Do 12 speeds still make sense for full powered EMTB's?

[Bndit]

It depends where you ride and how you use your ebike. I’m using it like a regular bike, just extra power, usually trail mode so I need all the gears. Ps. Linkglide got lot better now with new shifter, only thing I dislike it in emtb. On commuter I didn’t mind.

 

[Vision_Tim]

In the future we'll all be riding 3-speed, 34", AviBosch-motor powered ebikes.

 

[RoJo]

I think with the Avinox motor, half my cassette isn't used.

Maybe SRAM should do something with this groupset for E-bikes?

View attachment 187204

I would totally get this for my eBike with a tiny bit more range. One has to wonder whether Avinox is powerful enough to use this as is

 

[steve_sordy]

This is may be what you are looking for:

via Google Gemini:

SRAM 8-Speed Drivetrain

SRAM EX1 (E-MTB Specific)
Designed specifically for e-bikes with mid-drive motors, the EX1 system re-engineers how drivetrains shift under massive motor torque. [1, 2]

• Cassette: The SRAM XG-899 E-Block Cassette features an 11-48T range and is machined from case-hardened tool steel to prevent extreme wear from motor torque. [1, 2, 3]
• Derailleur: The SRAM EX1 Rear Derailleur uses an X-Horizon design configured for high-torque, low-cadence shifting. [1]
• Setup: Because the system limits you to shifting one gear at a time, it reduces component-snapping double shifts and protects your battery life. [1, 2]

 

[Montana St Alum]

On tight, techy climbing switchbacks, the advantage of a large cassette chainring is the ability to go slow, while having a reasonable cadence, which, for me, helps with balance. On the high end, a small ring for speed is also great. The two extremes are useful, but I don't need ten gears in between.

 

[doochenozzle]

SRAM seems to be sticking with only 12 speeds for their MTB Transmissions - why?
Sure, roadies want more gears to maximize human performance but with higher power motors today I see no benefit and several downsides to 12 speed.


Downsides vs 11 speed

• Thinner chain with less bearing area so will wear out faster
• Thinner cogs with less bearing area so will wear out faster
• more expensive cassette

Upside

• more gears

I have never ever wished I had an extra gear on my 11 speed Whyte E160!
Can anyone truly say they can tell and want slightly closer gear ratios given the downsides?

I am running a jab derailleur with the medium cage, a shimano cues 10 speed 11-43 cassette and a cues shifter - with the gear indicator window! It shifts great with light action and limited noise and few rough shifts - far less than with transmission. I could probably go 9 speed by this is great.

 

[RoJo]

This is may be what you are looking for:

via Google Gemini:

SRAM 8-Speed Drivetrain

SRAM EX1 (E-MTB Specific)
Designed specifically for e-bikes with mid-drive motors, the EX1 system re-engineers how drivetrains shift under massive motor torque. [1, 2]

• Cassette: The SRAM XG-899 E-Block Cassette features an 11-48T range and is machined from case-hardened tool steel to prevent extreme wear from motor torque. [1, 2, 3]
• Derailleur: The SRAM EX1 Rear Derailleur uses an X-Horizon design configured for high-torque, low-cadence shifting. [1]
• Setup: Because the system limits you to shifting one gear at a time, it reduces component-snapping double shifts and protects your battery life. [1, 2]

This is a solid concept, but I suspect the £380 for a cassette explains why it never went mainstream

 

[TheKaiser]

It depends where you ride and how you use your ebike. I’m using it like a regular bike, just extra power, usually trail mode so I need all the gears. Ps. Linkglide got lot better now with new shifter, only thing I dislike it in emtb. On commuter I didn’t mind.

What shifter did you have that was subpar, and what shifter did you switch to, that improved the situation?

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Upside

• more gears

For me that's the greatest drawback to 12sp - way too many gears!

All those gears take too long to cycle thru, and with only 14% difference between cogs there's rarely ever a reason to shift just once. Certainly we need the 10-50T range, but divvying that up across 8 gears instead of 12 would vastly improve the riding experience and performance of any bike in high power mode.

 

[Bndit]

What shifter did you have that was subpar, and what shifter did you switch to, that improved the situation?

I had 10-speed linkglide on my Levo, there was only on option (same with 11-speed…there was also the ones with gear indictors but those are for the childrens ), the one with the clamp. Ergonomics didn’t work with Sram brakes and the paddle throw was too long for my taste. Now they released you 11-speed shifter and you can get one without clamp and seems better otherwise too: https://www.pinkbike.com/news/shimano-launches-cable-actuated-xt-drivetrain.html

 

[deanFBM]

I would be all over a ~10-42t 9 speed t-type with a shorter mech.

Noone has mentioned chain line, how bad it gets in the big cassette sprockets on 12 speed, note this as a negative.

 

[silverstone]

I have an Avinox motor, and I use all of the gears!
We live in the swiss alps, with a lot of very steep trails in the mountains. For longer trails, you cant always use turbo for the climbs, so I definetely use the smallest gear a lot.
I had a gen2 Levo befor, with "only" 11 gears, and I struggled a lot, by not having a real small gear...
Daily trip around 1000m of elevation by 20km distance
Weekend trips 1500-2000m of elevation, 30-40km