As refined as modern mountain bikes frames have become, lightweight and strong carbon fiber and aluminum creations that embody the definition of 'functional art,' the components that hang off those frames shouldn't be overlooked. Dropper posts and 1x drivetrains have become the norm, but we still haven't reached the end of the development cycle, and each season brings with it another batch of technological advances, some small, and some drastic. 2016's top components fall into the former category – none of the nominees offer radical departures from the norm, but their performance out on the trail elevated them to the top of the year's new products.
Which components made the cut?
SRAM's Eagle drivetrain was an easy pick, with its 12-speed, 10-50 tooth cassette that eliminates virtually every possible reason for running a front derailleur. OneUp's Shark conversion kit was created to accomplish the same task as Eagle, but it's aimed at riders with 11-speed drivetrains, and it costs a fraction as much. The final nominee is Fox's new Transfer dropper post, the long-awaited replacement for the company's clunky-but-bombproof DOSS post, one that uses a simple, cable actuated design and costs less than most of its competition.
Why it's nominated:
2015 saw electronic shifting's arrival into the mountain bike world with the introduction of Shimano's XTR Di2, a gruppo that snagged the Component of the Year title. This year, SRAM returned fire, not with electronics, but by adding one more cog to their 1x drivetrain to create a 12-speed system with a 500% range. That range is great enough the SRAM even went ahead and disbanded their mountain bike front derailleur division – there simply isn't a need for more than one ring up front when you have a 10-50 tooth cassette.
There's more to the drivetrain than just a massive cassette, though. SRAM tweaked the entire system, everything from the shape of the chainring teeth to the design of the chain itself in order to create a precise and reliable drivetrain worthy of carrying the XX1 and X01 designations.
There's more to the drivetrain than just a massive cassette, though. SRAM tweaked the entire system, everything from the shape of the chainring teeth to the design of the chain itself in order to create a precise and reliable drivetrain worthy of carrying the XX1 and X01 designations.
From the First Look
 | The wide range of the Eagle drivetrain's cassette is going to be the most appealing trait for many riders, but it's the little things like the improved B-knuckle, the elimination of the narrow wide teeth on the upper pulley wheel, and the revised chainring profile that help make this SRAM's best mountain bike drivetrain yet. - Mike Kazimer |
Why it's nominated:
As appealing as SRAM's Eagle drivetrain may be, the current cost is going to keep it relegated to the “Things to buy when I win the lottery” list for many riders, right after the hovercraft and personal soft serve ice-cream machine. That's where OneUp's Shark upgrade kit comes in, which makes it possible to modify a Shimano drivetrain to create an 11-50 tooth cassette for only $125.
The kit includes the two necessary cogs (one with 18-teeth, which is installed where the 17- and 19-tooth cogs used to reside, and a 50-tooth cog that side on the far outer end of the casette), and a inner cage that's switched out with the Shimano derailleur's stock cage in order to allow it to reach that big climbing gear. Installation is relatively simple, and once complete the result is a drivetrain with a 454% range, or 19% more than the original 11-42 cassette.
Want even more range? OneUp also make a replacement driver body that works with DT Swiss hubs that allows for the creation of a 10-50 11-speed casette. That's the same 500% range as SRAM's Eagle drivetrain, but a much smaller cost.
Want even more range? OneUp also make a replacement driver body that works with DT Swiss hubs that allows for the creation of a 10-50 11-speed casette. That's the same 500% range as SRAM's Eagle drivetrain, but a much smaller cost.
There's no avoiding the fact that mountain biking is an expensive sport, but OneUp's conversion kits allow riders to enjoy the benefits of a wide range drivetrain without maxing out a credit card, a fact that earns them this nomination for Component of the Year.
From the review
| The Shark Cog and Shark Cage allow a rider to greatly increase their gearing spread, and not only their low range but also their high range if they decide to go with a suitably larger chainring. This could be a real benefit to a rider with greatly varied terrain. - Mike Levy |
Why it's nominated:
Dropper posts have become the norm over the last five years, but depite their prevalance they remain a fairly expensive item, and even the highest end options aren't completely trouble free. Fox sought to address both of those issues with their new Transfer post, giving it an easy-to-install cable actuated design, and a price that's below the majority of its contemporaries.
Out on the trail the Transfer post has proved its worth - there haven't been any issues in the five months that have followed since the initial review, and the post is still working as smoothly as the day it was unboxed. The Transfer Post's design may not exactly set the world afire, but all the same, it's one of the best components to hit the market in 2016.
Out on the trail the Transfer post has proved its worth - there haven't been any issues in the five months that have followed since the initial review, and the post is still working as smoothly as the day it was unboxed. The Transfer Post's design may not exactly set the world afire, but all the same, it's one of the best components to hit the market in 2016.
From the First Look
| With the discontinuation of the ultra-reliable D.O.S.S., and the fact that other companies are now producing some pretty good options, Fox's Transfer dropper post needs to be a home run. While my time on it has been limited, it seems as though Fox has managed to hit this one out of the park. - Mike Levy |
Looking back, it seems as if this past year was more about refinements rather than earth-shattering advances. I have a feeling that a host of electronic componentry, from drivetrains to dropper posts is waiting in the wings, but 2016 was all about the tried-and-true cable-actuated systems, be it SRAM's smooth shifting Eagle or Fox's dropper post.
The components selected above won't completely alter your riding experience, but they certainly improve it, whether that's by having an easier gear to get up that steep, pain-in-the-ass hill that constantly thwarts your best efforts, or by having a dropper post that works exactly as it should. Which one deserves the title of Pinkbike's Component of the Year? We'll be revealing the answer before too long.
