Ratio is back with another DIY hack designed to modernize your old mechanical SRAM 2×11 groupset by converting it to run new close-ratio SRAM AXS 12-speed gearing without the need for expensive electronic components. Many cyclists loved the lightweight simplicity of SRAM Red 22, but would have needed to ditch a perfectly good groupset and add heavier battery-powered shifters & derailleurs to their bike to upgrade to 12speed gearing spreads.
Ratio DIY 2×12 to the rescue…
Ratio 2×12 SRAM mechanical Road Upgrade Kit
Why replace a great SRAM 11-speed mechanical road bike groupset with a newfangled wireless electronic group, when you can upgrade it to a Ratio 12-speed groupset for almost a thousand dollars less and more than 250g of weight savings? A lot of cyclists would also simply rather not worry about charging batteries to be able to ride their bikes – retrogrouch or not.
Do you remember when SRAM Red 22 came out, all the way back in 2013? It was a really lightweight 2×11 speed mechanical road bike groupset with your choice of brakes: hydraulic disc, hydraulic rim & regular mechanical rim brakes, plus two rear derailleur cage lengths and the pretty great Yaw front derailleur). From the start there was also a Force 22 option & an even more affordable Rival 22 just a year later.
Now the thing is, many of those mechanical groups are still out on the road. And since they probably need to replace their chains, cassettes, chainrings, and even derailleur pulleys… why not upgrade to 12-speed at the same time?
Tech details
Following up their Budget Mullet mechanical SRAM 1×12 Eagle mechanical road bike conversion, Ratio’s latest 2×12 Road Kit allows SRAM 2×11 riders to upgrade their worn drivetrain components for new SRAM 12-speed. Keep your exiting mechanical shifters and derailleurs, just swapping in the Ratio conversion ratchet & derailleur pulleys, then get a new AXS 12sp cassette, AXS Flattop chain, and a compatible chainring combo. No actual electronic AXS parts required.
The Ratio upgrade kit includes only the stainless steel ratchet that you install inside your current shifter, switching cable pull from 11sp to 12sp, and a pair of new 11T derailleur pulleys s optimized for the old derailleur and new flattop AXS chain, spinning on Enduro bearings. A relatively simple how-to video will guide anyone with good mechanical aptitude through the process in about 20 minutes.
Upgrading your current bike, you will actually need to switch from the HG freehub body of SRAM 11sp to the XD-R driver body of SRAM road 12sp. That’s the only non-wear item, but should be available for most recent wheelsets out there.
The upgrade kit is compatible SRAM Red, Force & Rival 22 derailleurs AND all SRAM 11-speed road shifters. You can then use any SRAM AXS road cassette, being limited only by the max cog size of your original rear derailleur. And use any SRAM Flattop chain and SRAM or aftermarket Flattop-compatible chainring combination (because of the chain’s proprietary roller size).
Read more about the full compatibility of all of Ratio’s innovative drivetrain upgrade kits here.
Ratio 2×12 SRAM upgrade – Pricing & Weight Savings
The new Ratio 2×12 SRAM road upgrade kit costs just $112 / 99€ plus tax & shipping, or £99.50 inclusive in the UK. But the full upgrade will certainly cost you a bit more – Ratio estimates another $378 for the chain, cassette & rings. Still if you wanted to replace all of your current SRAM 22 components with Force AXS it would run you $1400-1463, so you still could save as much as $960. And you are essentially replacing parts that are likely worn out anyway, right?
The side benefit is lower weight.
Using our own real weights for Force 22 & Force AXS, Ratio calculated that you’d save 287g if you upgrade a Force 22 disc brake group with their kit or 254g if you upgrade a Force 22 rim brake group vs. buying the new battery-powered Force AXS gear. It’s hard to argue with lower price, lower weight, and simpler tech.
If you don’t want to go electronic, Ratio has got you covered.
