Sram was already responsible for the 10-speed cassette on mountain bikes and brought a breath of fresh air into the sprocket landscape with the 2x10 shifting concept of the XX groupset. The latest announcement from Sram on the latest developments between the bottom bracket and rear wheel axle is brief and reads: "XX1: New 1X MTB drivetrain, designed for Enduro and XC racing, innovative chain management technology including Type 2, Grip Shift and trigger shifter, widest range cassette available".

What can be deduced from this? Sram relies on a single crank in combination with a wide-range cassette - the 11 sprockets on the rear wheel should make the second chainring superfluous. The strong shifting arm tension of the Type 2 derailleurs should also keep the chain tight on the single chainring; Sram has already presented these derailleurs.

Sram is still keeping quiet about the exact gear ratio of the cassette, but the photo shows that the largest sprocket suggests a very light gear. A closer look at the chainring reveals the special design of the teeth, but Sram does not provide any further information on this feature.

Sram intends to provide more detailed information on "XX1" at the Crankwork Festival Les Deux Alpes from July 9 to 15.

www.sram.com