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SOC15: SRAM 1x drivetrains head to the road with new Force & Rival single chainring groups

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sram rival 1 road group

SRAM’s taken their 1x drivetrains to the road with new Force 1 and Rival 1 groups.

Essentially an expansion of their CX1 group and XX1/X01/GX mountain bike cassettes, it opens up the possibilities for gravel, cyclocross and even triathlon bikes looking to simplify the setup and save a little weight.

In fact, the CX1 group is now simply Force 1, and the Rival 1 group takes most of the existing parts and combines it with the pinned GX cassette and brand matched X-Horizon rear derailleurs.

sram rival 1x single chainring road bike group

To make it work for so many types of bikes, the X-sync chainrings options now run from 38 to 54, much larger than the 44T max offered by CX1. The chainrings between the groups are similar, with a bit of additional machining on the backside of Force level rings.

The GX1 cassette is the Rival level offering, and you’d get an X01 or XX1 cassette with a Force level build. Since its up to the OEM or you to spec it the way you want it, t dealt can be mixed and matched however you (or your budget) likes.

SRAM Force 1 single chainring road bike group for cyclocross and triathlong and more

The derailleurs are offered with short, mid and long cage units, so they recommend using the clutch equipped X-Horizon derailleurs with any 1x build.

Shown above is Jeremy Powers’ cyclocross bike, showing how he’s mixed and matched parts (and a Red crankset) to make the group work for him. Below, a triathlon bike for Jordan Rapp showing it with a much larger chainring.

SRAM Force 1 single chainring group for triathlete Jordan Rapp

There’ll also be S-Series parts for flat bar fitness and commuter bikes, too.

Availability runs from May through June depending on parts. We’ll update with pricing shortly.

SRAM.com

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marycane
marycane
8 years ago

(deleted)

FoolCyclist
FoolCyclist
8 years ago

(deleted)

Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen
8 years ago

SRAM has truly jumped the shark.

Ck
Ck
8 years ago

Might build up my do everything road bike with a Rival 1×10-42 setup. I’m not picky about cadence so the spacing isn’t an issue and being able to have a wide range without a front derailleur would be nice given everything I want to do with the bike.

That Guy
That Guy
8 years ago

Also so SRAM has definitely decided that they can’t make a front derailleur work, so hey! It’s gonna be 1x all the time! Great work guys.

ZG
ZG
8 years ago

Can we get this in 12 speed so we could have 3 tooth jumps and not the top 5 being 4 tooth jumps and a 6 tooth jump!!

Christopher
Christopher
8 years ago

Do I see two masterlinks in that first image? o_0

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

I spend much more time trimming my Shimano double FD that I actually do shifting it. And when I do shift, I still have to trim it afterwards. Thanks Shimano.

Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen
8 years ago

@That Guy – they’ve thrown in the towel utterly.

@anonymous – But when you shift your FD, the chain stays on the crankset. And if you don’t like trimming, get Di2.

dontcoast
8 years ago

lotsa haters! Not for the alps, that’s for sure..

Totally great for:

beginners
people who ride hard but don’t race
people in the midwest or florida
triathletes
hybrids

Never on my road race bike, but it’s got tons of potential for other stuff!

Dlub
Dlub
8 years ago

Only to back up a brand of drivetrain that has worked carefree for me for 3 years of racing. And I don’t replace things or clean things regularly.

Eric hansen: you are doing it wrong if you’re dropping chain. I run 36 53 on my crankset and a 3 year old rival front derailleur/shifter (with a half broken hinge from a crash 2 years ago) that has been bend and bent back. I don’t drop chain ever.

I’m sure you’re a nice guy, maybe you can give anon money for di2, if thats how you think he should fix his issue with trimming shimanos FD

My FD never needs trimming and doesn’t rub anywhere to the point where I can hear it/feel it.

