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. 

SRAM blew away the market with the release of their AXS Wireless Drivetrain and offering an upgrade kit let riders with existing Eagle Drivetrains easily install the wireless setup with little worry. Since every tier of Eagle is compatible with the rest we saw a soar in AXS Upgrade kit purchases as everyone wanted to try out the new era of mountain biking. Enrique was one of those people and he decided to go with the X01 Eagle AXS Upgrade kit. Let's see what he thought:

Enrique's Review

I purchased the SRAM X01 Eagle AXS Upgrade Kit - Rear Derailleur for 10-52t, Battery, Eagle AXS Controller w/ Clamp, Charger/Cord, Black and after installing it and three rides later, I’m blessed and grateful to have it.  To begin, installing it was simple.  It was straight forward and took less than 30 minutes. In those 30 minutes, I installed a new derailleur, controller, cassette, and chain.  The most difficult part of the process was removing the old shifter and cable.  As started by checking my hanger for any bends, then screwed on the derailleur.  I already had a matchmaker brake adapter and attached the controller to the cockpit. 

The cockpit has an amazingly clean look.  Pairing the system is a breeze as well, just a couple of button presses.  Then I proceeded to make adjustments, starting with the chain gap.  By the way, the upgrade kit came with a new gap tool.  It makes it even simpler to do than with the previous tool which you had to make continuous adjustments by placing and removing the tool.  With the new one, you mounting the tool, turn the B-gap adjustment screw, and once set, remove the tool, and your finished.  Setting the limits screws was quick. 

Finally, I did a few micro-adjustments with the push of the controller and it’s ready. 

"I downloaded the SRAM app and tailored the shifting to my liking."

There are several choices from pressing the controller and shifting 2, 3, or all the gears.  You can also select which way to shift, low or high by pressing up or down on the controller.  I like the 3 gear downshift option when I press down the controller.  It helps not overshooting the high gears.  Upshifting, I hold down and it goes all the way.  More on maintenance it later. 

I went to a downhill park where it takes me almost 20 minutes to climb, I’m very slow.  The 10-52 cassette is amazing, and the new gear is very helpful.  The shifting is effortless, like placing your thumb on an iPhone to unlock it with Touch ID.  It’s fantastic.  The shifting is extremely quiet as well.  Sometimes I wondered if I even shifted.  It almost shifts instantaneously, it happens much quicker than traditional cables shifters.  Lastly, on my second ride, I crashed and bent the hanger.  I replaced it and the derailleur needed adjustment.  Like I said earlier, it was extremely easy and quick to work on.  I reset the gap and limit screws and did a few micro-adjustments and in less than 10 minutes, I was ready to go.

Conclusion

"The ease of maintenance is what I like most about the system.   I’m a “weekend warrior” when it comes to maintenance so it’s all new to me.  The maintenance I do usually takes me three times longer than the average so I need all the help I can get.  The upgrade just simplified it all and I’m so grateful.  So far, it has been worth every penny." - Enrique