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You might want to do this when upgrading or if you have a more expensive version and break some part and want to grab the more affordable option. If you were to blindfold someone and ask them to try to notice the difference between each level of Eagle, I think they would really only be able to tell the difference of NX Eagle from the rest as the shifter has a different feeling. Otherwise great work TB and the BR staff! Then ill upgrade to X01 here and there as i can afford it, and sell the part that im replacing. SRAM GX Eagle is the next level up and what I would consider as the first step into the performance range, meaning GX Eagle gets you that premium performance and quality. Its commonly said that the wider chains of past drivetrains were more durable. This is because I like the feeling of the more premium shifter, it's more precise and smooth, as well as the downshift paddle is adjustable. The bicycle chain. What about X01 to XX1? At the other end of the scale was the KMC X11E chain which lasted only 1,694 km in Kerins gritty test, and inexplicably, KMCs US$120 DLC chain wasnt any better. Next, I run the GX Eagle rear derailleur. Kerin is in the process of working on this very area, so stay tuned. Right? And Shimano users shouldnt see much reason to stray, either. Shortly after, they became the first to the 12-speed game as well. That said, Kerin has tested a handful of KMC models, including the brand-new X11TT oil-slick (race day) chain, which actually posted impressively good durability results despite KMCs own claim it trades 5% durability for improved speed and so its not out of the question that Kerin got his hands on a bad batch of KMC chains. Keep in mind that Kerins test considers .5mm to be worn out, and so .12mm is almost a quarter of the allowable wear allowance. And two of the most durable chains in terms of elongation, the Wippermann SX and SB, showed some of the largest discrepancies between the two wear-check methods, hitting just 1,872 and 1,902 km respectively with a chain wear checking tool versus the 3,389 and 3,490 km achieved through pure elongation measurement. - XX1 Eagle Shifter:112g- XX1 Eagle Rear Derailleur: 269g- XX1 Eagle Crankset:424g- XX1 Eagle Cassette: 371g- XX1 Eagle Chain:262g. The newest version of SRAM GX Eagle also gets the 10-52t cassette range, or the extended Eagle. Sure, older 8-, 9- and even 10-speed systems do offer wider cog widths which provide increased surface area with the chain, but does that actually mean the chains are more durable? And so its not hard to imagine that a chain with looser interfaces, although not as durable, could prove to be more efficient. However, when it comes to the chains themselves, there is no such correlation or pattern. With SRAM SX Eagle you will be using the Shimano HG style freehub body, meaning that this is an easy way to upgrade an older or more entry level bike so you can put the cassette on your existing wheel. That can work, but I want to talk about the version I choose to run on my enduro bike for the best performance to cost. x01,xx1 just in case you want to spend more money. Lets take a look at what the levels are from entry to high-end and also what you get when moving from one level to the next. i dont know if that segment is really needed NZD, This article was written / authored by Liam Woods. The reasoning for this is less clear, but certain materials have improved, manufacturing processes have become refined, and new low-friction coatings have been added. Both Campagnolo Record and YBN SLA chains achieved almost equal roller-based and elongation-based wear rates the desired outcome as it means chain wear tools will provide an accurate gauge. Eagle AXS It was the first to the 11-speed game, the first to remove the front derailleur and still have a range that allowed you to pedal up almost anything. And the expectation is that the Red version, with its Hard Chrome coated rollers, will be the more durable of the two. And where the Dura-Ace 11-speed posted better elongation wear numbers, it fell short with the digital chain checker (roller play and wear). nx = cheapo bike At least for now, SRAM chains are best measured with backside-to-backside wear tools such as the Pedros Chain Checker Plus II and Park Tool CC-4, or better yet, with a pure elongation wear measurement. GBP Its actually easier to install the SRAM AXS as you dont need to mess with cables and housing and then adjusting it all with some fine-tuning. The Mspeedwax treatment is still silky smooth after nearly six hours of hard training and whilst I dont have efficiency results yet, I will be shocked if the XTR chain isnt very fast. The most efficient 11 & 12 speed chains Not just total lifespan, but the performance will be better for longer throughout that lifespan, too. Personally, im just going to go for a GX with an X01 chain. SRAM NX Eagle slots in right below GX, at just $375 for a full groupset. Shift quality is subjective but durability