If you’re looking at buying a bike with sram, go ahead, it works well. So does shimano…

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

dontcoast

You may be right, but in my view, this is not suited for beginners or people in flat lands.
1) I’ve never met anyone that really got hung up on shifting a FD for more than maybe 1 or 2 days. Beyond that, I kinda question whether they have the mental capacity to ride a bike. But beginners benefit greatly from a LARGE gear range by nature of their limited fitness.
2) I’ve ridden extensively in the Midwest. Wind often makes solo riding a laborious affair (where I am stuck near a granny gear if I am tired). But then, going the other way, I can easily pull 25+ mph and need that 53. A 1x simple doesn’t have that capability. In fact, I’d recon that “alpine terrain” suits the group better since coasting on downhills is the normal and one is usually in a smaller chainring upfront for climbing unless very strong.

I see this “useful” for TT (but is it saving anything since you aren’t shifting anyway). And that is really the question. What is road 1x providing? If you have 1x, you can’t shift a FD. If you have a normal 2x, you can choose not to shift (replicating a 1x), but at least you have a bail out or top end gear should you choose. And what is the penalty? A very reliable FD and some additional weight?

MikeC
MikeC
8 years ago

How is this not a smart idea when bike shops have been selling compact double road as better than triple road for years, because of weight and shifting issues?

Not to mention, selling 20sp bikes as “10sp” and 22sp bikes as “11sp”?

This is a natural progression, one that an ignorant buying public will love, and one which has precedent on the sales front, considering the compact double phenomenon.

MikeC
MikeC
8 years ago

Plus, now that electronic shifting is totally over, road disc brakes have been a thing for at least a year or two, what other tech innovation that people have to have on a road bike is coming along??? Have to have the latest and greatest to sell, have to.

craigsj
craigsj
8 years ago

“Wind often makes solo riding a laborious affair (where I am stuck near a granny gear if I am tired). But then, going the other way, I can easily pull 25+ mph and need that 53. A 1x simple doesn’t have that capability.”

Yes it does. A 39-53 with an 11-28 rear has a 346% range. With 11-32 its 395%. A 1x 10×42 can provide your low range gear and 25+ mph better than your gearing can.

“I see this “useful” for TT (but is it saving anything since you aren’t shifting anyway).”

It is not useful for TT. It seems you don’t understand gearing very well.

This solution provides gearing range wider than road racing gearing ever has. It does not provide the range of some touring rigs and it does not provide the close ratios that road racing requires. It’s not hard to figure out what it’s useful for.

jd1072
jd1072
8 years ago

A lot of you guys sound as though you have no idea what you’re talking about. The range is MORE than a compact when using the 10-42 cassette and 50t chainring. How is that a disadvantage? I heard similar gripes when XX1 first appeared, and guess what? It’s a widely adopted standard now.

From the Cycling news article:

“….Compared with a conventional 2×11 drivetrain with 50/34T chainrings… switching to a 50T chainring and one of SRAM’s massive 10-42T cassettes (which, it should be noted, requires a special XD driver body) will also yield the same lowest gear but will actually provide slightly more range…”

“But, BikeRumer… Oh my gosh this changes my cadence by 3.3% instead of 2.1% between gears”….. Wah wah wah… Cry me a river. This is another great example of SRAM progressing the sport.

No one NEEDS to be at an exact cadence all the time. Go watch a proficient single speeder ride.

Clay
Clay
8 years ago

I have a new bike that has a decent FD, but the thing for me is what the hell do I do with all of these gears? Do I really need 22 speeds? 10 used to work for me. I find myself multiple shifting most of the time. Sure my cadence varies more than 1%, but I don’t really care about that. Why wouldn’t this be a good option for most people? Maybe if I had automatic gears then the 22 speeds might not be annoying, but if I am shifting myself, why not just give me the ones I need? Kind of like the Porsche 911 or the Corvette with a 7 speed manual, most people just find the extra gear annoying.

Kyle
Kyle
8 years ago

The difference in cadence between gears definitely does matter. Glycogen stores are depleted much slower at higher cadence and that’s a huge deal in a long race. If it didn’t make a difference then you’d see world tour teams running 1x already just to cut down on complexity/failures. Sagan had his Paris Roubaix effectively ended by a front shifting problem.

