e*thirteen’s TRS Plus 12-Speed Upgrade Kit
Greg Trash shows us the upgrade process
The pitch
You just upgraded to 11-speed and it seems the bike world has made your system obsolete with the proliferation of 12-speed Eagle. You want to try out this new-fangled drivetrain with 500% gear range but are not really excited about throwing away perfectly good parts and spending a ton of money on a drivetrain system that will likely end up heavier than what you’re currently using.
This new 12-speed upgrade system might be a solution for you as it uses your shifter and derailleur and supplies you with all the other parts to convert to a 12-speed system.
Assembly required though and it’s a fairly technical one. e*thirteen is ready to hold your hand though with detailed videos and special assembly tools to make the process pain free.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDwmQGH2Fx4
What is it
This is e*thirteen’s TRS Plus 12 Speed Upgrade Kit. It lets riders upgrade their 11 speed SRAM
drivetrain to 12 speeds without needing new shifters, derailleurs, cranks, or chainrings. This upgrade kid promises to save the user money while saving as weight as well. It includes everything you need for $299.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1cpOR5Ete0
So, why buy this over Eagle?
– You don’t need a whole new drivetrain…just the cassette and shifter.
– Keeping your existing 11 speed SRAM drivetrain gives you better ground clearance in both the chainring and derailleur.
– The smaller 11 speed derailleur, chain, chainring, and cassette are lighter than Eagle drivetrains.
– The 9-46T cassette has a straighter chainline in comparison to Eagle, for a longer-lasting drivetrain.
Pinch-Clamp of the cassette body is easier to install
Does it work with Shimano?
It does not work with Shimano shifters. Doesn’t work with Shimano derailleurs either. And it needs the XD Drive cassette system for the TRS cassette to mount. So in short, it will only upgrade an 11-speed Sram system.
The ratchet needs to be replaced with a tool to hold it together.
How hard is it install?
Well, it’s not a “one beer” project that you can just fumble your way through. Since this involves disassembling the shifter, one needs to work an a proper workbench and focus on the task at hand. If the shifter’s spring-loaded internals come apart, it’s one of those scenarios that’s difficult to recover from since the shifter is put together under tension with special jigs and assembly tools.
Care should be taken not to let the shifter fall apart while open
The good news is the brilliant folks at e*thirteen have performed this upgrade many, many times and have documented the whole process. The videos are excellent and they’ve taken care to address every scenario and detail.
And if all else fails, give them a call and they can lend a helping hand and will even put together a ‘blown apart’ shifter to help a user out of a jam.
PRODUCT FEATURES:
Cassette and chain
TRS Plus 12 Speed Cassette:
The 9-46t, 12 speed cassette gives riders 511% range AND less weight by using a shorter chain and a smaller chainring to achieve similar gear ratios to other 12 speed drivetrains. Finally, a smaller chainring and more compact drivetrain increase ground clearance, while still offering more range than SRAM Eagle.
Two pieces of the cassette
Replaceable aluminum and steel clusters
Shorter chain for weight savings vs SRAM Eagle 12 speed
Smaller chainring and derailleur offer more ground clearance
336 grams
9-46t cassette (9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 33, 39, 46)
10 steel cogs, 2 aluminum cogs
511% range
Faster shifts in the bigger cogs
Updated pinch clamp design avoids proprietary tools
XD Driver only
Compatible with SRAM Eagle 12 speed drivetrains
Shifter and Derailleur Parts
11 Speed Shifter Upgrade Parts:
Allows you to convert your 11 speed SRAM GX, X1, X01, and XX1 shifters to 12 speed shifters
Includes injection molded shifter spool, one stamped steel ratchet (for SRAM GX, X1, X01), one stamped steel ratchet (for SRAM XX1), pivot bolt, washer, and shifter assembly fixture
11 Speed Rear Derailleur Upgrade Parts:
Allows your 11 speed SRAM rear derailleur to work with our 12 speed cassette
Works with ALL SRAM 11 speed rear derailleurs (SRAM NX, GX, X1, X01, XX1)
Includes two derailleur pulley spacers, one long and one short derailleur cage bolt
12 Speed Chain:
268 grams (weight includes 126 links and quick link)
126 links in total
Plated and lubricated for durability and precision shifting
Includes 12 speed quick connect link
The upgrade kit includes everything you need to convert a Sram 11 speed to 12 speed.
TRS Plus 12 Speed Upgrade Kit includes the following:
TRS Plus 9-46t 12 speed cassette
Derailleur pulley spacers (x2)
Derailleur cage bolts (x1 long, x1 short)
12 speed shift ratchets (x1 GX/X1/X01, x1 XX1)
Shift spool w/two bearings
Shift spool bolt
Shift spool washer (GX/X1/X01 shifters only)
Shifter assembly fixture
12 speed chain and quick connect link
2.5mm hex
3mm hex
4mm hex
T25 Torx bit
Square bit
5mm hex and bit holder
Shift cable and 2000mm cable housing
Grease tube
Pricing and details
MSRP: $299
9-46t cassette with 511% range
Includes our 12 speed cassette, 12 speed chain, upgrade parts for your shifter and derailleur, and all the necessary tools
The post e*thirteen’s TRS Plus 12-Speed Upgrade Kit appeared first on Mountain Bike Review.