and efficiency are not. The GX Eagle provides smooth and quiet shifting, while being affordable to replace when, not if, I smash that guy hanging down near rocks. X11TT chain is a little too fresh to know for sure but is likely competitive with Shimano, too. Going into this test, Kerin was expecting to find that the top chains from the major manufacturers were pretty close, and similarly when comparing the lower-level chains. The difference is at GX you can attach a MMX clamp. Shimano 105 vs Ultegra vs Dura-Ace The vast majority offered the correct pitch of 12.7mm per link, however, there were a small handful of chains that overshot the mark. Also, a slightly heavier bike will make you work harder, and that will burn more calories making you weigh less and the whole system lighter? However, and as Kerin points out, the new chains feature a totally new plate shaping thats designed to improve shift performance, but in turn, makes it a poor fit for other drivetrains. And yes, that control chain proved repeatably stable, validating the results shared here. All are 12-speed, and the top three require an XD driver body on your rear hub. With lessons learned in materials engineering, metal treatments and design, many 11-speed chains improved in durability over 10-speed chains, and it seems the same applies for certain brands of 12-speed chains, too. Why is one part better or lighter than the other? Want to know which 11- and 12-speed chains offer the best durability and performance? SRAMs product managers told us the difference from NX up to X01/XX1 chains can be 2x the lifespan. And those differences can be quite apparent, with thousands of kilometres separating the best and worst in terms of durability, and as much as a 4 watt (at 250W, 90rpm) difference in drag not insignificant figures. At the time of writing, Kerin was not setup to do such testing, but does suggest that based on the SRAM Eagle chain results, the AXS Flat Top chain will be, without question, amazingly durable. So what makes a chain fast? Bike Shop says it happens? GX Eagle video With increasingly prevalent low-friction coatings and expected improvements to material tolerances with each bump up in price, Shimano chains do show some improvements in durability as the price goes up at least to a point. And perhaps the biggest takeaway from all of this testing is that no matter how durable a chain is, the lubricant you use will play the most critical role in drivetrain durability. Look no further than SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS, wireless shifting, with dreamy colors; it's the top shelf option. Basically the X01 arms are stronger and less likely to have any issues. Not a typo, the NX shifter is actually two bucks more than the GX shifter, probably because of the extra materials used to create the cable port. Before upgrading within the SRAM Eagle ecosystem, or even changing brands, there are a few things to consider first. EUR SRAM AXS Eagle blew some minds when it first came out, creating the first truly wireless shifting for the mountain bike market. Adam Kerin doesnt have to imagine it he did it. But I would say if looking to really get SRAM Eagle while not breaking the bank, SRAM GX Eagle gets my vote. I have since ridden the XTR 12 chain on my Eagle AXS drivetrain, he said. Theres a lot of information to unpack here. X01: Upgrades to Hard Chrome plate and pin treatment to drastically increase total strength and reduce the wear thats typically considered chain stretch, and gets hollow pins to save weight. As always, run a good lube and keep your drivetrain clean thats the real trick to getting the most value and performance from your drivetrain components. However, as teased in the chain wear article, Kerin found many discrepancies between pure elongation wear (total length) and wear that included the chain rollers when measured with a chain wear tool. NX: Standard steel plates and solid pins. Still, Kerin is happy to call it a great chain. And this finding of the second-tier chain being faster goes against the trends seen in other chain brands. Well, its important to consider that its the rollers that interface with the cogs. Zero Friction Cyclings recommendations The fat bike spindle costs a little more. If you currently have SRAM SX or NX Eagle, you will need to change out the freehub body. - NX Eagle Shifter:101g- NX Eagle Rear Derailleur:337g- NX Eagle Crankset:700g- NX Eagle Cassette: 629g- NX Eagle Chain:271g, - 1x Specific, 12-speed drivetrain-11-50t cassette range-HG splined Shimano freehub body- Trigger Shifter, or Single click E-Bike Shifter options- $375. There are of course other factors beyond durability and efficiency that help to define a good chain, and it can often greatly depend on your specific drivetrain setup. The brief answer is: larger gaps between the various components, allowing lubricant to travel freely and do its job while reducing the sheer amount of friction between the various chain parts. Also not covered is corrosion