SRAM X01 Eagle AXS Groupset: Rider Review

Our "Rider Review" article series features honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Drivetrains have come a long way in the past couple of years. SRAM introducing a 1x12 drivetrain with the release of Eagle was mindblowing in itself but with the recent release of their wireless AXS drivetrain, bikes have become more modern than ever imagined. But is a battery-powered drivetrain worth the dough? To some yes. The technology almost sells itself but you never know how much you'll love it until you actually try it which is exactly what Stuart did. Let's see what he thought of his recent upgrade!

Stuart's Review

I started MTB 40 yrs ago with the wrong size hardtail & quickly got a 26" full suspension bike with Shimono xtr components. I enjoyed the high-end components, but due to my work, I simply played it safe & rode for fun not really doing anything challenging. In the last 4 years, due to health reasons & retirement, I went from having fun from just riding easy trails to trying to increase my skills & keep me exercising. My doctor can not believe my activity level & encourages it. I decided to move up from the 40-year-old 26" era bike. I bought a mid-level 27.5+ bike based on the great frame it had but with mid-level components to keep the cost down. I did not know if I could physically continue biking then so I wanted to hold the cost down with the knowledge of upgrading later.

I always was good working with my hands and understood instructions especially with pictures. Since I should not use saws anymore, I went towards bike maintenance. With all the YouTube & Worldwide Cyclery videos, I decide to upgrade my bike myself. Last year, the cockpit with WWC advice & great pricing was completed which improved handling & comfort. This year, the drive train. I went from Sram1x11 GX with alloy cranks to Eagle XO1 AXS with XO1 carbon cranks & Sram DUB hub since I started riding trails with large climbs in VT as well as my technical trail park in NJ. I just could not make it up to the top of the peaks without resting & walking.

Worldwide Cyclery answered all the questions I had about going from 1x11 to 1x12, made recommendations that included a different chainring size, and guided me with doing the upgrade by myself. The only bike repairs I did before this was changed flat tires and chains.

Conclusion

"I could not wait for the parts to come in & when I had a full day off from skiing, I put out my stand & started. All the videos made the switchover easy & quick. With the right tools, I finished the conversion in about one hour. I tested the drive train around town & can't wait to hit the trails. The AXS shifting is unbelievable. Very quiet & smooth. almost unaware of the change. The controller, formally known as a shifter, is very ergonomic & comfortable. You are able to select which button will shift high & low. I did get a lot of pride & pleasure doing it myself." - Stuart