FLMTBer
New Member
I am experiencing the same wear on my EMTB. Try going to a 38t front chain ring. This has really done wonders for my cassette wear. I also don’t really use boost that much anymore which has also helped a lot too.
Cassettes & Chains, a greater e-bike consumable than brake pads and tyres?
- Thread starter Kilham5
- Start date
I know the EX-1 drivetrain is a bit "controversial," but I have it on two of my bikes and love it! I don't mind the gear gaps on my eMTBs, and really don't miss the extra gearing options...
Although it's an eight-speed cassette, it uses 10-speed width chains. I buy the EX-1 specific chain, and get 400-500 miles per chain before reaching 0.5% wear. I was changing change every couple hundred miles on my old 11 speed setup...
I really hope the EX-1 makes a comeback. I'm worried that its shunnedness, along with the dominance of 12-speed cassettes on new models, will make SRAM abandon it ?
Cyclopath1000
Active member
@JimBo : exactly what I've been saying on this and other posts. Commencal didn't supply the "official" pc ex1chain on my bike when received. This chain is made in portugal. Part # 00.2518.026.021. they supplied some 10 speed chain that promptly wore out as well and never worked right. I bought a few of these aftermarket. I think somehow this chain is better.
Cyclopath1000
Active member
I'm going to reinstall the original ex1 with the three brand new smallest cogs with new chain and front chainring at some point to see if it all works without issue...they claim that the ex1 cassette IS the e bike solution because the cassette is made from tool steel..similar to auto standards....perhaps this is true. I suspect if I don't pick up new parts for the future ex1 will be discontinued. Biggest cog is 48 teeth...exactly why would I need more gearing than that?
"Ah.. Fuuuckin luuv yoooo" is pretty widely accepted term for showing one's love here.
Toughen up Son. ?
Why even bother taking pics of your worn £300+ cassette and piss about trying to get new sprockets and a new EX1 chain to work with it when a full new 10 speed shimano cassette AND SRAM 10speed chain together cost less than the EX1 chain alone.
There's nothing special about the EX1 chain And the EX1 groupset is just a massively overpriced and over hyped failure that never lived up to any of the marketing lies SRAM slapped on it. It should have been burned to death long ago and left to be forgotten.
There's nothing special about the EX1 chain And the EX1 groupset is just a massively overpriced and over hyped failure that never lived up to any of the marketing lies SRAM slapped on it. It should have been burned to death long ago and left to be forgotten.
I'd offer up a retort, but like my wise Old Man always said, "Don't get into a pissing contest with a skunk!" ?
TBF If your old man was truly wise he wouldn't have been an EX1 fanboi either. 
Al-Rider
Member
I'm on my first EX1 cassette and third EX1 chain with 1940 km. I keep wondering what I will do when the cassette finally wears out, but I'm always following the EX1 cassette prices online. It's of course cheaper to change to an 11 or 12 speed groupset, but I really like the EX1 shifting and the weight penalty of other HG freehub cassettes make me keen to stick with EX1.
I smell a slight bit of N-butyl mercaptan... My mistake, that's my weed ?
How many chains so far? Are you using EX1s?
I planned ahead before the pandemic supply shortage and snagged a couple of cassettes on sale for like 40% off the ridiculous MSRP. I also had an issue with my shifter right around when I changed the cassette - it just wouldn't click into first gear...
I find my ex1 drivetrain more durable then the Shimano XT one. I have a deristricted haibike and found the XT drivetrain so bad in durability.
I couldn't do more then 600 km on one single chain and sprockets. The cassette and chain are so much more durable. Done 1200 km on the cassette when I needed to replace the 3 smallest sprockets and chain wasn't even at 0,40 wear.
Am now at 1500km as the chain starts getting to 0.50 and I just use an allround chain oil.
Also I like the shifting of the ex1 so much more enjoyable. The only thing is that there sometimes is a big gap in the cassette when going uphill and can't hold the speed straight. But honestly Idc, rather have that over any 11-12 speed drivetrain
I couldn't do more then 600 km on one single chain and sprockets. The cassette and chain are so much more durable. Done 1200 km on the cassette when I needed to replace the 3 smallest sprockets and chain wasn't even at 0,40 wear.
Am now at 1500km as the chain starts getting to 0.50 and I just use an allround chain oil.
