Box Component’s new Prime 9 cassette offers the range of a 12-speed but improved chain line.
Box Components often releases drivetrain components that are a little different from what the rest of the industry has been doing. It’s first mountain bike drivetrain featured a unique shifter activation which got a lot of media attention when announced, but we’ve not heard much from them recently, and officially we still haven’t.
This news comes in the form of an Instagram post from YouTube influencer and DiamondBack rider Seth of Seth’s Bike Hacks fame. Over on his personal Instagram account, Seth has posted photos of a new cassette from Box named the Prime 9, and it just so happens that Box hasn’t officially released or listed it yet.
The Prime 9 is a unibody cassette made from tool steel and boasts an 11-50t range of gears I.E a massive ring for difficult climbs, a tiny one for all-out speed and plenty in the middle for everything in between.
Why would you want a 9-speed cassette instead of 12-speed? Well, the shorter body of the Prime 9 removes the aggressive chain line associated with an 11 or 12-speed model, plus you’re able to use a thicker and stronger 9-speed chain too.
From the post, it looks like the Prime 9 is designed to work with a regular 11 or 12 speed rear mech and shifter, but it is possible a dedicated Box 9-speed shifter will be released at some point in the future too.
So far the only news from Box about the Prime 9 is the following teaser video and at the time of writing the cassette isn’t listed anywhere so we don’t know when it will go on sale or how much it will cost.
Still, this is a very interesting move and we’re very tempted to give the Box Prime 9 a test. How about you?
Comments (14)
Leave Reply
Post Comment
when the day comes that i wrench my RD to bits or the Cassette needs replacing this is going on my bike!
Me likey
Almost certainly will require a 9 speed shifter, if it uses a 9 speed chain, as the gaps between cogs will be wider and the shifter will have to pull more cable for each shift. Fortunately, there are probably dozens of them lying around your local community bike shop.
Microshift released this a while back?
Love to see a long-term review of this!
Yep. I’m still mourning the loss of good 8 speed stuff.
Bit more info here, from the 8 minute mark.
https://youtu.be/gqs3Ub4ow84
9spd was always slicker to shift so yeah why not
I’ll give it a whirl if it is a sensible price once my SR dinnerplate shits it’s pants and teeth go flying
I’m game to try…
Seth’s bike hacks announced pricing in the description of the video in which he revealed it. The box one will run 599 usd, box 2 265 usd, and box 3 199 usd. I presume this is a 4 piece groupset, but he did not specify.
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/review-microshifts-125-advent-drivetrain.html
Here you go!
Currently available from Bikester for £100 including shifter/derailleur/cassette. It only goes to 42t if that bothers you..
makes so much sense!
If only shimano or sram would dare to do this with their top end kit
but then theyd have to admit that the ‘improvements’ theyve been selling us might not be that
Will this work with a triple chainset?
First thing I thought when I saw Seth’s video was whether the cassette spacing and rear mech pull ratio matched the old Shimano XTR M970 shifter – that was a lovely piece of engineering and I have one knocking around somewhere