SRAM EX1 e-mtb specific drive, where to buy?

[highroad 2]

There was a thread started regarding the SRAM EX1 1x8 drive for e-mtb's and it seemed to drift off subject fast.

It appears that since then many chains and derailleurs have been toasted including on my own Haibike.
I have owned the bike 3 weeks and have been waiting for parts for 2 weeks.
I was making a climb and needed the last gear in a hurry to clean a climb in my yard.
It sounded like a shot went off, and just like that the chain broke and the Shimano XT broke both the aluminum casting and cage.
Haibike dealer said it was "user error", they have never heard of that failure and did not expect it to happen again.
I asked them to send me a spare chain and derailleur because I know it will happen again.
Reading this site tells me i am not alone, several other brands have chain/derailleur issues and they are all due to "user error".
Use the bike and it will either fail or wear out prematurely with power assist.

SRAM recognizes the issue and is doing something about it.
In my research I noticed that many higher priced e-mtb's already come equipped with the SRAM 1 X 8.
I have the Haibike Xduro 7.0 with Shimano XT drive and the $3000. higher priced Haibike Nduro 9.0 has the SRAM 1 x 8.
The same goes for the Trek Powerfly's and several others.

I plan to retro fit my bike as I am sure several others would like to do.

1 Is the SRAM EX1 still the best option for upgrading the drive on a middrive e-mtb ?

2 Has anyone done a SRAM EX1 retrofit on their bike and will they share the results?

3 Where are you buying your 1 x 8 EX1 parts? I called Jenson's and they had no idea what I was talking about.

4 I google SRAM EX1 for sale and came up with a website called bikeinn.com . I could not figure out how register for the site and when i called it sounded like Spanish was the language of chioce.
They seemed to have good prices compared to others I noticed, like the 1 x 8 cassette was under $300.
I found some for sale in Europe at considerably more cost like e-bikeshop.com .

5 Please share your experiences with the EX1 drive

thanks or considering

 

[Barryboy]

It's not uncommon to blow up chains on a emtb because of the higher torque, it probably then wrapped itself up in your Der and ripped it off. KMC's ebike specific chain seems to be the toughest.

Bikeinn is in Spain, depending on the Euro/dollar prices are often better in Europe, but it can take a while to get your stuff.

 

[eBikesmith]

I would also look at ebay. There are some sellers from the Iowa, and some from Taiwan. Regardless, if you pick up the drivetrain, let us know how it is.

 

[PinoyMTBer]

The shop where I got my Haibike Nduro sells em....www.motostrano.com they stock the whole groupset.

They're based in Redwood City,Cali

 

[highroad 2]

Thanks to this thread I was able to order the SRAM EX1 1x8 drivetrain from Motostrano.
I installed the system on a 2017 Haibike Xduro Allmtn 7.0 and am very pleased even after the shock of $670.
My reason for wanting the EX1 is that I destroyed the Shimano XT 1x11 derailleur and chain in the first week and also wanted the much lower gearing that the EX1 front 14t cog and 48x11 cassette offered.

I have total confidence in this system while shifting under power in Turbo mode as it was designed to do.
Before I tried to guess what gear I needed before attacking a hill and now I just keep shifting down, one gear at a time as designed, as needed.
I could not ask for a better shifting system.
The technical hill climbing ratios seem perfect for me.
The only negative is that on gradual climbs, like on a road, I sometimes miss the closer gear spacing of the 1x11.
The install on a Haibike required some minor custom machining to get acceptable chain alignment with the Haibike SES cog which I gladly share what I did with any Haibike owners.
The EX1 system was designed for e bikes and it has proven itself already.
The EX1 available ratios turned this bike into how it should have been geared to begin with in my opinion.
If you are happy with your current drive train but want to gear lower, I suggest just ordering the SRAM front 14 or 16t front cogs.
They are only $20 each and have the alternating thick and thin teeth which seems to be preferable than the 15t cogs that Bosch supplied that the teeth are all the same narrow thickness.
This had been a long post but it includes info I wish I had known before I bought the bike and what I needed to know to make my Haibike acceptable for my use.

High road 2