[Evan55]

I just bought my first DH bike and it came with a road cassette and 38t front. I was considering putting on the SLX 12-36 cassette so I can ride some of the flatter local XC trails too for kicks.

It has a mid cage X9 rear der, and with a single front ring it should handle the 12-36 cassette just fine (with a longer chain too I assume)
I cant think of any reason why this wont work but Im also not much of a bike wrench so I could be missing something

so has anyone done this?

 

[bullcrew]

I run a 36 front and 11/34 rear... been that way 5 years now from freeride to racing dh.. works great and f you have some pedally spots the few grams of weight over a road cassette are worth it.

 

[essenmeinstuff]

yeah I'd look at your gear usage.

The thing I'd look at is if you need the 38 up front.

I use my bike for everything, and run 32 up front and 11-34 out back. Mind you we don't have too much "real" DH here and its pretty rare that I spin out.

38 and 12 ratio is a little more than 34 to 11. ie if you ran a 34 up front and 11 to 34 out back, you get 1:1 for climbing etc, and basically the same top end ration of 3.09:1 (vs 3.16:1 for 38-12).

A good 11-34 is also significantly lighter than the SLX 12-36 (from memory), and that is unsprung weight, so it will help improve small bump compliance of your suspension.

 

[Evan55]

yeah I agree addressing the front ring in addition to the rear is the right way to do it,
but for right now Id like to do something fast and easy and just swap the cassette.

the 36 in the rear should get me most of the way there, and as long as it works, I can run with that now and look at the front ring when I have more experience riding this monster and I will better know what gearing I want.

 

[essenmeinstuff]

only thing i'd check then is if your rear dérailleur can clear the 36t, most are "rated" to 34.

with the X9 you can probably make it clear with the B adjust, but it will likely be way off on the lower gears...

 

[ustemuf]

y
I use my bike for everything, and run 32 up front and 11-34 out back. Mind you we don't have too much "real" DH here and its pretty rare that I spin out.

you must not have any DH, or use your brakes a lot.. cause 32 in front and 11 in rear and you're spinning out on anything over 25ish MPH.

 

[essenmeinstuff]

you must not have any DH, or use your brakes a lot.. cause 32 in front and 11 in rear and you're spinning out on anything over 25ish MPH.

Trails are pretty tight, and there are not a lot of (ie none) big hills here, you make do with what you have I guess.

There are a couple of sections were I do spin out, but its rare enough for me not to really care enough to switch drive trains.

 

[bullcrew]

11/34 and your set.... I spin 36s and 38th fronts out a fair bit on several wide open runs into the ruts etc and that's plenty fast the 11/34 in rear is a Savior when pedalling is inevitable... so if it clears a 11/36 go for it you can always swap thereof t run later relatively cheap... Congrats and pics...

 

[toowacky]

only thing i'd check then is if your rear dérailleur can clear the 36t, most are "rated" to 34.

Pretty sure SRAM mid-cages are rated at 37t.

 

[essenmeinstuff]

Pretty sure SRAM mid-cages are rated at 37t.

Not talking about chain capacity, but physically clearing the 36t cog on the cassette.

(if that's what you mean then disregard this post lol)

 

[4JawChuck]

I ride my Session DH for XC, I found a 32 front ring works just fine instead of fiddling with rear cassettes...easier to swap too. I just carry more speed when attacking hills which the suspension does easily compared to a 4-5" travel XC bike.

Give it a try first.

 

[stunzeed]

I run a 36T front and 11-34 back..the 36 in back is pretty heavy and to me seem to be missing the gears I generally use..

it really just comes down to your terrain, fitness level

 

[Iceman2058]

You have 4 bikes and want to ride your DH bike on the XC trails for "kicks"? In love with your new DH bike eh?

Don't change anything on the DH bike, go pedal it around your XC trails a couple of times, until that first time love wears off just a little bit, then you can get back to the way your life was before...

 

[toowacky]

Not talking about chain capacity, but physically clearing the 36t cog on the cassette.

Nope, my bad, I was talking chain capacity. Thanks for clarifiying...

 

[runjhike]

4jawchuck

I hate to hijack the thread, but can you tell me more about using your session for xc? I've been thinking of that, but I've been told they're impossible to climb on. I have a Remedy and was hoping for more downhill stability. Which Session do you have?

 

[4JawChuck]

4jawchuck

I hate to hijack the thread, but can you tell me more about using your session for xc? I've been thinking of that, but I've been told they're impossible to climb on. I have a Remedy and was hoping for more downhill stability. Which Session do you have?

2009 DH model.

I ride it everywhere. Mine weighs less than 36 pds in size large with SB8's and Stan's, you need to remove the chain device idlers to ride it XC...too much drag. I find the heavy duty components and extra rigidity more of an advantage not to mention being able to rail anything on the trail. For all around riding I use a 36T front ring but if there is a lot of climbing I put a 32T on the front, I only use the 38T for DH.

That being said I still love my hardtail, feels like a rocket after the big bike but I ride a two front ring setup on it.

 

[Evan55]

You have 4 bikes and want to ride your DH bike on the XC trails for "kicks"? In love with your new DH bike eh?

Don't change anything on the DH bike, go pedal it around your XC trails a couple of times, until that first time love wears off just a little bit, then you can get back to the way your life was before...

lol...this is a wise man :thumbsup: its definately "shiny new toy" right now which contributes to me wanting to ride it around, but it would also be fun to take it out on XC trails when my 4" bike is down, or pedal it out to the freeridey sections of the trails

the road cassette just makes no sense to me (other than weight) and Id like a little more versatility