Alistair Brownlee wins World Triathlon Series race on SRAM’s Force 1x drivetrain

I think the only perceived reason to stick with a 2 x setup is the close ratios in big/middling that you can then use to find an optimal cadence on flatter, windier drags, where you want to settle into a good 90-100RPM at around 30kph, and the jump from 15-17 or 17-19 is just too much. So you end up either going too slow or pushing unsustainably. For my 9-speed setup, anyway. Which I'm used to.

I came to this thinking that the steps in the SRAM cogset would be huge, in these critical middle ratios. I was wrong. To get the same top- and bottom-end speeds, my current Shimano 50-34x12-25 setup is matched by SRAM's 48x11-36.

So assuming ability to fang it and grovel are equal, what happens mid-range, in the critical edge-of-lactic-threshold space?

SRAM 11-36 goes 11-12-13-*15-17-19*-22-25-28-32-36

That means the same 2-step mid-cog spacing as a Shimano HG-50, 12-13 -14-*15-17-19*-21-23-25

So at 90RPM, speed looks like this:

Shimano 50x12-25, for 4,5,6th cog: 38.3 / 33.8 / 30.3km/hr

SRAM 48x11-36, for 4,5,6th cog: 36.8 / 32.4 / 29.1

For me, hunting between 4th and 5th is the bugbear. What this tells me is that I could swap to 1x and suffer much the same, but with a lighter, less-complicated bike.

Rah.

I fitted the 11-40 xtr cass to my di2 Boardman road bike. I kept the twin chainrings to give a mighty easy gear for long alpine climbs. With the adaption of the derailleur hanger that is all was needed to get the huge cassette to work perfectly

It's not really cross-chaining, anymore than say using the middle of the block with either 50 or 34 chainring is. Assuming it's centralised that is. With spacers it can be optimised to whatever gear you are going to spend the most time in.

so 52 with a 10-42 would give you 135.9" top and 32.4" bottom gears !

my 52-36 12-27 set up would be 113.3" and 34.9".
With only one chainring you'd get a taller top gear and a shorter
bottom gear ... win win in my books then

Its a perfect setup for Tri, where the rider runs with the bike, often bouncing it off the rack etc. Even on the 1 ameteur Tri ive seen i saw 2 or 3 riders having a failed 'mount' due to the chain falling off the front cogs.

Cross chain wear? Dont think thats really anything people worry about these days. If MTB 1x11 can survive it, a nice clean road bike can.

Will it be available at Halfords?

Cross-chain wear?

Quote:

"Man wins race on bike without inner ring on course where inner ring not necessary"

Yep, tis a shocker alright.
But then to be fair, that is what this system is for. If you are not going to need the inner ring, then why carry it?

Food for thought for my TT / Tri set up, I'd want the electronic too though, which would save the need the front mech/battery.

"Man wins race on bike without inner ring on course where inner ring not necessary"

Saw the title and wondered whether it was quite a flat course, proven right when I read the article.