[Jayem]

I wish they would make those two problematic cogs the same way they make two smallest ones - with wider base.

Or just joined together out of one-piece.

 

[HerrKaLeu]

I wish they would make those two problematic cogs the same way they make two smallest ones - with wider base.

Exactly. a wider base instead of the stupid spacers. but i assume it would be hard to stamp out with a wider base.

 

[Harold]

would probably be better if they made all the loose cogs interlock the way the last two do

 

[Spectre]

I have at least 3 X01s on my bikes (to lazy to go and count, I have 1 or 2 "other" cassettes) and I've never had to change them out, still going strong, the oldest is around 6 seasons old. From there the 2nd oldest is at least 4.

Hey Jayem, how often are you switching out SRAM chains due to wear. I've been running GX chains as I've thought of chains as a wear item. The recent lab test reports that show X01 and XX1 chains to wear very slowly are changing my mind about potential chain longevity.

 

[Jayem]

Hey Jayem, how often are you switching out SRAM chains due to wear. I've been running GX chains as I've thought of chains as a wear item. The recent lab test reports that show X01 and XX1 chains to wear very slowly are changing my mind about potential chain longevity.

I don't use SRAM chains, I find Shimano are more cost-effective. Back in the day, they pioneered the mushroom-shaped pins to keep links from sliding off (which originally earned them a pretty bad rep as far as chains) and they trickled this down to all the mountain lines. The chains ended up being pretty inexpensive. I found for the same technology, cross-step, SRAM charged a lot more. I've always been able to find pretty good deals on the Shimano chains, so I've stock with XT and XTR chains. I try to switch them out about every 4 months or so on a heavily used bike, but since I go between different bikes, it doesn't always follow that and is sometimes more like 6 mo. The Mayor gets the most miles because I use it as a training rig for hill climbs in the summer, so it's got about 3400 miles on it, most of it this year. I think it's had 3 chains on it now. That one also ran the XTR cassette for a little while and wore it out. I'm not detecting a whole lot of chain stretch when I switch them out, but I definitely toasted that XTR, in the mid-gears first if I recall.

 

[high_desert_mud]

I don't use SRAM chains, I find Shimano are more cost-effective.

Highly recommend everyone take a half-hour and read the only (that I'm aware of) attempt at public, repeatable experiment based comparison of lubes and chains. Adam Kerin / https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/ No relation or compensation from me, other than I've followed his data and been extremely happy. His data seems honest and repeatable to me; and the business model of his store seems legit. Several years ago was a previous user doing the same, however they were hired by a lube mfg making any further data harder to dismiss bias.

CyclingTips.com - Finding the best bicycle chain: What over 3,000 hours of testing revealed

It's worth your time to read because the best chains (which are not the most $$ btw) are shown to last ~7000km (with poor lube and grit added!), whereas the worse were < 2000km. (which also affects the miles you get out of a cassette)

Also if racing is your thing (I ride fat bikes lol) there is a 5-10 watt drag difference between best and worst; that's pretty big compared to other bike upgrades.

A few takeaways I found helpful:

• some big surprises in the results
• choice may be different for "racing" (just want fastest) versus "durable" ($$/mile)
• durability can favor tight tolerances, but this can add a couple watts of drag
• durability has actually increased slightly with each new generation (narrower chain / higher speeds)

Also, the related lube guide was VERY surprising; even if you don't want to go to the trouble of hot-melt lube, there are tons of very popular lubes that SUCK (relative to the best available) https://cyclingtips.com/2018/03/fast-chain-lube-that-saves-you-money/

 

[HerrKaLeu]

Highly recommend everyone take a half-hour and read the only (that I'm aware of) attempt at public, repeatable experiment based comparison of lubes and chains. Adam Kerin / https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/ No relation or compensation from me, other than I've followed his data and been extremely happy. His data seems honest and repeatable to me; and the business model of his store seems legit. Several years ago was a previous user doing the same, however they were hired by a lube mfg making any further data harder to dismiss bias.

CyclingTips.com - Finding the best bicycle chain: What over 3,000 hours of testing revealed

It's worth your time to read because the best chains (which are not the most $$ btw) are shown to last ~7000km (with poor lube and grit added!), whereas the worse were < 2000km. (which also affects the miles you get out of a cassette)

Also if racing is your thing (I ride fat bikes lol) there is a 5-10 watt drag difference between best and worst; that's pretty big compared to other bike upgrades.

A few takeaways I found helpful:

• some big surprises in the results
• choice may be different for "racing" (just want fastest) versus "durable" ($$/mile)
• durability can favor tight tolerances, but this can add a couple watts of drag
• durability has actually increased slightly with each new generation (narrower chain / higher speeds)

Also, the related lube guide was VERY surprising; even if you don't want to go to the trouble of hot-melt lube, there are tons of very popular lubes that SUCK (relative to the best available) https://cyclingtips.com/2018/03/fast-chain-lube-that-saves-you-money/

Thanks for posting. I had seen that before they updated for 12-speed.
Unfortunately they only had one shimano (HG+) chain. Since for HG+, you need the Shimano chains, it would be nice to have a comparison between XTR, XT, SLX etc. there is a thread around about that topic.

 

[speedygz]

My XT cassettes last about a +/- year; I don't ride nearly as much as I used to. The Shimano cassettes are attractive for their price...they do wear out quickly, especially the bigger aluminum cogs...the ones I need. My gf has had the same SRAM XO1 cassette for 4 years, granted she hasn't been on the bike much in 2020. She is only on her 2nd chain...I've had at least 2 chains per cassette.
I'm a Shimano fan but, that SRAM XO1 cassette is the ****. If they only made an 11-speed cassette with better range...say 12-50.

I'm brand agnostic really, I got 4-4500 kms out of my XT cassette (actually wore out the 11 tooth gear), I honestly can't see 16,000+ kms life out of an XO1. I lost track of how many kms I've done so far on my $50 plane Jane 11-42 Deore, it's still going strong, but I'd be super surprised if it was less than the XT.

 

[Jayem]

I'm brand agnostic really, I got 4-4500 kms out of my XT cassette (actually wore out the 11 tooth gear), I honestly can't see 16,000+ kms life out of an XO1. I lost track of how many kms I've done so far on my $50 plane Jane 11-42 Deore, it's still going strong, but I'd be super surprised if it was less than the XT.

What's 4000 miles in km? That's just what I have in a year on one bike on one. I have 3 X01s, but I haven't worn out the original one I got back in 2015 or so. Who knows how many that one has on it, wasn't even counting miles then (different bike). I did buy a new alu gear for it this year, but seems to be still going strong.

 

[speedygz]

What's 4000 miles in km? That's just what I have in a year on one bike on one. I have 3 X01s, but I haven't worn out the original one I got back in 2015 or so. Who knows how many that one has on it, wasn't even counting miles then (different bike). I did buy a new alu gear for it this year, but seems to be still going strong.

That's the thing though. I could have replaced the 11t, maybe the 13 as well to be safe, and kept on trucking. All being possible due to Shimanos refusal to join them all together. As well as the bigger gears on the spider. All for cheap as chips. I actually bought a CrMo driver, but it's still sitting here unused, as the original Al one is still quite serviceable, 10,000+ kms later, and still going.