Cycling UK Forum

I currently have Sram Force22 Groupset with 50/34 at the front and 11/32 cassette. I was toying with adding a bigger cassette but the next one up is the Force 1 which isn't compatible with a 2x drivechain.

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of replacing the Sram Force22 chainset with a subcompact 48/32 or 46/30 chainset?

What year?
What speed (10, 11 or 12 at the back)?
Mechanical or electrical?

That last few years, SRAM have moved to a 48/35 chainset coupled with a slightly wider range cassette which is really good to use. Seems counter intuitive but it works very well.

They do a 36/46 as well which is (or was) a common CX size before CX went 1x.
Depends a bit on the front mech you have as well, SRAM are quite notorious for being picky about the mech. They did one called YAW for a while which twisted the mech slightly to stop chain rub if you were running cross-chain angles.

A Shimano cassette will work fine with it by the way, you can get a 34 or 36T Shimano cassette but do check the rear mech capacity before doing that.

Thanks for the prompt response.

The Scram Force 22 Groupset is the new(er) version.
It's an 11 speed, currently 11/32 cassette
Mechanical

It would appear I have the Yaw Front Derailleur.

I was looking at the Shimano 11/34 cassette but the SRAM Force22 Rear Derailleur WiFli Medium Cage states that it has a 32T max capacity. I'm not sure if adjusting the chain will help force the issue and enable me to get this working.

Further note: Seen a few folks on Youtube showing they've installed the Sram 11/36 cassette to the SRAM Red eTap WiFli 11. It would appear that the 11/34 (or even the 36) could therefore work for the Sram Force22 Medium WiFli.

pflancer wrote: ↑21 Dec 2022, 9:30amI was looking at the Shimano 11/34 cassette but the SRAM Force22 Rear Derailleur WiFli Medium Cage states that it has a 32T max capacity.

I'd say it will almost certainly work without problem with a larger cassette. I have SRAM 11-speed Red eTap with the WiFli FD, for which SRAM state 32t max capacity, but I have used it without problem with both a Shimano 11-34 cassette and a ZTTO 11-36 cassette. I just had to turn the B-screw in a few more rotations to ensure that the top jockey pulley cleared the large cog by a few millimetres.

In a similar vein, our tandem is using an Ultegra R8000 medium cage rear derailleur, which Shimano rates for a 34t max cog, but it shifts acress an 11-40 cassette without any problem.

pflancer wrote: ↑21 Dec 2022, 9:30am I was looking at the Shimano 11/34 cassette but the SRAM Force22 Rear Derailleur WiFli Medium Cage states that it has a 32T max capacity. I'm not sure if adjusting the chain will help force the issue and enable me to get this working.

Officially, 32T max. In practice, it should cope with a 34T and you *might* be able to get a 36 in there. Probably need an extra couple of links in the chain (although if I was fitting a new cassette, it'd get a new chain as standard anyway).

Thank you very much for your input. I've been going around in circles for days! It's good to speak to someone who's actually ran the tests so to speak so you can make an informed choice. I'll crack on and get the cassette with new chain.

pflancer wrote: ↑20 Dec 2022, 9:55pm
Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of replacing the Sram Force22 chainset with a subcompact 48/32 or 46/30 chainset?

An interesting possibilty is the removable spider which makes it likely possible to mount a MTB spider with 104/64 or 120/80 BCD and very small granny rings..
Id did something similar with an older S900 chainset which is a subcompact with 46/28 as we speak..

See: https://www.peterverdone.com/spider-attack/

On the topic of replacing the chainset (though it sounds like you're going with a larger cassette instead), here's one of my wife's bikes on which I installed a SRAM Force 22 FD and a Sugino OX801 crankset with 39/26 chainrings. The bottom of the derailleur cage just clears the chainstay when lowered to the height needed for the smaller chainring. I had to also use the Sugino braze-on adapter to lower the FD further than the location of the braze-on fitting on the frame would allow. The frame is a BH Quartz carbon fibre road frame that uses a BB386EVO BB shell.

Can't comment on every version but many SRAM chainsets have the same spines for different spiders. I run a MTB double with 28/42 rings. The spider will bolt onto a SRAM Rival chainset.

Many thanks again for your input guys.

I've made the jump and bought the Sram 11/36 to pair with a new 50/34 Sram X-Glide chainrings.

I have however stumbled across an issue having taken receipt of the items. The new 50t chainring does not have an inbedded bolt in one of the holes to secure the hidden bolt which screws behind the crack arm. See images attached.

Should this have come with the bolt already in the hole of of the new chainring? If not, does anyone have any experience of procuring the bolt in question or removing their old one?

pflancer wrote: ↑9 Jan 2023, 5:32am Many thanks again for your input guys.

I've made the jump and bought the Sram 11/36 to pair with a new 50/34 Sram X-Glide chainrings.

I have however stumbled across an issue having taken receipt of the items. The new 50t chainring does not have an inbedded bolt in one of the holes to secure the hidden bolt which screws behind the crack arm. See images attached.

Should this have come with the bolt already in the hole of of the new chainring? If not, does anyone have any experience of procuring the bolt in question or removing their old one?

The captive nut/sleeve just presses out, it has fine splines which grip the chainring. A vice and a couple of suitable sized sockets will work, or use the bolt screwed in loosely and a gentle tap on a suitable support, they aren't in very tight. Then reverse the process to fit to the new ring.

Thank you for your response. I've tried the latter but he's stuck in real good. Maybe the local bike shop will be able up help.

Edit. Gave it one last thrashing and finally got it out.

Thanks again