A twelve-speed sprocket from Sram, all right. What are you supposed to think when this news is launched in April of all months? You think it's a joke - until Sram invites you for a test ride.
The brand's latest coup is only logical from their point of view: after setting a trend in 2012 with just one front chainring and eleven sprockets at the rear on mountain bikes, a number of testers complained. With a gear range of 10 to 42 teeth, even very experienced athletes lacked either an easier gear uphill or a longer gear ratio downhill. Racers prepared themselves for the respective route by changing the chainring - an immense effort that leisure cyclists do not want to make.
Eagle 1x12: close to the Rohloff transmission
However, the ability to shift all gears one after the other without having to think about the chain line or the function of the derailleur is undoubtedly sexy, and not just for racing. With the new "Eagle" series and its 500 per cent gear range, the 524 per cent of a Rohloff hub that can be operated in the same way is now within reach, as is the 536 per cent gear range of a standard Shimano XT trekking groupset (10-speed sprocket, 11-32 teeth). And yet a 1x12 drivetrain is several hundred grams lighter than these two top dogs in the upmarket trekking segment. The clear line without front derailleur and with fewer cables is also visually appealing - even if a 50 tooth sprocket will take some getting used to for the time being.
Facts Sram Eagle
- 500 per cent bandwidth thanks to a cassette with 10-50 teeth.
- Weight with chain and trigger shifters 1.56 kg (XX1 Eagle) or 1.61 kg (XO1 Eagle), approx. 700 grams lighter than a Rohloff drivetrain.
- Despite the narrower chain (by 0.25 mm), the same tensile strength is achieved as with 1x11, according to Sram. Compared to the previous 1x11 drivetrain, however, the wear resistance should be significantly better.
- Special freehub body required (identical to Sram 1x11 so far).
- Prices: X01-Eagle 1306 euros, XX1-Eagle 1524 euros. Replacement sprockets 458 euros and 392 euros respectively.
1x12 also interesting for trekking bikers?
The new technology is not yet designed for trekking cyclists, but for performance-orientated mountain bikers. The top XX1 groupset in particular is largely made of carbon, titanium and aluminium, and the huge sprocket set alone will put a dent in your leisure budget at almost 460 euros. In addition, there are currently no trekking wheels with the special freewheel body required by the smallest (10 mm) sprocket. 29er mountain bike wheels would be a possible alternative.
It is clear that the current top-of-the-range 12-speed components with their immensely expensive sprockets do not meet trekking requirements. But in principle, the technology also has undeniable charm for users outside of competitive sports.
" This may be interesting for mountain bikes, but in my view the disadvantages outweigh the advantages for trekking bikes: higher maintenance requirements and higher susceptibility to defects due to the design, greater gear jumps and, above all, significantly higher operating costs. This is offset only by the lower weight. But that is not so important for most trekking bikers. "
Gerrit Gaastra, Idworx
" The Sram Eagle is also suitable for everyday cyclists and can be retrofitted to any standard trekking bike. With the same gear range as a 2x10 mountain bike drivetrain, it is the more efficient and easier to use drivetrain concept. It is much more than just an additional sprocket. " Frank Ripper, Sram
The article was published in Trekkingbike issue 4/2016. You can download the issue in the Trekkingbike app (iTunes and Google Play) or order it in the DK shop.
