e*thirteen TRS+ Cassette - Review
The popularity of 1x drivetrains continues to increase, as does the number of aftermarket options available for riders looking for an even greater gear range than their stock setup. There are enough numbers associated with all of this to make your head spin, but when it comes to e*thirteen's new 11-speed TRS+ cassette, the important numbers to remember are that it has a 9-44 tooth spread, which equates to a 489% range, weigh in at 333 grams, and retails for $309.
TRS+ Cassette Details
• 11-speeds (9-42 tooth 10-speed version available)
• Aluminum and cro-moly cogs
• Cog sizes: 9-10-12-14-17-20-24-28-32-38-44
• Weight (actual): 333 grams
• MSRP: $309 USD
• www.bythehive.com / @ethirteen-components
• 11-speeds (9-42 tooth 10-speed version available)
• Aluminum and cro-moly cogs
• Cog sizes: 9-10-12-14-17-20-24-28-32-38-44
• Weight (actual): 333 grams
• MSRP: $309 USD
• www.bythehive.com / @ethirteen-components
Crunching Numbers
Remember when I mentioned that there are enough numbers to make your head spin? Well, get ready for some dizziness, because it's time to dive in and see how the TRS+'s 489% range compares to some of its competition, at least on paper.
The first, and flashiest, contender is SRAM's recently announced Eagle 12-speed drivetrain. That setup gives riders a 500% range thanks to its 10-50 tooth cassette, but it requires a new cassette, chain, shifter, and derailleur, all to the tune of roughly $800.
Next comes OneUp's Shark cassette and derailleur upgrade, which results in an 11-50 tooth cassette with a 455% range. That kit costs $125, in addition to the price of a Shimano cassette. OneUp also has a driver body available that allows for that 11-speed Shimano cassette to be expanded even further, resulting in a 10-50 tooth cassette with a 500% range.
Shimano has an 11-46 tooth cassette on the way, but with a claimed weight of 450 grams it's a quarter pound heavier than the e*thirteen TRS+.
And what about the original 11-speed drivetrain that ignited all of this wide-range madness? SRAM's XG1180 cassette has a 10-42 tooth spread, giving it a 420% range, and it's priced within a few dollars of the TRS+. Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at what it takes to actually install the TRS+ cassette.
The first, and flashiest, contender is SRAM's recently announced Eagle 12-speed drivetrain. That setup gives riders a 500% range thanks to its 10-50 tooth cassette, but it requires a new cassette, chain, shifter, and derailleur, all to the tune of roughly $800.
Next comes OneUp's Shark cassette and derailleur upgrade, which results in an 11-50 tooth cassette with a 455% range. That kit costs $125, in addition to the price of a Shimano cassette. OneUp also has a driver body available that allows for that 11-speed Shimano cassette to be expanded even further, resulting in a 10-50 tooth cassette with a 500% range.
Shimano has an 11-46 tooth cassette on the way, but with a claimed weight of 450 grams it's a quarter pound heavier than the e*thirteen TRS+.
And what about the original 11-speed drivetrain that ignited all of this wide-range madness? SRAM's XG1180 cassette has a 10-42 tooth spread, giving it a 420% range, and it's priced within a few dollars of the TRS+. Now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at what it takes to actually install the TRS+ cassette.
SRAM's Eagle drivetrain has 12-speeds and a 500% range, but it isn't cheap.
OneUp's Shark upgrade can convert a Shimano drivetrain to one with a 10-50 tooth range.
The three pieces of the TRS+ cassette ready for installation.
e*thirteen's bottom bracket tool is used to secure the largest three cogs, and then a chain whip is used to lock the eight cog cluster into place.
Installation
The TRS+ cassette installs on an XD driver body, but there are a couple extra steps required for installation compared to a 'regular' cassette. The carrier that holds the three largest cogs goes on first, and is held in place with a lockring that requires a tool from e*thirteen to tighten it down to the recommended 25 Nm. That tool (the same one used to install their bottom brackets) is included with the cassette.
