Aftermarket Chainring for Cannondale SuperX with Aysymmetric Integration

Sergeant Rock

Hi

I recently became the proud owner of a 2018 Cannondale SuperX. The bike has Cannondale’s Asymmetric Integration rear triangle. This involves extending the driveside BB by 6mm and the rear hub from 135mm to 142mm. This allows the right-side chain stay to move out and create more mud clearance. Because of the increase in the bottom bracket width Cannondale have supplied their Hollowgram chainset with a longer spindle which is unique to Cannondale. This is OK because it is a great chainset. However, when I purchased the bike I didn’t consider the availability of after market chainrings.

The SuperX ships with a 40t single chainring and I like to use a 38t or 36t for cross racing with a 11 to 32t cassette or 11 to 36t cassette for long distance stuff. I use Absolute Black rings but they don’t go bigger than 34t for Cannondale direct mount. The only other option seems to be the Wolf Tooth CAMO system (Direct mount Spider and separate rings). There are three different spider options depending upon the model of Cannondale bike you have. On the basis of the product description I think I need the M1:

M1 (minus 1mm - dished towards the frame)
• Cannondale cyclocross and road bikes (38T max CAMO chainring)
• Ai cyclocross bikes with 155mm spindle (38T max CAMO chainring).

Sounds good, exactly what I need, but I mailed Wolf Tooth and they replied that it ‘should’ work but the chainline might not be quite right. Subsequent, correspondence has not got a clear answer. I have also emailed Cannondale for advice but not got a reply yet.

So long description to get to the point. Has anyone used the CAMO system on the latest version of the SuperX and does it run OK. I would also be interested to know if there are any other options. I have come across Garbaruk rings which seem to be a Ukranian manufacturer. Anyone tried these? Ideally, I would want to run elliptical rings but round is OK if that is the only choice.

Hope someone can help. Thanks in advance.

https://www.cannondale.com/en/Internati ... ation.aspx

https://www.wolftoothcomponents.com/col ... cannondale

http://bikemag.hu/english/garbaruk-chainring-review

evo3ben

Not visited the forum for a long time so this is a little late, sorry. I have had my 2017 Cannondale SuperX Force 1 for 2 years now and it was the first of the SuperX with Ai. I now have a lot of experience with what will work and what wont on these with regards to the single chainring after much trial and error.
Firstly, you need to know that the chainring that is fitted to the bike is a Cannondale X-Sync opi 40T Spidering and is NOT an Ai specific chainring. Its the spindle (shaft) between the crank arms that gives you the correct chainline. The SuperX is fitted with a shorter spindle than the Cannondale FSI mountain bikes. If you buy a chainring that is Ai specific, it means its for an FSI mtb as its the chainring that gives them the correct chainline. I made this mistake and the chainring did not work. So, what you need is a standard direct mount chainring, which is what the bike is fitted with.
Next choice is weather you want a round or oval chainring. I like the oval rings and opted for a GarbarUK 38T Oval chainring which has worked perfectly. I did initially want a 40T oval ring but no luck so far.
So, if you want Oval then 38T is the max to be found and if you are going for a round ring then Cannondale do the X-Sync opi rings all the way up to 44T.
I have seen the Camo system but they dont go up to 38-40T so dismissed that idea. Seems to me that if you want an Oval ring, then GarbarUK is the place for you with both 36T and 38T available and in nice colours. Mine has been fitted for a year now and still going strong. I run it with an 11-36T cassette. I find this set up perfect for CX. For gravel racing, i change the front ring out for a Cannondale X-Sync opi 42T.

Hope that has helped.

evo3ben

In addition to the above, GarbarUK also do oval up to 46T for a Cannondale direct fitment. Im going to buy one as im using 38T at the moment and want to change up to 40T. Will get the normal Hollowgram fitment instead of the Ai fit and see how it works out.