SRAM Ochain on Review – What is SRAM’s New Anti-Pedal Kickback System Capable of?


SRAM have recently acquired Ochain, jumping on the hype train surrounding anti-pedal kickback systems. By decoupling the chainring, the Ochain promises calmer pedalling, more consistent grip and reduced leg fatigue. After months of use, the question is whether SRAM’s execution matches the theory.

SRAM announced the acquisition of Ochain as early as 4 July 2025. Despite this, you still couldn’t buy a “SRAM Ochain.” Instead, the original system remained available – on the market since 2020 and developed by Fabrizio Dragoni. That’s exactly what’s changing now.

At its core, the Ochain is a spider on the chainring, but the connection to the crank is not rigid. Instead, the system allows an adjustable amount of backward rotation between crank arms and chainring to reduce unwanted pulling on the pedals.

As soon as the rear suspension compresses, the rear wheel doesn’t just move upward but also slightly backward. This increases the distance between the rear axle and bottom bracket, which leads to additional chain growth. This effect, which is often cited as the main reason for such systems, is not the decisive factor, as we already wrote in our 2020 review, and as SRAM has now confirmed again through extensive testing. At speed, the rotational velocity of the rear wheel largely cancels out the effect of chain growth. Chain tension caused by suspension compression therefore becomes a function of how fast you are travelling. But there are other scenarios that cause the chain to pull on your cranks. When the chain slaps against the chainstays on rougher trails, it briefly pulls on the cassette before snapping back into the freehub engagement, which is also noticeable on the cranks. Braking adds another layer: under hard braking, riders instinctively weight the pedals, and if the rear wheel briefly locks, the resulting chain tension stiffens the rear suspension and saps energy. These effects accumulate on every ride, and all of them feed directly into the cranks.

This is precisely where the Ochain intervenes: by decoupling crank arms and chainring, the forces acting on the pedals are substantially reduced. The rear wheel can work more freely because there is less tension in the system. This is intended to ensure more grip on the trail – few examples illustrate it better than Aaron Gwin’s legendary Leogang run: a World Cup victory, achieved without a chain. At the same time, your legs have to work less against these forces, saving noticeable energy. Decoupling the chainring also quietens the system, reducing the slap and clatter of a loose chain.

The hype around systems that reduce pedal kickback is currently huge. With DT Swiss’ DEG system or the Sidekick from e*thirteen, there are already comparable concepts. Both solutions are housed in the freehub or inside the hub. The basic principle is similar, but the technical implementation differs – with corresponding pros and cons in integration, maintenance, and ride feel. The Ochain was the first system of this kind and played a major role in driving the trend.

Through the acquisition by SRAM, little has changed in the technical DNA for now. Fabrizio Dragoni remains the mind behind Ochain and continues to develop the system with his own team in Italy. At the same time, the brand now benefits from the infrastructure of a global player: service and distribution structures, marketing, and overall scaling and production are significantly professionalized by SRAM. This also benefits bike manufacturers, as integration into the SRAM ecosystem makes it much easier to spec the Ochain directly from the factory in the future.

How Does An Ochain Work And What Has Changed With The Acquisition?

Inside the system are two plates rotating against each other: one is connected to the crank, the other to the chainring. When you pedal forward, metal teeth between the two plates mesh, coupling crank and chainring firmly together and ensuring uninterrupted power transfer while pedaling. However, if the chainring is pulled backward by chain tension, the Ochain spider allows free backward rotation between 3° and 12° – depending on the position of the external adjuster, if you’re using an adjustable version. In this way, the spider absorbs the rotation caused by chain tension so that you don’t feel it – or at least feel it significantly less – at the pedals. Small springs inside prevent the teeth from engaging when you’re not pedaling, while elastomers dampen the end of the rotation range, ensuring the quietest possible operation.

This basic functionality was already present in the original Ochain spider. So the real question is: what has actually changed with SRAM’s acquisition? According to SRAM, all Ochain models have been revised to meet the US manufacturer’s quality requirements and internal testing standards. This includes improved sealing and simplified servicing. Regular service is now scheduled after 200 h and can be carried out easily by home mechanics – without special tools. The corresponding service kit costs € 50. However, you should replace the elastomers after 100 h, for which a separate kit costs € 25.

