Wheels again today (you know the drill).
Continuing from yesterday.
I'm replacing all the nipples on the wheels of this Intense complete bike.
The rear wheel already has some spots where I've swapped in DT 12mm aluminum nipples.
The sprocket is a 10-50T 12-speed.
This is SRAM's front single-speed-only MTB component spec, and when SRAM's XD 12-speed sprocket first came out, this 10-50T was the only tooth configuration available—the first 11 cogs from the top are 10-42T, and then you get an 8-tooth jump to the bailout gear at 50T.
I asked MTB riders if they actually use this emergency gear when you absolutely don't want to walk, and they all said without exception "yeah, I use it" or "you need it." And sure enough, the sprocket in the photo above shows chain wear marks on that cog.
So rather than SRAM just deciding on a tooth count and saying "use only this!"—it's the result of incorporating feedback from actual race conditions.
Later they released a 10-52T version, but the only difference is the first 11 cogs are still 10-42T, and the spacing on the big cog changes to 10-tooth jumps.
With the current latest 12-speed Eagle generation, the sprocket comes in 10-52T spec only, but now the first 11 cogs are 10-44T, so the tooth configuration has shifted slightly.
The rear wheel also has plenty of nipples that look like they're on the verge of breaking.
Rebuilt it.
Totally forgot to weigh the rim. Whatever, it's fine.
12mm aluminum nipples without washers.
Continuing from yesterday.
I'm replacing all the nipples on the wheels of this Intense complete bike.
The rear wheel already has some spots where I've swapped in DT 12mm aluminum nipples.
The sprocket is a 10-50T 12-speed.
This is SRAM's front single-speed-only MTB component spec, and when SRAM's XD 12-speed sprocket first came out, this 10-50T was the only tooth configuration available—the first 11 cogs from the top are 10-42T, and then you get an 8-tooth jump to the bailout gear at 50T.
I asked MTB riders if they actually use this emergency gear when you absolutely don't want to walk, and they all said without exception "yeah, I use it" or "you need it." And sure enough, the sprocket in the photo above shows chain wear marks on that cog.
So rather than SRAM just deciding on a tooth count and saying "use only this!"—it's the result of incorporating feedback from actual race conditions.
Later they released a 10-52T version, but the only difference is the first 11 cogs are still 10-42T, and the spacing on the big cog changes to 10-tooth jumps.
With the current latest 12-speed Eagle generation, the sprocket comes in 10-52T spec only, but now the first 11 cogs are 10-44T, so the tooth configuration has shifted slightly.
The rear wheel also has plenty of nipples that look like they're on the verge of breaking.
Rebuilt it.
12mm aluminum nipples without washers.