It’s one thing to just make bigger pulleys or add ceramic bearings, but the new CeramicSpeed OSPW for SRAM Transmission goes much further. Introducing two new technologies collectively called Further Drive, they aim to improve the already robust direct mount derailleurs with an even tougher pulley cage.
The two new features are Active Debris Remover (ADR) and ALPHA Disc, and both are designed to keep the derailleur running smoothly for longer. And the pulley cage itself adds more material mass than their usual designs, so it’s tougher.
ADR and Alpha Disc details
The ADR is a dust cover that’s anchored in a groove in the pulley wheel, completely sealing the bearings. A bladed groove design actively pulls any debris away from the center of the wheel as it rotates, too, and the design is patent pending. They say it’s an extremely precise fit that adds no drag.
But, it’s still a solid disc pulley – that’s not the cover you’re seeing (the ADR bearing cover is smaller, at the center – the lower wheel has no grooves or holes for stuff to get stuck in. It’s a two-piece design, with a stiff alloy center wheel and fiber-reinforced composite 20-tooth narrow/wide outer ring so you’re not running metal-on-metal as the chain rolls through.
Despite the larger lower pulley, they say it keeps the stock cage dimensions and chain length, so you won’t need a new chain when adding it. It’s available with either black or silver lower pulleys.
For comparison, SRAM’s stock lower Transmission pulley has 16 teeth and uses a slip design that lets the toothed ring spin independently of the wheel if something gets stuck in it. CeramicSpeed said their athletes were asking for a solid wheel not so much to prevent sticks from jamming it up, but so that mud and crud had nowhere to accumulate. Particularly for grassy cyclocross courses and muddy MTB races, they say it’s made a huge difference.
The Development Story
What about installation?
The SRAM Transmission pulley cage features a brilliant tool-free removal, just twist it forward and it pulls out for easy replacement. This CeramicSpeed model uses the same core as the stock unit, which contains the tension spring and clutch mechanism. You simply unbolt the stock cage from that core, and bolt this one on in its place, and it can be installed without removing the derailleur from the bike.
The new OSPW for SRAM Transmission system fits all four derailleurs – XXSL, XX, XO, and GX. Claimed weight is 110g, with 14- and 20-tooth pulleys. Bearings are ceramic with stainless steel races, and it includes spare parts and pulley oil for maintenance. MSRP is $669.