Also I like the shifting of the ex1 so much more enjoyable. The only thing is that there sometimes is a big gap in the cassette when going uphill and can't hold the speed straight. But honestly Idc, rather have that over any 11-12 speed drivetrain
Since Covid back in March plenty things still don't smell quite as they used to for me
If folk are happy shelling out £350 for an 8 speed cassette and chain every couple of months who am I to deter them
Cyclopath1000
Active member
@JimBo and @Gary... First of all my dear friends the bike came with ex1 I didn't go search it out. And the reason I've posted that I doubt whether there's going to be ex1 in the future is because it's never put on new bikes.
Now whether that's because these 11 in these 12 speeds systems are superior is a possibility I mean you could be totally right. On the other hand they claim this cassette was near indestructible and some have mentioned that it's the tiniest cogs that wear greater than the biggest ones and that replacing the three smallest ones will eliminate chain jumping.
So, I bought a three set of tram small cogs from the ex1 for $21 sent from somewhere in Taiwan. If I slap those on and there's no skipping going on for another thousand or two thousand kilometers of use wouldn't that sort of change everyone's reckoning of whether ex1 is useful or not as a primary choice.but if you guys want to cackle on like a bunch of hysterical girls telling me or whoever that I'm some old fart and somehow you know better because you've used ex1 ?
Like if you used it a bunch of times and you've got experience in it and you have an opinion about it well that's really valid but for a bunch of guys sitting at home in front of their computer screens and maybe you don't even get out and ride you're just a bunch of posers well tell me what I'm supposed to do I really appreciate your advice.
If you're a serious Rider wouldn't you want to know if this overpriced cassette is the way to go.i want to know. that's what I'm trying to figure out all I'm getting is you know people bragging about how they can get some 11-speed XT cassette and chain for $79 in there so proud of themselves. fine I get your point.
How about want to try listening to what people who have had the ex1 are saying they think that maybe it does work well. I've got other bikes. I ride all the time. this is my one ebike and it came with ex1 and yeah I can put something else on it it's no problem be good to like wear something else out before I do it like you know bash up my derailleur so I have to buy a new one of those or break the shifter again because I tried double shifting which is what I did in the first shifter.
I've been riding like 2, 000km or so on this second cassette , what again is the big problem that all these haters are jumping on telling people what they know and don't know. you have a job assessing the quality of metals all day long. no you don't is my bet.
Sorry for the rant .but really chill out. The more a biker sh ts on other bikers , the more I'm convinced they are weak riders.
edit: roughly paragraphed for readability.
Now whether that's because these 11 in these 12 speeds systems are superior is a possibility I mean you could be totally right. On the other hand they claim this cassette was near indestructible and some have mentioned that it's the tiniest cogs that wear greater than the biggest ones and that replacing the three smallest ones will eliminate chain jumping.
So, I bought a three set of tram small cogs from the ex1 for $21 sent from somewhere in Taiwan. If I slap those on and there's no skipping going on for another thousand or two thousand kilometers of use wouldn't that sort of change everyone's reckoning of whether ex1 is useful or not as a primary choice.but if you guys want to cackle on like a bunch of hysterical girls telling me or whoever that I'm some old fart and somehow you know better because you've used ex1 ?
Like if you used it a bunch of times and you've got experience in it and you have an opinion about it well that's really valid but for a bunch of guys sitting at home in front of their computer screens and maybe you don't even get out and ride you're just a bunch of posers well tell me what I'm supposed to do I really appreciate your advice.
If you're a serious Rider wouldn't you want to know if this overpriced cassette is the way to go.i want to know. that's what I'm trying to figure out all I'm getting is you know people bragging about how they can get some 11-speed XT cassette and chain for $79 in there so proud of themselves. fine I get your point.
How about want to try listening to what people who have had the ex1 are saying they think that maybe it does work well. I've got other bikes. I ride all the time. this is my one ebike and it came with ex1 and yeah I can put something else on it it's no problem be good to like wear something else out before I do it like you know bash up my derailleur so I have to buy a new one of those or break the shifter again because I tried double shifting which is what I did in the first shifter.
I've been riding like 2, 000km or so on this second cassette , what again is the big problem that all these haters are jumping on telling people what they know and don't know. you have a job assessing the quality of metals all day long. no you don't is my bet.
Sorry for the rant .but really chill out. The more a biker sh ts on other bikers , the more I'm convinced they are weak riders.
edit: roughly paragraphed for readability.