Cool product though and it will definitely find a niche for itself. Not sure how big that niche will be though.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

jd – nobody NEEDS anything really. I WANT a sub 16 lb bike. I WANT efficient 5″ MTB’s. I want snappy 29ers with good geometry and fit. I WANT single tooth jumps on my road bike. SRAM’s cassette jumps range from 2-6 teeth (on a 10-42) I also have a single speed, doesn’t mean I find it ideal.

I think its excellent its offered as an option, but many also don’t recognize the vastly different way road bikes are ridden compared to mtb’s and how terrain is tackled differently in each discipline. On a road bike, it solves FD “issues”. That is it. You are giving up a lot for that convenience, but if it works for you, great. I’ll never say a consumer option shouldn’t exist.

Dave
Dave
8 years ago

I’d be curious to give one a try. The gearing range is huge IF you can throw a 10-42 on the back. Easier climbing gear than my compact. But there would be some massive gearing jumps there. I suspect I really wouldn’t like that for riding in a group.

Ripnshread
Ripnshread
8 years ago

Im sure this will just be an option. Its only shown on CX, Gravel (GR), Tri and Flat Bar road bikes (Hybrids). Other than the gravel grinding option there is not much chance of being in a paceline or having too much trouble finding your cadence.

Looks like a nice new option for some riders in some disciplines.

Craig
Craig
8 years ago

I will be buying this new Sram group when I need another road bike. I don’t race so I’m not worried about pedalling faster than 25-30MPH. This is ideal. Just run a small ring like a 40T with a 11-32 cassette. This spread is actually closer than my 7spd cassette with 13-28 ratios. Don’t have any issue with that.

Mr. P
8 years ago

This is amazing great for entry level riders who are challenged by front shifting concepts.

And for the haters, your lack of knowledge shines through. Just get on a 1×11 MTB for a real experience, rather than internet experience. Yes the gaps are bigger, but then there is always a trade off for new bike bits. You decide if the trade-off is worth it. Outside of full on racing or KOM raids, this looks like a win.

How many times have you screwed up that front shift to prep for a steep? I have a lot with a compact front.

P

skip
skip
8 years ago

this is perfect, as everyone knows that the target demographic for every cycling discipline is too stupid and feeble to figure out how to push the intimidating buttons on their handlebars.
This is an awesome product that represents the forefront of an innovative north america based company.
that is unless you actually ride bikes and not just buy them. in which case, this is obviously a silly idea.

Paraguay
Paraguay
8 years ago

eh, it’s a cool idea, but pedaling a 50×42 with lots of tension on it uphill won’t feel as nice as pedaling a 36xwhatever. More gear combos is best for me, but maybe not all the time.

Will
Will
8 years ago

I’ve been running 1×10 on my computer road bike for 3+ years, glad too see the bike industry is catching on..!!

Eric Hansen
Eric Hansen
8 years ago

@Mr. P

– I have a 1×10 MTB with an 11-42 spread.
I also have a 2×10 MTB with a normal 11-36 cassette.
I’ve also got a 2×11 road bike with a 12-25 out back.
And a 2×8 friction shifted.
And a 3×7 DGAF bike.
And a 3-speed.

I race MTB and Triathlon. I’ve built every one of my bikes from the frame up except the 2×10 MTB. I also *sell* and *fix* bikes as my job. The idea that I don’t know what i’m talking about is laughable in the extreme. 1×10 and 1×11 are fine for off road use, when you’re going to be making huge jumps constantly. 1xWhatever can be OK for commuting, if it’s geared right for your terrain and load. However, sometimes it’s nice to have a lower gear on a commuter so you can pick up 50 pounds of groceries, and actually still move.

I would not, under any circumstances, trade the extremely fine ratio jumps of a 2×11 road bike drivetrain for the huge jumps of a 1×11 system with similar range. Sometimes you ride into a 25 MPH headwind. Sometimes you take a trip to the hills. It’s nice to be able to have SOME versatility in anything that serves as more than a pure race machine.

As for Di2; it’s expensive now, but within 5 years, it’ll be standard on anything above $1200 in drop bars, and above $800 in flat bars.

