TRW Active is on a mission to bring you the most value for your dollar in mountain bike components. Their TRW2 complete group includes a crank, bottom bracket, cassette, chain, and shifter for just north of $400… but if you act fast, it’s currently on sale for under $300. With a wide-range 1×11 setup and 12-speed in development, could this be the biggest value entry for MTB today?
TRW Active 1×11 budget mountain bike groupset
What began as an Indiegogo campaign is now a reality that you can buy. We’re no stranger to interesting budget-minded groupsets, and TRW seems to be aimed squarely at SRAM NX Eagle. Just how similar are TRW and SRAM NX? Both are based around a single chainring, a wide-range cassette, and an HG freehub – meaning you don’t need an XD-compatible rear wheel. Both are priced right around $400 – NX at $375 complete, and TRW for $420 MSRP (but currently on sale for $293).
For now, the biggest difference is that TRW Active’s groupsets are 11-speed, while NX is 12-speed. However, that will be changing soon – stay tuned after we detail the current kit.
TRW Active’s current components start with a 24mm steel spindle crankset. It’s available in two levels – LW (690g) and HD (753g) – and either standard or Boost chainrings.
The shifter and rear derailleur are only available in one level. The shifter is trigger-style and can shift up to five cogs in one push. The rear derailleur has a 13t upper pulley, 52t max cog capacity, and integrated clutch.
Like their crankset, TRW offers two levels of cassettes – both in 11-50 and 11-52. The lower level TRW2 cassette has all-steel cogs, while the TRW3 has 9 steel, and 2 alloy. Both ride on aluminum carriers.
TRW 12-speed preview
While details are slim as of now, TRW Active is working on a new 12-speed groupset. Thus far, they’ve only shown an ultralight 12-speed 10-50 cassette. The bigger news, however, is that’s available in both HG and XD designs, making it an alternative to pricier cassettes.
We’ll keep an eye out for 12-speed availability, but for now the TRW2 1×11 groupset is available now from their online store. Hit the link below for full specs, details, and pricing.
