SRAM X01 Drivetrain - Review
SRAM's 11 speed, single ring X01 drivetrain starts at $1,273 USD for a complete group, which makes its advertised catalog price just a few hundred dollars less than the top tier XX1 group, a fact that's hard to make sense of until you consider how that savings is multiplied at the OEM level. Simply put, an X01 spec'd bike is going to be appreciably less expensive than a comparable machine equipped with XX1, and that could add up to either quite a bit more savings on the retail price of the complete bike, or mean that said bike comes equipped with noticeable upgrades like a dropper post or better tires as stock equipment. But how does X01 differ from XX1? The answer lies in streamlined manufacturing processes that save time, and we all know that time is money. Machining and finishing details throughout the group add up to only the slightest of weight penalties, with the cassette weighing just fifteen grams more, the derailleur ten grams, and the cranks only five. All told, there is only 30 - 40 gram difference between the two groups. Regardless of the minor weight differences in the individual components, all of the same technology employed in XX1 has been put to use in X01. Both the chain rings and pulley wheels feature X-Sync teeth, the $269 USD derailleur is an X-Horizon unit that sees a carbon cage and Type 2 clutch, and the same 'Zero Loss Engagement' cable pull system is used within the $139 USD shifter, albeit finished off with an aluminum cover instead of the carbon piece on XX1. The biggest visual difference is found at the $399 USD cassette, with it sporting a black finish compared to the silver XX1 block. SRAM has said that going with this finish has allowed them to save money during manufacturing, and the cassette is otherwise exactly the same as the XX1 unit. The other point to keep in mind is that the carbon X01 crankset uses a 94mm BCD spider that allows for 'ring sizes down to 30 teeth to be used, unlike the 76mm BCD spider on the XX1 crank that allows a smaller 28 tooth ring to be fitted. While the carbon crank arms themselves are identical, there are machining differences in the spider and 'rings, as well as in the crank's finish, which set it apart. A ceramic bottom bracket also comes stock with XX1, while X01 gets a stainless steel unit, and a narrower Q-factor is possible with the XX1 arms as well. An aluminum X01 crankset could be an aftermarket option in the future, with it being initially offered only as original equipment on complete bikes.
Pinkbike's Take:
 | So, now that we've put eight months worth of riding on a single X01 drivetrain, as well as a countless miles on test bikes that are spec'd with SRAM's lower priced 11 speed group, it's fair to say that we've got a good understanding of how the system performs. The time has shown that it would be quite difficult, maybe even near impossible, to tell the difference between XX1 and X01 in a blind test. ''Lever action is crisp and positive, just as we've come to expect from SRAM, with a very tactile feel to the shifter that leaves no doubt as to what just happened at the back of the bike,'' were our exact words in the May, 2013, review of XX1, and those also ring very true with X01. Shift action feels identical to our thumbs, as does shift speed across the cassette, and reliability has also been up to par. Having said that, we did have an X01 derailleur's clutch fail on a test bike, but our go-to drivetrain for review purposes has given us nary a hint of trouble. Chain retention has been impressive, with just two dropped chains over the last eight months that we put down to excessively muddy conditions and insanely sticky goop that managed to pack into every nook and cranny - we would have likely had to stop to clean out the mud from any drivetrain, it was that bad. The basis for getting the most from both XX1 and X01 will be choosing the correct chain ring to use - be honest with your abilities while picking a chain ring size that makes sense for both how you ride and the terrain that you spend most of their time on. Too big of a ring will result in tired legs, but going too small will have you spinning circles while you go nowhere slowly. Given how close XX1 and X01 are when talking details, it's no surprise that the few complaints that we have about the higher priced group are also present with X01. This includes how the X-Sync tooth profile used on both the chain ring and the pulley wheels is prone to picking up more trail debris than a traditional design, and it wasn't uncommon to see more gunk than usual packed onto on both during a wet ride. We also experienced the same odd popping noise that would occur intermittently and only during high torque scenarios, once or twice a ride at most. The sound only occurs when the chain is on the large 42 tooth cog and while powering up a steep incline, something that has us thinking that it's a result of the chain