Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Next question: which SRAM cassette? 1295 or 1299?

Jump to Latest
21 - 40 of 40 Posts
#21 ·
I jumped on a BikeCloset sale a couple months ago. If you join their email list they’ll send you notifications about upcoming sales. $250 for a cassette was a smoking deal. I was going to buy another one but realized I’ve got two XX1 cassettes in boxes still.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#24 ·
JpMcG said:
Wow! I had no idea this sort of data grab was available. I am still in a relative cave.
Cool.
Click to expand...
Update after a 37 mile ride on my 1X gravel bike this morning. There weren’t any truly steep hills on this route, so I rode more toward the outer end of the 10-50 cassette and shifted 414 times. I shifted into the lower gears just to fill out the bell curve for this screen shot. On steep rides the curve is closer to the big cogs.
Image

There’s another cool feature enabled by pairing your rear derailleur to your Garmin as a sensor. Your Garmin will pop up a warning screen if your DR battery gets low, I believe below 30%. You have enough to finish any ride but it reminds you to charge after you get home. It similarly warns of low battery in my Varia radar/taillight.
 
#27 ·
It's hard to beat the light weight and quality of the 1295 and 1299. But they're both just SRAM 11 speed cassettes with a bail out gear attached as far as gearing is concerned (28, 32, 36, 42, 50/52). They jump from 42 to 50 or 52. Although it's heavier, I've become a real fan of the XT 12 speed cassette (28, 33,39, 45, 51) because the jumps above 28 work better for me. Even at my age (71) riding steep above 9000 feet the 51 or 52 tooth isn't noticeably better than 50 for less than a quarter mile or so, but being in 45 Vs 42 for long periods, or even 39 Vs. 36 is. At around $150, it has a better spread among lower gears, and you already have the driver for it.
But, if you're going to go XX1 anyway, I'd spend the extra just for the bling.
 
#28 ·
MSU Alum said:
But they're both just SRAM 11 speed cassettes with a bail out gear attached as far as gearing is concerned (28, 32, 36, 42, 50/52). They jump from 42 to 50 or 52
Click to expand...
I too find the jump way too big for people who are interested in a good climbing experience and don't understand why Sram did this and why they don't offer more options.

For GX, one could argue they need additional tooling, and it's a cost factor. But the GX isn't known to be an exactly cheap cassette either and still about twice as expensive as XT.
For the monolithic steel cassettes above GX, the tooling argument doesn't hold very well because all they need is new programs for the CNCs. The fact that they changed the gearing ("Optimized gear steps on low end" as they write) for "Transmission" but do not offer a similar gearing for non-"Transmission" is very inconsequential and customer un-friendly.

Btw, everybody who never pedals on the alu sprocket, who may not even have a 55 mm chainline, but who claim that is doesn't wear fast, I recommend reading X0 Eagle Transmission Cassette - CS-XS-1295-A1 - SRAM where they explicitely state "55mm chainline compatibility for more moderate chain angle, longer wear and greater precision". This is as much confession as one can expect from a company that the alu sprocket wears fast.
Some people praise the top-end cassettes for their fancy steel alloy and hardening and claim that's the reason why those cassettes last for many many miles. How sprocket made from aluminum would not always wear faster than such a steel sprocket I fail to see and does not match my experience. I can only conclude: if you don't want the alu sprocket to be the first worn sprocket, and hence render your expensive cassette trash, don't use it. Use Eagle as an 11 speed system and accept its additional weight.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#29 ·
Personally I had no issue going to the 50T. I used 11 speed XX1 with a 32T front and 10-42 rear, for 7 years before just a month ago moving to the "old" AXS system and cassettes. They obviously just slapped on a 50T to the existing 10-42 cassette way back in the day of Eagle releases. Looking back, that probably seemed not only logical, but easy to engineer. People were used to 10-42, so just adding a 12th sprocket was predictable.

The funny thing is why they didn't change it and wait so long to mess with the gaps at the low end. But this is marketing, and manufacturing, and if you want to sell a new product as being better than the old, you need to not only make it look new (that they did), work better (that I don't know) and have some features that people have been asking for (the ratio changes are the biggee).

So I see it as just another product release. In 5 years time when their new AXS is released, they'll have to go 13, or do something to make it stand out. Weight maybe? They can drop a few grams and say it's now superlight. And so it goes.
 
