Together with the TRS+ 12-speed cassette, accessories specialist E-Thirteen supplies a conversion kit for Sram 11-speed drivetrains! Replace one cog in the shifter and two spacers in the rear derailleur, slide the cassette onto the freehub body and the Sram 11-speed GX, X1, X01 or XX1 drivetrains mutate into 12-speed drivetrains - including a higher gear range. The cassette with 9 to 46 teeth outperforms the 12-speed competition from Sram and Shimano by 511%, and it is also lighter.
Ambitious mechanics can easily manage the conversion of the shifting components at home and do not capitulate during the subsequent adjustment of the gears. One special feature: With an XD freehub from Hope, the clamping area of the cassette must be shimmed with shims until nothing wobbles. This is a bit fiddly.
For everyone else, we recommend buying from a specialist dealer whose workshop will get the filigree technology purring. The chain then runs quickly and smoothly over the well-spaced sprockets. We felt no difference compared to the jagged original. Only the change from the tiny 9-sprocket to the 10-sprocket required a slight over-shifting from us, where the shift lever had to be operated slightly beyond the detent level.
E-Thirteen justifies the decision in favour of the 9-46 tooth distribution with lower weight and higher ground clearance. The 9-tooth sprocket means that a 10% smaller chainring can theoretically be used at the front without having to sacrifice the long final gear ratio. At the other end, even without a giant sprocket, there is at least one significantly lower climbing gear. This is sufficient in most situations. The kit is therefore recommended as a replacement for a worn Sram 11-speed drivetrain if it is to have more range or reduce weight.
PLUS The E-Thirteen TRS+ 12-speed cassette beats Sram and Shimano in terms of weight and range. The function is top. There's also a sustainability bonus.
MINUS The small Allen screw that fixes both cassette parts is only of mediocre quality, and the photos in the assembly instructions are very dark.
Cassette weight 333 grammes
Chain weight 276 grammes
Upgrade kit price 299 Euro
CONCLUSION by Sebastian Brust, BIKE editor
With the same gear spread as the in-house 11-speed version, the new TRS+ cassette from E-Thirteen with 12 gears is noticeably more finely graduated, but also tends to rattle. At 511%, the cassette with 9 to 46 teeth leaves the 12-speed competition from Sram and Shimano behind, and it is also lighter. Converting the shifting components is no problem for experienced mechanics. The kit is therefore recommended as a replacement for a worn Sram 11-speed drivetrain if it is to have more range or reduce weight.
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Sebastian Brust
Editor
