Clear the confusion with Sram AXS Flat Top Chain Compatibility.

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gSporco
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by gSporco

All,

As I continue to refine my one bike setuo (Cervelo Aspero) for both Road and Gravel mode with 2 wheelsets I am still confused with what componenets are interchangable with the Sram Flat Top Chain.

Here is what I know, please fill in the blanks for me please:

1. Sram AXS Cassette (Red and Force) require Flat Top chains
2. Chainrings must be Flat top chain compatible to use the Flat Top chain (Sram AXS, Wolftooth new AXS CR and Garb CR)

3. Eagle AXS RD can use a Flat top chain?
4. Eagle Cassette can use Flat top chain?
5. eThirteen, Rotors, Garb or other 12 speed cassette Flat top chain compatible?

My goal is to run 10-36 with Force AXS RD with 44T CR and Flat Top chain on one wheelset (currently using this)
and
Second wheelset with 10-50 Eagle Cassette or 9-46 eThirteen cassette with Force AXS RD with Road link or Garb cge extender with 44T CR and Flat top chain.

I am trying to eliminate having to swap chains and derailleurs when I swap wheels for Road and Gravel days.

If only Sram would release a Force AXS 10-40 all my problems would be solved :(
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Nplus1
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by Nplus1

SRAM states that road AXS components are not interchangeable with Eagle equivalents because the chain dimensions differ:
https://sram.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/artic ... rivetrain-

Note, I have no real world experience of either group.

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mcjonesy
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by mcjonesy

gSporco wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 8:23 pm
My goal is to run 10-36 with Force AXS RD with 44T CR and Flat Top chain on one wheelset (currently using this)
and
Second wheelset with 10-50 Eagle Cassette or 9-46 eThirteen cassette with Force AXS RD with Road link or Garb cge extender with 44T CR and Flat top chain.
Second wheelset won't work. Force RD doesn't have clearance for either the 10-50 or the 9-46 cassette even with a Road link.
https://blog.3t.bike/2019/09/12028/grav ... ivetrains/ (search Road Link)

Alternative could be to run Eagle RD and a 11-39 on your current wheelset and a 9-46 on the second wheelset. Wouldn't need a flat top chain, but you would have to swap your RD out + new cassette for exisiting wheelset.

gSporco
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by gSporco

Does anyone know if:

3. Eagle AXS RD can use a Flat top chain?
4. Eagle Cassette can use Flat top chain?
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Alexbn921
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by Alexbn921

1. Sram AXS Cassette (Red and Force) require Flat Top chains
Yes
2. Chainrings must be Flat top chain compatible to use the Flat Top chain (Sram AXS, Wolftooth new AXS CR and Garb CR)
Yes
3. Eagle AXS RD can use a Flat top chain?
Yes
4. Eagle Cassette can use Flat top chain?
No
5. eThirteen, Rotors, Garb or other 12 speed cassette Flat top chain compatible?
No

The No's are not it won't work at all, it more of it will sub-optimal to bad.
Ride fast Take chances

gSporco
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by gSporco

Alexbn921 wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:22 pm
1. Sram AXS Cassette (Red and Force) require Flat Top chains
Yes
2. Chainrings must be Flat top chain compatible to use the Flat Top chain (Sram AXS, Wolftooth new AXS CR and Garb CR)
Yes
3. Eagle AXS RD can use a Flat top chain?
Yes
4. Eagle Cassette can use Flat top chain?
No
5. eThirteen, Rotors, Garb or other 12 speed cassette Flat top chain compatible?
No

The No's are not it won't work at all, it more of it will sub-optimal to bad.
Thank you! I was concerned the eagle RD pulleys will not work with the Flat top chain.

Here is my goal... some how make the Eagle AXS RD work with the force 10-36 cassette on road wheelset. Then grvel wheelset with 10-50 or 9-46 cassette and swap to Eagle chain.
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Alexbn921
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by Alexbn921

gSporco wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:51 pm

Thank you! I was concerned the eagle RD pulleys will not work with the Flat top chain.