Discussion starter · #30 ·
MSU Alum said:
It's hard to beat the light weight and quality of the 1295 and 1299. But they're both just SRAM 11 speed cassettes with a bail out gear attached as far as gearing is concerned (28, 32, 36, 42, 50/52). They jump from 42 to 50 or 52. Although it's heavier, I've become a real fan of the XT 12 speed cassette (28, 33,39, 45, 51) because the jumps above 28 work better for me. Even at my age (71) riding steep above 9000 feet the 51 or 52 tooth isn't noticeably better than 50 for less than a quarter mile or so, but being in 45 Vs 42 for long periods, or even 39 Vs. 36 is. At around $150, it has a better spread among lower gears, and you already have the driver for it.
But, if you're going to go XX1 anyway, I'd spend the extra just for the bling.
Click to expand...
Good points -- thanks, man. (y)

Actually I don't already have the driver for Shimano 12-spd -- the bike I'm switching to XX1 AXS currently has Shimano 11-spd so it's equipped with a Hyperglide driver, not MicroSpline.
I'll give the SRAM cassette a try (I ordered a 1295 10-50t, scheduled to arrive tomorrow) to see if I can live with it.

FWIW my Trek Rail ebike has two 12-spd wheelsets -- one with SRAM GX 10-50t (29x2" road tires) and the other with Shimano 10-51t (29x3" knobbies.)
Both brand cassettes shift fine with the GX ASX der & controller. The e-factor means I don't notice the difference in individual gear spacing much, particularly since one wheelset is for the road and the other for the trails.

Anyway we'll see how things go with the 1295 10-50t for my meat-powered bike. I plan to order a new Onyx XD driver today... hopefully my new AXS system will be up & running within a week's time.
=sParty
 
#31 ·
Sparticus said:
Good points -- thanks, man. (y)

Actually I don't already have the driver for Shimano 12-spd -- the bike I'm switching to XX1 AXS currently has Shimano 11-spd so it's equipped with a Hyperglide driver, not MicroSpline.
I'll give the SRAM cassette a try (I ordered a 1295 10-50t, scheduled to arrive tomorrow) to see if I can live with it.

FWIW my Trek Rail ebike has two 12-spd wheelsets -- one with SRAM GX 10-50t (29x2" road tires) and the other with Shimano 10-51t (29x3" knobbies.)
Both brand cassettes shift fine with the GX ASX der & controller. The e-factor means I don't notice the difference in individual gear spacing much, particularly since one wheelset is for the road and the other for the trails.

Anyway we'll see how things go with the 1295 10-50t for my meat-powered bike. I plan to order a new Onyx XD driver today... hopefully my new AXS system will be up & running within a week's time.
=sParty
Click to expand...
I'm sure you'll like it. I had used the AXS with the 10-52 Eagle and then went to AXS plus Shimano and like it on my mountain bike. My E-bike came with SLX and it's fine.
 
#32 ·
ShortTravelMag said:
In 5 years time when their new AXS is released, they'll have to go 13, or do something to make it stand out.
Click to expand...
13 speed requires smaller spacing between the sprockets. Before they go 13 speed, I'd probably prefer to see a real 12 speed with that narrow spacing for better efficiency and less wear. Cassettes with differet gearing options I'd appriciate much for than a 13th sprocket. 12 gears is plenty, and round about there is the limit that's useful on a MTB. I'm sure we'll never need, want or see a 16 speed cassette.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#33 ·
lefthanded said:
13 speed requires smaller spacing between the sprockets. Before they go 13 speed, I'd probably prefer to see a real 12 speed with that narrow spacing for better efficiency and less wear. Cassettes with differet gearing options I'd appriciate much for than a 13th sprocket. 12 gears is plenty, and round about there is the limit that's useful on a MTB. I'm sure we'll never need, want or see a 16 speed cassette.
Click to expand...
Us regular folks think like that. But they have to come up with something to make the old stuff obsolete. Probably a new driver, new hub spacing, new frames needed. Yet another chain and crank spacing.
 
#34 ·
ShortTravelMag said:
Us regular folks think like that. But they have to come up with something to make the old stuff obsolete. Probably a new driver, new hub spacing, new frames needed. Yet another chain and crank spacing.
Click to expand...
Good thing there is a plethora of past and current generation mountain bikes and components available and will continue to be available so you never will have to worry about moving away from what you are comfortable with. Nobody is forcing anybody to adopt any of these new standards so no need to fret.
 
