[descender]

I have read all the threads but I want to make sure I am on the right track, especially if I am going to do this myself.

Here is what I want:

VPfree with 2 rings and Evil DRS. Must have a good chainline and shifting performance

Tech requirements of the VPfree:

Seat Post dia: 30.9mm
BB Shell Width: 73mm
Rear Hub: 150mm/12mm thru axel
55mm chainline

My theory is this setup will work:

BB: ISIS, 73mm with 128mm spindle
Cranks: ISIS, 175mm, 2 rings: 22/32 (was thinking Race Face Turbine LP, or Truvativ)
Guide: Evil DRS
Front Derailleur: XT 760 Low Clamp (got this from some post)
Cassette: XT 11-34

However, these dudes…
http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/frames/vpfree/vp_free_techguide.html
… claim that you should use 34.9mm Top Pull/Top Swing or *E-type - FD-M750-E (but they didn’t talk about the Evil DRS).

I was hoping to use some of the new two piece cranks, but they don’t come in long enough axels to run two rings with the DRS and get good chainline without a some pain?

Basically I just want the setup that has the most potential to be dialed, cause I will screw it up from there

Thoughts?

More good info here:
http://www.speedgoat.com/feature-vpfree.asp
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=43506

 

[Dogboy]

My theory is this setup will work:

BB: ISIS, 73mm with 128mm spindle
Cranks: ISIS, 175mm, 2 rings: 22/32 (was thinking Race Face Turbine LP, or Truvativ)
Guide: Evil DRS
Front Derailleur: XT 760 Low Clamp (got this from some post)
Cassette: XT 11-34

Use this setup, but swap the front derailleur with a Saint M805 top swing. It's the only front derailleur on the market designed to work with a 57mm chainline (which the 128mm BB will give you).

 

[Castle]

the most solid set up I've found on that bike is a single ring, with a 40t SRS guide.....can run 32-40t rings...

I tried the DRS and could get pretty good rotation on the guide plate, but as you sat into the sag the roller would start to loose contact of the chain, limiting the guide's true ability to keep tension on your chain

the other problem is having the roller guard and plate sticking out below the bashguard and it getting hit by rocks rotating it up into your chainstay/linkage area.....

The DRS can be set up with a ISIS 128 b.b./ (I believe it can bet set up with race face's wider spindle and there vpfree fit kit, I have not had the money to try this yet though) you will need to dremal away some of the plastic to get better rotation on the roller, you can get it to go pretty far, you may also need to place a small b.b./freehub spacer inbetween your guide plate and frame. (best of my memory the spacer was to help the guide back plate clear the chainstay/linkage area as well to get better rotation)

The front der. yeah I'd use the standard band type not the e type they mention..

I believe I used a dual pull/top swing....?

here is my current set up

 

[doc gravity]

Saint front derailer works great. I've got the same basic build as you describe but with a holzfeller crankset. Scott

 

[descender]

OK so the magic setup is:

BB: ISIS, 73mm with 128mm spindle
Cranks: ISIS, 175mm, 2 rings: 22/32 (was thinking Race Face Turbine LP, or Truvativ)
Guide: Evil DRS
Front Derailleur: Saint M805 top swing
Cassette: XT 11-34

But, will the Saint work with SRAM trigger shifters? Somehow I doubt it.

Damn specing this bike has been quite a research project!

 

[MikeD]

But, will the Saint work with SRAM trigger shifters? Somehow I doubt it.

SRAM and Shimano front mechs/shifters are compatible...unless they made the Saint front system completely proprietary, which I haven't heard about.

 

[OGRipper]

Castle's comments are good, but I've been able to get good performance from my drs. I've had my free together for more than a year and have not lost my chain or missed a shift once, and having a granny gear is important for me. Castle mentioned something very important - you can't set up the guide correctly without sitting on the bike and seeing how sag affects the guide location and chain tension. At full exension (ie, no weight) the guide will hit the swingarm, which makes the guide flex outward and can bind the roller. When you sag in there should be plenty of clearance. I've got the 128 bb with truvativ holzfeller cranks. The 128 bb comes with a spacer that is around 5mm or so. I put that spacer against the BB shell, then the guide plate, then the bb cup. This spaces the guide out from the bb shell and gives you a little more room to rotate it, due to the shape of the chainstay yoke thingy. I also removed most of the plastic guide plate, again to allow a little more rotation. I have heard rumors that shimano will be offering saint and maybe xt cranks with a longer integrated axle but haven't seen anything yet.

 

[OGRipper]

PS, I have no thoughts on the front der, I've just got an xt that works fine. And consider a 34 or 36 for a big ring, a 32/11 is pretty small for your top end. I'm running 22/36 and love it.

 

[descender]

PS, I have no thoughts on the front der, I've just got an xt that works fine. And consider a 34 or 36 for a big ring, a 32/11 is pretty small for your top end. I'm running 22/36 and love it.

Yeah I was wondering about that. I need the low end 22-34 combo but could use a larger high end. It shifts OK like this?

 

[MikeD]

Most of us DRS users seem to use 22/36 or 24/38. Both shift just fine. Had it on about 5 bikes.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

Lots of good info above, just keep in mind one simple fact about the vp-free frame and the lower roller on ANY guide.....you cannot get optimal roller position since the chain will then bind on the underside of the chainstay.

 

[OGRipper]

Lots of good info above, just keep in mind one simple fact about the vp-free frame and the lower roller on ANY guide.....you cannot get optimal roller position since the chain will then bind on the underside of the chainstay.

Not to pick nits or be defensive, but mine works great and my chain doesn't bind. I don't know about "optimal" but I can't ask for anything more from my drivetrain. It shifts flawlessly and I have never dropped my chain. Lots of bikes require some tweaking to make the drivetrain work. The little bit of guide modification I needed to do has not affected performance of the guide and was a small price to pay for an awesome ride.

Descender, yes a 22/36 with 11-34 works great. I run a prior-generation medium cage xtr rear derailleur, which is my fave for this kind of set-up. If you run a short-cage (road) der, you might not be able to use the 36 in cross chain gears, but it's not a problem with the med.

 

[Dusty Bottoms]

Not to pick nits or be defensive, but mine works great and my chain doesn't bind. I don't know about "optimal" but I can't ask for anything more from my drivetrain. It shifts flawlessly and I have never dropped my chain. Lots of bikes require some tweaking to make the drivetrain work. The little bit of guide modification I needed to do has not affected performance of the guide and was a small price to pay for an awesome ride.

I completely agree, my DRS "works" perfectly, but the roller is not in that desired 8 o'clock position to tuck it away from obstacles. I have shattered one roller cover and 2 spacer plates thus far.

 

[OGRipper]

I completely agree, my DRS "works" perfectly, but the roller is not in that desired 8 o'clock position to tuck it away from obstacles. I have shattered one roller cover and 2 spacer plates thus far.

That's a good point, it's true that it does hang down a bit. I removed a lot of the extra material on my spacer plate so the guide can be rotated up a little more, hasn't affected performance. I smack my guide plate pretty often and after a year it hasn't been a problem.

 

[Dexter D]

Great info... Going through the same process right now. Here is the setup guide from e13 for the SC VPF.

http://www.e13components.com/docs/e13_DRS_and_Santa_Cruz_VPFree.pdf

 

[odiwik]

I just set up the DRS on my large VP-Free and it works flawlessly with an XT front derailleur. I couldn't fit four plates on my kit with the bolts I got, but three ended up working perfectly. It shifts great and I can shift while standing going up hill with no ghosting and a good chainline.

I got the 36 kit with 36 and 26 tooth sprockets. Now if only the bashguard were black...