ORIENT is born
The range and versatility of a triple, with the simplicity of a single.
Over the past 45+ years, the development of bicycle drivetrains has largely followed a strategy of simplification: reducing the number of chainrings at the front while increasing the number of cassette cogs at the rear. This approach was intended to improve the shifting experience by providing a more intuitive and predictable system for the rider. By eliminating the need to select between multiple front chainrings, the drivetrain can provide a more consistent and gradual progression of gear ratios, allowing riders to make smaller adjustments to cadence as terrain and riding conditions change. Furthermore, eliminating the front derailleur (FD), a mechanically complex and sometimes problematic component, further simplifies the system and can improve the overall riding experience.
This approach has been largely successful and has continued to evolve to the present day. However, the simplification has introduced a new challenge: increased lateral movement of the chain and the resulting limitations on chain articulation. When the rear cassette is relied upon to provide virtually the entire gear range, additional cogs are required to maintain relatively small increments between gear ratios. While this provides the rider with finer control over cadence, it also requires the chain to operate at increasingly severe lateral angles as it moves across the cassette. As a result, the very progression that has improved shifting and cadence control has also created new mechanical demands on the chain and drivetrain.
Current 1x drivetrain systems, which use a single front chainring, require the chain to operate across the full range of the rear cassette. At the extreme ends of this range—such as the smaller 10T, 11T, and 12T cogs and the larger 40T, 46T, and 52T cogs—the chain operates at significant lateral angles. This increased lateral articulation creates unnecessary friction and can reduce drivetrain efficiency.
Orient was developed to address this limitation. It is primarily a 1x drivetrain system that utilizes two optimized chainlines: one dedicated to the smaller cogs on the first half of the cassette and a second dedicated to the larger cogs on the other half. By keeping the chain more closely aligned with the selected portion of the cassette, Orient is designed to reduce excessive lateral chain movement and the associated friction.
The same concept could also be adapted to a 2x drivetrain using chainrings with different tooth counts. However, development of this configuration will depend on market and audience demand.
How it works
Orient automatically shifts the chain between its two chainrings as the rider progresses through the cassette, responding to the chain’s lateral angle. Rather than relying on a conventional front derailleur or requiring additional input from the rider, Orient uses the chain’s natural movement across the cassette as the trigger for the shift.
In an unconventional approach, we have embraced one of the biggest fears of cyclists — the “chain drop” — and transformed it into an intentional and essential element of the system. By carefully controlling this movement, Orient turns what has traditionally been considered a problem into a simple, elegant, and functional part of the shifting mechanism. Less Chain Friction. Less Chain Wear. Less Resistance. Greater Efficiency. Benefits below for the 1x version.
- No Batteries Required: Orient’s automatic shifting operates mechanically, eliminating the need for batteries, electronic controls, or charging.
- Smooth and Virtually Unnoticeable Operation: Orient shifts smoothly and seamlessly while riding—whether pedaling under load or coasting—without disrupting the rider’s experience.
- Low Maintenance: With no complex electronic or externally exposed shifting mechanisms, Orient is designed for simplicity, durability, and low maintenance, without the need for O-ring seals or oil-protected mechanisms.
- Extended lifespan: Because the chain continuously alternates between chainrings, the load and wear on the chainring tooth profiles are distributed more evenly, extending their service life to levels comparable to, or greater than, those of a traditional 2x system, significantly beyond what is typically expected from a 1x configuration. Similarly, the chain benefits from extended service life, achieving longevity comparable to, or potentially exceeding, that of a traditional 3x system. This advantage is not based solely on reduced maximum lateral bending, but also on the elimination of friction between the chain and front derailleur during shifting.
- Backpedaling Friendly: Although backpedaling during a front-chainring shift is generally not recommended, Orient is designed to tolerate inadvertent backpedaling during the shifting process without the same potential interference associated with conventional external front derailleurs.
- Compatible with Existing Drivetrains: Orient is designed to work with existing combinations of rear derailleurs and cassettes currently available on the market, supporting 10-speed systems and above.
- Designed for the Next Generation of Cassettes: By addressing the challenges associated with increasing chain lateral movement, Orient opens the possibility of further increasing cassette speeds, potentially enabling 15 sp and 16 sp systems.
Crunching the numbers
We can identify three major periods in which bicycle drivetrains underwent significant reconfiguration.
1980s–2000s: Drivetrains predominantly combined 8 sp and 9 sp cassettes with triple (3x) cranksets, providing a broad gear range through multiple front chainrings.
2000s–2010s: The introduction of 10 sp cassettes coincided with the growing adoption of double (2x) cranksets. This configuration was later expanded to 11 sp cassettes, further increasing the number of available rear gears while reducing the number of front chainrings.
2010s–Present: The drivetrain underwent another major transformation with the widespread adoption of single (1x) cranksets. As the front drivetrain was simplified, rear cassettes continued to grow in both gear range and number of cogs, progressing to 12 sp and 13 sp systems.
This evolution has progressively shifted the responsibility for providing the bicycle’s full gear range from the front chainrings to the rear cassette. As a result, the chain is being required to operate across increasingly extreme lateral angles. The effects of this reconfiguration on chain lateral movement can be seen below.
Rings Cassette Outboard Inboard
3x 8sp 9.10mm 8.80mm
9sp 9.10mm 12.02mm
2x 10sp 14.80mm 12.85mm
11sp 14.80mm 14.80mm
12sp 14.80mm 16.35mm
1x 11sp 18.75mm 18.75mm
12sp 19.52mm 19.52mm
13sp 21.30mm 21.30mm
Below, we can see what Orient can achieve by having equivalent extreme bend numbers considering the two drivetrain configurations: the traditional 3x system (three chainrings) with an 8 sp cassette, presented above, and Orient (two chainrings with the same tooth count) paired with a 13 sp cassette, presented below.
