Is it time to replace the pulley cage on your SRAM Transmission derailleur? If so, you may want to consider the CeramicSpeed OSPW X, a $669 USD upgrade that promises increased drivetrain efficiency and improved durability, with a lifetime warranty to back that up.
Like the Danish brand’s other OSPW (over-sized pulley wheel) systems, the OSPW X gets a larger lower pulley wheel, reducing the chain’s angle of articulation as it enters the cage, thereby reducing overall friction. But, that’s not CeramicSpeed’s biggest claim, here. No, the main attraction of this cage upgrade is its lifetime warranty, made possible with the help of its “Active Debris Removal” (ADR) function.
• Oversized pulley wheel derailleur cage upgrade for SRAM Transmission
• Compatible with XX SL, XX, X0 & GX Eagle Transmission
• Upper Pulley Size: 14t
• Lower Pulley Size: 20t
• Active Debris Removal
• Alpha Disc Wheels
• Composite cage
• Fiber-reinforced composite pulley teeth
• Claimed weight: 110 grams
• Price: $669 USD / 579 €
• ceramicspeed.com
This is essentially a dust cover that encloses the stainless steel bearing and its aluminum housing with a “bladed groove cover” that sits over it. The latter is said to “dynamically extract debris from the pulley wheel while it’s rotating”. Off-road partnerships manager at CeramicSpeed says “it basically keeps everything running super fast, forever”. It’s a little difficult to imagine how this works, but we’re hoping to share a video on this soon.
Senior product manager, Paul Sollenberger, explains in more detail, “ADR is composed of two main parts. On each face, there is a precisely shaped stainless steel shield that locates on the bearing inner race and does not rotate. The second part is a unique fiber-reinforced composite polyamide material, the same material as the tooth profile, that is molded as part of the alloy Alpha disc pulley itself. The material passes through ports in the alloy disc ensuring that it is fixed in place and will not rotate or come apart from the pulley. The directional bladed profile rotates with the pulley and is the ‘active’ portion of the patent-pending Active Debris Remover technology. The bearing is pressed into the alloy portion of the Alpha disc for a secure fitment”.
For sure, the engineers could have used a double-lipped contact seal to keep contaminants away from the bearing, but they weren’t happy with the friction this would add. We are told the precision fit of the ADR interface adds zero drag to the bearing or pulley wheel.
While the stock derailleur cage on all SRAM Transmission derailleurs has a 14t upper pulley and a 16t lower pulley, the CeramicSpeed OSPW X boasts a 14t/20t pairing. And, they’re made of a fiber-reinforced composite, said to last longer than other composite pulley wheels, or aluminum versions.
The narrow-wide pulley teeth are co-molded with the two-piece aluminum discs that give the OSPW X its unique aesthetic. While the SRAM Transmission XX SL derailleur has a magic pulley that allows the teeth to continue rotating if a branch gets stuck in the wheel, the OSPW X has no need for anything of the sort. Given that the pulley wheels are gap-free, there’s a greatly reduced chance of any wayward sticks causing a mechanical.
CeramicSpeed says the OSPW X requires minimal maintenance, perhaps only 2-3 times per year, dependent on riding habits. In the event of bearing function deterioration or the development of an issue that cannot be solved through basic maintenance (stripping, cleaning and re-assembling), CeramicSpeed will replace the pulleys. They also say that if anything happens to the cage while installed on the bike, it would also be covered for replacement.
