SRAM Force etap on Cannondale question
01-31-23, 09:05 PM
#1
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SRAM Force etap on Cannondale question
We have a 2009 Cannondale road tandem currently using the stock Ultergra shifters, mechanical disc and 3x10 (11-32) cassette. I’d like to get crisper shifting and have been looking at going electronic. My gravel and road bike are both set up with SRAM 1x11 mechanical so I thought of staying with SRAM. Any experience or opinions on using this;
SRAM FORCE ETAP AXS HRD 2x12s Disc Brakes? My current hub is a 11 speed Spinergy (I think a 12 would fit?) and I would plan on using the stock cranks, removing the outer ring and making the center and inner a 50/34. I think the hydraulic disc would be a nice bonus. Or do I stay mechanical but still changing the gearing? Thoughts or opinions would be great. Thanks!
SRAM FORCE ETAP AXS HRD 2x12s Disc Brakes? My current hub is a 11 speed Spinergy (I think a 12 would fit?) and I would plan on using the stock cranks, removing the outer ring and making the center and inner a 50/34. I think the hydraulic disc would be a nice bonus. Or do I stay mechanical but still changing the gearing? Thoughts or opinions would be great. Thanks!
02-01-23, 05:39 AM
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We converted our 2000 Cannondale tandem to Sram E-Tap, with a 11 speed 11-42 cassette with a wolf tooth adaptor. Chainset is 46/30.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
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02-01-23, 05:48 AM
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A few thoughts:
You will have to change the freehub body if you want to use a SRAM cassette that is a direct match to the shifters. I've briefly used the Rotor 11x36 12 speed cassette with a SRAM system and it seemed to shift fine. No idea if the 12 speed Shimano cassettes, which would be the cheaper option, would work well.
What cranks do you have? You may have to hunt a little to find the chainrings, and I kind of doubt you'll find ones that are "12" speed, but it probably won't matter.
The 16 tooth gap on the front chainrings will be well outside spec for the SRAM 12 speed front derailleur. I don't know if this will be an issue, but the SRAM front shifting has the reputation for being finicky, so it might be a problem.
The only mechanical 12 speed group are Campy, though you could use 11 speed SRAM parts with this hack: https://ratiotechnology.com/products/upgrade-kits/
I didn't find the 12 speed electronic SRAM shifting to be a great revelation compared to a well-adjusted 11 speed SRAM mechanical set up. I noticed that it did out of the saddle upshifts very nicely, but I personally am as interested in the extra cog as the electronic shifting.
I am not much of a fan of hydraulic brakes and have found little to justify the hassle compared to a quality cable brake with good housing.
You will have to change the freehub body if you want to use a SRAM cassette that is a direct match to the shifters. I've briefly used the Rotor 11x36 12 speed cassette with a SRAM system and it seemed to shift fine. No idea if the 12 speed Shimano cassettes, which would be the cheaper option, would work well.
What cranks do you have? You may have to hunt a little to find the chainrings, and I kind of doubt you'll find ones that are "12" speed, but it probably won't matter.
The 16 tooth gap on the front chainrings will be well outside spec for the SRAM 12 speed front derailleur. I don't know if this will be an issue, but the SRAM front shifting has the reputation for being finicky, so it might be a problem.
The only mechanical 12 speed group are Campy, though you could use 11 speed SRAM parts with this hack: https://ratiotechnology.com/products/upgrade-kits/
I didn't find the 12 speed electronic SRAM shifting to be a great revelation compared to a well-adjusted 11 speed SRAM mechanical set up. I noticed that it did out of the saddle upshifts very nicely, but I personally am as interested in the extra cog as the electronic shifting.
I am not much of a fan of hydraulic brakes and have found little to justify the hassle compared to a quality cable brake with good housing.
02-01-23, 07:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Juke41
We converted our 2000 Cannondale tandem to Sram E-Tap, with a 11 speed 11-42 cassette with a wolf tooth adaptor. Chainset is 46/30.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
02-01-23, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by bwebel
A few thoughts:
You will have to change the freehub body if you want to use a SRAM cassette that is a direct match to the shifters. I've briefly used the Rotor 11x36 12 speed cassette with a SRAM system and it seemed to shift fine. No idea if the 12 speed Shimano cassettes, which would be the cheaper option, would work well.
