World First! SRAM X-7 Goes Ten Speed

Comments (55)

flowmtbguy March 17, 2010 at 2:25 pm

assuming this will all be priced the same as the current X7 – looks like a winner to me.

is this all aimed at XC racing? or do the double + bash guard people get a look in?

Rickos March 17, 2010 at 2:29 pm

Winner! Cue lots of 1 x 10 threads. Shame the cassette isn’t in a 11 – 36 guise though.

hungry monkey March 17, 2010 at 2:32 pm

interesting… if i had regular wheels (non SS specific) on my 29er, i’d be running it 1×10 with this i think…

my other bike has just been upgraded with XTR shifters etc, so it’ll be a while until i go 10 speed on that 😉

flowmtbguy March 17, 2010 at 2:38 pm

good point rickos – my 1×9 setup could do with an extra cog for the climbs.. but could also do with keeping the 11t for the downs…

ratherbeintobago March 17, 2010 at 2:39 pm

I wonder if there will be a BB30 option with X0 or XX?

Andy

nickc March 17, 2010 at 2:45 pm

Looks nice

theendinfrench March 17, 2010 at 3:07 pm

x7 10spd? and here I am wishing I was running 8spd after a winter of mud and more mud has killed my drivetrain yet again.
Shapes are nice but I’m unsure about the weird DuraAce blue colour!

Manchester Trev March 17, 2010 at 3:35 pm

the 1050 will have an 11-36 option….

ooOOoo March 17, 2010 at 3:35 pm

Is nobody gonna do 3×10?

hungry monkey March 17, 2010 at 3:36 pm

what is ‘family finish’ btw?!

clubber March 17, 2010 at 4:16 pm

It means new X7 style – all the components make up the X7 family – at least that’s how I read it (unless they mean X7,X9,X0,XX are all part of the same family)

showerman March 17, 2010 at 4:34 pm

yep all this 2×10 is no good for slow boys like me that have a little trouble on the climbs, did not the big S when they went 9 on the xtr soon change to 3 as no one wanted it(could be wrong i normaly am), single speed i have no time for as they always seem to get off and walk when ever i come up behind them on a techy section

backhander March 17, 2010 at 4:41 pm

Prices?

clubber March 17, 2010 at 4:41 pm

2×10 is going to be brilliant. I’m really quite slow these days and I’m using 2×9 with no problem – 24×34 lowest gear and 36×11 top gear – plenty of range for everything you’ll ride off road though too low fast road descents but then that’s not what my mtb’s for 🙂

clubber March 17, 2010 at 4:42 pm

ps showerman, yes, you’re wrong 🙂

world.of.spam March 17, 2010 at 5:31 pm

Im with flowmtbguy,why when lots(most round yer) of us have dropped our big rings in favour of a bashguard,do they want to sell us a xc set up that does away with the granny ring,or have we gone back in a xc time warp to 1994 again.

hillsplease March 17, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Is there really anything wrong with 3*9? Or is it just being a bit of a biffa I can’t get exxcited by fractional weight saving in exchange for a shed load of cost and a lack of interchangeability with other bikes?

Bah humbug to your progession of bicycle components. Who needs it? Hang on……

Dougal March 17, 2010 at 5:50 pm

world.of.spom – 2×9+bash was the last fad. 2×10 is the new fad. Get with the program.

Scienceofficer March 17, 2010 at 5:54 pm

Some people don’t seem to understand that 2×10 actually gives a better spread of ratios and less duplicated ratios than 3×9.

I’m very excited about 2×10. Its going to be really good for mtbing.

sofatester March 17, 2010 at 6:03 pm

Bring back 8 speed!

I’m sure i never had to change cassettes and chains quite like to do with 9. So who knows what the change intervals will be like for 10.

Right, where is that XT thumb shifter?

world.of.spam March 17, 2010 at 6:19 pm

I dont mind the idea,its no good complaining about wear rates,the tighter tolerences required (less tolerence to componet wear )and less resistance to the perils of riding in mud (smaller gaps between cogs and chainrings for the mud to squeese out of ).Just like the new Tesco”s down the road, its no good complaining as you are going to get it anyway.I just find it strange that its being geared for a XC set up that few people now use,who now needs 42 tooth outer ring anyway unless..
1/ you are tearing down a fireroad (why not save your energy for the proper riding)
2/ Riding down a hill flat out on the road (why)
3/ you are Steve Peat

Dave March 17, 2010 at 6:57 pm

There is a bb30 option with XX, that’s what I’m running on my longtermer. Clearing is better than any 9 speed cassette I’ve used in the past, so far nothing is showing any signs of wear.

mrmo March 17, 2010 at 8:45 pm

,who now needs 42 tooth outer ring anyway unless..

people who ride there bike on the road maybe? We don’t all spend our time driving to the local trail centre unloading the bike having a chat in the carpark, before doing the first climb, stopping a few times on the way for a chat, then heading bac down. Stopping for some lunch and a chat, before maybe doing the climb/decent cycle again. Then putting the bike in the car and driving home.

