SRAM X01 Eagle AXS Upgrade Kit: Rider Review

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

Electric shifting has certainly been a game changer. Easy setup and precise shifting, it is a no brainer upgrade for anyone looking for a high end drivetrain. Read on as our friend Chris tells us about his new setup. 

Intro:

I was stoked to learn SRAM had launched an AXS Eagle upgrade kit, and jumped on it as soon as I had the chance. For someone with "schmedium" mechanical skills, I was slightly hesitant to undertake this install on my own, during #quarantine2020, but looking at that sweet, shiny wireless hardware on my workbench, I couldn't resist. I fired up the laptop, hit the Worldwide Cyclery YouTube page, and got to work. WOW.

Install:

This install was literally easy enough that a child could do it. I removed the Push Industries 11-6 coil from my Yeti SB130, the mechanical XO1 derailleur, mechanical XO1 shifter, then installed the AXS "controller" (shifter), ASX XO1 derailleur, and then cut my existing chain so I could size the new chain (not included with purchase). After installing the new chain, reinstalling the shock, and pairing the controller with the derailleur, I followed the video's directions to set the high and low limit screws, then made a few fine tuning adjustments with the included plastic pulley guide, and voila! I had perfect wireless shifting. Total install time was about 45 minutes, and probably goes faster if you're an experienced mechanic.

I downloaded the SRAM AXS app to my iPhone, paired everything up, looked around a little bit, but ultimately did not make any changes. Options include switching the direction each of the buttons moves the chain, as well as a programmable 3rd "knuckle" button that can control either shifting OR SRAM's excellent Reverb AXS dropper post.

The ride:

The shifting is fantastic! The ride is similar to mechanical SRAM Eagle XO1, minus any effort whatsoever to initiate a shift. You can shift like a meathead if you must, mashing through full-power shifts. You can hold the controller down to sweep the full-range of gears, or you can shift one-by-one with an effortless click. The only noise you hear is the satisfying click of the controller, and the thunk thunk of the chain moving through the gears. Battery life so far has been great - about 20 hours of riding, which for me equates to nearly 3 weeks. I picked up a spare battery to throw in my pack, which is reasonable in both weight and price. Durability so far has been no issue at all; in fact, I whacked my derailleur on a tree stump recently, which is NOT what one wants to do to a $700 derailleur! I could hear the clutch disengage as the derailleur slammed into the stump, but to my amazement, the derailleur re-engaged almost instantly and went on its merry way like nothing had happened. Impressive, to say the least!

Final Thoughts:

So, is it worth it? If you're like me and you love gadgets, along with the ultra-clean look of having wireless shifting on your dream bike, then yeah, it's worth it. I get a huge kick whenever a new riding buddy does a double-take and says, "Hey, where's your shifter cable?" I'm also looking forward to nearly maintenance-free shifting (no cables to stretch over time)! All in all, I'm very happy with this upgrade.