Author Info:
Member since Jul 22, 2013
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dv65 0.043206
Don't read any of those posts.. It's the Russians
At first I thought it was a product called:
SR
Eag
Dri
So yea Sram is better, but only if money were no object. But price is important especially when there is such a dramatic price difference between shifter-mech combos. Sram pricing sucks
I generally dislike this 11 speed crap. I could easily do with 9sp 11-40 cassette. I'm not a fkng roadie, 3h into the ride, where you get bored of life and think of perfect gearing matching your silly cadence "discomfort"
www.evanscycles.com/en-ca/sram-xx1-eagle-groupset-gold-10-50-EV276447
www.evanscycles.com/en-ca/shimano-xt-m8000-1-x-11-transmission-groupset-i-spec-b-32t-11-42-EV275659
420 for a cassette I'll ruin in a year is absolutely absurd to me.
Oh, and with the crankset upgrade, the entire drivetrain cost me as much as an X01 cassette and rear derailleur. XT for life.
same boat here. I actually don't see how cassette would lead to issues back pedalling, that sounds like free hub issues, unless it's larger cogs that are the issue.
www.competitivecyclist.com/sram-x01-x-glide-cassette-xg-1195?skid=SRM0551-ONECOL-ONESIZ&CMP_SKU=SRM0551&MER=0406&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc014&mv_pc=r101&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&CSPID=0914&mr:trackingCode=0B3A9C78-1F26-E311-B197-001B21BCB944&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=81822233821&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-120393057181&mr:ploc=9029187&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=120393057181&gclid=CjwKEAiA6rrBBRDsrLGM4uTPkWASJADnWZQ40Yke2eQpQcCyCqhsfOOw5r_yB4wiKqWx7V75h3jM4BoCT5Dw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
www.competitivecyclist.com/shimano-xt-cs-m8000-cassette?skid=SHI007V-SI-S1146&CMP_SKU=SHI007V&MER=0406&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc014&mv_pc=r101&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&CSPID=0914&mr:trackingCode=AE5DB2AA-0261-E611-80EF-0050569428E8&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=81822233821&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:tid=pla-120396740461&mr:ploc=9029187&mr:iloc=&mr:store=&mr:filter=120396740461&gclid=CjwKEAiA6rrBBRDsrLGM4uTPkWASJADnWZQ4Pj5rJ6kjFcQU9_v8vd8ZOvBFLvraBVysnezTcG3GLBoCrmfw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
For a 29er or 27.5+ though, I get it. Boost helps.
Maybe Zerode is onto something. Keep it narrow, strong, *and* light. If anyone ever needed electronic shifting, it's them.
If I go wider in the rear on one of my bikes, it's going to be a damn fat bike, like maybe a Wozo.
SRAM GX cassette is similar price, wider range and much lighter. Shimano are a long way behind, there's no innovation in their 11 speed kit.
And if you're after value, SLX is cheaper and thee's almost no functional difference.
Good? No doubt. But really, possible component of the year is ludicrous.
The Reverb is not a true hydraulic post just because it actuates hydraulically. A post is a true hydraulic post if it's motion is controlled by fluid, as opposed to mechanical spring like the Specialized Command Post. So a Reverb is a hydraulically actuated hydraulic post.
Basically Fox has managed to offer a very reliable, hydraulic, infinite adjust seatpost with the requisite options cheaper than anything comparable that's currently available. That's why it's nominated. Should it win? I dunno.
If you look at all WC dh rigs the saddle is never as low as possible and they ride terrain that is far above what most normal riders do.
So why is it people riding trail/enduro/whatever feel the need to get the saddle down to the seatclamp?
However, frames are different. I actually cannot run a dropper longer than 125mm on either of my AM bikes or I literally would not be able to reach the pedals. But there are frames with much shorter seat tubes that have enough room, and for guys that wish they could have their seat below their BB for descending, that's perfect.
That said, those riders are clearly the minority as 125mm is more than plenty for the majority of riders out there.
Has anyone else had this experience?
My component of the year is my brakes. Couldn't be here without them
As for the Bald Eagle - well the name should disqualify it instantly. Its also just too expensive. Again, XT 1x11 almost beats it on performance and kicks it out of the park on price.
mtbholic.com/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%97%D7%9F-%D7%9C%D7%A7%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%94-sunrace-%D7%93%D7%92%D7%9D-10-%D7%95%D7%93%D7%92%D7%9D-11-%D7%94%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%9D
Dropper post with 4 steps (instead of adjustable in every position ) offering travel options in 140,170,200mm. With a great price tag 369 euro, no hydraulic, that can fail, it is the lightest in every travel class. You have a failsafe button on the seatpost to adjust it if your hose is torn apart, it is the only adjustable seatpost, that even passes tests for non adjustable seatposts and you can completely service it with only a 4mm allen key at home.
Looks great, works and I love the ergonomics of the shifter style lever. Always swore by KS but the Transfer is trouble free so far. Saying that it hasn't required a service yet which used to take me about 20 mins on the old KS. The transfer has to be sent off :-(
It's about time the big players take a leap of faith and bring gearboxes to the masses... Screw seatpost diameters, threaded/unthreaded BB's and petty hub spacing standards... That would be true innovation...
SRAM and Shimano... Take us into the future and stop polishing these turds of the past
I like the nominees, all good stuff though and the gap between the high end espensive eagle and 1up Shark kind of provides something for everyone.
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