2022 vado sl 5.0 chainring

[jason.flood]

I have been looking into getting a smaller chainring for my 2022 model Turbo Vado SL 5.0 EQ for times when I want to do some really hilly trails.

I have recently realised the stock SRAM X-SYNC 44t, 110BCD chainring that comes with the bike is marked as an 11SP chaining - despite the bike being equipped with a 12SP GX Eagle derailleur.

I found this SRAM support article that also says the X-SYNC rings are not compatible with 12SP Eagle chains.

https://support.sram.com/hc/en-us/articles/5928591061403-Can-I-use-the-new-SRAM-Eagle-drivetrain-with-the-old-X-SYNC-chainrings

I notice that the X-SYNC2 chainrings, that are supposed to be used with the 12SP Eagle, only come in sizes up to 38T - so seem targeted to MTB
They are also 4 hole 104 BCD instead of the 5 hole 110BCD of the X-SYNC Road ring on my bike.

I've ridden about 1250km on my bike since new,. Shifting seems to work smoothly enough but wondering if I missing something here or if Specialised have indeed put together a drivetrain that is likely to result in faster component component wear?

 

[Howie7]

I noticed the same thing when I ordered a new front chain ring for my TurboVado SL5. I hope Specialised can supply an explanation for this.

 

[jason.flood]

I noticed the same thing when I ordered a new front chain ring for my TurboVado SL5. I hope Specialised can supply an explanation for this.

Roughy how many miles did you get out of your original chainring Howie? Or did you order just to get a different size?

 

[Howie7]

I bought it in advance of the original one wearing out. I’m just coming up to 5000miles and plan to change it when the current cain wears out, probably in about 1000miles time or so. I’m on my third chain at the moment.

 

[Te. S]

intresting info hope that someone can get Speciliazed to give more info about this

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I've ridden about 1250km on my bike since new,. Shifting seems to work smoothly enough but wondering if I missing something here or if Specialised have indeed put together a drivetrain that is likely to result in faster component component wear?

Ride on. Chainrings are very hard to wear out. Very hard. You can ride for 10 thousand kilometres and still have the chainring in excellent state, especially the big 44T one. Small MTB chainrings wear out faster as they have fewer teeth.

 

[jason.flood]

Ride on. Chainrings are very hard to wear out. Very hard. You can ride for 10 thousand kilometres and still have the chainring in excellent state, especially the big 44T one. Small MTB chainrings wear out faster as they have fewer teeth.

That seem reasonable enough if the chainings and chains are designed to match. A cynic might say the SRAM support article is just to help them sell more of the new parts but i suspect there may be something in what they are saying.
I’m speculating, but, assuming 11SP chains are wider, perhaps x-sync teeth are wider, meaning they could be rubbing on the inside of the chain plates of a 12SP chain more than they should, causing premature wear on the chain or teeth.
I think we all know it that if a consumer does something with a product which goes against a manufacturers guidelines they are likely to run into difficulties should they try to make a warranty claim. It just seems a bit odd to me

12SP chains are not cheap so I’d like to feel I’m getting the most life out of them I can.

I’m not going to loose sleep over this but I’m defo going to fire questions to SRAM and Specialized to see if they respond

 

[Howie7]

As the front chainring is designed for an 11 speed chain I‘m wondering if an 11 speed chain would also work with the 12 speed cassette, they are a lot cheaper than 12 speed chains?

 

[jason.flood]

As the front chainring is designed for an 11 speed chain I‘m wondering if an 11 speed chain would also work with the 12 speed cassette, they are a lot cheaper than 12 speed chains?

I hope I'm not violating any actual or moral policies here by linking to another forum but this just came up when I did a search

https://www.mtbr.com/threads/11s-vs-12s-chain-width-compatibility.1088205/post-13921968

 

[jason.flood]

intresting info hope that someone can get Speciliazed to give more info about this

Questions submitted to both SRAM and Specialized. I expect them to both monitor these forums and come back with exactly the same response

 

[Stefan Mikes]

For what it is worth, Garbaruk that is a renowned drivetrain component manufacturer says its chainrings are 10/11/12sp compatible.

The reason is the following: in the case of the cassette of a given number of gears, the chain must be as narrow as to fit between cogs adjacent to the selected sprocket. This means a chain for 12s will be far narrower than the one for 10 speed.

However, the situation is different at the chainring. A universal high-end 1x chainring has its teeth not only narrow enough to accomodate the narrow 12s chain but also has a pattern (such as Narrow-Wide, WAVE, X-SYNC etc.) the pattern holds the chain links on its teeth snugly. 11 or 10s chains would be held by the pattern the same way on the same chainring.

It is a daily bread and butter for SRAM or Specialized to work with the bicycle technology and there is absolutely no need to make a fuss about something a layman doesn't understand

If the X-SYNC chain were strictly for 11s then the 12s chain would not even fit. I had such a bad experience in my "noob phase" when I naively bought a crap Chinese chainring and my 11s chain could not even be placed on the chainring teeth even if the seller claimed it would fit

 

[jason.flood]

For what it is worth, Garbaruk that is a renowned drivetrain component manufacturer says its chainrings are 10/11/12sp compatible.

The reason is the following: in the case of the cassette of a given number of gears, the chain must be as narrow as to fit between cogs adjacent to the selected sprocket. This means a chain for 12s will be far narrower than the one for 10 speed.

However, the situation is different at the chainring. A universal high-end 1x chainring has its teeth not only narrow enough to accomodate the narrow 12s chain but also has a pattern (such as Narrow-Wide, WAVE, X-SYNC etc.) the pattern holds the chain links on its teeth snugly. 11 or 10s chains would be held by the pattern the same way on the same chainring.

It is a daily bread and butter for SRAM or Specialized to work with the bicycle technology and there is absolutely no need to make a fuss about something a layman doesn't understand

If the X-SYNC chain were strictly for 11s then the 12s chain would not even fit. I had such a bad experience in my "noob phase" when I naively bought a crap Chinese chainring and my 11s chain could not even be placed on the chainring teeth even if the seller claimed it would fit

There is no doubt that the chain fits on the chainrings ok and the shifting seems excellent - the question is really whether there would be increased wear.

For me it it facinating one major play would say something should not be done but another believes otherwise

I’ve had responses from both but I am waiting on some follow up clarifications.