resistance. Well, youre in luck. CeramicSpeed was willing to share some of its recent and typically-secret data about which chains perform best with the UFO V2 race treatment process. What is most impressive is how affordable SRAM 12-speed has become. Ill save you all the specifics of Kerins testing and testing protocol, but if youre interested, hang up your bike, call your family, let your work know youre feeling under the weather, and cancel all of your arrangements. Kerins durability testing isnt the first in the space, and not long ago Wippermann Connex conducted its own such test to find the most durable chain. Based in North Carolina, Tyler loves finding new travel adventures to share with his family and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part to make his bikes faster and lighter. According to Kerin, its quite easy to see how the manufacturing tolerances, materials, metal treatments, and coatings directly impact on the durability, efficiency and even how well a chain gets along with a certain lubricant. According to CeramicSpeeds data, the Eagle X01 chain (which sits at an average wattage of 6.27W with UFO V2 treatment) is approximately half a watt more efficient than the top-tier Eagle XX1 Gold chain. Eventually, GX Eagle came out. The likes of WolfTooth are now offering compatible rings, but at least for now, Shimanos excellent 12-speed chains are best kept to their own 12-speed mountain bike drivetrains. Shimanos new 12-speed mountain bike system absolutely works best with Shimanos own chain, and that chain doesnt play nicely with others. However, the specifics of those different coatings and processes remain a closely guarded secret of each respective brand. They show 471g (175mm, 32t) and you show 520g. Lets start with the premium products, SRAM XX1 and X01 Eagle. Kerin did retest the KMC X11E chain with a good lube (NFS) and also found wear rates to be relatively poor when compared to the control chain (however, and as expected, the NFS lube did result in almost twice the distance before wear). The next two versions of SRAM Eagle are barely a step down. Both follow the same recommended rider as the mechanical counterpart. - SX Eagle Shifter:129g- SX Eagle Rear Derailleur:337g- SX Eagle Crankset:694g, - 1x Specific, 12-speed drivetrain-11-50t cassette range-HG splined Shimano freehub body- 3pc crankset (bb not included). Some treatments are more about marketing and aesthetics versus performance, Kerin said. Once youve done that, then read Zero Friction Cyclings chain testing brief and its lubricant test protocol. The newest version of SRAM X01 Eagle gets the 10-52t range and can easily match any of the colored cassettes that SRAM offers with its new sleek look. Likewise, the same great durability, unfortunately, isnt present in SRAMs cheaper Eagle NX and Eagle GX. Once you install these and adjust them, that is pretty much all the work to be done. However its not all rainbows for SRAM, and as Ill discuss in the next section, those tight tolerances are seemingly costing them watts. So this is what I mix and match. SRAM So as you can see I run quite a mix of parts, but it's all about the balance of price, performance, and weight. When SRAM Eagle first came out, it was only available in the top trims of X01 and XX1. CAD GX Eagle is the first level to use the SRAM XD freehub body. CeramicSpeeds data is a little dated in this area, but they suggest theres an approximate half a watt difference (again, at 250W, 90 rpm) between Ultegra and Dura-Ace chains. And, hes totally gone down the NFT rabbit hole. The synopsis is that all three major drivetrain manufacturers are doing an admirable job of retaining your business. Glad that BR is going to video recap on complex posts. Campagnolo users, regardless of the level of Campagnolo drivetrain used, should stick with Campagnolo Record chains. Not covered in this test is shifting performance, and those with lots of experiencing in swapping chains, such as Kerin, typically say it makes a negligible difference. GX Eagle still gets the new wide range of 10-52t cassette, and a sleek look to match any color cassette and chain combo you might want. Along withthe. Ive wondered about that, too. When it comes to 12-speed chains, the Shimano XTR impressed Kerin most. In fact, some of SRAMs newest chains (Eagle XX1) are sluggish enough that CeramicSpeed currently chooses to not offer race-day treatments for them. Variance in roller dimensions can be excused, but a difference in pure elongation when new cannot, and for that, Kerin points to sloppy manufacturing (perhaps isolated to bad batches) as the only answer. This is directly related to the use of oversized rollers. I wont get into what this all means as our chain wear article covers it in detail, but for the sake of transparency, the wear rates are listed as including roller wear (KMC digital chain wear checker tool) and as the pin-to-pin elongation (full length of 53-link chain section, measured under load). Wippermanns test was run on a full-load