Sram cassettes - value for money

[DavidCH]

Well Hi Tribe,

To spin well, or not to spin well that is the question?

Do you think it helps to spend $300 on a cassette if it makes you break all your PBs?

I have a 12 speed shimano cassette and it works until I want to push more than 300 watts on t11,t12,t13 and t14 sprockets. I get chain slip with the 12 speed flat top sram chain. I have had one experience with chain slip that sent the chain off the t11 cassette and it got locked between the cassette and the chainstay. Not good if you are hitting 40kph and you have a mechanical.


So the only way ahead for me is swap out the freehub for a XDR and a SRAM AXS 10 to whatever cassette. I can get a used one for €90 or is it worth getting the sram red cassette at €300?


It seems bonkers to me as I have lived my life up to now with shimano.


Those of you who regularly hit 50kph on the flats... what cassette have you got?

 

[Frito Bandito]

I have SRAM Force AXS FD and RD, but a Shimano 105 52/34t chain rings, and an Ultegra R8100 12-speed 11/30t cassette on Campagnolo wheels with a Shimano free hub, and using a KMC 12-speed chain. That system works perfectly because the KMC chain plays well with Shimano.

Ultegra and Dura Ace cranks are the bees knees, but after hearing of some failures I decided to go with 105 because they are solid, cheap and weight isn't an issue on the flats where I intended to ride. I went with 52/36 because 53/39 wasn't available in 165mm crank arms, and again, I was intending to keep my V20 on the flats. I eventually changed the small ring to a 34t from a 36t so I could climb a little.

When I bought my SRAM stuff, there were no SRAM cranks available, no SRAM cassettes available for and no SRAM chains available for at least a year. After a bit of research I found that it was possible to run my current Mullet system and it would be fine. Also, the SRAM stuff was way more expensive.

I used to run an 11/25t on my aero wheels for the flats, and an 11/28t with my 52/36t on my light wheels for climbing, and it was just enough to get me over the steepest climbs I encountered. But, dropping to the 34t on the front and then going with an 11/30t 12-speed cassette gave me plenty more climbing ability. I do have an 11/34t cassette which might work on my Force AXS (Force RD limit says 33t but I can adjust the B-Screw all the way out and it might work).

When my front chain ring needs replacing, I will replace it with a 53/39t 105 crankset, and maybe swap the 39t for a 36t. With the 11/30t cassette the 53t ring and 11t cog will keep my above 50kph in the right weather conditions, but the 39t (or 36t) with the 30t cog in the back will likely get me over anything I'll ever climb, so I will put that on my light wheels. I'll keep the 11/30t cassette on my fast wheels.

I am completely sold on SRAM. I would have went with SRAM on the cranks and cassette if those were available at the time of purchase, but I saved money because they were not available.

 

[benphyr]

Well Hi Tribe,

To spin well, or not to spin well that is the question?

Do you think it helps to spend $300 on a cassette if it makes you break all your PBs?

I have a 12 speed shimano cassette and it works until I want to push more than 300 watts on t11,t12,t13 and t14 sprockets. I get chain slip with the 12 speed flat top sram chain. I have had one experience with chain slip that sent the chain off the t11 cassette and it got locked between the cassette and the chainstay. Not good if you are hitting 40kph and you have a mechanical.


So the only way ahead for me is swap out the freehub for a XDR and a SRAM AXS 10 to whatever cassette. I can get a used one for €90 or is it worth getting the sram red cassette at €300?


It seems bonkers to me as I have lived my life up to now with shimano.


Those of you who regularly hit 50kph on the flats... what cassette have you got?

Would it be possible to switch the chain to Shimano rather than switching the cassette to Sram? It seems as though the incompatibility may be related to the different brand specs being slightly different.

 

[DavidCH]

Nope... not an option. I think the sram flat top chain is superior in strength and in aerodynamics. To get that 50kph everything goes