Mason
Mason
8 years ago

It’s funny how because people find they don’t want something that it’s automatically a bad idea for everyone else.

It’s also funny how people are bad at math and assume that a 1x won’t have the same range as a 2x.

I think these groups look cool if they provide the gear ratio someone is looking for. I ran XX1 on my MTB and CX1 on my cx bike last year and loved them. If they don’t have the gear ratios you’re looking for, stick with a double. Props to SRAM for doing something different that works well and absolutely satisfies a need in the market.

Pistolero
Pistolero
8 years ago

If I ever do a 1x road, as a live in the flatest part of earth, I would use a 46 or 48 front, but rear I would have a 11-32 cassette, and that is already a huge range, with big jumps, for road. this is not a mtb groupset. such a huge cassette is not good for most people who ride road.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

This comment thread makes me think that a “budget upgrade” Di2/EPS would be good marketing, especially as prices drop. Electric on the front, existing mechanical on the rear. It would be cheaper than converting to 1x and solve people’s apparent issue with keeping their front mechs in adjustment.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

Stating “it has the same range” is disingenuous. I could make a 1×2 with the same “range” as a 3×11, but it won’t feel that way will it?
Case in point. Let’s compare a 1x w/ 50t crankset and 10-42 cassette to a 2x mid-compact with std 11-28 cassette.
Climbing at 9 mph at normal cadence (targeting mid to high 80’s for optimal climbing)

Changing gears on a normal 2x from 36×28 to 36×25 will drop cadence from 89 to 80.
Changing gears on a 1x from 50×42 to 50×36 will drop cadence from 97 to 83.

Its doable, but it has its disadvantages. The “range” at its limits may be equal to or better than a normal 2x, but it won’t feel that way to the user unless topped or bottomed in that gear. When you are hurting, having a 14 rpm cadence change is not fun.

Dr. Sartorious
Dr. Sartorious
8 years ago

It’s a shame that those looking into entering the sport of cycling are met by the myriad (deleted), such as the ones posting here, who get into “cadence” and “gear inches” and “big jumps” and “climbing at normal cadence.” These are the guys who spend more time talking before and after the ride then actually spend riding. They like to enrich everyone else with talk about “leverage ratios” and other flotsam and jetsam they gleaned from Wikipedia and Sheldon Brown’s website.

Look, ride the bikes. Ride them up then ride them down. Did you like it? No? Don’t buy it? Was it easy to shift? Did you have to shift a lot or a little to get up that hill? Was it fun? Yes? Then buy it.

Same thing with a salesperson. If they start getting into “Fred” talk, walk out. It’s about the experience, not your “2x from 36×28 to 36×25” bunch of bull crap that makes their eyes gloss over. Take your engineering degree to Silicon Valley, not the bike shop.

anonymous
anonymous
8 years ago

(deleted)

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

Dr. Sart,
you realize that this is a bike site/blog of which if you even mentioned such a thing existed, 99% of peoples eyes would gloss over, if they didn’t start walking away first with a weird look on their face.
And yes, I am an engineer. Interested people improve things. Like maybe the next improvement to 1x. Or maybe we just stop now and say “you ride up and down, you likey, no likey, oh well…” to everything.

Kyle
Kyle
8 years ago

Why can’t this discussion be had? You wouldn’t tell someone to “just go ride” a full suspension mountain bike if they’re riding on nothing but pavement, why would you tell someone to “just go ride” a 1x when it doesn’t suit the terrain or rider?

Different bikes and components work for different types of riding. 1x will be great on some bikes and situations but 2x will still be the go-to for road bikes.

Marc Lindarets
8 years ago

As someone who’s been using CX1 with a Wolf Tooth 50t chainring and 11-32 and 11-36t cassettes for about six months, I really like the simplicity, light weight, and feel.

The 32 provides the same low gear as a 39×25, the 36 is as low as a 39×28- both pretty common non-compact gearing. I do prefer the smaller steps of the 11-32 and for my moderately hilly daily ride it has just about been ideal.

