Anyone know if the Sram 12 speed cranks are compatible with 11 speed chains? I like the 48/35 gearing more than any other option out there, but Sram is otherwise not my thing.
I'm looking for a higher quality crankset than the stock Praxis Zayante that came with my bike, which is also the wrong size for me. There aren't a lot of high end 5 bolt 110s.
I could get an Ultegra 50/34 and get an aftermarket 48T, but I'm trying to find something that's perfect straight out the box.
I have never seen SRAM AXS in person, so I cannot confirm what I have read. According to Leornard Zinn, the SRAM AXS chain has different sized rollers than a conventional chain. Thus the AXS chainrings are not compatible with any chain other than the AXS flat top chain. They cannot even be used with the 12 speed Eagle chain. It funny because when AXS was launched some people were so thrilled that road and mtb parts would be compatable, but that's not the case if what Zinn is saying is correct.
ljsmith wrote:It funny because when AXS was launched some people were so thrilled that road and mtb parts would be compatable, but that's not the case if what Zinn is saying is correct.
I've seen the combo a few times already, and it's the stock setup (or will be) on some new Santa Cruz models. I've seen bikes with the "road" X-Sync 2 chainrings running both mechanical Eagle chains and Eagle AXS chains. The same chainring is also paired with the flat top Force or Red AXS chains in the "official" SRAM 1x groups. I'm just talking out of my azz too, but if on the same chainring you can run the flat top AXS chains, Eagle AXS chains, and mechanical Eagle chains that should mean SRAM didn't change the rollers.
New flat top chain and an older Eagle chain on the same chainring:
12s AXS is not backwards compatible with anything. Apple did the same thing a few years ago. Seems like it worked for them. It's a bold move by SRAM but it'll work well for them.
Adam wrote:12s AXS is not backwards compatible with anything.
Can you elaborate on that a little bit? What's not compatible, why, and what's your source? Not trying to argue, just curious. Seems like a stupid move to me.
I have seen some of those mtb/road hybrid setups on stock bikes also. So I must say I am confused as to compatibility also. It is typical for SRAM and Shimano to say their stuff is not backwards compatible when in fact it is. I guess until this stuff starts becoming commonplace it will be hard to determine what works and what doesn't, because what I read and what I see (like the bikes posted above), seem to disagree with each other. There is also the possibility that SRAM is making OEM chainrings that work with whatever chain/cassette is being used on the bike. Often SRAM has OEM only parts that cannot be bought in the aftermarket. In any case, I do not plan to be an early adopter of this stuff anyways given how expensive it is. Of course it will probably be obsolete in a year or two once they go to 13 speed! Its getting kind of hard to keep up with this stuff.
I find it funny tho that the MTB/flat bar world already has Eagle at NX level, while with drop bars your only option is AXS. I feel like a lot of adventure and gravel bikes (including mine) would benefit from the extra range. I wonder how much time it will take SRAM to come out with a GX level drop bar Eagle groupset.
Microshift has a 12 speed bar end shifter, so there's that option for drop bar setups. Pair them with Hylex brakes/shifters and you've got a neat setup.
![[Santa-Cruz-Stigmata-CC_1]](https://bikepacking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Santa-Cruz-Stigmata-CC_1.jpg)
![[open-cycles-wide-2-2000x1333]](https://bikepacking.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/open-cycles-wide-2-2000x1333.jpg)
Anyways if i'm gonna change my drivetrain i'm pretty sure i'm gonna go 10spd GRX with a 46/30 and 11-36.