machine (single speed, no rear derailleur) and the chains were worn to an oh-so-toast 1%. BikeRumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. It is typically within around half a watt of the fastest chains but without the worn starting point, while its hardened rollers mean wear-rate tracking with a regular chain wear checker is accurate, he said. If the durability of SRAMs 11-speed XX1 chain was impressive, then the results of SRAMs high-end Eagle chains are simply mind-blowing. And similarly, SRAMs Force AXS Flat Top chain is faster than the more expensive Red version. I have X01 cassette and chain then a Gx derailleur. If youre looking to get the biggest durability bang for your buck, look to the chains. I wish they would have included price as one of the comparisons. Liam has been in the bicycle industry for over 10 years as a racer, professional mechanic, service manager and as of late, media and content creator. Thats what im telling myself. This is explained by the Dura-Ace chain sample coming out of the box with a measured .12mm wear on the KMC digital chain checker, whereas the batch of Ultegra chains started at .05/.06mm measurable wear. - XX1 EagleAXS Controller:71g-XX1 Eagle AXS Rear Derailleur:350g-X01 EagleAXSController:71g-X01 Eagle AXS Rear Derailleur:364g, - Used on either 10-50t or 10-52t cassettes- 20-hour battery life- X01 and XX1 options for xc or trail- Customizable controller settings- Sync with SRAM App for details and battery life- $1000 for upgrade kit (controller, rear derailleur). Specifically, Kerin notes the average lifespan of a chain tested to .5% with a digital chain wear checker was 2,200 km, whereas the average increased to 2,700 km (19% increase) when measured on elongation. For that price, the level of quality you get is pretty insane. At that price, the NX Eagle provides an insane amount of performance. These are questions often asked without definitive answers, but there is some insight emerging. NX Eagle For Kerin, his previous approach had always been to use a KMC Digital chain checker, something that repeatably reads to .01mm. Adam Kerin of Zero Friction Cycling is doing some impressive work in this space and has spent some 3,000 hours and over AU$15,000 of his own money to find the best chain. RUB All Eagle chains use their Flow Link construction to remove sharp edges from the inside of the plates, making shifting smooth and quiet in both directions, and they all come with their Eagle-specific Power Link quick connect. As suggested in the chain wear article, measuring the roller-to-roller distance may have its flaws, but realistically, its still the easiest and most repeatable method for gauging chain wear and its impact on cog wear. Some of those results line up with what Kerin found, but there are a number of obvious discrepancies (especially related to KMC and SRAM chains). The results were basically identical. As far as GX Eagle, X01 Eagle, and XX1 Eagle, its pretty hard to notice that difference. That all said, Kerins data does suggest the Shimano Ultegra HG-701 11-speed chain offers better durability over the more expensive Dura-Ace HG-901 model. However, and if possible, you should most definitely swap back to the impressively durable SRAM chains in your training. XX1 is for the weight weenie, cross country racer, or light trail rider. Durability also gets to a peak, topping out at X01, which is the most durable version of Eagle. However, there were some big surprises which required a lot of further investigation and additional independent testing it has taken over a year!. X01 Eagle is aimed at the aggressive trail or enduro rider looking to get that snappy, precise shifting you love from SRAMwhile not sacrificingdurability. Cross-compatibility between models is a tricky game in the chain world. I cant find anything solid but the best info I can find so far is that NX is equivalent to lower SLR/105 and GX is equivalent to higher SLR/105. Shimanos new XTR 12-speed chain proved to be outstanding in this regard and aligns perfectly with what Shimano claims as far as improved durability. With the lower wear rates, I also believe it is likely that the YBN chain will hold its speed for longer.. The newest XX1 gets a makeover by way of sleek, new graphics to match any colored cassette SRAM offers, as well as the extended 10-52t cassette range. Perhaps a rare few will try something else in the pursuit of improved corrosion resistance, better shifting, lighter weight, or a few dollars saved. Examples of this are seen with KMC and Shimano chains, which are both known to show minor amounts of roller-based wear when new, and according to CeramicSpeed, are lightning-fast, too. However, tolerance or gaps between chain pieces are only a part of the story, and the coatings and chain materials used are also likely responsible. While not cheap, the wireless performance and ease of use took SRAM Eagle to the top, above any other brands, and we still havent seen anyone come close to matching the performance. We