# drawbacks to Apex?



## steel515 (Sep 6, 2004)

Has anyone tried Apex and had problems with the big jumps in cassette in the rear?


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## SilverStar07 (May 18, 2011)

My first road bike came with Apex. I have been riding it since may, I have had no issues. I am now thinking of switching the cassette to the 11-28 as I am not using the 32 anymore.

SS-


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## svrider (Jan 14, 2009)

I'm running SRAM XO on my mountain bike. My rear cassette is a 12-36. Much bigger jumps than the road ratios. No problems at all. Shifts just fine.......and that's off road in the dirt. You won't have any trouble with Apex shifting.


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## Pharmerbob (Jun 27, 2011)

I have also been riding Apex since may without shifting issues.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Put on an 11-25 or a 12-25, then you won't have the big jumps. By the way, it's not just limited to Apex.


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## new2rd (Aug 8, 2010)

Been using it since public debut with zero problems.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

do the math...those jumps between the bigger cogs aren't any bigger than 1-2 tooth differences in smaller cogs.


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## aengbretson (Sep 17, 2009)

I've got Apex on an 11-28 (Shimano) cassette and it shifts fine during all kinds of nasty CX conditions.


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## BCP (Nov 3, 2011)

No problems in regards to the cassette for me either, the FD is another story though.


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## steel515 (Sep 6, 2004)

quality is not so good Serotta Competition Bicycle Forums - Anyone riding SRAM Apex?


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## Guest (Jan 22, 2012)

cxwrench said:


> do the math...those jumps between the bigger cogs aren't any bigger than 1-2 tooth differences in smaller cogs.


The jump from 13 to 15 is 15%--a MUCH bigger difference than either the jump from 13 to 14 is (8%) or 14 to 15 (7%). 

Missing small cogs is the real problem with mega wide range cassettes. A 12-25 cassette has a 14 and a 16 cog. An 11-28 cassette has a 14. A 12-36 or 11-32 has neither. 

Also, having a big 15% jump in the really low infrequently used climbing gears, like 24->28 or 28->32 jump isn't as big a deal as having a 15% gap in a range used for fast steady tempo riding, where getting into a good cadence rhythm is more essential.

FWIW -- I have an 11-28 on my bike, with 50x36 chainrings.


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## new2rd (Aug 8, 2010)

I have the original 11-32 on mine. For where I ride I'm beginning to realize that I'm giving up a bunch of "riding gears" for a couple bailout gears. I basically have one short, but steep (19%) hill in the area. I'll use the 28 or 32, but mainly because I have them. I can get up it in a 50-25. So now I'm considering a 11-26 or a 12-28, both would leave me just one gear choice to get up the steep part, but the rest of the cassette would be sweet for flat group rides.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

PhotonFreak said:


> The jump from 13 to 15 is 15%--a MUCH bigger difference than either the jump from 13 to 14 is (8%) or 14 to 15 (7%).
> 
> Missing small cogs is the real problem with mega wide range cassettes. A 12-25 cassette has a 14 and a 16 cog. An 11-28 cassette has a 14. A 12-36 or 11-32 has neither.
> 
> ...


you're right about those cogs, i was talking about the BIG cogs, not the small/middle ones.


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## new2rd (Aug 8, 2010)

Oops, I meant to put I can get up the beast with a 34-25. I would be an animal if I had it in the 50 ring.


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## dcorn (Sep 1, 2011)

Debating this as well. My old bike has a compact with 12-27 and the new ride is a standard crankset with 11-25, so I'm in for a rude awakening. My area isn't super hilly, but there are a few decently long/steep climbs on the group rides I frequent, in which I'm usually gassed by the time I'm climbing. Definitely want to step down to at least a 12-28, but was considering the 32. Does the apex cassette go well with everything else Red?


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## Rob (Mar 3, 2004)

I'm looking at an Apex bike but I don't think I need the 11-32 cassette so I am considering swapping it out for a Shimano 12-30.


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## new2rd (Aug 8, 2010)

I just ordered a SRAM 1070 12-26. I'm a little concerned about the highest being a 26, but the LBS owner who I completely trust gave me the advice. Look at what cogs you are looking for. In my case I wanted a 16 and the 17-19-21-23 spread. I didn't like the 19-22 jump of the 11-32. If you are seriously thinking of going to a 12-30 I would leave it the same. Not a huge difference between 30 and 32, but you are giving up an 11.


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## Rob (Mar 3, 2004)

new2rd said:


> I just ordered a SRAM 1070 12-26. I'm a little concerned about the highest being a 26, but the LBS owner who I completely trust gave me the advice. Look at what cogs you are looking for. In my case I wanted a 16 and the 17-19-21-23 spread. I didn't like the 19-22 jump of the 11-32. If you are seriously thinking of going to a 12-30 I would leave it the same. Not a huge difference between 30 and 32, but you are giving up an 11.


I just think that the 12-30 evens out some of the spacing between gears more to my liking and eliminates the big 32 cog which I wouldn't use much (not that I'm a great climber - I 'm definitely not - we just don't have big hills around here). Plus, my current bike has a triple with 52/13 being my biggest gear. With 50/12, I'd actually have a bigger top gear. And 34/30 is about the same as what I currently have on the low end.


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## hefeweizan (Jan 28, 2009)

No complaints here either with the Apex either on a Tarmac


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