#35 ·
SunsetRide said:
Good thing there is a plethora of past and current generation mountain bikes and components available and will continue to be available so you never will have to worry about moving away from what you are comfortable with. Nobody is forcing anybody to adopt any of these new standards so no need to fret.
Click to expand...
We’ll, I’d respectfully disagree. A casual cyclist yes. If you are a racer, or just like bike stuff, you can only hold off so far. I remember everyone saying you don’t have to buy a 29er, no one is forcing you. Same with my 3x9 Xtr that I love. You have to go with the flow of trends eventually. I’m not going to tske the argument any further. If you want the nicer higher end stuff, you have to either ride old used stuff or try to keep up reasonably well. I ride a 2016 top fuel. I tried to replace the worn out fork, which also means the rear shock. Hydraulic lockouts and dampers. I spent days researching and trying to find a rear shock. Rockshox told me sorry. They no longer make anything that fits. So that’s that.
 
#37 ·
ShortTravelMag said:
We’ll, I’d respectfully disagree. A casual cyclist yes. If you are a racer, or just like bike stuff, you can only hold off so far. I remember everyone saying you don’t have to buy a 29er, no one is forcing you. Same with my 3x9 Xtr that I love. You have to go with the flow of trends eventually. I’m not going to tske the argument any further. If you want the nicer higher end stuff, you have to either ride old used stuff or try to keep up reasonably well. I ride a 2016 top fuel. I tried to replace the worn out fork, which also means the rear shock. Hydraulic lockouts and dampers. I spent days researching and trying to find a rear shock. Rockshox told me sorry. They no longer make anything that fits. So that’s that.
Click to expand...
How did you wear a fork out????
 
#38 ·
Mudguard said:
How did you wear a fork out????
Click to expand...
Fork has a hydraulic lockout damper, along with the shock. Can't replace either without doing the other, it's a closed system. So I had to choose, try to rebuild a 10 year old fork and figure out what was going on, or replace both and have a "new" bike in terms of suspension. I won't bore you with the details. But the remote for the lockout is very complex, it has about 20 tiny parts, and it started leaking oil all over. So I had to replace that or try to repair it. The rear shock, Rockshox abandoned entirely, no current model to replace it. Fox had one, but I had issues with that in another way. So I luckily, quite by accident found an entire dual lockout cable, and whole new damper for the fork. Normally $250 bucks, got it for $25.00! So the right side of fork is new. Then I just bought a new 110mm air shaft and rebuild kit. So I'm going to try to up the travel by 10mm, and repair any leaks that cause the fork to sit down in it's travel by 20mm. That's all I can do now. Rockshox also can't get me a new fork as the SIDs no longer come in 51mm offset. Fox still does.

So there you go. Leaking airshafts, leaking oil lockouts, sinking into travel, tired of bleeding my lockouts twice a year...wanting a boring old cable actuated lockout front/rear. And hear I am. If the new airspring brings it back, I'll keep it another year or two.
 
#39 ·
Could you not replace the fork and and shock with cable operated versions? My partner's Scott is covered with them. My experience with Reverbs means I'm quite happy to avoid hydraulic remotes.

I think the consensus is that offset is a little overblown but I've never tried different versions back to back.

Edit I see you've found a cable lockout for the fork. You musttt be doing some big kms to wear stuff out. Admittedly I'm a weekend warrior now so lucky to 1000kms a year off road now.
 
#40 ·
Mudguard said:
Could you not replace the fork and and shock with cable operated versions? My partner's Scott is covered with them. My experience with Reverbs means I'm quite happy to avoid hydraulic remotes.

I think the consensus is that offset is a little overblown but I've never tried different versions back to back.

Edit I see you've found a cable lockout for the fork. You musttt be doing some big kms to wear stuff out. Admittedly I'm a weekend warrior now so lucky to 1000kms a year off road now.
Click to expand...
It got complicated quickly. For example, I can put the brand new charger damper with cable lockout in my old 10 model year old fork. But since RS makes no rear shocks that fit, I have to use Fox. But Fox couldn't confirm if the lockouts are push to lock, or lock to push, or 2 position, or 3, or if it will work with the rockshox damper and remote. And I need the fox rear shock to point the remote cable stop down, it comes pointing up. I call Fox "hey, can I flip that remote cable input 180 degrees down?" Yep they say, here's a video how. I buy the shock, $500! Guess what, can't flip the cable port down at all. That was an old video. Fox guy was wrong. I found a $135.00 kit to replace half the parts to point it down. So now I'm up to $650 for the rear. A new Fox fork to match would be $900...by the time I do all that, I decided it's just not worth it. I'd rather wait and buy a new bike next year.

How does that matter to cassette talk? Not at all actually.
 
21 - 40 of 40 Posts
About this Discussion
39 Replies
18 Participants
Last post:
ShortTravelMag
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
posts
16M
members
534K
Since
1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
General Discussion Downhill - Freeride California - Norcal Shocks and Suspension Passion