Friday, April 21

PRAXIS WORKS WIDE STEEL CASSETTE TESTED BY SOBRE BIKES

cassette praxis veloacier

cassette wide range parxis works veloacier

First of all, many thanks to SOBRE BIKES for allowing me to publish their test of the PRAXIS WORDS Wide Range 10 speed steel cassette. This 10 speed cassette can be set up on a traditional SHIMANO-SRAM freehub body : 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-34-40. The 8 first sprockets are made of steel, the 2 last are made of aluminium.
Take a look at the review from SOBRE about this product. It is translated from French to English.

Source of the translation : http://www.facebook.com/sobrebikes/posts/10156195296025618
"Small review after few rides with the cassette Praxis Words 10s - 11/40.
On the paper this product allow an easy transformation of you transmission with a singlering crankset with a wide range cassette, allowing, depending on the crankring size to less or more versatile.
On my bike the set up is the following :

  • Rear Derailleur : Shimano SLX Shadow + GS
  • Shifter : Shimano SLX 10s
  • Chain : KMC 10v
  • Crankset : Sram x9 with Steel Direct mount ring 28T

The PRAXIS WORKS cassette offers the followings range : 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-34-40.
The main advantage with this kind of cassette compare with a single large sprocket is a more progressive overpass and a better compatibily with Shimano or Sram transmission. In the past, i used a single 40T ring compatible with a 11/36T cassette but i have to admit, even with adjustement, that the shifting was not the best on most of sprockets. A review from a test on a bike-event highlithted one of the major default of those single 40T sprocket : the possibility to distord it on the inside in case of wrong use.During the bike-event Velovert Festival, one test rider came back with the 40th sprocked completly deformed (this sprocket was single and not part - weld to the cassette, it makes it more easy to distort).
On the Praxis Cassette the two last sprockets are joined together, this is what we commonly find on Shimano and Sram cassette, it is more rigid. Out of the box, this cassette looks good : ramps machined on all the spockets for an efficient gearshift, the two biggest sprockets are made of aluminium, average weight 322g.

ON THE REPAIR STAND

On the bike the first adjustment done on the repair stand show that the shifting scratch a bit. In order to have an efficient shifting on the 40T, you need to adjust the tensioning screw, but you need to be careful not too loose an efficient shifting on the smaller sprockets. Shifting adjustment done, on the 40T it is impossible to back-pedal. But well i had the same issue on my 11s Shimano XT transmission, but i have to admit that it did not prevent me to ride. According to Praxis works recommendation, I have installed a brand new chain (KMC).

FIRST RIDE

The first ride show that the shifting is quick to go up. The change of gear from 34T to 40T is done without problem and the feeling of scratch that i ve noticed on the repair stand has disapeared. But when you need to change of sprocket from a bigger to a smaller one, this is not as fast as what Shimano or SRAM shifting systems offers. Nothing wrong but it needs to be told.
Other important point, you need to press on the shifter with more strength on the 5 first sprockets to change of gear. Nothing wrong, but you can feel it when you change of gear while riding.
It is probably due to the fact that the chain have less physical contact with the cassette on the lower sprocket probably because i had to play on the tensioning screw to adjust the dérailleur for the 40T. With less contact, the pressure increase so the shifting need more strength to work.

AFTER 3 RIDES

The first test was done without any previous running (and with a brand new chain) and it was important to check the evolution of the shifting along the next ride.
Better be direct : there is still a major difference of shifting quality when you shift up and when you shift down and an harder shifting while on the smaller sprockets, but we can say that the job is done with a nice and progressive overpass.
The derailment while back-pedalling has totally disappeared since the 3rd ride, whether on the repair stand or on the bike, proof that a small running on a brand new transmission is really necessary because fast and negative conclusion. It is efficient ?
Even if we have to admit that the shift down is not as fast as a Shimano XT or Sram GX transmission, i can say that the Praxis Works cassette works really better than the addition of a single 40T sprocket.
On this particular point SRAM really has a step in advance, the brand has a real and strong experience and the SRAM GX Groupset prove that an affordable single crank-ring transmission has not been develop to the detriment of the quality.

BUDGET

The PRAXIS WORKS cassette cost around 139euros, a quite high price for only one part / piece, but it does not need extra investment for who already have a 10speeds transmission (outside of a new chain). So the global budget is arount 155 euros.
If you take a look at Shimano, the cost is about 220euros for and XT (Cassette, Shifter, Rear Derailleur and chain), at SRAM it is about 250 euros (based on GX components). Price as based on what you can find on the Internet and not in the shop.
Based on the budget, the PRIXIS WORKS cassette is quite an interesting alternative.

FUTUR

If on the short future SHIMANO decides to develop the SLX Group-set in 11speed (this is what is probably going to happen) it ll probably possible to buy the cassette, rear dérailleur, sifter and chain for 155 euros for a complete group-set dedicated to this type of transmission with a  11th sprocket to  have les gap in the overpass.

If the price of the PRAXIS WORKS cassette does not quickly go down, then it ll be less interesting.

SOBRE BIKES.

Website SOBRE BIKES : http://www.sobre-bikes.com/
PRAXIS WORKS on Veloacier :  https://www.veloacier.com/en/category/manufacturers/praxis-works-manufacturers/

cassette wide range parxis works veloacier

cassette wide range parxis works veloacier

cassette wide range parxis works veloacier