Wireless Shifting - SRAM GX AXS Review - Is it worth it?

We have passed this bike around, driven it across the PNW in terrible weather, ridden it through moondust, mud and snow in the name of this SRAM GX AXS Review. Without a doubt the SRAM GX AXS wireless upgrade kit has been one of the coolest bits of gear we’ve tested in 2021. No matter who’s on board or what we’re doing to the bike, the electronic SRAM GX AXS stuff just works. The durability, performance and simplicity of use all make this stuff easy to recommend, if you’re willing to drop the coin.

The GX AXS derailleur is just as water and dust proof as the higher end X01 and XX1 units, we don’t think it shifted any slower than those units and still held up to impacts and abuse thanks to SRAM’s Overload impact technology. As long as your derailleur hanger is straight, your chain isn’t bent and you’ve got all the teeth on your cassette in good shape, this system will shift without worry mile after mile. Battery life was pretty solid on this unit and we’re still running the original battery in the shifter. Cold temps and long road trips with the battery installed could affect battery range a bit. Since the system is motion activated, you may want to pull the battery out for long road trips to save all that battery power for shifting instead of bouncing down the highway. This of course presents the problem of losing your battery or forgetting it somewhere. When there’s nothing to forget, or discharge on a mechanical system, it could certainly be something to consider, but we’d risk it for how well this stuff works and how much easier it makes shifting and tuning.

There is a slight learning curve with the shift paddles, as they’re a bit different than mechanical versions, but we wouldn’t say it was anything major, or that we couldn’t get over. Plus, with the app you can customize which shift paddle does what, so you can easily set it up to work the way your brain thinks it should.

THE WOLF'S LAST WORD
Mountain biking is a passion pursuit for people of varying incomes and abilities. For many it’s a hobby, maybe even a lifestyle or even an addiction for some. For that reason, there will never be an agreeance on what exactly “budget” is, but when SRAM set out to create the GX AXS system, the goal was to bring World Cup-level athlete performance to a price point that more people could enjoy. It’s still far from cheap, but the fact you can have a top-tier wireless mountain bike shifting system for $600 is pretty damn cool. We are huge fans of the SRAM GX AXS wireless system and think it’s a very worthwhile upgrade if you’re looking to hop up your ride. Far from necessary, but absolutely welcome. Maintenance is reduced, performance is increased and so is ease of use, comfort, and the tidiness of your bike’s cockpit. We’re stoked on wireless shifter and hope to see a lot more mid-tier bikes coming spec’d with GX AXS in the future.

Price: $600 (Kit)
Website: sram.com

For the full review, visit the site:
https://theloamwolf.com/2021/08/16/review-sram-gx-axs-drivtrain/

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