What cranks do you have? You may have to hunt a little to find the chainrings, and I kind of doubt you'll find ones that are "12" speed, but it probably won't matter.
The 16 tooth gap on the front chainrings will be well outside spec for the SRAM 12 speed front derailleur. I don't know if this will be an issue, but the SRAM front shifting has the reputation for being finicky, so it might be a problem.
The only mechanical 12 speed group are Campy, though you could use 11 speed SRAM parts with this hack:
I didn't find the 12 speed electronic SRAM shifting to be a great revelation compared to a well-adjusted 11 speed SRAM mechanical set up. I noticed that it did out of the saddle upshifts very nicely, but I personally am as interested in the extra cog as the electronic shifting.
I am not much of a fan of hydraulic brakes and have found little to justify the hassle compared to a quality cable brake with good housing.
You will have to change the freehub body if you want to use a SRAM cassette that is a direct match to the shifters. I've briefly used the Rotor 11x36 12 speed cassette with a SRAM system and it seemed to shift fine. No idea if the 12 speed Shimano cassettes, which would be the cheaper option, would work well.
What cranks do you have? You may have to hunt a little to find the chainrings, and I kind of doubt you'll find ones that are "12" speed, but it probably won't matter.
The 16 tooth gap on the front chainrings will be well outside spec for the SRAM 12 speed front derailleur. I don't know if this will be an issue, but the SRAM front shifting has the reputation for being finicky, so it might be a problem.
The only mechanical 12 speed group are Campy, though you could use 11 speed SRAM parts with this hack:
I didn't find the 12 speed electronic SRAM shifting to be a great revelation compared to a well-adjusted 11 speed SRAM mechanical set up. I noticed that it did out of the saddle upshifts very nicely, but I personally am as interested in the extra cog as the electronic shifting.
I am not much of a fan of hydraulic brakes and have found little to justify the hassle compared to a quality cable brake with good housing.
02-01-23, 08:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Gravelmark
Beautiful bike! Where did you find a mechanical Sram E-tap brifters in 2x11?
02-01-23, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by Juke41
The conversion was done in 2018, standard Sram Red set, the brake levers are mechanical, move them side ways and they shift electronically !
02-02-23, 06:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Gravelmark
I'd keep my mechanical brakes if I could find mechanical shifters/brakes with e-tap options. My crank is the original Truvativ Elita GXP and I was hoping to find rings and use the inside and middle with a guard on the outer. I'm open to changing my ring size to what is more available.
The issue with the cranks is the bolt circle diameter is different that what would be offered for new 12 speed cranks, so you wouldn't be able to use the chainrings designed for 12 speed. On top of this, the inner ring is likely 74mm BCD, and those commonly offered top out at 32t. But if you hunt, they are made. Most likely look at TA chainrings, they offer a wide choice. Even if the rings are not designed for 12 speed, they likely will still work, though I have had issues in the past using too narrow chains not shifting well on front chainrings. Sometimes the chain would ride between the rings rather than dropping onto the smaller ring when shifted. Unfortunately I don't know a good way to check this until you've already bought the chainrings and narrower chain.
02-02-23, 07:53 AM
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Thanks bwebel I've been making a list and finding sources and the $$ is going up! Just talking through the wants vs nice to haves and the biggest want is the familiar shifting lever action as my other bikes which use SRAM 1x11, both gravel and road. I'm not a road warrior so top end speed has never been a concern. I rode my Treck Crockett with a 1x11 on Triple Bypass and was just fine and several times on RAGBRAI. The gravel is perfect set up this way too but I understand the need on a tandem to have a little more options. My wife and I destroyed a derailleur last year on the tandem (my fault, isn't it always the captain's fault?) and had a Shimano 105 put on as a work around for the week. It's working fine but that's what has me looking at gearing and drivetrain updates in general. Thanks for letting me talk it out. Still not sure which direction I'll go.
02-03-23, 10:03 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by Juke41
We converted our 2000 Cannondale tandem to Sram E-Tap, with a 11 speed 11-42 cassette with a wolf tooth adaptor. Chainset is 46/30.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
Brakes are TRP Spyre mechanical, also fitted a 69 tooth Gates carbon belt.
From the beginning, shifting has been faultless and crisp and the brakes are excellent. Under the flat part of the drop handlebars are a couple of Sram blips, when riding with hands on the tops, dont even have to shift position to change gears...just a touch with a finger.
Thanks!
