EX1 and a 10 speed cassette...surprising...

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
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So this has been bugging me for a while..the 8 speed EX1 uses 10 speed dimension chain and presumably the same spacings between cassette sprockets.
I got a lad at work to bring in an old 10 speed cassette- my reckoning was if the indexing was the same I should get the 8 highest(smallest) gears and not gears 1,2 (lowest/biggest).
Well.... gears 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 went smooth but the expected change from 4>3 put it on 2...I went up and down the cassette and still the same and there's no meshing or signs it's out laterally on any of the gears?! (I really can't figure this one out- is the indexing a miniscule different from 10 speed and by the time I'm 8 up the block it jumps 2? Surely I'd hear it progressively getting noisier?)
I'd emailed SRAM and they'd said there was "absolutely no compatability between EX1 and 10 speed"- which I see in essence is true if one click jumps two cogs- but they can and do seem to run fine together if that minor issue doesn't bother you??...
My reckoning is that I could run the second set of wheels with semi slick (Schwalbe Hurricanes 27.5" x 2.0"??) with a SRAM PG1050 cassette: 11-36 so it stays steel.
Without splitting the block it would leave the gears below in black/blue... In EX1 that 32T is gear 3 and that's low enough for the road easily....
PG1050 11-36= 11-13-15-17-19-22-25(-28)-32(-36)
XG899 11–48= (11, 13, 15, 18, 24, 32, 40, 48)

It seems a much cheaper solution than a shonky second hand EX1 which would have nowhere near as close ratios for the road?? And 40/48 on the EX1 are really low only fit for serious hills off road....

Any thoughts? Anything I could have really overlooked??
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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is your ex1 that worn already you need to replace it? i still think eagle is the way to go just look at all the new bikes with it fitted ;)

 

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
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No SW- my EX1 is mint condition but bought a second set of wheels so the EX1 is going on them- DT Swiss H1900 35's with 2.8" Eddy Current tyres for serious off road use... I now have the original DT Swiss 350 hubs/E512 rims that are perfect but want road/semi's(Or fast rolling MTB) on them and a cheap cassette that will be compatible with EX1 mech/shifter/chain etc so I can do a quick swap depending on where I plan to ride..
Think "one bike owners" that use theirs to commute M-F and change the wheels at weekends to go off road...
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,971
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well you might get indexing problems when changing the wheels over but how well it will work over time not got a clue spacing wise it should work.

imo you could sell the ex1 group set and go to a nx eagle and still have change to spare but the good thing with eagle is it is all compatible with the high and low end stuff.
 

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
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I'm happy with the EX1 completely- 12 speed means an overhaul and I don't need a 50T for road wheels-
Just trying to avoid a set of wheels doing nothing in the shed as spares in case I total the new ones or something, and how I can utilise them for minimal outlay...ie £18.50 cassette!
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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well its better to shred a 20 quid cassette than a 70 quid one ;) and a dongle will be much better for riding on the roads and get to work faster so more time in bed :p
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
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its a bit overkill tbh but what is that tiny chain ring looks like 13t?
 

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
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2x18T, 1x16T and 1x14T sprockets. 2 Chains, 5 powerlocks (only single use) and the spare 11,13,15t cassette high gears.
Currently the 16T front and 48T low on the bike. But the 14T would make really low gearing (or on an 11-42 keep the gearing the same low as a 16T /11-48T)
I've got the missus's bike to maintain now too which has EX1 also...!
 

soundwave

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 23, 2015
15,971
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true well you can get 13t front sprockets but last time i looked was about 40 quid.

at least you can change out the cassette sprockets where as mine is all pinned together.
 

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
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Ironic that EX1 block is £350 for 8 gears...yet the 3 smallest cost £25.
It's the 5 biggest machined from one bit of steel that cost £325!!! Mental...
It's overkill for the missus- maybe I should buy a new groupset for her and steal hers off the bike it's only done 120 miles in 4 months lol
 

Barrio Barranco

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 24, 2018
281
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Get yourself a hub-motor, then you can use one of these and it'll last you a lifetime.
Wait 6 weeks from Hong Kong and...oh....wait.... "Doesn't post to Scottish Highlands "
That's that fooked then....
 

BazP

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 8, 2017
358
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Sheffield
Jumping the two lower sprockets means that the indexing is moving slightly too much at each click culminating in the big jump lower down. When I have had this problem, on all derailleur types it has usually been associated with a bent hanger.
 

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