Just a thought.

I wouldn’t buy it because it is sram, from experience it will probably snap.

PJM1974 March 17, 2010 at 9:00 pm

I quite like my SRAM stuff, but the proof of this pudding will be the price.

If it’s a substantial hike over the current X7 range, I shan’t bother but if it’s like for like then I may well have a punt.

The longevity of the cassette and chain will be of interest also, especially if SRAM do decide to lift the prices.

ooOOoo March 17, 2010 at 9:07 pm

I like the big jumps between 24/34/44. Up, flat, down

robarnold March 17, 2010 at 9:25 pm

Everyone seems to like Avid’s Elixir Brakes

Apart from bike shop workers who have to do half a dozen caliper rebuilds a week gratis because the pistons are made of Edam

I’ve just sold my Elixir CRs, they were shit

Sea-Urchin March 17, 2010 at 9:57 pm

mrmo…. that is the funniest thing i have ever read (and so true)..
if you dont use your big ring, youre not trying hard enough.. ;o)

Sandwich March 17, 2010 at 9:58 pm

Those of us in the flatlands of the East like 44T outer rings off-road.

MrOvershoot March 17, 2010 at 10:51 pm

“robarnold

Everyone seems to like Avid’s Elixir Brakes

Apart from bike shop workers who have to do half a dozen caliper rebuilds a week gratis because the pistons are made of Edam

I’ve just sold my Elixir CRs, they were shit”

Like most of Avid stuff IMO, great till it has to work through a British winter

speaker2animals March 17, 2010 at 11:03 pm

I personally think that the X7 chainset looks better than the XX one. Don’t know how much an XX crank costs (£350?) but got to be the worst looking high end crank on the market. The FSA 2 ring job is much nicer, as is the new 2 piece Middleburn.

Bet this b@ggers any chance of me getting a decent price for my 3×9 X9 kit when I stick it on the classified forum. “So last decade daarling!”

DickBarton March 18, 2010 at 7:52 am

That rear mech still looks cheap and plasticky – carbon cage aside, the main mechanism area look awful.

Front mech looks nice, brakes also look nice as does the cassette…the chainset looks a bit cheap as well (it might well be cheap but this shouts cheap – which I think is a shame – is it my eyes or do the rings looks slightly elliptical?).

Hubs again look cheap but I’m not sure why.

Shifters look nice.

I thin overall if it was on a bike as a complete groupset then I’d be quite happy with it but the chainset and rear mech certainly detract from the overall look – but I’m sure they work very well. End of the day if it works then I’d be happy to use it as I’m not really into looks over function (although in this case I seem to have based my whole opinion on looks – but I haven’t ridden it so don’t know how it functions yet).

mos March 18, 2010 at 8:26 am

10 speed cassettes will never catch on, totally un-suitable for muddy winters. A bit like 7 speed wouldn’t, or 8 speed or even 9 speed, oh, wait a minute,

timbur March 18, 2010 at 8:38 am

Carbon cage? I thought it was a sticker!

Zone March 18, 2010 at 9:01 am

Stupid….

But they have to keep us spending money somehow B-(

jimster March 18, 2010 at 9:06 am

Do we need 10 speed, is there a particular advantage over 9?

The cassette ratio’s are the same, can’t see the point personally.

scant March 18, 2010 at 9:29 am

when shimano patented a 13speed cassette a few years back everyone thought it was stupid. now that 10 speed is going to be commonplace, well 13 looks almost realistic.
its funny how the same conversations crop up every few years. similiar stuff was being said when 7 speed become common, re chain strength, mud clearance, etc etc.
I cant help being cynical, as per above “Do we need 10 speed, is there a particular advantage over 9?”
oh & big rings? I know plenty of strong cyclists who climb in the big ring, not just for the flats & downhills. we should at least have the choice.

billyboy March 18, 2010 at 9:31 am

Will a 10 speed system cope with mud better than a 9 speed system?

Did I miss something?

traildog March 18, 2010 at 10:06 am

I’ve been using 10 speed cassettes in the mud for ages. Cross racing is a lot, lot muddier than riding a mountain bike through a winter and 10 speed has worked fine for that.
I’m glad things are going 10, contrary to what hillsplease says, I think it means more interchangeability. Stuff wears out, so needs replacing anyway. I’ve just changed an 8 speed bike to 9 speed due to the components wearing and the 9 speed works just as well, if not better.
The main thing about this is the huge cassette you can have, meaning you can climb hills but still have a nice spread of gears.
Currently I just use the granny if I’m tired, so this will mean a different way of using it, but bring on change. It might well mean less shifting the front ring when climbing.

