Recently upgraded my drivetrain on my '23 Diverge to a XD driver, 10-50 GX cassette, and 38t chainring and I feel like i still need another gear on the hills (10+ percent grade is common here in SoCal). Looks like Sram doesn't offer any smaller chainring that is 8 bolt and the offset I need for my Rival AXS setup.
I was told by my LBS that my "older" GX Eagle derailer couldn't accomodate a 10-52 GX cassette, so thats I didn't just go with the 10-52.
Thinking of converting to a MTB crankset, but unsure if you can do that since my BB is a DUB WIDE and most of their offerings are DUB? Thinking the sweet spot for chainring would be 34 or 36 (don't want to spin out, but I don't usually pedal over 25mph).
Has anyone done this successfully? Or am I better off going with a 2x system? I've thought of that, but with a 10-50 cassette, I feel that I'd have too many gears. I like the simplicity of the 1x.
I'm a 165mm crank so whatever setup I choose, 165mm would have to be offered
edit: is it possible to just use this 36t chainring to get that extra gear? I think my Rival chainring has a 6mm offset, but I can't find that info anywhere to confirm.
by ahyouknowme
11 Comments
Would something like [this](https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/fc-gx-1-c1) or [this](https://www.sram.com/en/sram/models/fc-gx-1-c1) work? I’d prefer carbon, but open to alloy to save some $$
You can definitely get a mtb crank that will work. Before that, I would look into the sram T-type chainrings, they are 8bolt and come in different offsets. No guarantee that they are the same size 8bolt, I haven’t tried it myself.
I sized down from a 38t 8 bolt direct mount ring to a 36t from Alugear. The standard chain line offset is 6mm and they offer it in that. If you want a lower gear, chainrings come in even smaller sizes. You can also swap from 10-50t for a 9-50t ztto rear cassette, you’ll get some top speed back.
This is the route I went with my 10/44t cassette w/40t chan ring. Swapped to a 36t ring and to a 9/46t cassette while not changing anything else.
Look I run a Eagle GX 10-52 no sure why you can’t ? Of course use the right chain from SRAM and you should be ok
And don’t even start in 2x system stick to 1x by much more reliable.
Now if your old derailleur can’t support 10-52 only 10-50 ok … may invest on a derailleur is like 100ish on
[SoCal shop](https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/products/sram-gx-eagle-rear-derailleur-12-speed-lunar-max-52t)
I see you’re in Pas, trying to go up Mt Wilson Toll Rd? When I was running 50/34 x 11-34 had to tap out after about 1000′ of that, switched to 46/30 x 11-36 but haven’t been back for a rematch yet.
> Has anyone done this successfully? Or am I better off going with a 2x system? I’ve thought of that, but with a 10-50 cassette, I feel that I’d have too many gears. I like the simplicity of the 1x.
You can’t run a 2x with your 10-50 cassette, generally 2x systems are limited to <40t rear cogs. The 43/30t Rival AXS crank is designed to work with their 10-36t cassette.
different crank is the way to go, sorry I can’t recommend the proper one but offset can sometimes be adjusted with spacers
Hey – I can’t answer OP’s question, but I’m just wondering is this a problem with 1-by drive systems that 2-by doesn’t have so much? That rear cassette on the standard 23 Diverge is massive so I’m struggling to understand how that isn’t a low enough gear.
I’m wanting to figure out what I want when it comes to buying a bike.
How much smaller of a gear are you hoping to have?
The 38-36T crank ring swap is only good for about 5%. Is that enough to make a difference? The 10-52 cassette is a smaller bump. IMO, neither by themselves will make an appreciable difference.
Keep in mind, your easiest gear now (38-50) is 16% easier than your next hardest (38-42), so changing BOTH of those components will not give you “another gear” shift of the same magnitude. A 36-52 easy gear (by replacing both the cassette and ring) will give you 9% easier fearing than what you have today.
Is 4% easier gearing (with a 36T ring) enough?
Is 9% (36T ring AND 10-52 cassette) enough?
Wolf tooth has chainrings for sram 8 bolt, but 36t and below are branded as mtb. Looks like they have versions with 0 and 3mm offset
Look at WolfTooth and Absolute Black for alternative chainring sizes/ configurations.
First, confirming that you can’t go 2x with an eagle cassette/RD. However , I would double check that you can’t use the 10-52 eagle cassette with your current RD. According to [SRAM compatibility chart](https://www.sram.com/globalassets/document-hierarchy/compatibility-map/road/axs-components-compatibility-map.pdf), it should be compatible. Maybe you can find a MTB buddy that let you try theirs.
Having said that, i don’t think going from 50t to 52t is going to make that much of a difference. I think that your best chance at finding what you need is to find a way to run a smaller chainring and then you can compensate by using one of the 9-50/9-52 cassettes from e13 or ztto as advised by others in this thread.
Good luck!
https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/products/direct-mount-chainrings-sram-8-bolt-mountain-cranks
36 or 34tooth.