Hi chaps,

My XG cassette has lasted barely any time at all, it’s the 42t that has worn most, and the other larger ring.

The XG comes with a steel 42, and the XX comes with a ALU 42, but with a *special* coating.

How does XG and XX1 compare in durability?

Cheers

Ricks

I can’t help with your question but if the 42t has worn out quickly then maybe look at getting a smaller chainring?

Plus one for smaller front ring. Moves your chain line to the centre of the cassette reducing wear. I go through about four chains per cassette. Your spending too much time on the 42t cog,

It’s just the type of riding here, if I was running a 26,28,30,32, I’d probably be riding the 42 at the back. Winch up 500m, and descend, repeat as many times as you can be bothered to look at Jock and Weasel’s graffiti.

Then you’re going to wear out cassettes alarmingly fast. Xx1 won’t last longer.

Smaller front ring and a bit of will power to not always default to the 42 would get my vote.

njee has it, smaller chainring up front so your default climbing cog is not the 42t.

What causes the wear to the 42 if it’s steel on the current gx though? More teeth should mean longer life, and it’s chromoloy, is it chain line?

Running gx here 9 hard months in lots of armed km and it’s going strong.

Mike – have you been swapping chains?

First chain did about 1900km, this one has been on for nearly 400km varied from the US, Tasmania a wet massive 12 days in Rotorua in the black mud and now into winter here. Looks great, decent weight and build quality.

Have an X01 cassette on 2500miles, its on its second chain, could probably do with another chain. As others have said, if you have worn out the 42t, you need to look at front chainring size. I have a 32t oval on both bikes, very rarely use the 42t, see it more as a bail out gear.

When are people changing chains? I must be getting about 4 months before I hit .75 worn. And at that point a new chain won’t mesh with the same chainring, it’ll make some grinding noises.

Are you guys changing front chainrings with chains? As I’m on a direct mount ring I’ve been using Blackspire Snaggletooths

I change every 3 months as a matter of routine – never seem to reach 0.75 but I’d rather sacrifice a few weeks’ chain life/usage rather than £200+ worth of cassette…..

I change at 0.75 on a Superstar checker, currently on 4th chain on the cassette. Rarely use the 42t though, I chose an appropriate chainring 😉

Suspect the cassette will only do one more chain or so, but it’s fine at the moment, think it’s about 2,000 miles. Xx1 cassette and chains FWIW.

I’ve changed the ring once in that time, first time it dropped the chain I changed it. That was after about 1500 miles IIRC.

Honestly, get a smaller front and save the 42t for cliffs. Or so what you can do to offset your chainline towards the larger rings if you spend much less time in your smallest cogs.

The best tip I was ever given for chains is to buy a handful when you replace your cassette. Then swap chains every 250 miles, cycling through them in sequence. That way you spread the wear over multiple chains over a much longer period. As opposed to utterly shagging a chain and then having rings so sharked that a new chain never meshes.

And at that point a new chain won’t mesh with the same chainring, it’ll make some grinding noises.

Well through cock up mine first one went beyond, new chain and it working fine and that chain ring was about a year old at the time. Needs changing now but that’s all good.

Honestly, get a smaller front and save the 42t for cliffs.

Where do you people ride?!

I’m either riding 40 minutes up a DH push up track, or descending most of the time. If I didn’t use the 42, I’d be pushing the bike. 30×11-42 on a 27.5.

Anyway…. I need to change my chain more often. That’s the key message. I was out round the Tweed for a few hours this evening and it’s not the 42 that’s worn it’s the 38. Obviously my favoured gear.

I’ll go xx1 and change my chains quicker.

Cheers for the info chaps.

Sometimes I do wonder whether my hobby is mountain bike riding or mountain bike pushing… 😉

I honestly think you’ll wear XX1 quicker. Particularly the 42. But yes, changing chains more frequently, or less frequently, so you just run the whole lot into the ground, would be an idea.

https://www.sram.com/sram/mountain/products/xg-1150-full-pin-cassette
I’d just be getting the GX version all steel, not that heavy (lighter than XT) and cheaper.
Especially as

I’m either riding 40 minutes up a DH push up track, or descending most of the time. If I didn’t use the 42, I’d be pushing the bike. 30×11-42 on a 27.5.

if your cranks will allow it.. could you add a granny ring to manually change into for some long climbs?

a tiny bit of extra weight.. but if you are just either going up or down it might be worth it?

even if you just used it for every other climb it would still spread the wear across the 36-42 in the 30t ring.. to the 28-32 in the 22t granny? giving you hopefully a bit more cassette life..