Praxis Cycles' 11-40t 10-speed mountain bike cassette has made its official debut at the Taipei Cycle Show. Costing just US$130 and weighing just 320g, it’s looking like an economical way to build a viable 1x drivetrain.
Most of the cogs on the new cassette are made of stamped steel, but Praxis feels it can get away with making the two largest ones from CNC-machined 7075-T6 aluminium.
The four largest cogs also ride on aluminium spiders, bringing the total claimed weight down to 320g – slightly lighter than a Shimano Deore XT cassette despite its narrower range.
We're looking forward to trying out the new Praxis 11-40t 10-speed mountain bike cassette
Despite the aluminium construction, we expect wear to be at least pretty reasonable given the generous chain wrap in those two positions. Praxis is also using true hard anodised finishes, which generally fare better than colour-anodiaed surfaces. If sales numbers support the tooling cost, Praxis hopes to eventually cold forge those two biggest cogs for even better durability.
Although the new cassette will provide more range than complete 10-speed cassettes from Shimano or SRAM, Praxis marketing and sales director Adam Haverstock admits the company has received some criticism for launching an 11-40t spread instead of at least matching the 42-tooth inner cogs that are available from competitors as add-ons.
Haverstock says that in testing, the 40-tooth cog was the biggest one Praxis could use while still maintaining good shift quality across the full range. In addition, many long-cage rear derailleurs will also still be able to handle a two-ring crank with this configuration.
“You’re not stressing the system,” he said. “A 40-tooth cog doesn’t require any weird B-tension adjustment or Goatlink. If we did a 42-tooth, somewhere in there is going to be an uncomfortable hiccup.”
The four largest cogs ride on aluminum carriers; the second-biggest cog is actually made as one piece with the spider
On the positive side, Praxis has managed to keep the retail price down to a very reasonable US$120 – barely any more expensive than single add-on cogs and worlds less pricey than a complete 11-speed drivetrain. International pricing is still to be determined but the new cassette is expected to hit store shelves in June.
For more information, visit www.praxiscycles.com.