not particularly long climbs. No trouble, I've done them just fine on my 39x26.
However, complicating the matter, my coach directed me to keep my power under 220W and my cadence at 85-90rpm on the climbs. A few quick calculations and I figured that even with my 39x28 that limited me to about 6% grades. Well, that just wouldn't do, all the fun climbs are much steeper than that! So I fast-tracked my plans and spent about an hour swapping the XX RD onto my Tarmac. The cable routing presented an interesting challenge, as it enters the RD from the top instead of the back, and I didn't want to alter the cable and housing so that I can easily swap back. I had to zip-tie the excess to the seat-stay so that it wouldn't flop out and hit my foot.
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8556.jpg)
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8555.jpg)
It works seamlessly with the road shifters, the trick cassette is really nice and the extra gear helped me keep my cadence up, most of the time. Yes, it's dirty, I just got back.
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8557.jpg)
![](https://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/8558.jpg)
#4
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I actually want to do something like this on my Orbea. My 11/26 cassette is fine for most of the time but sometimes I want to climb steep grades and I just don't have enough leg. So I'm thinking of switching to an 11/28 or 12/30 Shimano cassette for those days of nothing but "UP."
My Rival RD should handle the extra teeth and the spacing between the cog plates is the same. The results should be the same as yours (but cheaper).
My Rival RD should handle the extra teeth and the spacing between the cog plates is the same. The results should be the same as yours (but cheaper).
#5
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The Rival can handle the 28 but I don't think it would make it to 30. Even with the B-limit all the way on my wife's bike it barely clears the 28 as it is. Also you have to consider the chain wrap capacity.
#9
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It seems that it's meant for the RD cable stop to be on the seat stay instead of the chain stay. Maybe is that how mountain bikes are?
#11
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Thanks.
I'm surprised nobody has said I'm a weak girly-man for wussing out and grabbing and extra gear.
I'm surprised nobody has said I'm a weak girly-man for wussing out and grabbing and extra gear.
![Wink](https://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/wink.gif)
#12
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#13
going roundy round
Neat. I had to reread the OP to notice you did mention your tricross has a standard crank. I was wondering about the chain lengths.
My knees have already put me on a compact. This is another half step before I'm forced into a full blown triple... or mtb setup.
Nice write up
and you're a weak girly-man for wussing out and grabbing and extra gear.
My knees have already put me on a compact. This is another half step before I'm forced into a full blown triple... or mtb setup.
Nice write up
and you're a weak girly-man for wussing out and grabbing and extra gear.
#15
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Also, I meant to mention, that in addition to the direct cable routing, the RD also uses a single size of torx head for everything instead of the mix of various hex sizes and flat/phillips heads on the road RDs.
#16
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#17
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#18
i got nothing.
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#19
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#21
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"If you overtrained, it means that you didn't train hard enough to handle that level of training. So you weren't overtrained; you were actually undertrained to begin with." (Landis)
He's not undertrained to handle the level of training he's doing now. He's just doing a hard ride Saturday.
He's not undertrained to handle the level of training he's doing now. He's just doing a hard ride Saturday.
#22
good call on this umd, and i'm opening a new window to order some nokons now, i cant look at pictures of your bike anymore and not own them, seems like a good winter project.
#24
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Anyone else using this?
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
#25
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I have XX crank on my commuter with FORCE RD and XX FD. Very useful. I will be also putting XX RD on one of my road bikes for one specific race where I need 55x11 for downhill sprint and 42x32 for one big climb.