interfacing with the thicker and heavily stepped X-Sync chain ring teeth while at the acute range of the chain line. There were, however, no mechanical issues related to it. While the previous two complaints are minor in the grand scheme of things, we also had issues with the chain staying in time with derailleur's X-Sync upper pulley, and the result of its alternating narrow and wide teeth not meshing with the chain being a rough, grinding feeling through the pedals. The reason for this isn't 100 percent clear, but the size of the gap between the upper pulley and the cassette is likely a factor, as is how a bike's suspension reacts to inputs, but the bottom line is that we had it happen to us on the large majority of both XX1 and X01 equipped machines. It's a quick fix: shifting to a smaller cog and then back up to an easier gear solves the issue in a few seconds, but it's strange nonetheless. SRAM's 11 speed XX1 and X01 groups are, as of right, the only purpose built single chain ring groups on the market, and the two drivetrains do a lot of things very well. As we talked about above, it's vital to choose the chain ring that best suits your fitness, terrain, and riding style, and doing that will allow you to climb and descend pretty much anything with ease. The bottom line is that X01 works every bit as well as XX1, and while it might only appear to be only marginally less expensive on paper, you have to remember that the newest 11 speed group is really intended to save money at the manufacturing level, which is then hopefully passed on to the consumer in the form of either a lower price tag on the complete bike or add-ons like a dropper seat post or nicer wheels.- Mike Levy |
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Yes, you can get a 42T cog for $80-$100 from different companies but you're still at a 1x10 system. Not 1x11 which is what the SRAM does. Shimano having released their 1x11, 2x11, and even 3x11 is super expensive as well and also is proprietary.
So do what I do and wait. For now my 1x10 drivetrain (Raceface NW) is perfect for me so I don't see a desperate need to get to a 1x11 any time soon.
You guys are comparing the fact that you can go 1x with just about anything x5,x7 slx zee. Xo1 it a high level group and should really only be compared to competitive groups . Xo 2x , xtr and possibly xt .
It's also easier and "cheaper " to go 1x if you already own a 2x10 drivetrain . Most guy just added a clutch ( if they didn't already have one ) and a NW chainring .
The same is now happening with wide range cassettes for 1x drivetrains. I think it's pretty neat to see these big cogs coming out, allowing consumers to opt against SRAM and Shimano's notion that we need to spend $1000 for this useful feature.
I agree that 1x11 makes sense for OEM sales and the price for the groupset is not that different than high-end 2x10 grouppos. But for people who already have 9 or 10 speed drivetrains, having more gears in back is not a compelling reason to upgrade.
One up makes one so does
Wolfstooth ,E13 etc...
The new xtr and x01/ xx1 were designed for racers in mind . Which is why they were applied to the higher end groups .
They're both hitting their target audience .
setting it up , it's hitting the inside edge of the cage , I think I can file down the edge but don't really want to modify it if I don't have to
Anyone else had this problem ????
Thanks for the heads up , much appreciated
My trail bike setup is:
Zee shadow + rear mech, race face wide narrow chainring bolted to XT Cranks, 11-36 XT Cassette, XT shifter.
It climbs, it decends, It's light, it shifts perfectly, it looks clean, I've dropped one chain in 12 months.
Oh and it's $800 cheaper ............
It'll be interesting to see if the Shimano 1x11 can keep current XTR's solid mud performance with the reduced cog spacing and tighter tolerances. I'd have thought SRAM's system would have dealt with gunk better than it does, having gone to the larger freehub interface and keeping the cog spacing slightly bigger.
This system shifts more accurately and more reliably than my XX1 did - fact. Both were set up by the same professional mechanic.
XX1(XO1) isn't bad by any stretch, but it is cost prohibitive in the face of the many other customizable options there are now with the 40/42 cogs plus narrow wides with a clutch d and they offer as good, if not better shifting performance. I also have not missed the loss of the little cog I had on the XX1. And no need for a custom hub!
Either SRAM is going to have to admit they screwed up and just copy shimano's 11 speed in using the standard freehub bodies (and forego the 10T cog) or they're going to lose out on sales as Shimano trickles the new 11 speed tech down from XTR probably starting with the 2016 update to Deore XT and SLX (they are usually a year behind any XTR updates).
@manchvegas, why don't you just ditch gears altogether and just pedal even harder?