Last edited by a moderator:
wow. that's quite a paragraph there Cyclo. I struggled to make it half way through.
EX1 uses shimano's HG freehub spline patern so any shimano 7-11 speed cassette can be fitted
The main reason you are not seeing many full bikes with EX1 is the ludicrous cost. (£480 RRP just for the cassette)
WTAF is all your personal hatred about? Stop that.
EX1 uses shimano's HG freehub spline patern so any shimano 7-11 speed cassette can be fitted
The main reason you are not seeing many full bikes with EX1 is the ludicrous cost. (£480 RRP just for the cassette)
WTAF is all your personal hatred about? Stop that.
Read my posts again? I'm 100% into EX1...
Cyclopath1000
Active member
Yes I wouldn't go out to install an ex1 unless this question of durability is.adequately answered. But is it true that the ex1cassette is made from a type of steel that is harder than other cassettes. That's the question here. If it'sore.durable..how much more durable? I don't recall the ex1 chain that I bought I think from bike inn was significantly more expensive than any expensive 12-speed chain. $308 for a cassette is way pricey unless you are in the upper range of 12 speed. Lots of people have been saying in other forums that 12-speed chains just tend to last longer they're made differently something's different about them. I've never seen any sort of side by side objective comparison of metallurgy just how hard is this metal is is a case hardened in a manner that's different than what can be achieved otherwise how much aluminum is it is part of the cassette I know that some of the cheaper 12-speed Shimano cassettes are also made out of all steel and our significantly cheaper than ones that utilize alloys in the uppers. If I was getting less than a thousand kilometers on a cassette there is no way I'd be giving them 308 for replacement. Getting 600 km out of a cassette for that kind of money that really makes you scratch your head for sure. but over 4,000 km on my second cassette and the first one probably wasn't even worn out and I can probably throw it back on, sort of makes me think that it made me not such a bad choice of drivetrain.
Cyclopath1000
Active member
But I am convinced that the ex1 will disappear why should they bother making a special thing for an e-bike if people are willing to buy 12-speed cassettes and replace them why should they bother specking out a whole line that is probably got its own assembly line or manufacturing line I mean commencal couldn't even get the right chain on their bikes that they were shipping because the chains are made in Portugal but the rest of the drive train is made in Taiwan and so they threw on some faux 10-speed chain that totally didn't work and that other people may be thinking that their ex1 doesn't work great because they don't have that chain and that number that I posted and that says made in Portugal anybody that doesn't like ex1 and who says that it's not worth it has to try the maiden Portugal ex1 chain and not some substitute and then post what they think the longevity in terms of miles kilometers hours whatever it is so that people can say well wait a second I don't get that kind of wear out of my 11-speed Shimano or shrimp 12 or whatever else I've got on because it's a rarity to see this group on now no one has it.
Dude. I'm getting more mileage out of one steel £30 cassette and one £10 chain than that with zero need to mess about swapping chains or sprockets to eek out extra life.
and I'm not riding in a dry climate like California
Use paragtraph breaks. Or at least paragraphs.
I wouldn't care if EX1 had never made it to production in the first place. it was OLD technology when released. And sold at a ridiculous price.
Cyclopath1000
Active member
@Gary.. please post exactly what you are running. It will be my backup if this ex1 gets expensive. In almost 3 years of riding I've invested less than $400 in drivetrain renewal..one cassette , two chains. In addition I've bought a spare set of jockey wheels. Still in the bag. The costs just don't appear excessive at this juncture. The thing doesn't do multiple cog shifts. That's going to destroy something. In fact it is dated to 2016. With no upgrades
It's not what he runs as he has lots of different bikes. But you could ask for what he would suggest for your cadence, front chainring size, what rear wheel you have/present configuration .. where and how your ride ... options ? Though he'd tell me "to shoooot ya wee gob as e can see dat frum da CD"
Only if you promise to remain calm and not go off on a tangent and type another long difficult to read rant about your own drivetrain wear or random riders you've never met.
Shimano DEORE 10 speed 11-36 cassette
SRAM 1110 10 speed chain
(Various) Chinese 36t 104bcd Alu narrow wide chainring
Zee 10 speed shifter
Zee FR 10 speed mech
A chain, cassette and chainring ring generally lasts me 2500+ miles until it slips and replacing the lot costs me somewhere around £40 Versus EX1's £400 for the same parts.