As typical for SRAM, a modular approach has now also been implemented in the new Ochain models, and they can now be upgraded. So if you start with a base model (S or E), you can retrofit the external adjuster later. There have also been changes to the adjustment options: instead of 0, 4, 6, 9, and 12°, you now get 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12°. All SRAM Ochain models also carry the designation “B1.” You can identify them either by the product code on the back – or simply by the fact that the external adjuster dial has a 3° position instead of the previous 4°. Another difference concerns manufacturing: production now takes place in Taiwan rather than Italy.

The Models And Prices Of The New SRAM Ochain

There are four variants of the new SRAM Ochain models in total: two for mountain bikes and two for e-mountain bikes, although currently only versions for Bosch motors are available. For analog bikes, the R and N models are available, while for Bosch e-MTBs there are the S and E variants.

The R and S models are the more expensive versions and cost € 380. They feature the external adjuster – the small dial that allows you to quickly and easily adjust the characteristics. On the more affordable N and E models for € 310, however, you have to disassemble the system and reposition the adjustment chip if you want to change the rotation angle. These models come set to 9° as standard, but 6° and 12° are also possible. However, you need to purchase the corresponding chips separately, which adds another € 25.

In addition, SRAM offers a retrofit kit that allows you to convert an N or E model to include the external adjuster. This costs € 100. Economically, however, this is not particularly attractive, as you end up above the price of an R or S model. So it only makes sense if you buy a complete bike that comes equipped with such a model and you would prefer to have an external adjuster.

Chainrings are available in versions with 32, 34, and 36 teeth, but there is no 30T option. Also important: unlike other T-Type chainrings, the Ochain cannot be combined with a bashguard. So if you still want to run chainring protection, you’ll have to switch to a third-party solution – or accept riding without a bashguard.

How Well Does The SRAM Ochain Perform On The Trail?

We tested two Ochain R versions with external adjustment over four months – one on a Canyon Sender DH bike, a Santa Cruz Nomad and one on a Pivot Firebird. We rode the systems in bike parks in New Zealand and Germany, as well as on a wide range of local trails – from super fast and rough to slow, steep, and technical.

How much sense the system makes and which setting works best depends heavily on the bike’s rear suspension and intended use. On the Canyon Sender, we often rode the Ochain at 9° or 12° on hard downhill tracks. On the Firebird, on the other hand, it was mostly 3°. This is partly because pedaling is much more relevant there, and partly because higher settings noticeably create more dead travel before chain tension engages when you start pedaling. At 3°, however, you can get used to it very quickly. This keeps the bike reactive enough when you want to build speed on the trail – for example with a quick pedal stroke – or when you need to pedal briefly on a short climb.

Above 6°, the Firebird quickly feels a bit dull for our taste. It simply lacks some of the feedback from the ground and the usual resistance on the cranks. Anyone who has ridden without a chain knows this feeling. In general, the Ochain gives the bike more calm in rough sections and under braking. At the same time, your legs have to absorb less because fewer disturbances are transmitted back through the drivetrain to the cranks. This becomes particularly noticeable on long descents: your feet don’t hurt as much because you don’t have to constantly brace against vibrations and restoring forces. Interestingly, the effect becomes more noticeable the slower you ride. At higher speeds, the rotational speed of the rear wheel already neutralizes part of the chain growth. On slow, steep, rooty descents where the rear wheel locks intermittently and grip is hard won, the Ochain is at its most effective. This is exactly where it makes it noticeably easier to generate traction and keep the bike under control. But even with fast, hard hits like those often found on downhill tracks, or with very harsh drops, significantly less feedback was transmitted to the pedals, making these scenarios not only easier to control but also less exhausting. In addition, the effect strongly depends on your current gear, assuming you’re in one of the outer gears on descents.

For this exact reason, we would definitely recommend the version with the adjuster. Depending on the bike and trail, it’s extremely useful to be able to adapt the system’s characteristics – and we did this frequently throughout our test because it’s so quick and easy. With a bit of pressure on the cranks, the dial can be turned easily even with gloves, or the system can be completely deactivated. In terms of noise, the differences were also noticeable: the Firebird was already very quiet without the Ochain, but on the Sender you could definitely hear the additional calm brought by the system – or rather not hear it.

Conclusions About The SRAM Ochain

Not every bike needs an Ochain, but pair it with the right rear suspension on the right trails and the gains are real: a settled suspension, reduced leg fatigue and better grip where the terrain is slow, steep and demanding. The revised system is more service-friendly and more modular than its predecessor. For the external adjuster, the case is clear, as the optimal setting depends too much on bike and intended use to leave buried inside the hub.

For more info, visit the SRAM website.

---

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Peter Walker Photos: Sven Martin, Callum Wood, Peter Walker