1x, Components, Drivetrain, Praxis Works - July 25, 2014

On test: Praxis Works 1X Wide/Narrow and Cold Forged 2x chainrings

Praxis Works machined the profile of its 1X Wide/Narrow chainring to match the inner and outer chain plates for better retention.

Santa Cruz, Calif.-based Praxis Works has jumped on the narrow-wide chainring bandwagon with the release of its own 1X Wide Narrow chainrings in sizes from 32-38 teeth in the 104 bolt circle diameter (BCD). The company also released a pair of MTB Cold Forged 2X chainring sets that use their LevaTime ramp clocking to speed shifts. The 2x sets are available in either a 36/22- or 38/26-tooth combination and come in the standard 104/64 BCD configuration.

Pioneered by SRAM, narrow-wide chainrings have gained popularity for their ability to reduce chain drops by decreasing the tolerance between both inner (narrow) and outer (wide) chain plate gaps and their corresponding chainring teeth. The concept has been mimicked by numerous aftermarket suppliers but most lack a small hook profile present on the SRAM design that’s at the center of the company’s patent application for the technology.

Hooked or not, many riders report a good track record with narrow-wide in conjunction with a high chain tension or “clutch-style” rear derailleur such as Shimano’s Shadow Plus or SRAM’s Type 2, which is how Praxis Works recommends you run their rings.

Starting at $50, the Praxis Works 1X rings are about half the MSRP of SRAM’s X-Sync versions. The MTB Cold Forged 2X chainring sets go for $130.

We’ll be mounting the Praxis Works 1X Wide Narrow and MTB Cold Forged 2x chainrings on some incoming test bikes and let you know how they perform in a long term evaluation late this summer.