Once the first portion of the cassette is installed, the next step is to line up the indicator mark on the 24-tooth cog with the 'unlock' symbol printed on the 32-tooth cog. This will allow the second carrier, the one with the remaining eight cogs to slip into place, and it's then locked into position with a chain whip. Removing the cassette is a reverse of those steps, but it does require two chain whips in order to unlock the cassette.
Don't have two chain whips? If you keep your wheel installed, and shift the chain into one of the three largest cogs, you can then get a chain whip on the smaller cogs and push down on a pedal with one hand and down on the chain whip with the other to unlock and eventually remove the cassette.
The diminutive 9-tooth cog held up to months of use, including plenty of wet, muddy rides.
The cassette can be further disassembled, allowing for sections to be replaced individually as they wear.
Performance
For the duration of the test period I ran the TRS+ cassette with a SRAM GX rear derailleur, and a PC-X1 chain. Out in the trail, in the middle cogs the performance was on par with the SRAM XG-1180 cassette whose spot it replaced, with quick and accurate up and down shifts. It was in the largest cogs (the easiest gears) where the shifting lagged a bit, and I was never able to get the shift down from the 44 to the 38 tooth cog to be as quick as I would have liked. The upshift speed was reasonable, but there was a noticeable lag when dropping off those top two cogs. I checked the cable tension, the derailleur's limit screws and B-tension, as well as the derailleur hanger alignment, and everything was as it should be. Swapping back to a SRAM cassette resolved the slow shifting in those easier gears, confirming that the blame for the sluggishness lay with the cassette. The tooth profiles and shift ramp shaping don't look drastically different than a SRAM cassette, but there's enough difference to affect the shifting speed.
What about that tiny 9-tooth cog? It's survived without any signs of excessive wear despite plenty of wet weather riding, although I will say that it didn't really see a massive amount of use. That's due to the terrain I typically ride – there simply aren't that many wide-open, flat out sections of trail where I'd have enough speed to warrant pedaling in that hard of a gear. Even when spinning out a few road miles on the way to the trailhead I usually found myself using the 10- or 12-tooth cogs.
The cassette's 44-tooth cog saw much more usage, and I certainly appreciated it when faced with the steep logging roads that are the key to accessing the gems hidden in the forest near my house. I ended up staying with a 32-tooth ring up front due to the fact that I was more interested in having an easier climbing gear rather than increasing my top end speed; swapping to a 34-tooth chainring would have maintained the same climbing gear ratio as I'd had with a 10-42 tooth cassette, but increased the speed needed to spin out. Alternatively, I could have gone down to a 30-tooth chainring, thus gaining an even easier climbing gear and more ground clearance, while still maintaining a similar top-end speed to what I'd had previously, thanks to the 9-tooth cog,
On the whole, the cassette has held up well to the miles that have been put on. It did develop an intermittent creak after a string of muddy rides, but pulling it apart to clean and re-grease the section where the two carriers slide together resolved this. The fact that portions of the cassette can be replaced individually is a nice feature, one that means you'll only need to part ways with a fraction of the cost of an entire cassette if you wear out the 44-tooth cog trying to see how much vertical you can rack up in a season.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | The TRS+ cassette weighs only a few grams more than a SRAM XG-1180 cassette, and has almost the same MSRP, but possesses a gearing range of 489% vs. the XG-1180's 420% range. On paper those numbers are attractive, but out in the field the cassette's shifting performance wasn't as flawless as I would have liked, which makes the TRS+ a less compelling option. Of course, different derailleur and chain choices may affect the results, but with the test setup I used the SRAM cassette's shifting was quicker and smoother. Personally, I'd rather have perfect shifting rather than a greater gear range, but there may be some riders who are willing accept slower downshifts in order to broaden their cassette spread, whether that's to make it up steeper climbs or to avoid spinning out on high speed descents. - Mike Kazimer |
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It also showed me another thing I've been noticing for a while, though: we're starting to get into ranges on 1x systems that aren't upgrades, but tools for specialized use. @JKSR is using this whole range, but he's hitting the 9t because he's racing(& actually, he's saying he never spins it out, so unless he comments more, we don't know how much he's actually using it.) But my point is, that's a specific use that's more extreme than most riders are seeing.
