SRAM XX1

SRAM move with the times and often even dictate what terrain we will be riding each year (or at least it seems that way sometimes!), and the new XX1 transmission matches that trend.

The truth is, as bikes progress so too does the way we ride them, and the latest craze is for epic all day mountain riding. Everyone’s doing it and it really does encompass everything that makes mountain bikes great. Advances in frame technologies and design means that we can now get up into the hills easily whilst still thrashing the downhills, and the XX1 set reflects that progression. One extra gear surely doesn’t change everything? Possibly not, but this whole set-up is lightweight, robust and designed to maximise your potential hours on the bike.

SRAM’s biggest claim is that the XX1 also does away almost entirely (except for in the most extreme of uses) with the need for a chain device. The chainring’s deep and varied thickness teeth combined with the clutch equipped rear mech limit the possibility of the chain bouncing free, and we’d have to agree entirely – although it does feel strange riding with no chain device after all these years. The icing on the cake is the beautifully crafted cassette, made from one solid billet and intricately machined to make for the lightest possible final product.

The behind-the-scenes innovation involved in the XX1 transmission makes it one of the most notable product ranges in this year’s 100.

Price: Rear Mech: £239.99, Trigger shifter: £139.99, Cassette: £329.99, Chainset:£249.99

Fisher Outdoor Leisure 01727 798 340
www.sram.com