Cannot wait to see Shimanos offerings.

Oh yeah, I notice no difference in wear with 9 speed stuff. I have noticed that there has been a large drop in quality from a certain manufacture who always had a reputation for quality chains. Getting a different brand in chains has meant that the gears last just as long.

packer March 18, 2010 at 10:46 am

There is definitely a lot of misunderstanding out there about the spread of gears and ratios you get with different setups.

I think singletrack could help us all out here – do an article on it and show us all the different possible combinations on charts. That would help people understand and also help people realise the real differences between the possible setups.

packer March 18, 2010 at 10:48 am

P.S. personally I really like the idea of having a 2×10 setup which gives me the same spread of ratios as a 3×9 setup but with better front shifting and a lot less duplication of gears.

Jengy March 18, 2010 at 11:54 am

Gear inches from sheldon’s gear calculator with a 26×1.9″ tyre….

Standard 3×9
44 32 22
11 103 74.9 51.5
12 94.4 68.7 47.2
14 80.9 58.9 40.5
16 70.8 51.5 35.4
18 62.9 45.8 31.5
21 54 39.2 27
24 47.2 34.3 23.6
28 40.5 29.4 20.2
32 35.4 25.8 17.7

2×10 with the 11-32 cassette
42 28 39 26
11 98.3 65.5 11 91.3 60.9
12 90.1 60.1 12 83.7 55.8
14 77.3 51.5 14 71.7 47.8
16 67.6 45.1 16 62.8 41.8
18 60.1 40.1 18 55.8 37.2
20 54.1 36.1 20 50.2 33.5
22 49.2 32.8 22 45.6 30.4
25 43.3 28.8 25 40.2 26.8
28 38.6 25.8 28 35.9 23.9
32 33.8 22.5 32 31.4 20.9

2×10 with the 12-36 cassette
39 26 42 28
12 83.7 55.8 12 90.1 60.1
14 71.7 47.8 14 77.3 51.5
16 62.8 41.8 16 67.6 45.1
18 55.8 37.2 18 60.1 40.1
20 50.2 33.5 20 54.1 36.1
22 45.6 30.4 22 49.2 32.8
25 40.2 26.8 25 43.3 28.8
28 35.9 23.9 28 38.6 25.8
32 31.4 20.9 32 33.8 22.5
36 27.9 18.6 36 30 20

Cassettes might be slightly different, but shows the idea. Effectively the 2×10 will lose 1/2 – 1 1/2 gears at the top or bottom of the range compared with the 3×9, but there is less overlap between the gears, so about 7 gears the same instead of 12.

Jengy March 18, 2010 at 11:54 am

that didnt work did it…

traildog March 18, 2010 at 12:02 pm

No, but I think you described the point well with your last paragraph.

votchy March 18, 2010 at 12:46 pm

I think there is going to be a significant price hike, carbon caged current rear mech (X-0) is around £150RRP, carbon caged shiny new X-7 with all the 10 speed hype/fact/bullsh1t/benefit whichever your take on it is I imagine will take the price up, wouldn’t be surprised at £100 rrp for effectively an entry level mech

brakes March 18, 2010 at 1:05 pm

surely, as we’re going from 27-spd (3×9) to 20-spd (2×10) then there should be an equivalent price reduction of 25%
.
what? it doesn’t work like that?
prices have gone up by 25% you say?
of course they have…

packer March 18, 2010 at 2:14 pm

Why make the cage out of carbon when parts of the mech are clearly still made of pressed steel – ridiculous.

dave1980 March 18, 2010 at 3:02 pm

re: the price, I’d say rrp at launch isn’t too relevant. XX is still very pricey, but you can get a whole XX groupset for £1200 now, whereas at launch they were quoting $328 for the cassette iirc.

2×10 is clearly gonna happen for all of us, but there’s no rush to ditch perfectly good 3×9 setups for it. so why worry?

M6TTF March 19, 2010 at 8:47 am

Everyone seems to like Avid’s Elixir Brakes

Apart from bike shop workers who have to do half a dozen caliper rebuilds a week gratis because the pistons are made of Edam
I’ve just sold my Elixir CRs, they were shit”
Like most of Avid stuff IMO, great till it has to work through a British winter

try washing your bike properly after each ride – my elixirs are as good as the day i fitted them

DickBarton March 19, 2010 at 9:13 am

I’d hope they would be better than the day they were fitted…bedding in and all that would hopefully make them work better…

messiah March 19, 2010 at 10:21 am

Perfect if it was available 22 x 36 (with or without bash) – I’d rather lose a few top end gears and keep my bottom end than lose a bit of both.

I’d love to give 10 x 2 a try… maybe with Hammertime?