VARESE, Italy (BRAIN) SRAM has acquired the Italina chainring spider manufacturer Ochain, whose chain-dampening component has become a staple on World Cup downhill and enduro bikes.

Fabrizio Dragoni, who founded Ochain in 2019, will continue to lead the brand from a new facility in Italy.

Mounted between the crankset and chainring, Ochain allows the chainring to freely rotate a certain amount without the cranks moving, creating a "chainless" feeling while coasting. With a bike's suspension freer to activate and its transmission able to float smoothly, the result is a calmer, quieter bike, according to Ochain.

"The idea was to have a component that simulates the chainless feeling with the possibility to pedal," Dragoni said.

Since its inception, Dragoni and his team have taken Ochain through multiple iterations. According to BRAIN's sister publication, Pinkbike, the device will remain unchanged for now, but SRAM will be releasing a four-bolt XX Eagle T-Type chainring of its own to pair with the Ochain active spider.