I'm starting to think that right around 420%, maybe just a tad more, really is the sweet spot for 1x systems, & that most people don't really need the 489% this provides. Stuff like this, eagle, etc, are more like DH blocks: specialized tools for racers, & not something you "must" have to keep up with modern tech.
Are you thinking about the 30t because you think you think you need a taller climbing gear than 32x44? Having a 32x42 for myself, I can't really imagine a taller gear than what I have being useful, though my big bike is definitely more DH than trail (Devinci Spartan.)
Still end up grinning at the bottom of the trail from ear to ear. Would like a wider range though, but hike it if it's too steep uphill and shred it down.
Blah!
When I have the $$$ I am hoping to upgrade to 11-42.
im sure some mechanically inclined person could explain actual WORKLOAD with varying chain ring size and cassette set ups. ie, comparing a 26 11-32 setup with a 32 11-42 and actual physiological benefits of a larger front ring.... i think this makes sense
But this could be a baseless, worry, idk. For me the praxis 11-42 10 speed has been more than enough range, and it runs with the same mid-cage RD I was using on 2x10. I don't see myself going any bigger than that.
We are lucky to live at this moment and be riders. Bikes are better than they've ever been. Trails are better than they've ever been. We should all be stoked.
Drivetrain-wise Shimano has been following SRAM's footsteps for the past few years.
You kids don't know how good you've got it awesome choices these days.
I agree with previous comments that its the 9t that really makes the difference giving a much longer gear and allowing me to leave the 32 on the front all the time.
From my experience this is a great bit of kit and gives close to the range of gearing that you get from the new 12 speed without having to change the rest of your components
I also know I'm beating a dead horse but how can one turn down a $70usd XT 11-42? Getting the proper shimano drive body(which most likely has new bearings) and cassette would be cheaper than the competitor's cassette offering(talking XO1).
Maybe they'll put out a green version of the XG-1180... that would be tight.
I routinely use the whole range on weekend rides.
And for the record we're doing 6-8 hour rides every weekend, you're not allowed to say "get stronger" until you come to Washington and climb what I climb.
FD for life !
And on the subject in hand, 1 x 11 XT M-8000 11-42, OneUp 45t expander and oval 34t chainring.... it goes up, it comes down..... chain stays on, looks a bit trick.......... job done !
Firstly, when I swapped it for my existing X01 cassette I immediately noticed that it was lighter than the SRAM.
I did not weigh it because I didn't really care, but it was at least lighter to the point where I could tell simply by handling both cassettes.
Secondly, I'm running the same 30t that I was running with the X01 cassette(OE on the bike-29" Enduro), and use both the 44t and 9t on every ride.
I believe I'm spinning out at about 35mph with this gearing, thus(obviously) any faster and I'm just trying to make the smallest hole in the wind I can.
Lastly, I'm gonna assume the writer of this article didn't have his shifter and/or derailleur adjusted properly, 'cuz my shifting is every bit as good as it was with the X01 cassette it replaced. FWIW, I'm using all X01 components, but quickly perusing some of the comments on here, it looks like I'm not the only one who's experienced flawless operation with my E13 cassette.
[Reply]
my lowest gear is a 1:1 and has been for over 15 years and ive never found a hill I cant climb,
I normally don't go any lower 2:1, I used to single speed before I got bored of spinning out.
Instead of making the most unreliable part on a mountain bike more unreliable why don't we just get rid of the most unreliable part on a mountain bike? Because of a half pound or so.
That was a two speed system to compliment the unreliable rear derailleurs I am speaking of. As long as we have rear derailleurs a mountain bike drivetrain cannot be considered reliable. Nobody can debate that effectively.
That fact that a stick took out your drivetrain only highlights how unreliable and poorly designed traditional mountain bike drivetrains are. Virtually all the broken chains in DH racing are the result of the failed derailleurs system. BMX racers rarely have issues with their 1 speed drivetrain.
This isn't even a debate, it's an indictment of the failure of both Shimano and SRAM, and these retarded extended cogs only make the crap more unreliable.
pm me
That and 2 rings on the front
75% the cost
No clutch and it works just fine with a wolftooth.