Market: While 1x drives in the mountain bike sector have quickly established themselves from a niche as the standard, a similar development in the road sector is not yet foreseeable. With the new SRAM Apex 1 group, however, the US manufacturer could push this development forward. The inexpensive entry-level group stands out from the competition with its 11-42 cassette, which is compatible with conventional freewheels.
Racing bike purists and fans of classic racing bikes should probably stop listening now. Today SRAM presented the new Apex 1 circuit: an affordable 1-speed drive for road bikes of all stripes - from gravel racers to trekkers to racing bikes - whose rear derailleur can handle a cassette with up to 11-42 sprockets. In concrete terms, this means that racing bikes with a 1x drive and still an all-round range are possible. In the past there were already the groups CX1 and Rival 1, which also strayed to one or the other street bike, but in contrast to the Apex 1 are more in the upper price range.
For all those who can't really imagine anything less than 1x, here's a short calculation example: Let's take a widespread gradation on current racing bikes: 50/34 in front and 11/28 in the rear. This drive combination has an overall ratio of 374%, from 1,21 (34/28) to 4,55 (50/11). Now let's compare a 1x drivetrain with an 11-42 cassette - such as the SRAM Apex - to this. Here we get an overall translation of 382%. With a chainring with 44 teeth, we get a gear ratio of 1,05 (44/42) and 4,0 (44/11) for the lowest and highest gear. A 1-speed drive with a wide-spread cassette is therefore definitely able to stand up to a classic 2-speed drive in terms of overall transmission. But that is only the half truth.
It becomes problematic when you look at the gear jumps of the two types of drive. With a traditional 2-speed drive, these are of course much more finely graded and harmonious shifting with a 1-speed drive becomes difficult, if not impossible, especially in the higher gear ratio ranges. Now this is certainly not of crucial importance for every racing cyclist and certainly not for tourers or gravel racers. Because the 1-speed drive scores with easy handling, less cable clutter on the handlebars and on the bike and easier maintenance.
But let's get back to the SRAM Apex 1 from the general considerations. The rear derailleur is based on the 11-speed counterparts from our own company and offers X-Horizon technology, in which the rear derailleur cage moves exactly parallel to the rear derailleur, thus reducing operating forces and chain slap prevented. At the other end of the drive, a plain black and pleasingly slim Apex crank does its job. As of now, these will be available with chainrings from 38 to 44 teeth - larger chainrings would have been desirable for use on the road.
SRAM Apex 1: Only for disc brakes
Now follows the second low blow for tradition-conscious racing cyclists: The Apex 1 HRD brake/shift levers are only compatible with hydraulic disc brakes. But let's be honest: Whoever builds an 11-42 cassette on the racer does not shy away from disc brakes either. Optionally, there are also shifters for flat bars for non-racers. The Apex 1 is extremely universal when it comes to the cassette: The PG1130 is compatible with all 9/10-speed freewheels and you don’t need an expensive xD freewheel like the 10-42 cassettes of the CX1 or the Rival 1.
So who was the SRAM Apex 1 designed for? The inexpensive group is undoubtedly not aimed at performance-oriented racing cyclists and will certainly have its exotic status in amateur races in this country. On the one hand, this is due to the rather high weight of the individual parts, but on the other hand, it is undoubtedly also due to the home-made problems of a 1-speed drivetrain: Depending on the terrain, large gear jumps are a KO criterion for many drivers. More leisure-oriented amateur riders who want to enjoy the simplicity of a 1-speed drive on the road and don't want to spend a fortune: That's more the target group for the SRAM Apex 1. The group will be available from June 2016.
SRAM Apex 1 Pricing and Specifications
SRAM Apex 1 rear derailleur
Weight: 314g
Price: € 76
SRAM Apex HRD shifter + brake
Weight: 344g / 360g (L/R, incl. brake line and brake caliper)
Price: 233€ / 293€ (incl. brake calipers)
SRAM Apex S350 crank
Weight: 762g (with 42t chainring)
Price: € 120
SRAM PG-1130 cassette
Weight: 538g
Price: € 89
Ricky says
I'm interested in a bike with this group.
I just wanted to ask how this sentence is meant: "But to be honest: If you put an 11-42 cassette on your racer, you won't shy away from disc brakes either."
Greeting.
Michael Faiss says
Hi Ricky,
just a tongue-in-cheek reference to the fact that for many racing bike purists, a 42 sprocket is probably out of the question - if you jump over this shadow, you certainly have no problems with disc brakes.
Not meant to be taken seriously.
Ricky says
Either you assume extensive basic knowledge from your readers or they are all road bike purists.
So here is the question for all those interested in buying who first have to read up on the subject.
Why is a .42 chain ball out of the question? A simple question.
Michael Faiss says
Then a simple answer:
Because a broadly graded cassette in combination with a chain ring offers a similar range as a classic 2-speed drive, but the individual gear steps are significantly larger. So it may be that the relationship between gear ratio and cadence is not quite optimal in some gears.
In addition, the large sprocket is visually very dominant.
Luke Schacht says
Servus, I'm interested in the Breezerbike with Apex 1 circuit, maybe someone knows about it:
http://www.breezerbikes.com/bikes/specs/doppler-cafe
Can I swap the sprocket pack for a Sunrace MX8 11-46?
Or can I put on a GX Eagle 1×12 trigger, rear derailleur and 11-50 Sunrace MZ90 and keep the crank and put a 32 ring on it?
Thanks in advance!
Michael Faiss says
The good news: The Sunrace MX8 11-46 fits the freehub on the Breezer. However, no one can guarantee that the Apex1 rear derailleur will grip the 46 sprocket on the cassette. Sram itself only specifies a maximum of 42 teeth for the rear derailleur. Can work - but doesn't have to.
However, you may be able to combine the Apex1 shifter with a SRAM GX Eagle rear derailleur. However, there is no guarantee for this - it is best to ask Sram directly.
For the GX Eagle you have to change the freehub to XD.