They had a very narrow window and they missed it - now they have to play a very hard catching-up game, much as Chicago will have to in electronic drivetrains. SRAM's been losing a lot of market share to Shimano and Campagnolo on road bikes because of this, but they've made that up in leaps and bounds in mountain tech - against Fox, too. M9000 is an update and nothing more. In the context of mountain biking pre-2012, it would probably be the high-end king, but in the context of XX1, it is practically a fallacy. I consider Shimano's failure to release a dedicated 1x11 drivetrain a severe oversight, and I predict that (given X91 and X71 drivetrains) the release of XTR M9000 - precise as it is - will someday be looked back upon as the beginning of the end of Shimano's dual-market drivetrain dominance.
(Weirdly, this line of thought brings me to a possible future in which road bikes all have Shimano drivetrains and mountain bikes all run SRAM. I love specialization, but I hope that won't happen. Competition drives progress - it's this that allowed Shimano to be upstaged in the first place. I don't think they really thought they had any, and they CONTINUE to rest on their laurels, more or less.)
Then we could keep our current setups and simply buy a cassette, killing sram's profit margin and getting a piece of the pie.
Vast majority of mountain bikers still want to use front derailleurs, what Shimano did, is simply that they invested everything in the evolution of the front mech and give a side option for those who want to use single ring setup. For me personally 11-36 cassette works great and I could give a less damn for 11-40, 10-42, or 5-59 Hey it's space, it's vast, nobody can hear you scream one ex teeeeeeeeen for liiiiiife, single riiing FytyWyyyyyyy
Disclaimer: Some sentences might include bitter cynicism
buspilot - it will never work for people with ADD...
And honestly, if they really have engineered a smoother-shifting FD that's less of a hassle to keep trimmed, I might even consider going back to 2x one day. If I wasn't having to curse at my FD out on the trail every 4 rides I wouldn't have had any problems with it... aside from cockpit aesthetics, maybe.
the mountain bike market, including the high-end XTR is very small volume compared to the huge volume of OE business in road bikes and even hybrids
personally I think Shimano got it right with the new XTR groupset, they took a good step back, did their R&D, and industry-leading real world testing, and then released it when they were ready
if you've been involved working in the industry, with the large number of recalls and failures on SRAM products over the past years, Shimano's "late to the party" caution makes complete sense. Shimano have always had the best engineering and production quality, if lacking in innovation compared to SRAM.
However, innovation means nothing when your customer's end up doing your "product testing" at their cost in terms of time lost off the bike waiting for warranty support. I've personally been through this with SRAM, AVID and ROCKSHOX products on my own bikes
Most recently for SRAM their disc brake recall on road bikes was a huge f*ck off for both bike stores and customers.
I warranty very few Shimano products compared to SRAM products in my workshop
media.chopmtb.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/12j220066.jpg
If I had a dollar for every person who'd said "I haven't dropped my chain on my xo1/xx1 - oh except for once/twice, oh and it was in a race." *facepalm* - I'd half fill my beer fridge with craft beers
Go the DIY 10spd route and choose your own crank, from a range of derailiuers, a range of c/rings (Works Componenets ahem) and still have some pennies left to pay the parking at your trails.
If you're buying bikes off the peg then you're crazy and none of the above applies.
Gear ratio chart:
docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqCMFwBoZnLPdExRdDItZ2dEYWRoUXF6Tmx2dENPVFE#gid=0
If I was daft enough to buy sram that's exactly the set up I'd use.
If you genuinely need a 32x42 and there's nothing that can be done to improve bike setup then, in my opinion, you guessed it...
A 10-42 on the back with a 33 up front would give me the same spin out at max rpm and lose me 12% on the steep climbs.
That's hardly a win.
I don't think anyone questions if xo1 is fantastic, but sram hasn't explained why it's $800 more fantastic then a wide-narrow, shadow plus set up. Especially for components that wear out, break and need replacing.
The 1x11 is great, and I can pedal it anywhere I choose - with factory gearing. I will not go back to a 2x10 setup.
@taletotell Don't be stupid, There is no way a SS will ever take you the places even a standard 10 speed single ring setup ever will.