Ring Cassette Outboard Inboard
Orient 11sp 9.00mm 3.56mm
Orient 12sp 9.00mm 5.11mm
Orient 13sp 9.00mm 8.66mm
Orient 15sp 13.35mm 12.75mm
Orient 16sp 13.35mm 11.90mm
Custom cassette Aligned with Orient
Ring Cassette Outboard Inboard
Orient 11sp 6.70mm 6.70mm
Orient 12sp 7.58mm 7.58mm
Orient 13sp 9.54mm 9.54mm
Orient 15sp 12.65mm 12.65mm
Orient 16sp 12.65mm 12.65mm
OBS: 16 sp is on campagnolo 13 sp spacing. Notice the combination Orient + 15 sp or 16 sp cassette configurations, despite the increased number of rear cogs, the resulting chain-bending angles remain less aggressive than those of conventional 1x and 2x systems.
The Frame
Now that we understand what Orient can do, it would be naïve to assume that the system could simply be installed on a conventional bicycle frame. It cannot. Orient requires additional clearance to accommodate the spacing between its two chainrings, so we designed a frame specifically around the system.
Enter the return of the elevated chainstay frame—a vintage concept redesigned to take full advantage of modern drivetrain requirements. The elevated chainstay configuration not only creates the necessary clearance for Orient, but also brings several additional benefits: increased tire clearance around the bottom bracket area, improved space for mud and debris to pass through, and we took a step further with additional room at the rear hub to accommodate future cassette configurations with more than 13 speeds.
Orient’s frame utilizes a 148 mm Boost rear triangle, while the entire drivetrain and rear-end geometry are offset 3 mm outboard. The frame is designed to work with a standard 142 mm rear wheel. By positioning the wheel 3 mm outboard relative to the frame, the wheel remains centered within the frame, and with the addition of the 6mm spacer on the drive site, it's effectively adding an extra 6mm of freehub space.
Tire clearance: moving the chainstay above the entire drivetrain, gives room for tires up to 2.4 inches wide using DUB Wide (Durable Unified Bottom Bracket) crankarms.
Compatible with either 29er or 32er wheels thanks to our slider dropouts.
We are partnering with Blackwater Bicycles
Available soon, you will be able to secure your deposit on the combo elevated Chainstay Frame + Orient, customized to you.
Blackwater bicycles builds titanium bicycles around the rider and the terrain. Durable materials, purposeful geometry, real tire clearance and carefully chosen standards create bikes meant to be ridden hard, kept for years and made distinctly yours.
https://www.blackwaterbicycles.com/
Future developments include the integration of our Marginal Gain rear derailleur, along with the introduction of 15- and 16-speed cassette configurations.
Orient is more than a new shifting mechanism—it enables a fundamentally different approach to drivetrain design. One of the key advantages of using two chainlines at the front, with up to 25 mm of spacing between them, is the ability to reposition the rear derailleur farther forward than in a traditional drivetrain. This creates several potential advantages, including increased chain wrap around the cassette, greater protection of the derailleur from impacts and environmental elements, and a slightly higher derailleur position relative to the ground—particularly noticeable when using a 32-inch wheel.
The Catalyst for 15- and 16-Speed Drivetrains
After analyzing the numbers presented above, the potential for additional cassette speeds becomes clear. Once the chain’s lateral movement is better controlled, there is an opportunity to take full advantage of a greater number of gears without simply increasing the mechanical compromises associated with conventional 1x systems.
The goal of Orient is not to participate in a race to continually add more cogs. It is about redefining how those gears can work together—and ultimately, redefining the cycling experience.
The inventors
Andre Szucs
“Chrome-molybdenum steel mountain bikes” was one of the fanciest combinations of words Andre had learned in the early 1990s while reading cycling magazines. That alone tells you how long he has been riding bikes. Ever since, Andre has been experimenting, modifying, and building custom bike components in pursuit of better performance.
Originally from Florianópolis - Brazil, life eventually brought him to the Rocky Mountains, with Boulder, Colorado, becoming his new backyard and a perfect environment to continue experimenting with bicycle customization. His passion for pushing the limits of cycling intensified in 2017, after he voluntarily signed up to suffer at one of the most demanding endurance mountain-bike races in the world: the Leadville Trail 100, also known as the “Race Across the Sky”. Andre finished the race, don't ask in what physical state, but the experience left him thinking about something beyond simply completing it. The course exposed a fundamental challenge: how could a drivetrain deliver high-speed efficiency on the long, fast dirt-road sections while still providing the wide gearing range needed for the slow, technical singletrack?
That question eventually led to the birth of the Monstergravel in 2021. The Monstergravel was an unconventional full-suspension gravel bike featuring an adjustable axle-to-crown fork, drop bar, a high range 15 speed cassette, and a single chainring, it was the comeback of the well known John Tomac bike setup from late 80's, but with modern improvements. The concept was beginning to accomplish the original goals, combining speed, efficiency, and range in a single drivetrain configuration. However, one significant limitation remained: the chain itself. Solving this problem became the next challenge, and ultimately, a very interesting inventive journey, with several milestones in the discovery process, leading to what he believes to be a simple and elegant solution with the Orient chainring.
Andre could not have brought this project to life alone. He greatly values the enthusiastic reception of the idea, valuable input, technical expertise, and knowledge contributed by another passionate member of the cycling community, Billy Hudgens, founder of BlackWater Bicycles. Billy’s experience and collaboration have been an important part of the development of this project.