Gravel goes to 13: SRAM launches Red XPLR AXS

After first appearing at Unbound gravel earlier this year, SRAM’s 13-speed gravel groupset is finally available to the public.

To do this, SRAM has finally applied its direct mount derailleur standard to a gravel groupset. Whether you’re excited to see UDH used to its full potential or have been awaiting this change under the lukewarm weight of inevitability, the component giant is now prepared to do away with derailleur hangars in gravel as well as mountian biking. The groupset that will do it? SRAM’s top-end Red XPLR AXS.

SRAM Red XPLR AXS: Gravel goes its own way

Up to now, XPLR has existed as an off-shoot of the Red road groupset. While SRAM says you can use Red XPLR on the road, this is very much its own system. With 13-cogs and a derailleur that only works with its matching cassette, and only one cassette, it has limited appeal on the road, making this very much a gravel groupset. As an aside, every other part of the new groupset is backward compatible with existing SRAM options, it is just the rear derailleur and cassette that will only work as a pair.

About that cassette, it offers a 13-gear range from 10-46 tooth cogs, and will work with chainrings from 38-tooth to 52-tooth. Red XPLR only works as a 1-by drivetrain, so there’s no front derailleurs allowed. It’s not quite the same range as SRAM’s mountain bike 12-speed cassettes, but it does offer closer steps that better suit gravel riding.

Is this just Transmission for gravel?

Those of you familiar with SRAM’s mountain bike drivetrains will note some similarities to Transmission: it’s 12-speed direct mount system released last year. Is this just Transmission? Well, no. The most obvious difference is that Red XPLR has 13 speeds. That makes the Red derailleur and cassette completely incompatible with Eagle T-Type (and all other drivetrains). The Red XPLR cassette will only work with the Red XPLR rear derailleur, and the other way around.

All this also means you only have one cassette option with Red XPLR. SRAM also says the flat-top MTB chain should not be used with Red XPLR. The same is true of Transmission, but that’s less of a concern with mountain biking where 1-by drivetrains have been the norm for years now.

This is, of course, a change from the old AXS system, which allowed more mix-and-matching between road and mountain bike groups. Due to the limitations of direct mount, there are more strict chainring size restrictions on both groups that would not likely allow cross-use.

But, like Transmission, Red XPLR can only be used on frames using the UDH standard. There are also no adjustment screws to be found because of the combination of “full mount” standard and the dedicated cassette/rear derailleur combo. SRAM also adds a “MTB inspired” spring clutch for better chain management off-road.

SRAM Red XPLR AXS: Not just 13-speed

While 13-speeds and “full mount” instead of a derailleur hangar will attract most of the attention, SRAM’s added a few other goodies to the new Red XPLR AXS.

Specifically, it’s promising a huge improvement in braking comfort. SRAM is claiming a 33 per cent reduction in the effort required for braking, allowing for what they call “true one finger braking.”

SRAM also brings over its spider-based power meter as an option on Red XPLR AXS. It requires the removable thread-mount chainrings, but it does bring integrated dual-sided power data into the system quite seamlessly and, based on SRAM’s road and mountain bike power meters, quite accurately. The power meter is available as part of the system or as an upgrade after the fact.

Zipp goes gravel

For those of you shouting to keep gravel weird, Zipp is here to help. The Red XPLR AXS launch comes with a new 303 XPLR SW wheelset with some distinctive features. They’re carbon fibre, use hookless rim walls and use a shallower profile of Zipp’s distinctive rim surface.  The standout feature, though, is a mountain-bike worthy 32-mm internal rim width. With many mountain bike brands still offering 27-28 mm internal width rims for tires as wide as 2.3″ and others saying their 30-mm internal width rims are good for tires up to 2.4″ (or wider) tires, this raises the question of why Zipp is doing this. (The answer to your other question is no, you can not use them as mountain bike wheels.) Zipp says it improves the aerodynamic profile of the overall system when used with a tire 40 mm or wider.

But, specifically, one of two tires from Goodyear. The 32-mm internal width isn’t exactly in line with other industry standards, or the design parameters of most tires. In fact, the generous internal width required Goodyear to design tires specifically for this wheel. The Goodyear XPLR Slick is a 40-mm tire (measured on Zipp 303 XPLR) designed for fast conditions. For rougher roads, there’s the 45-mm Goodyear XPLR Inter tire.

While the new wheels are designed for use with the Goodyear tires, there are other treads that you can use. (SRAM provides a list of compatible tires, which currenly is very short.) SRAM, which owns Zipp, does caution that the generous internal width will add 3 to 4 mm of width to any other tire, so be wary of frame clearance.

SRAM Red XPLR AXS: Prices, weights and availability.

All right, lets get into the heavy stuff. Or light stuff. SRAM says Red XPLR AXS is actually 120 g lighter than the previous generation of XPLR AXS. That puts the system weight at 2,488 g.

Prices are decidedly heftier.

In Canada the set is $5,595 with a power meter, and $4,940 without power meter. That’s US$3,839 for the power meter version or US$3,389 without. For whatever reason, that price doesn’t include the battery you need to operate the system or the charger for that battery. It also doesn’t include the Hammerhead head unit they’ve included in the photo.

To break down that price a little, and we’ll stick to CAD for this part, the chain alone is $130. The 10-46 cassette? $875. The rear derailleur alone is $1,020. SRAM does say repair parts will be available if you do crash and scuff up your very expensive derailleur, though.

All SRAM Red XPLR AXS parts and drivetrains are expected to be available as of launch, on Aug. 1.