While it may not be for everyone, I imagine that it’ll be a good solution for a broad range of riders.

neilthemeal
neilthemeal
8 years ago

Not long ago I was riding a 53/39 with a 12-25 on 2 by 8, happily. I’m guessing the amount of useable gears, jumps between most gear, and high and low end are pretty close to a 44 up front with an 11 speed 11-30 in back.

Do I like a 2×10? Yes. Do I think I could do 97% of my riding with the 11 speed system described above? Yes. Will I sell my group to make the change? No.

I like how much people get worked up over something that they don’t have to use but other people may enjoy.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

So anything preventing 12×148 on the rear and make a 1×13? I think it should fit. That would be a game changer. Everything is already here for it to happen, sans hub. Or is there a limit to how much “cross chaining” SRAM’s narrow/wide can handle, anyone know?

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

scratch that – overzealous, but maybe a 1×12 yeah?

Jeb
Jeb
8 years ago

I Use CX-1 on the Cross bikes And XX1 on the MTB. Both are very close to pushing it when it comes to gear spacing but their positive attributes offroad make them worth it. You’d need 14 speeds in the rear to make 1X a viable alternative to a 2X system on the road.

Mayonayze
Mayonayze
8 years ago

AHHH!!! Here’s the bike tool section!!!

Robo
Robo
8 years ago

I love the concept of the 1x for the road and I’d be more than happy to try this out.

I’m not sure that THIS is the ideal setup but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Neat stuff.

Chris L
Chris L
8 years ago

Let’s get one thing straight here: Eddy had one LESS gear than what this system offers and last I checked he won a LOT more races than any of you posers sniveling about how this doesn’t have enough gears or the gaps are too much.

Kyle
Kyle
8 years ago

I’m not great with my bike history but uh… I don’t think Eddy had 2×11 available to him.

Kyle
Kyle
8 years ago

Or did I just miss the sarcasm train? 🙁

jimbo rawson
jimbo rawson
8 years ago

What a bunch of whiners on bicycle sites…jeez!

This is awesome news for me. Pro 1, 2 crit bike with a 52 and a 11-28 cassette is good enough for any strong Pro 1, 2 racer.

Hate on!

hjb
hjb
8 years ago

JBikes- “So anything preventing 12×148 on the rear and make a 1×13? I think it should fit.”

The answer is that 1×13 or 1×14 is indeed possible, however the massive issue would be the required widening of the chainstays. This in turn would increase the crank q-factors so they don’t clash the chainstays… for road bikes, increasing q-factor is not acceptable.

padrote
padrote
8 years ago

if you need to type “and yes, I am an engineer” in your post it probably means your post and/or opinion is bad.

JBikes
JBikes
8 years ago

padrote – As an engineer my posts are always bad and opinions always correct 🙂

Damien
Damien
8 years ago

I realize this reply will be lost in the hate, but here’s my experience running this setup on a bike for the past year in the Albuquerque area and on a 1200 mile loaded tour through Italy from the Netherlands to and through Northern Italy (Venice To Pisa To Cinque Terre) Hilly!

Initially setup as a 46T front, 10-42 XO1 Rear
Rear derailleur was a Ultegra Di2 Medium Cage – worked flawless
Front Chainring is a 46T

Gear range is very similar to a 50/34 and a 11/28.

The experience has been overwhelmingly positive. The bike was initially setup as a full compact Ultegra Di2 with an 11/28 cassette. Di2 was chosen because it was the only reliable full hydro disk brake available at the time. The bike is not a touring bike, it is more similar to a gravel grinder. However, it is now my only road/cross/touring bike that I own. Changing the cranks, losing the front derailleur, and switching the cassette dropped about a pound off the bike.

The only change in a year of riding has been an XTR Di2 derailleur because I smashed my ultegra derailleur into a rock in the foothills and I wanted something less likely to do so again.

So I have personal long term experience with this. It is certainly not just for flat places, it will work ok in a Crit, you better work on your cadence and/or STOP crying about missing gears you never use anyways, and otherwise, IF YOU DONT LIKE IT, DONT BUY IT!

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