Regardless of the comparatively hilly parcours on stage 1 of the 2023 Tour de France, Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) is ready to make use of a 1X model of SRAM’s Purple eTap AXS groupset. Nonetheless, not like his teammate Primož Roglič on the Giro d’Italia, he will not use the XPLR wide-range gravel cassette.
Following their swap from Shimano to SRAM this season, Jumbo-Visma have trialled virtually all of SRAM’s huge gearing configuration choices, protecting each 1X (which sees the bike fitted with only one chainring on the cranks) and 2X (which has two chainrings, and a entrance derailleur). They’ve trialled the choices throughout each highway and time trial occasions, together with on the Classics, and even within the mountains.
1X – or one-by – groupsets have been rising in recognition over the previous 12 months for his or her multitude of obvious marginal features. The elimination of the second chainring and entrance derailleur will instantly save roughly 250 grams from the bike’s weight and enhance the bike’s aerodynamic effectivity, even while you add again on the chain catcher. As well as, the central chain line it permits is marginally extra environment friendly, and the flexibility to run extraordinarily giant chainrings, as seen on Victor Campanaerts’ Classics bike, is one other profit.
Of all Jumbo-Visma riders, Wout Van Aert was among the many first to strive the tech on the highway when he used the setup in the course of the Spring Classics, together with at Paris-Roubaix and Strade-Bianche. However it was Roglič who made headlines when, on the penultimate stage of the Giro d’Italia, he swapped to a motorcycle fitted with the model’s ‘gravel-specific’ XPLR groupset; with a 44-tooth single chainring and a wide-range 10-44-tooth cassette.
In response to the crew’s Head of Efficiency Gear, Jenco Drost, Roglič’s want for a excessive cadence was the first motivation for the usage of that groupset, however the effectivity acquire of working a bigger chainring and bigger cassette sprocket was a pleasant aspect impact. Regardless of Roglič’s success – he went on to win the Giro, albeit with 30 seconds of panic brought on by a dropped chain – Cyclingnews can reveal that the identical XPLR groupset will not be making an look on the Tour, as Drost believes no highway on this yr’s route is steep sufficient to wish it.
The shift to 1X groupsets has been most prevalent in time trials, and has additionally been trialled by Ineos Grenadiers on this self-discipline, courtesy of getting aero skilled and former Hour File holder, Dan Bigham, on the crew’s employees. In time trialling, aerodynamic marginal features can typically make the largest distinction to a consequence, and they’re typically flat sufficient to not want the decrease gears supplied by the small chainring.
The primary draw back to switching to 1X is a discount in obtainable gear choices, however that is the place bigger cassettes come into play. The broader vary cassettes present simpler ‘simple’ gears on the backside of the cassette, permitting riders to have the ‘better of each worlds’, albeit with the compromise of bigger steps between every gear.
Curiously, this is not the primary time 1X has reared its head within the peloton. 5 years in the past in 2018, Aqua Blue Sport got 3T Strada bikes that might solely accommodate a single chainring. It was met with combined reception from riders, and the crew folded later that very same season.
Its resurgence, nevertheless, does level to the continued evolution of professional biking’s collective mindset. Going again slightly additional – roughly 10 years – and an 11-28 cassette was thought-about unnecessarily giant, with only some riders utilizing them within the excessive mountains. These days, 11-28 is among the many smaller cassettes in the marketplace, and it is not unusual to see 10-33T or 10-34T cassettes.
A consultant from SRAM additionally informed Cyclingnews that Vingegaard and his Jumbo-Visma teammates will proceed to make use of 1X groupsets on ‘choose’ levels all through the remainder of the three-week Tour. If the Dane goes on to retain his title, it will be a giant feather within the 1X cap, for certain.