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Wolf Tooth Components SRAM Direct Mount, XTR M985 Rings Now Shipping, Lower Prices, More

Written by Zach Overholt
19 Comments
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M985 custom engrave 2

Things are looking pretty good for the small Minneapolis based Wolf Tooth Components. Having positioned themselves at the front of the single ring, anti-drop revolution for chainrings compatible with cranks other than XX1, WTC is turning out the goods. The latest update comes with the word of a new website, free shipping now on all orders, including international, and notice that the price on most chainrings has been reduced by $10 or more. Wolf Tooth is also expanding internally, with the addition of friend and Pro Mountain bike racer Brendan Moore heading up the sales, marketing, and sponsorship allowing Mike to focus on turning out the chainrings with the quickness.

If you follow World Cup XC racing, you might just spot a few WTC chainrings on Mathias Flückiger’s, and Nicola Rohbach’s bikes- which seems like a big deal when some of the best XC racers are running your parts even though they are sponsored by Shimano.

Check out the production version of the SRAM DM rings and Shimano M985 after the break.

DM32 with bash engraved

The SRAM DM rings are now shipping in both 32 and 34T sizes, with additional sizes in a few weeks. If you remember from our earlier coverage, the SRAM rings attach directly to the splined interface of SRAM cranks and offer bolt holes on the ring itself for the addition of a bash guard. The guard is not a traditional BCD, so if you’re wanting to run one, buy it from WTC.

M985 anodized

The XTR M985 rings with an 88 BCD are now shipping in 36 and 38T as well, with smaller rings coming soon.

 
Zach Overholt
5,722 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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19 Comments
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MissedThePoint
MissedThePoint
11 years ago

Thanks SRAM for making the price on chainrings so high. You release a nice ring with a special hard wearing coating that extends life for $100 or so, and now all these copy cuts barely undercut with a standard cosmetic anodized finish. Good fabs, but plenty of people who don’t know better overpaying…

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JRMN
JRMN
11 years ago

MissedThePoint is either being sarcastic on too many levels for me to follow or is missing the point. Where can you get a wide-narrow tooth profile to fit a 104 BCD besides Wolf Tooth? The fact they are coming out with NEW mounting for what is likely a decades old tooth profile concept is great. Keep it up WTC!

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Rich W.
Rich W.
11 years ago

The XTR chainring is cool in concept but the shape does not match up very well to the spider arms.

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Tiles
Tiles
11 years ago

I’m running the WT 32t 104bcd on slx cranks set up 1×10 with shadow derailleur, 12-36 cassette and KMC SL chain. It’s pretty boss. Also the quietest drivetrain I’ve ever owned.

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King County
King County
11 years ago

Tiles, Which incarnation did your SLX crank start life as, (double, triple ..) ?

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Collin
Collin
11 years ago

I ran their ring with a short cage x9 type 2 derailleur at Moab on a hard tail on trails like porcupine rim without a single chain drop. Its great.

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Tim
Tim
11 years ago

Missedthepoint really did miss the point. Overpaying? It’s the only ring out there besides SRAM’s. When/if other companies start making them I’m sure WTC will have to adjust their prices. Until then people will have to pay whatever they charge.

Anyways, I’m running a direct mount SRAM ring by WTC right now with a nonclutch X9 rear derailleur and after about 30 miles on my home trails no drops at all. No chain guides, no tensioners nothing. I’m very happy with the product I purchased and worth it to stop dropping a chain every time I go over something rough.

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Ty
Ty
11 years ago

Just took the new XTR ring out for the first time, and I’m very impressed. Works great, super quiet, and looks killer. 36t is a bit steep for us mortals though. I assume 32’s and 34’s are coming? And I’m no LukFluck but like the custom engraving, do you have to get on the World Cup podium for that?

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Gravity
Gravity
11 years ago

@MissedThePoint – I get that you think SRAM is wonderful and that these other chainrings are stupid, but the actual substance of your post is just borderline nonsense. Why are you thanking SRAM for this? There’s no subject/predicate relationship there. What a starkly dumb and un-clever way to vaguely insult chainring buyers.

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Brendan
Brendan
11 years ago

Thanks for all the kind words.

On hard coating, we are aware of what is out there, have tried various options, and have found that nothing with reasonable cost performs appreciably better than standard ano.

On running w/out a clutch type, the success people have had isn’t too surprising, but it is pleasing. The physics of a chain drop is such that these rings address almost all of the failure mechanism (assuming the chain length is proper – as short as possible). We still recommend a clutch type rear derailleur for the best chain security.

On other 88BCD stuff, you bet we have other stuff coming…later this month. 2 weeks out for the 34 and 32. 3 weeks for the 30t. 30t is as small as we have planned for now. Our Facebook page is the best way to keep up to date on new product introductions: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wolf-Tooth-Components-LLC/155112457987558

On custom engraving, being on a World Championship podium would help your cause, but we are looking at options for everyone outside those top 3 spots in the world;)

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Gravity
Gravity
11 years ago

Brendan, have you guys thought about 130 or 110 rings for 1x cyclocross setups? Seems like there’d be enormous room to make something happen there. Hell, even a 42 tooth direct-mount or 104 BCD ring would be awesome. Plenty of time to tool up between now and September.

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JF
JF
11 years ago

@Brendan, please make 110bcd CX rings. 40t and 42t…

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slyfink
slyfink
11 years ago

Tiles, like King County, I’m curious to know which version of the SLX cranks you are running. I’m running the WT 32t 104 BCD on Hone cranks right now, but my cranks are on their last breath. I run a bash guard too, and I’m wondering if I can get the 2x SLX or if I need the 3x SLX…

oh, and the WT ring is practically life changing. No dropped chains and quiet. Life is grand. (running a Zee rd with an 11-16 cassette)

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Tiles
Tiles
11 years ago

King County/Slyfink, I’m running FC-M660 cranks. I bought them used years ago and they didn’t come with rings so I couldn’t tell you if they were spec’d double or triple. If it’s any consolation, with that model number of cranks, I’m running the ring and a RF light bash.

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Steve w
Steve w
11 years ago

Where else can you get them? Is bikerumour full of wolf tooth fanboys or something?

http://Www.workscomponents.co.uk for thick and thin rings too, oh and raceface soon. No cheesy wolf tooth design and they both come in -round £35 uk.

I imagine wolf tooth dropped pricing as soon as works made theirs available to purchase and his sales went down the toilet!

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Jake w
Jake w
11 years ago

I was interested in a wolf tooth one, will go to works components now, have their headset and its top drawer, holefully the ring is no different – looks the part anyway.

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Mark L.
Mark L.
11 years ago

Cool stuff from Works Components, but spiderless is $85 US. $55 is for a regular spider mount. Then you’ve got to get it over the pond. ‘Not sure where you’re seeing the extra value.

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Feldy
Feldy
11 years ago

@Brendan, I’m not sure that as short as possible is really the best chain length. Sure, if you’re only metric is minimizing chain drop, then I agree with you. However, having the derailluer all wound up adds a lot of drag to the drivetrain. Most people (including myself) probably can’t notice it through their legs, but I bet it’s at least a few watts.

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Ted Compton
Ted Compton
11 years ago

6 hours in the back country with a 30T WTC ring (11-36 cluster). No drops, no noise, no problems. I really hope to be able to get these in 110 or 130 BCD 40T up to 50T (I run single on my road bike).

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