What I mean.... Is my wife will not ride anything but a 2x10 Shadow plus setup, because she loves the wide range of gear ratios.
1x11 does not offer the ultimate versatility that the 2x10 does.
But for those who do not need the wide range of gearing, it is a damn slick setup. The crispest shifts you could ever imagine, seamless integration between your tallest and smallest ring. Impressive weight savings over 2x10... it's awesome.
If you are a conditioned rider - and you can afford it... Just do it. You'll love it.
Commonality, exclusivity and quantity sold.
My backup bike is Shimano 1x9 with RF N/W ring. Shifts awesome, so smooth and sure, but gear span (36/11) is NOT enough in my mountainous area. If I rode it more I'd add a cassette expander.
As for XX1/XO1, I imagine most of you folks stating your "insert cheap option here" drivetrain works just as well probably haven't actually, you know, ridden an XX1 bike. If you're on the fence and can swing it, XX1 is an incredible upgrade.
My xx1 has about 400 miles on it and has started to do this on big drops, when rear shock is fully compressed. could this be from chain growth? is it time to replace? 6 months is this a reasonable life span for this $$ chain?
I see all the comments here from the retro grouches and armchair engineers. Well, I've ridden mountain bikes for 25 years and almost everything new is better than the stuff before. Suntour XC pro top shifters - had em. Shimano XT and then XTRwas better. ROCKSHOX Mag21 fork -had it. Judy was better. OK Dual control levers sucked but the corresponding cranks and derraileurs were a step ahead. Same story year after year- time after time.
And guess what folks. - here is a free business tip for you- wait for it.......companies are in business to make money. So yes they innovate to sell more but in a product based biz like cycling it seems to me your stuff had better perform or your company will go away. Guess what we get when these companies focus on innovation? We get better goodies. Competition is good because we all benefit. Duh.
So - get out of your armchairs, spend some money and get back to me with your opinion on how this new stuff works.
Thank you - I will now go ride my new 1x11 drivetrain. (After years of riding Shimano XO is the best product on the market and worth every penny).
Let's compare my X01 setup to your 2x10 setup.
Low is exactly the same:
28/42 = 0.67
24/36 = 0.67
High, you have 1 more gear:
28/10 = 2.8
36/11 = 3.3
Each gear is ~12%, so 3.3 - 12% = 2.9, compared to 2.8 on my X01 means you have slightly more than 1 extra gear on the top end.
So, what you said originally about your buddy is correct.
My previous bike was XT 2x10 with exactly same gearing as yours, but I wanted to try X01 for lower weight and simplicity. On my trails, I don't miss the 12th gear. I do miss Shimano shift quality.
If I built another bike today … it's a tough call, but I think I'd go back to Shimano because although X01 works for me, I find that SRAM ergonomics and shift quality detracts from my enjoyment of riding. When the new XTR trickles down to XT, that could be a nice setup as 2x11, but as 1x11 (11-40 cassette) is too narrow range for me.
All weekend at Sea Otter I had people coming to our booth looking for guides after their first chain-drop experience (and for a few that was in a race run). Get a basic guide and you'll never have to worry about it.
Have a look at what most people in the EWS are running - and keep in mind a lot of them get fresh drivetrains for big races BUT still opt for some sort of guide.
Reports of the death of the chainguide are greatly exaggerated.
We've done a considerable amount of testing with N/W rings, and their Achilles heel is not their retention performance on rough trails, but on big, single g-out style hits and braking bumps. Deep, low frequency hits coupled with low chain tension (when you're in your smaller cassette cogs) are problematic.
Just as drivetrain technology has improved, so have chainguides. Our G2sl was a great guide, but our new G3 - and in this context - AMG and 1x guides are the best we've ever made. These in conjunction with a N/W-style ring make for a bombproof, never-drop setup.
Cheers
Cheers!
PS: XX1 isn't as perfect as we first claimed (chain drops, occasional grinding feeling, poor chainline) but we'll hide the points to be improved upon in an XO1 review.
Please update the review to note that XX1 shifters come with housing, but X01 doesn't - therefore on this component XX1 is actually cheaper.
Anyone else think with that shock on there like that the Rocky looks like it has a lil' boner?
Inflammatory!