Bikes Blog
New particulars on prototype SRAM Eagle DM derailleur, SL cassette & powermeter chainrings
Oct
Blackbox Quarq energy meter MTB chainrings
Beginning on the entrance of the bike, the Canyon group riders (and most different athletes we’ve noticed with these new components) have been driving Blackbox chainring with built-in Quarq energy meter.
Not like the present MTB providing that makes use of a separate Quarq-equipped spider and bolt-on chainring, this one combines them. The result’s seemingly a a lot stiffer, probably lighter setup, however with the dearth of holes, it’s additionally a lot much less prone to accumulate muck. I’d guess that it’s additionally in all probability a bit extra correct, too.
The narrow-wide chainring tooth profiles listed here are totally different than the present X-Sync mountain bike tooth, which have sq. edges and are equal size.
These are rounder, with the broader the tooth protruding additional, mimicking the 1x chainrings provided for gravel bikes and are appropriate with the FlatTop chains. This might be how SRAM is bringing the FlatTop chain to its mountain bike drivetrains, which signifies that would possibly don’t have anything to do with the cassette.
Be aware that I’m emphasizing might and would possibly…it’s all hypothesis at this level, and SRAM doesn’t touch upon merchandise earlier than they’re launched.
These have the thread-on battery cowl, so the battery can be replaceable, but it surely stays to be seen whether or not the chainrings will. SRAM’s newest Purple group makes use of a totally built-in, one-piece energy meter-and-chainring combo, which requires that you simply purchase a wholly new energy meter-and-chainring unit when your chainrings put on out.
This makes much less sense on a 1x system the place chainring dimension swaps are extra widespread. Not seen on this photograph, there are graphics on it that point out a thread-on path, which suggests the chainring itself might thread onto the ability meter physique. Fingers crossed.
Concerning the chain, notice that the pins are hole and there’s a brand new cutout on the outer plates. They are saying XX, which suggests it’s purely a mountain bike half, however we’d be actually stunned if there’s not a knocked-out highway equal coming, too.
SRAM Eagle direct-mount rear derailleur
This derailleur mounts on to the body, eliminating the hanger. The advantages are, presumably, a stiffer and stronger general chassis with good alignment (assuming your dropout is completely to spec).
The derailleur’s higher part slides over the dropout, using (at a minimal) the rear through axle to align and safe it to the bike.
On this bike, there’s an extra bolt on the surface, which seemingly threads into the derailleur to be able to seize it in order that eradicating the axle wouldn’t additionally permit the derailleur to slip off throughout a wheel change.
Be aware the silver “spacer” between the body and inside derailleur mounting part. Its notch is lined up with a mark on the derailleur, suggesting two issues:
- That the dropout’s shaping seemingly positions the spacer on the acceptable angle, making a reference level.
- That there’s a way of aligning the derailleur with that.
Usually, that type of rotational adjustment can be executed with the B-screw, however there’s no B-screw seen, so there could also be another means for positioning this.
Or, it could be positioned solely by the clamping pressure of set up, and the spacer acts as a washer, which might permit the derailleur to pivot backward with a tough affect, then merely be rotated again into place.
Regardless of the scratches, that black tape on the higher parallelogram floor and the clutch cowl appears fairly recent… undoubtedly some branding they’re making an attempt to cover.
The massive concern a couple of direct mount derailleur is its sturdiness and the price of changing it versus an affordable hanger. Right here’s why I’m not involved:
- The scratches and scuffs on this unit and the opposite one at Canyon’s athlete photograph occasion recommend they’ve seen numerous abuse.
- The higher physique that attaches to the bike appears very sturdy.
- It sits farther ahead than a typical derailleur, serving to to guard it.
- It’s formed to brush off “aspect look” impacts.
- SRAM’s breakaway gearing permits the parallelograms to “crush” inward in an affect, then instantly transfer again into place, and it’s very efficient.
As a lot as SRAM likes to push new merchandise out shortly, it appears extremely unlikely that they’d launch a really costly half that’s simply broken.
Right here’s one of many extra mysterious options…discover something totally different concerning the Cage Lock?
A two-position Cage Lock has what appears like a flip chip-style pin holder. A/B markings on the outer pulley cage plate present… I’m unsure. They might be alignment markings for derailleur setup, or to point which place the pin must be in.
My guess is that totally different body designs could profit from totally different pin positions to make wheel adjustments simpler. As trivial as this appears, its the one which’s intriguing me probably the most.
The pulley cage appears to angle outward barely, shifting the cage and chain outboard, seemingly to enhance wheel and tire clearance.
Or, probably it can angle regulate (yaw?) to enhance chainline with the chainring, however with their horizontal parallelogram motion on the derailleur, this appears much less seemingly.
Bluetooth and ANT+ means it’ll seemingly share gear choice knowledge with appropriate head models. The #9 sticker matches an analogous sticker on the cassette, seemingly simply assigned per athlete to allow them to examine put on and tear collectively after the season.
I’m certain there’ll be aftermarket oversize pulley cages out for this quickly sufficient, however SRAM’s providing you with much less purpose to need them. This mannequin has bigger 12/14 (higher/decrease) pulley tooth counts, in comparison with the ten/12 of the present Eagle AXS derailleurs.
The decrease pulley additionally appears to have a metallic physique with lower-friction composite tooth. I’d put cash on ceramic bearings for XX1, too.
SRAM Eagle SL Cassette
The brand new cassette appears prefer it’s going to be the Eagle SL cassette. Cory analyzed the tooth counts and located that the three largest cogs are totally different than the present 10-52 mannequin.
This one’s nonetheless a 10-52 with 520% vary, however the largest cogs are actually 32/38/44/52 (versus the present 32/36/42/52). This provides them a more in-depth general gear step in that vary and makes issues a bit simpler with out having to shift all the best way into the bail out gear.
The development blends the machined metal X-Dome of the present XX1/XO1 cassettes (cogs 1-9) with the pinned building of the GX cassette for the biggest three cogs…besides it does it in another way.
The place GX cassettes pin every cog to the one behind it, this Eagle SL cassette pins the decrease metal cluster and cogs #10 & #11 on to the backplate, which can be the 52-tooth cog #12.
This lets the #10 and #11 cogs stay shallow since they’re not supporting their neighbor’s torque, and, as a result of the highest three are actually alloy (as an alternative of simply the 52-tooth cog), they’re saving weight through the use of much less metal…therefore (presumably) the “SL” moniker.
The outer face of every cog is easy, however the backsides have further shaping and helps for the chain. Oh, and that pink factor…
When SRAM debuted their X-Dome one-piece machined highway cassettes, they added rubber rings between the cogs to assist cut back noise. There’s no denying that SRAM’s machined, hole cassettes might be loud beneath onerous shifts (beneath onerous efforts), so my hunch is that this pink elastomer bit is right here to damp vibrations and noise.
When is that this accessible?
SRAM has not introduced a date. And whereas we’d hoped we’d have been driving this on the BMC Fourstroke launch, we weren’t…and even their athlete’s bikes had authentic Eagle components re-installed earlier than we confirmed up.
I spoke with a number of of my trade sources and the overall consensus is these components can be formally introduced in spring 2023. If SRAM follows their current launch technique, meaning instant components availability. Given the polished look of those components, with all required electrical/wi-fi/transmission graphics, and the truth that they’re permitting group companions to show the bikes in public, I’d say early spring 2023 is an efficient guess.
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