Which Groupset?

Been around for ages, physical shops, including one at Cannock Chase for the mtb trails.

Thanks all, I’m just being paranoid. I’ve seen a lot of websites pop up that look like the goods are coming from the uk but are actually being sent from Europe.

I have mixed 12 speed non flat top chains in 2X axs drivetrain out of necessity. Works, but not quite as good as the SRAM chain. Would not recommend.

BUUUUUUT i want the axs chainring gear ratios

Sub compact and what's the difference? You'd never use the 10t anyway

just sub compact, fuck the 10t, I dont even use 14t (with 50)

Get a Pinion already

if trek made a bike with pinion I will be the 1st one to buy!

Everybody seems to think more gears are only good for more range, and is apparently happy with the incredibly constrained choices being offered these days.

And sure, as you add cogs, you don't need to offer as many cassette combinations, but nobody's seemed to notice the options disappearing faster than the cogs arriving.

All this 10t stuff is madness. 11t was stupid for two reasons, and 10t is 9% worse for both of those reasons. Chordal action (the effect of the cog becoming more like a polygon than a circle) is inefficient, and it was already a thing on 11t.

The other issue is that once you're down to 1t gaps between cogs, those gaps are actually increasing as percentage jumps as you go faster, which is exactly back to front. It's a physical limitation of the system, and it sucks. The only ways to address it are to increase tooth count of cogs and rings, or to add chainrings. But of course the industry has moved in the opposite direction for... reasons?

Here's me a few years ago, thinking front shifting is getting really good, and wondering how much of a game-changer a Di2 triple would be, and oh, by the way, if you plot gear ratios, you see the line curving up once you're on the 1t gaps, which is dumb and bad even though nobody cares, and if you bust out a 38/50/52 half-step, you can make that line straight at least, which is halfway towards the ideal, which is the line curving down on the ratio graph. Incidentally, the spreadsheet I made told me that ring combo is the one - nothing else made the line as straight.

I even bought a 38t cog with 110/130 holes and some long chainring bolts and futzed around with chainring spacers to prove you can fit this 38/50/52 caper on a standard double crank, with the rings only inboard and outboard of the normal positions by 2-3mm. The two big rings can sit really close, and the 38t can sit closer to the 50 than a 39 to a 53.

I was so keen, I even programmed an Arduino to control a couple of servos which were going to operate mechanical derailers via 1mm Kevlar string, I had it mostly worked out. But of course I ran out of resources when it came to a properly-shaped FD cage, and a proper chainring setup with rigidity and shift gates...

Anyway, seems to me this is an idea which is all but destined to come to pass, since a more efficient set of gear ratios is almost certainly the biggest bit of fruit remaining on the efficiency tree. Without a doubt it's easily worth more than say, ceramic bearings or OSPWs.

I know most folks aren't quite as into close ratios as me, but someone tell me I'm not crazy here. Cause I'm pretty sure this all makes sense; it's just everyone else who's stupid, isn't it.

11 speed is fine, 12 is the industry playing consumers for suckers.

The funny thing is the industry will probably do this when the current batch of snake oil runs out.

I have had every drug on offer, sub compact with 6603 and 11 speed junior 14-25 cassette, in 2018

and my Di2 triple discussions date back to 2016 on whatsapp groups, granted I was blocked for talking nonsense but it was worth it

I just want some AXS, I have paid my dues, never ask me to justify my buying decisions EVER AGAIN

I have had every drug on offer

None of which have enhanced your performance.

Lance_shrugging.jpg

There's guys on weightweenies saying that they're using 12sp Campag parts (cassette + chainrings) with otherwise full AXS so I'm guessing so.

happy with the incredibly constrained choices being offered these days.

Well, that's the problem isn't it? Most people don't go to 11s because they thought they needed more gears. They move to 11s because it becomes cheaper and easier to get parts for the current de facto standard. Same goes for 12S - I have that on my MTB because it was the only thing I could get parts for - 11S stuff was even rarer. It's dumb but if you're building a new bike, unless you're some kind of rim brake hipster, you're gonna use what's most common and not a groupset that is going to be harder to find parts for in 12 months.

On the MTB I've prioritised what I can make work from parts bought at a local shop - which means 12 speed.

rim brake hipster

You called?

Is it 12 speed now? How long will 105 11 speed last?

I've no idea. I reckon I'll still be on my first 12s MTB chain by the time 12s is replaced.

When you gonna replace it with a PDF bike?

i’d rather die than ride a steel bike

RIP Amey.

If I get this close to 105 Di2 and China drops a cruise missile on the Merida factory with all the 2023 Specialized bikes in it I'm going to be fuming.

i’d rather die than ride a steel bike

Amey shredding...

I have had every drug on offer, sub compact with 6603 and 11 speed junior 14-25 cassette, in 2018

I reckon a junior cassette paired with TT rings would be the go. More teeth is better for efficiency and reducing the effect of the gaps growing instead instead of shrinking bug. If you can get more 2t jumps and even a 3t jump or two to cover the range of say, a 53/39:12-25, that's a couple of closer ratios in the middle of the range where the 1t jumps start.

You still have to pedal and put effort in. Whatever the fucking esoteric solution to making “your life easier with smoother steps” turns out to be. Unless you use an eBiKE obvs.

It would be shit. Average cyclist would be better served by a sub compact, or whatever size keeps him in the middle of the cassette for most of the ride, yet having range enough to pedal up and down hills.