Torture Tested: Over 84 Miles & 11,000 Feet of Elevation Gain on the New e*thirteen TRS+ 11-Speed 9-46 Tooth Cassette
How do you put a brand new cassette through a proper first test? 84 muddy, awesome miles.
For the last year some friends and I have been toying with the idea of riding the Colorado Trail from Molas Pass to Durango – a ride actually deserving of the word "epic." Three weeks ago we made the high-country adventure happen. We planned to tackle the beast over two days with a sag-wagon full of friends and post-ride libations to meet us in the middle.
The day before we began everyone was busy ensuring their rides were ready for the challenge. "Did you swap out that 34-tooth ring?" "Damn straight, I'll take every advantage I can get!" replied my buddy, Nate Work, who, just days earlier, was rocking an aging 11-speed drivetrain cobbled together with a mixture of component brands that would make the big two cringe. I silently agreed, too ashamed to admit that I had just installed a 500% range SRAM Eagle drivetrain on my bike. Then it dawned on me. "Hook a brother up!"
I had just received e*thirteen's new TRS+ cassette, an easy swap for Nate's 11-speed SRAM cassette and worked with his Shimano XT derailleur. Little did I know, combined with his new smaller chainring I had just created a high-country weapon. Nate would go on to outride all of us on some of the most breathtaking climbs we've ever attempted.
Highlights
- 9-46 teeth
- 511% gear range
- 9-10-12-14-17-20-24-28-33-39-46 tooth counts
- Works with 11-speed SRAM and Shimano drivetrains
- Requires SRAM XD driver body
- Individually replaceable aluminum and heat-treated cromoly steel clusters
- Includes lockring, lockring tool, and grease packet
- Weight: 339g (0.75-pounds)
- MSRP: $249 / €269
- Available now
Previously unavailable at this price point and just a hair heavier than the existing TRS Race version, the TRS+ 11-speed cassette offers a huge 511% gear range. That's 11% more than Eagle, even. It'd be helpful to have some added range since Nate was riding a proper full-squish Transition Patrol in anticipation of some great descents. Compared to e*thirteen's existing 11-speed 9-46 TRSr cassette, the TRS+ is just 36g heavier and $100 less.
Even during a busy day running around like a chicken with its head cut off while dialing in final details and assembling camping gear, installation wasn't a big deal and took just minutes to complete. Simply remove the old cassette, clean things up, install the three large aluminum cogs, tighten down the lockring on a SRAM XD driver body with the included tool, then lock the remaining eight steel cogs into place with a chain whip. The part that took longest was ensuring the thin lockring wasn't cross-threaded. Per e*thirteen's recommendation, we were liberal with grease on the locking slots. After a quick readjustment of his b-tension screw, Nate's ride was ready to rock and shifted well in every gear.
On The Trail
If we're honest, my buddies and I are 12-18 mile riders. We usually smash hard and call it before we're drooling all over ourselves. The thought of two 40+ mile days at elevations entering the 12,000-foot range multiple times was daunting to all of us, but we were up for a challenge and wanted to check this ride off the bucket list. Slow and steady was to be our approach.
Day one began with a pre-dawn shuttle up the Million Dollar Highway to Molas Pass, not far from Silverton, Colorado. We could see our breath as we exited the truck and got our gear in order, socked in by clouds gently drizzling overhead. With a wheelie for the camera on the way out of the trailhead parking lot, we were off into the backcountry. Spin, spin, spin...
Like any good adventure calls for, the elements had to have their say. Between the rain and the bar-height skunk cabbage water bombs we were soaked by the time we were just two miles in, setting the tone for much of the ride. We pedaled through puddle after puddle, and I remember chuckling after realizing how laughable it was for me to think one miniature bottle of chain lube would see us through. "Product testing?" "Haha. I guess so."
As my wrinkled toes would attest, I've never been rained on so much in my life. Conditions throughout both days alternated from blind "I hope there isn't a giant rock in this massive puddle!" splashing to "holy crap, riding through this marsh is slooooooow." Thankfully the rocky soil remained pedal-able. We'd part mini seas hundreds of times, and by the time we were 20-miles in on day one all of our bikes sounded wretched. The grinding noises our drivetrains were making were cringe-worthy.
Like any country boy, Nate has a lot of good ideas. For example, when our hands were freezing after getting hailed on for thirty minutes and then rallying a long descent, he had the stroke of genius to reach down and grab his brake calipers. Turns out they make an amazing pair of hand-warmers in a pinch. He also had the stroke of brilliance to dunk our bikes in a random lake, cleaning the drivetrains. There wasn't a chance in hell any chain lube was left at that point anyway. For day two we'd wise up and bring a rag and an entire bottle of lube.
I'd watch Nate disappear into the distance multiple times during the two days. The guy was CRUSHING some grueling ascents, earning the unofficial First-to-the-Top Badass award over and over. Rolling Mountain? No biggie, he was up there having a snack and casually taking photos by the time the rest of us windbags arrived. Bolam Pass? He was so far into a conversation with a hiker by the time we caught up I couldn't interject. Blackhawk Pass? "Later dudes!" Paired with a 28-tooth chainring, Nate was in spin-to-win heaven.
Little baby chainring and all, with 511% gear range on tap he was right there with us when speeds picked up big time on some of Colorado's most well-earned descents.
As we pedaled the final few miles into town we passed an electronic speed limit sign designed to slow people as they enter city limits. It clocked us at 27mph. Fueled by the stoke of what we'd achieved, without a word Nate and I simultaneously mashed hard on the cranks until our speed blinked back at us and we were officially eligible for speeding tickets.
Victory burrito and beer in hand, we both chuckled at what this cassette had just endured for its "first ride" experience. Guess what? Nate had no shifting issues, never once said anything about odd gearing jumps, experienced no creaking, and the cassette showed a minimal amount of wear. The only major difference is just slightly slower shifts. I'd call that a win.
Trip Totals
- 2 days
- 84.1 miles
- 11,022 feet of elevation gain
- 17,800 feet of elevation loss
- All the rain
- Just 3 amazing hours of sunshine
- 30+ streams crossed
- 300+ puddles smashed
- 3 multi-mile mud bogs
- 0.25 ounces of chain lube used by the group on day one
- 1.5 ounces of chain lube used by the group on day two
- 7 massive mountains Nate reached the top of first
- 2 mega high-country climbs Nate rode that no one else could muster
- A lifetime of incredible views
- 15 times the author pulled over for a "photo break"
- Plenty of campfire beers
- 4 pairs of shoes that never fully dried out by the fire
- About a bajillion circles
- Nate's estimated value assessment for the new $249 e*thirteen TRS+ cassette: "Worth it."
Visit www.bythehive.com for more details.
About The Tester
Nate Work - Recipient of the unofficial 2017 First-to-the-Top Badass award and inventor of the backcountry hand warmer, Nate is one of the fastest guys we know on an off-road motocross bike and occasionally picks up his pedal rig. His award is fitting though, because he's a natural talent on two wheels with a history in BMX and downhill racing. He did just one short "training ride" in preparation for this Colorado Trail adventure.
Words and photos by Brandon Turman