know the choice of chain lube can have major influence over a chains durability and efficiency, but surely chains themselves must vary in how durable and efficient they are? Yeah, my jam on both my bikes is GX Eagle everything with a XO1 Eagle cassette. Seemed like a nice step in quality/price before the fancy carbon cranks. Are we moving backwards as companies are pushing 50T+ casettes? And as covered in the chain wear article, SRAM chains do present major issues if using standard chain wear measuring tools. SRAM Eagle is an entire drivetrain ecosystem, as all levels can interact with each other, but there are also five levels to this ecosystem. This will come with the SRAM controller and rear derailleur. Meanwhile, SRAM AXS Road uses a chain with an oversized roller, meaning you currently cant AXS other brands (get it, eh, eh?). A lower grade of steel and/or different levels of material hardening may be present between the cheapest and most expensive of chains. Now you can mix and match all levels of Eagleas well as thecolors of the cassette and chains. Posted on June 23, 2018 by Tyler Benedict. This gives you a massive range enabling you to pedal up practically anything. For example, Kerin is eagerly awaiting a new production 12-speed chain from YBN. Maybe I should just eat less. - Trigger Shifter, or Single click E-Bike Shifter options, If you were to blindfold someone and ask them to try to notice the, Padded / Protective Short Liners / Chamois, SRAM Eagle Groupsets Compared! Hey, what is SRAM NX and GX the equivalent of in Shimano road and mtb groupsets? Technically, XX1 is a bit more expensive and lighter, but that is due to the fact that XX1 has a few more carbon bits. One of the main reasons why I run SRAM. Perhaps the most glaring omissions from the list are SRAMs new Flat Top chains required for its Red and Force AXS road groupsets. The nickel PTFE coating on YBN chains get along extremely well with my favourite lube Mspeedwax with a treatment staying silky smooth for noticeably longer before starting to feel dry and their shift performance is perfect, Kerin said. XO1: Upgrades to a slightly more corrosion resistant gold treatment, otherwise exactly the same as X01 chain. The outside is vastly less important. One example Kerin provides is KMCs DLC (Diamond Like Coating) which is applied after the chain is assembled, rather than directly on the internal pieces which are most responsible for slowing chain elongation. Its no doubt that SRAM is at the top of the listwhen it comes to innovation. He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for 14 years. As previously reported in our best chain lube feature, Adam Kerin found an almost direct correlation between reduced friction (efficiency) and improved chain durability when selecting chain lubricants. Lastly are cranks, and if I am running SRAM cranks I choose to use SRAM X01 Eagle crankset, not the XX1. If you just want to get the best performing SRAM option without taking out a loan, SRAM GX Eagle really is a great choice as price and performance are spot on and I would be fine using this on my personal bikes, day in and day out. This is mainly from the rear cassette you will find on the SRAM NX and SX Eagle groupsets. Of course, the likes of Adam Kerin and CeramicSpeeds engineers strongly disagree with SRAMs suggestion that chain-only testing is meaningless. 8 vs 9 vs 10 vs 11 vs 12-speed durability Additionally, I reached out to CeramicSpeed for access to their chain data. My enduro bike is my go-to bike when traveling (meaning it goes into a bike bag several times a year), and its also put through the ringer with shuttle trucks, rock smacks, and lets face it, crashes that are more likely to occur because bigger bikes mean bigger trouble. The XTRs lifespan is still very impressive, so like always, I will simply have a dedicated training chain and another XTR chain fully optimised [for] race days.. While you can purchase a SRAM SX Eagle shifter, rear derailleur, and crankset aftermarket, theyre most commonly found as stock on a bike, or OEM. Premium chains from most brands feature slotted (or drilled) plates and hollow pins for weight savings. SX Eagle Low friction coatings are typically the most obvious difference, with the likes of Shimano 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace chains offering an increasing number of coated parts as the price increases (and kudos to Shimano for being relatively transparent on this topic). KMCs X12 Ti Nitride 12-speed chain falls well short in expected durability. A micrometre gives one indication for why this sluggishness may exist, with SRAM chains revealing far tighter tolerances between components than is seen with many of SRAMs competitors. And that makes sense: if a lubricant is causing vast abrasive wear on metal, it has to be wasting energy, too. Offered in both SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS as well as SRAM X01 Eagle AXS, you can get the durable option, or the carbon option. When you put it