Aftermarket Chainrings for Cannondale SuperX with Asymmetric Integration

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SgtRock
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:22 pm

by SgtRock

Hi

I recently became the proud owner of a 2018 Cannondale SuperX. The bike has Cannondale’s Asymmetric Integration rear triangle. This involves extending the driveside BB by 6mm and the rear hub from 135mm to 142mm. This allows the right-side chain stay to move out and create more mud clearance. Because of the increase in the bottom bracket width Cannondale have supplied their Hollowgram chainset with a longer spindle which is unique to Cannondale. This is OK because it is a great chainset. However, when I purchased the bike I didn’t consider the availability of after market chainrings.

The SuperX ships with a 40t single chainring and I like to use a 38t or 36t for cross racing with a 11 to 32t cassette or 11 to 36t cassette for long distance stuff. I use Absolute Black rings but they don’t go bigger than 34t for Cannondale direct mount. The only other option seems to be the Wolf Tooth CAMO system (Direct mount Spider and separate rings). There are three different spider options depending upon the model of Cannondale bike you have. On the basis of the product description I think I need the M1:

M1 (minus 1mm - dished towards the frame)
• Cannondale cyclocross and road bikes (38T max CAMO chainring)
• Ai cyclocross bikes with 155mm spindle (38T max CAMO chainring).

Sounds good, exactly what I need, but I mailed Wolf Tooth and they replied that it ‘should’ work but the chainline might not be quite right. Subsequent, correspondence has not got a clear answer. I have also emailed Cannondale for advice but not got a reply yet.

So long description to get to the point. Has anyone used the CAMO system on the latest version of the SuperX and does it run OK. I would also be interested to know if there are any other options. I have come across Garbaruk rings which seem to be a Ukranian manufacturer. Anyone tried these? Ideally, I would want to run elliptical rings but round is OK if that is the only choice.

Hope someone can help. Thanks in advance.

by Weenie


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grover
Posts: 1302
Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2004 1:06 pm

by grover

Great bike!

On the mountain bikes with 'Ai' rear end the hollowgram crankset uses the same length spindle as non-Ai. So to get the chainline wider there is a specific chainring marked 'Ai'.

On the SuperX the spindle is longer (as you've said). So you'll notice the chainring is not marked 'Ai'. The increased length of spindle is what makes the chainline wider for the 'Ai' rear end. A friend of mine wanted a bigger chainring and used the one off a Slate which is not 'Ai', totally fine.

I think you'll find you don't need a special offset chainring for the SuperX.

Note: I'm talking about SuperX stock with a 1x drivetrain which come with 119mm spindle. I can't speak for the double crankset models, which have a 125mm spindle. I don't know what wolftooth are talking about with the 155mm spindle, maybe a typo for 125mm.

Marin
Posts: 4035
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:48 am
Location: Vienna Austria

by Marin

Yura Garbaruk will make you one, just write him. I have 3 of his rings (2 are direct-mount), excellent quality.

SgtRock
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2015 9:22 pm

by SgtRock

Received this response from Cannondale UK, which I think helps clear things up.

The short answer to your question is that you will require a standard offset chainring or spider if you are looking at replacing the existing ring on your Super X. As such, the M9 CAMO spider or the Cannondale direct mount options from Wolf Tooth would be suitable.

To work out the chainline measurement it is not quite as simple as measuring from the middle of the BB to the middle of the chainring, due to the fact that the Super X uses an asymmetric bottom bracket the centre of the BB does not correspond to the centre line. You are also correct that Ai shifts the drive train over by 6mm, this would normally impact on the chainline however on the Super X this is achieved by increasing the length of the BB axle rather than an offset on the chainrings which essentially means that the although everything shifts over 6mm the effect chainline remains that same.

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