Here is my goal... some how make the Eagle AXS RD work with the force 10-36 cassette on road wheelset. Then grvel wheelset with 10-50 or 9-46 cassette and swap to Eagle chain.
Eagle pulleys have no load and shouldn't effect performance. Worse case you could use force pulleys on it or sand the pulleys slightly. The Eagle will be way too far away from the 10-36 and shift like complete crap. I would avoid that setup.
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MayhemSWE
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by MayhemSWE

gSporco wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 5:51 pm
Here is my goal... some how make the Eagle AXS RD work with the force 10-36 cassette on road wheelset. Then grvel wheelset with 10-50 or 9-46 cassette and swap to Eagle chain.
SRAM clearly says the flat top chains are not compatible with the Eagle pulleys. Also an Eagle derailleur will most likely shift like garbage with a small road cassette as the distance between them will be a mile.

If you need range, go 1x Eagle. If you need tight steps, go 1x Force. If you need both, go 2x Force. Want to waste money, bodge together a terrible hybrid…

gSporco
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by gSporco

This is very frustrating. My requirements are not much.. I would like 1 tooth cog spacing up to 16-17t and some climbing range. On the Road I can pretty much tackle everything with my 44t CR and 10-36 running Force AXS RD. I can climb 6-10% grades with only bailing out to 36T every once in awhile.. My concern is on gravel, 6-10% grades may require more spin to not slip the back wheel when Im smoked for the day.

I have a 40T CR that I just installed and will test that on my training loop today to see if that provides much benefit.. Based on my calculations 40/36 will give me almost a half a meter roll per pedal stroke over the 44/36 which should be noticeable, but I just dont know if 40/36 will cut it for gravel. My training over the next 8 months is gearing up for some big gravel rides.. I want to do the Dirty Kanza and finish before dark.. I have no idea how much elevation or how steep the steepest sections are.. I know Peter Stetina scored second place in 2019 riding his crocket with 48/33.. But hes pro and has the legs.. I am no where near that.. But if 40/36 allows me to crawl.. Ill be a happy camper. If not, Ill have to bite the weight weenie bullet and go 2x :(
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pdlpsher1
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by pdlpsher1

If you really want 1x it might be easier to swap chainrings. Can you go smaller than a 40T?

gSporco
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by gSporco

pdlpsher1 wrote:
Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:18 pm
If you really want 1x it might be easier to swap chainrings. Can you go smaller than a 40T?
I think Garbaruk makes smaller than 40T, but the WolfTooth I am using in 44 and 40 are beautifully quiet and light at 115/105 grams.. I know Sram makes it in a 38 or 36t but with their spider its stupid heavy.. This is WW after all lol
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mrfish
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by mrfish

Over in the Road section I recall someone mixing SRAM road 12 speed with Campagnolo commenting that the flattop chain dimensions are close enough to work fine. Don't know if that's applicable here.

gSporco
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by gSporco

I can confirm that the Flattop chain does not play nice with Eagle AXS RD
I can confirm that Eagel AXS RD does not work with 10-36 cassette..

I only Sram would release a 10-40 or 11-42 all will be right in the world for me and the 1x will be perfedt for Road and gravel for me..
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gwerziou
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by gwerziou

gSporco wrote:
Mon Aug 24, 2020 8:23 pm
All,

As I continue to refine my one bike setuo (Cervelo Aspero) for both Road and Gravel mode with 2 wheelsets I am still confused with what componenets are interchangable with the Sram Flat Top Chain.

Here is what I know, please fill in the blanks for me please:

5. eThirteen, Rotors, Garb or other 12 speed cassette Flat top chain compatible?
I would think the answer would be no, but I have a friend, and there is also someone on this forum who have both run the AXS flat top chain at great length on Campagnolo 12 speed systems and report that it works great, quietly, with no adverse effects. Real world results. Who woulda thunk it?
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Nefarious86
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by Nefarious86

gSporco wrote:I can confirm that the Flattop chain does not play nice with Eagle AXS RD
I can confirm that Eagel AXS RD does not work with 10-36 cassette..

I only Sram would release a 10-40 or 11-42 all will be right in the world for me and the 1x will be perfedt for Road and gravel for me..
I mean who'd have thought they would release a pile of expensive and incompatible parts.

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