like that, no reason to go all the way to XX1. You do get a bit of a smoother shift with X01 or XX1, but that is the full combination from the shifter to the chain and cassette interface. The top-tier X01 and XX1 Eagle chains both beat Kerins 5,000 km test and only recorded 70% of the allowed elongation wear at the time of doing so. With exclusive access to Zero Friction Cyclings findings, we dive deep into the topic to help find the best bike chain you can buy. While at the same performance level as X01 Eagle, XX1 Eagle gets lots more carbon bits, like a carbon derailleur cage, carbon shift paddle and shifter cover, and the cranks also shave some weight over the X01. Two things: didnt realize til now that TB has a scar under left eye, and studio could benefit from some sound proofing. Next down is the working class hero, SRAM GX Eagle. I mentioned the use of different freehub bodies, or drivers. Im not cheap, im just health conscious! Where its common to see inner, outer and pins given special heat treatments, the rollers are rarely spoken of and this is certainly an element that came up in Kerins testing. I see GX as being more the SLX SRAM derivative. Of course, there are exceptions to this. If you want to just get the wireless AXS shifting for your current SRAM Eagle setup, you can easily just upgrade by getting the SRAM AXS Controller and SRAM AXS Rear Derailleur. Theyre so durable, in fact, that they had started to wear through the cogs from pure abrasion before measuring as worn. Both the X01 and XX1 chains were so far ahead of any other chain from a pure elongation wear measure that I had to re-run the tests. With all the data to hand, I dont see major reason to move away from the drivetrain manufacturers recommended chain a chain thats surely been optimised to get the best shifting performance from your cogs. Maybe buy all GX, but swap to X01 cassete/chain for weight and durability. In all he clocked a combined 80,000 km of simulated riding. Both are the premiere products, just aimed at different riders. When looking at any drivetrain for your mountain bike, it's difficult to not put SRAM Eagle at the top of your list. Theyre brilliant. This had been a price point reserved for XT, but I dont see GX and XT as being comparable in terms of performance/weight. There arealso the SRAM AXS kits, which are $1,000 for a controller (shifter) and rear derailleur, and thats only if you wanted to upgrade your current mechanical drivetrain parts. And KMCs new (and expensive!) SRAM claim the worlds longest-lasting chain with their XX1, and they are not kidding, Kerin said. Want to skip the how and why and head straight to the what? Looking for the most expensive option to flex on your buddies? Having done a quickie search, going from X01 to XX1 is about $10 per gram or ~$300 total. Much of this is related to the hardness, coatings and tolerances of the rollers. Cassette are larger and heavier and chainrings have to do the same thing to keep gearing approximately equal. Support us! Those hollow pins often create a stronger chain, too, at least according to Shimano and SRAM, with such chains earning an extra peening process that tapers the ends of the pins. I start with the shifter, as that is what you feel the most, and I choose to use the SRAM X01 Eagle shifter. Dont get me wrong, Im a die heard 1x user. X01 and XX1 saw new colors in addition to the rest of the lineup getting updated graphics. Kerins testing points to the Wippermann Connex SX, Wippermann Connex SB, SRAM XX1 Hard Chrome and YBN E-bike as being the 11-speed kings of durability in terms of resistance to elongation wear (take note, the elongation wear qualifier is important, which Ill soon cover). Will a Sram xo1 work OK on a sram DX cassette, Copyright 2022 Bikerumor, All Rights Reserved. I.E. Its made to be both more affordable yet not sacrificing any performance. Bring back the 1X!! Speaking of chains, I typically run the SRAM XX1 chain, mostly for looks as they come in colored options and I dig that. Those racing at the top-level on SRAM mountain bike drivetrains should consider alternative options (such as KMCs X12 chain, or a Shimano chain as suggested by Kerin) to get the most efficiency possible. SRAM SX Eagle is going to be the most entry level SRAM 12-speed mountain bike groupset you can get. Imagine spending a year of your life watching this do circles. With the newest generation of the higher end Eagle drivetrains, you get a 10-52t rear cassette. The process for applying the secret-formula wax-based submersion lubricant (after a multi-stage cleaning process) is the same across all chain models, and so it provides a clear and precise indication of the most efficient chains. Mixing and matching of components across different model levels is nothing new, but only recently did I hear an employee of Shimano state that if theres one part you should spend more on, its the chain. Just like road biking, from very good to best, you pay about $1000 for each pound shaved off the bike weight.