SRAM EX1.....Anybody else got this drivetrain??

[Barrio Barranco]

Firstly, I have to say I was glad I was seated when just I googled the cassette on my bike....£342 from Wiggle/CRC.... Then further investigation led to the whole drivetrain costing 775 Euros (RRP)...

I'm glad I checked because this means meticulous care and cleaning after each ride, and frequent chain changes(£20 from Winstanleys delivered), along with front sprocket.

At 8 speed I'm assuming this is a far beefier drivetrain than a standard MTB and I'm expecting(well, hoping...) to get much more mileage out of it...

£342...still trying to take that in...

Have any of you got this drivetrain and how does it fare, what lube do you use (is Pro-Link gonna be suitable, not wanting a heavy wet lube that picks up all the crap)?

£342....£342....

 

[EddiePJ]

I run an EX1 set up, but only because it came with the bike. I'm not actually a fan of SRAM products, and certainly not their cassettes or rear derailleurs.

I have more hassle with SRAM cassettes than say Shimano or Sunrace, as the design catches more crud and debris than the two mentioned, and is a pain to keep clean.

The derailleur cage is also weaker and bends out of shape easier than the Shimano ones, and whilst still not difficult to set up, from my experience I have certainly had more issues.

With the negative out of the way, I have to say that the set up is proving to be extremely hard wearing, and even after both 3K miles of use, the cassette isn't showing any signs of wear. I don't know if I have just been lucky, but I certainly have no complaints.
Front sprocket wear is also proving to be exceptionally good, and I'm getting a ratio of roughly one sprocket to every two that I might of had when using Connex, and Connex is my favourite brand when it comes to front sprockets.
I do change chains every 500 miles or so, and swap between two, but even the chain wear is minimal when compared to say a KMC version.

The steps in gearing are too wide for my use, but the changes are very smooth and quiet.

When the time comes to replace the cassette, I shall just buy a Sunrace cassette and Shimano derailleur and shifter, but I'm no rush to do that, as the system just seems to keep going.

In respect of oil for the chain, I run a wet lube for the most part, but the drive train spends most of it's time looking like this below.

 

[Barrio Barranco]

Thanks for the reply EddiePJ- I'll just have to see how things go and I've got a Park chain checker so I'll err on the side of caution and replace it at 0.75% stretch ( 0.5% is really recommended for 10s +??) Ordered a couple of 16T sprockets from Tredz too.
I can see this bike becoming a summer/fair weather thing for me for some bikepacking into the Cairngorms from the house, when it's warmer and easier on the battery, and I'm not in any rush to destroy it given the cost and need to spend the next 3-4 months on the conventional bike(s- there's 5 of them...) shifting a few kg and getting fitter. I saw that other thread on "first impressions" of the EX1 there's a lot to digest in that and one horror story of just 350 miles.... in the future should I stay with EX1 or convert over to XT/Sunrace etc. Given that Bikester have the EX1 cassette at £275 wonder if they are likely to drop significantly more?

 

[EddiePJ]

It's a tricky one to answer in respect of whether to stick with the OE set up or not. Originally I had intended to remove the whole lot from my bike when it was new, and to then sell it and swap over to the XT/Sunrace set up.
I haven't looked, but I have an idea that EX1 is now history and that things have moved on again, so maybe there might be some deals to be had. I know that last year Chain Reaction Cycles were selling EX1 chains at almost give away prices, and I kick my self for not stocking up on a few.

I can only from my own experience, that whilst I'm not a fan of SRAM products, it has proven to be very durable, if not occasionally a pain to get set up properly. I would imagine that for your use, that you don't have anything to be concerned about, and that the cassette should hopefully last a very long time.

 

[Fat Rat]

Im the other way
Allthou the EX1 drivetrain was quite reliable i found the ratios in the centre to widely spaced for my needs and ended up going back to 11 speed
Im still using the front sprocket thou which has over 2k on it and showing no significant wear

 

[Barrio Barranco]

" but I have an idea that EX1 is now history and that things have moved on again, so maybe there might be some deals to be had"....
I was wondering about this too... Making a cassette that costs that much which should be bombproof (and yet requires meticulous care to prolong it's life versus a cheap and cheerful setup where you expect bits to need frequent replacing) seems like one of those "good on paper" ideas....but people aren't stupid and if it doesn't cut it, it will soon be obsolete as folk revert back to what they previously used rather than pay silly money for a cassette and frequent chain/sprocket changes.
A quick look on Evans and their Trek 2019 range are running standard 10s gearing....
So most manufacturers are still using "non e-bike specific equipment"....!!