I'm not you. I don't ride like you or where you ride. so your needs may be very different to mine. so chill a little when taking in this fantastic new information
Multiple shifts doesn't "destroy" anything if done correctly.
FFS.
We shouldn't need a nanny to limit gear shifts. We've (I've) been doing it for 40 bloody years since before indexing was even a thing.
Cyclopath1000
Active member
10 speed deore $51 for the cassette. Chains are $22. But in reality 48 tooth large cassette cog is a bonus in norcal. I rarely use boost. But I'm sure I could live easily with the 11 speed 11-42 or 11-46. I'm fact I have a complete 11 speed 11-42 on the buy sell of pinkbike. Off another bike.
2500 miles is the real deal.
Ex1 is a one cog at a time shift design. I didn't decide to make it that way...it's the way it's made. So if I manage to get 5k or more out of my original ex1 plus the new small cogs that $165 vs approx $100 if I went 11 speed because I wanted the 11-46 and not 11-36. $65 difference. Who cares. My ebike cost $ 4,500 not 10k.
Considering it all it's really not that huge a difference.
Merry Xmas and happy new year.
2500 miles is the real deal.
Ex1 is a one cog at a time shift design. I didn't decide to make it that way...it's the way it's made. So if I manage to get 5k or more out of my original ex1 plus the new small cogs that $165 vs approx $100 if I went 11 speed because I wanted the 11-46 and not 11-36. $65 difference. Who cares. My ebike cost $ 4,500 not 10k.
Considering it all it's really not that huge a difference.
Merry Xmas and happy new year.
You really are still struggling to take this in aren't you?
I'll spell it out for you one last time in bold capitals
ONE SRAM EX1 CASSETTE COSTS TEN TIMES THAT OF ONE 10 SPEED SHIMANO DEORE CASSETTE
Norcal's mtb climbs are no steeper than where i live in Scotland. But Norcal does have a far drier riding climate meaning LESS drivetrain wear due to the chain not being coated in mud/grit/water and less load on the drivetrain due to more difficult (soft/muddy) conditions. And yet somehow I still manage to get more mileage from each Deore cassette than you do from EX1. TBF there are many reasons for this. The fact my cassette doesn't have a ludicrously large range actually being one of them.
*Shimano do also make a Deore 11-42 cassette.
That's more than enough from me on the matter too though.
Hope you're enjoying your Christmas and may your New Year be a good one!
Happy riiding!
I'll spell it out for you one last time in bold capitals
ONE SRAM EX1 CASSETTE COSTS TEN TIMES THAT OF ONE 10 SPEED SHIMANO DEORE CASSETTE
Norcal's mtb climbs are no steeper than where i live in Scotland. But Norcal does have a far drier riding climate meaning LESS drivetrain wear due to the chain not being coated in mud/grit/water and less load on the drivetrain due to more difficult (soft/muddy) conditions. And yet somehow I still manage to get more mileage from each Deore cassette than you do from EX1. TBF there are many reasons for this. The fact my cassette doesn't have a ludicrously large range actually being one of them.
*Shimano do also make a Deore 11-42 cassette.
That's more than enough from me on the matter too though.
Hope you're enjoying your Christmas and may your New Year be a good one!
Happy riiding!
Cyclopath1000
Active member
I can't wait to ride in your muddy uk btw. Today at Auburn, CA We did culvert and stone wall. Stone wall today also is open to motocross, yiiiikes. Artin brought his untrained dog...anyway the mud was pretty caked on and it took a while to hose it all off , dry chain and relube...so this mud may not match your mud but it sure seemed like it was mixed with elmer's glue. We can only hope that it gets as muddy as your forest because if not we are going to be growing cactus in the Sierras.
Hahaha... Yeah. That isn't mud.
To ease yourself in I wouldn't come to Scotland until at least May or any later than September.
To ease yourself in I wouldn't come to Scotland until at least May or any later than September.
Cyclopath1000
Active member
So is it mud when it clings to your bike and packs up your chain and is so heavy that you can't turn your wheels? Because that happened near my house when I went for.a.little.ride along side a rarely used rail line as well as on thumper in cottonwood az.. is that the correct mud conditions you typically experience ? If I'm down . Let's shred.
This setup is interesting. It just seems to be nearly impossible to change from 12 speed to 11, 10 or 9 speed without enormous tradeoff in gear range.
Have you ever thought during riding that couple teeth bigger sprocket than 36t would be nice?
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