NEW SRAM XO, XX and XX SL transmissions drop - derailleur gone, b-tension gone, limit adjust - gone

SRAM drops complete new AXS transmissions. No more cables for XO, XX or XX SL. Pretty cool technology and it seems to be well thought out. So long to B-tension screws, derailleur hangers and limit screws - gone forever with this setup. Also gone: G2 brakes (replaced by Level 4 piston). Lots of tech here.

Shimano makes good stuff, but they are very slow to innovate and change and as a result are falling behind and this won't help Shimano.

SRAM also dropped new brakes, but the difference is almost entirely cosmetic in the lever bodies only.

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/devel...UkfuBiLI_OsD1uTnbo7OByyVfzjN54RlHqUNmi6B4_mug

 

$600 XX SL Cassette



ummmm no.

 

I can only pray that old school Sram Eagle components will go on sale again to clear out the inventory.

 

Seems they will keep the old school stuff as is for GX and below. Not a bad decision to have the ultra premium for marketing and dentists and keep the tried and true GX for most riders.

 

Have I mentioned how much I love my single speed?

 

Single speed: what happens when my fancy electronic drivetrain battery dies. Otherwise, no...unless a belt drive maybe.

 

Exactly….that’s why I want the $200 Ti Chainring.

 

Where did you see the bit about the G2 brakes being gone? I saw that they updated levels with a 4 piston option to make a more powerful stopper in xc weight class... nothing about getting rid of G2, which would still fit nicely between xc and gravity as the trail bike option..

 

It looks as though the Level 4 Pots will be replacing the G2's. Looks like the the new Level lever with a G2/Guide caliper.

 

That’s it. G2 becomes Level 4 piston. New level lever with old G2 caliper.

 

The features seem good, but...

• slower shifting
• heavier
• no cross-compatibility with any older-gen SRAM stuff that I have (which is brand new)
• insurmountable price
• I haven't seen evidence showing lifespan of wear items (cassette, chain, etc.)

I'm with @SnakeCharmer - I'll stock up a little on cable-controlled XO1 if things go on sale.

 

We are installing a new transmission on a brand new SJ Pro with the old AXS. Will take pictures when it’s done.

 

I really like it, but I won't be using it any time soon. I don't have any UDH bikes, and I don't have any intention of buying a bike for a long time.

 

I want the new shifter for my old AXS. I will wait a year or two until they fix all of the problems that will arise. One problem is the chain/ chainring. SRAM wants you to change the chainring and NOT the chain. You know people who change their chains regularly will want to do this and this will cause problems.

 

I don't understand this - aren't all of the parts wear items? Is the chain of sufficiently different design that it lasts X times longer than a traditionally-designed chain?

 

That is slick looking.

 

Im waiting for the e-SS to be released. Oh yes, it's coming....

 

Yes, but SRAM says the chainring will wear out before the chain. They say change the chainring until the whole system doesn’t work correctly. So the chain is designed for this system only and you cannot use a different chain. I’d like to see in a year how this theory holds up.

 

Here is the finished product

 

Hmmm... Maybe it's a little more robust than I anticipated.

If you don't have Instagram, or don't want to watch a linked video, they jump up and down on the derailleur and it still shifts fine afterwards...


Instagram Link

 

That is one ROBUST looking chain. It almost looks like it belongs in a little 3 cylinder ICE.

 

You can get the Eagle XO ET on Revel's El Jefe Titanium HT for $6,999 or their Rail 29 for $8,499. Big spenders will want to step up to the XX ET for $9,599 and $11,499 respectively.

 

it’s weird the inner roller is actually smaller than a standard XX1 chain but the outer is almost the same. But it’s burly that’s for sure.

As for pricing the customer purchased the bike and THEN purchased the new drivetrain. Mind you this was a brand new bike. His bike already had XO1 AXS on it. I guess some people have the latest and greatest and he is one of them.

 

So how much does the chainring for this system cost?

 

Don’t know I haven’t looked into it yet. Probably not cheap.

 

I think this will be key to understand, and likely only time will tell. I hope that longevity of the parts is another benefit, because the toughness vs impact isn't that big a selling point to me. We're all accustomed to treating various parts of our bikes as if they're fragile, and it sorta works. Of course derailleurs, but also think suspension stanchions, chainrings, rotors to a degree...

So, for the ridiculous price, will we get more miles per dollar? Or if not, is the performance that much better that we'll pay more per mile?

 

In my experience, SRAM chains and cassettes seem to last much longer than comparable level Shimano stuff. A GX or XO1 cassette seems to last 2 - 3x longer than an XT to me. Anyone else experience that? I've also found that the X01 power dome (or whatever it is called) that's machined out of hardened steel lasts even longer. That's been a plus for me with SRAM and I hope these new parts do at least as well.

 

Maybe

I am a Shimano guy just because the components last me a long time. Cassette 12 years, Chains about 6, Chainrings close to 12 years. Maybe it’s the maintenance I do after every ride, maybe I’m not hard on my equipment, I don’t know.
I should try the SRAM components and if they last longer than Shimano, as in your case, I will never have to buy any drive train parts for the rest of my life.
The kid at the LBS wanted to see my “vintage” Anthem, so I brought it in and his comment was that it looked brand new.
He was surprised when I told him I have about 15,000 miles on it.
Yes, cool story.

 

How does the cage tension feel? Adjustable clutch? Curious if there is any chain slap.

 

The GX cassette is just a cheap, stamped steel cassette and doesn't have any special longevity.

The X01 and XX1 cassettes on the other hand do last forever.