Count 'em up, folks. How many cogs and teeth are there?
SRAM sent over these teaser images this morning of a new 1x11 drivetrain, dubbed XX1. That's a 10x42 tooth cassette you're looking at, which is a huge range compared to current cassette offerings which max out at 9-36. Note that a special cassette body will be required to run it, becuase traditional cassettes can only go as low as 11 teeth. It borrows the XX designation so it's clearly geared (pun intended) at the XC and enduro crowd.
The rear derailleur is also new and appears to be based around their Type 2 offerings. What's different about it? The XX1 derailleur moves along the horizontal plane and doesn't go in and out, up and down like traditional parallelogram designs. Fancy fancy.
What's more interesting than the cassette are the teeth on the front chain ring. Every other tooth features a raised portion. Note that the entire tooth isn't raised, just the center part of it. The goal here is obviously to help with chain retention. The alternating teeth coincide with the wide and skinny links on a chain. Chances are pretty good that it'll be coupled with an upper 1X chainguide, but SRAM's images don't show one. How else would you keep the chain from hopping off during a bumpy descent?
The increased range provides a much closer overall range to 2X setups than 1x9 or 1x10 speed offerings. Have front derailleurs just gone the way of the dodo bird? Time will tell. Expect more details at Crankworx Les Deux Alpes, or head over to bikeradar for a better look at the system.
mojojojoaf
5/29/2012 1:19 PM
I would be just as happy with a 10speed or 9speed version....of course thats too much to ask for. Because if I can get close to the top end range and match the low end range (big boy I climb slow) I have now with my Hammershcmidt and 11-32 and keep it in the 9 speed range thats all I need if I can get that in a 1x of course.
Of course I am giddy over the Nicolai Pinion 18 as well. Thats got me excited to spend money.
BeigeWolf
5/27/2012 2:51 AM
YOU'RE RIGHT. FRONT DERAILLEURS ARE SIMPLE: THEY SUCK.
IS NO ONE GOING TO MAKE ANY FUSS AT ALL ABOUT THE INTEGRATED AVID ROLLAMIJIG ZOMBIE APPENDAGE? YOU CHUMPS ARE MISSING THE BEST PART OF THIS WHOLE "LEAK"
zo
5/27/2012 11:13 AM
iceman2058
5/27/2012 11:46 AM
OMG HOLY CRAP, LIKE DAMN, LOOK AT THAT INTEGRATED AVID ROLLAMIJIG ZOMBIE APPENDAGE!!!! SO RAD!!! SOOO STOKED ON THAT!!! LIKE WHOA DUDE! WHAT IS THAT EVEN? WHAT'S IT DO? I WANT!!!

/fuss
zo
5/26/2012 5:43 AM
PeteHaile
5/25/2012 11:26 PM
The fat teeth of the chainring align with the one-half of the link that has outer plates and the skinny teeth of the chainring align with the portion of the link with the inner plates. I think in concert with the clutch rear derailleur one won't need a chainguide. I would submit they've been riding that very bike as we see it.
The widened "skiptooth" portion of the chainring is only where the cranks are horizontal, not coincidentally where one spends the vast majority of time descending.
Its a bit of brilliance. Sign me up.
Any comments on why the derailleur moves horizontal?
Mike_Doucette
5/25/2012 8:53 PM
k.shiz
5/25/2012 7:21 PM
SaddleRags
5/25/2012 2:32 PM
iceman2058
5/25/2012 2:11 PM
waaaa....I've been so excited about going 1x10 (waiting for Hope's 9-36T cassette), now it's obsolete before I even got to it???
In all seriousness, this is a cool idea, I'll wait for it to be properly field tested before getting too excited. Anything that helps get rid of the FD is good in my books. Let's just hope it's solid.
pedalhound
5/25/2012 1:31 PM
Alekosty
5/25/2012 12:41 PM
samnation
5/25/2012 11:48 AM
Chris_Anderson
5/29/2012 3:26 PM
scriz
5/25/2012 10:15 AM
bturman
5/28/2012 3:10 PM
scriz
5/28/2012 11:45 PM
Good to know! Still, a high zoot XTR Ti casette and rear mech. adds about a pound at the rear axle... plus you've got all the chain-line, chain growth, and COG issues. A few years back I would have sworn that gearbox bikes were just around the corner... would be cool to see a 'what ever happened to GBOXX' article