Free bird: SRAM Eagle AXS brings wireless shifting to mountain bikes

Riders have been asking when SRAM’s eTap wireless shifting road drivetrain would make it onto mountain bikes for about as long as the American manufacturer has been making it. Rumours of a wireless version of the company’s 12-speed Eagle drivetrain ramped up significantly when Olympic XCO champion Nino Schurter was spotted not-so-secretly racing with a wireless drivetrain at World Cups and 2018 world championships.

Well, the bird has finally landed. Or birds, rather. SRAM announced the simultaneous release of XX1 Eagle AXS and XO1 Eagle AXS today. Both are wireless systems, with XX1 aimed at the cross country crowd while XO1’s sturdier build aims to serve enduro racers. SRAM didn’t stop there, either. It also announced a new wireless dropper post from Rockshox, the Reverb AXS, which integrates into the system, and a 12-speed AXS version of its eTap road/cross/gravel group.

The centerpieces of Eagle AXS are, of course, the wireless rear derailleurs and shifter. Without the constraint of a cable to work around, SRAM redesigned both components for the AXS system. The XX1 and XO1 wireless derailleurs have been redesigned to be motor-driven instead of cable-actuated. SRAM says the result is a system that is happy to shift under load, over rough terrain, during uphill efforts. The AXS controller, which is what SRAM is calling the electronic shifter, has a completely new look and ergonomics now that it is wireless. This includes the addition of a novel “sprint” lever that requires minimal movement of the hand to operate. All AXS powered components can be customized and monitored using the new AXS app.

SRAM Eagle AXS rear derailleur

SRAM insists the new system is more than a mechanical derailleur with a battery strapped on. The wireless version of the Eagle derailleur has been fully designed around its motor-actuated shifting. Like Red eTap on the road, Eagle sets up quickly. Pair the derailleur with the controller, attach to the bike, and trim using a small button, then go ride.

Compared with mechanical Eagle, the new wireless bird has a shorter cage, giving you an extra 10mm of ground clearance, and sits farther forward and inboard. Eagle AXS uses the same battery as the Reverb electronic dropper post and eTap road group. SRAM claims you’ll get approximately 20 hours of trail time between charges.

Eagle AXS Impact Protection

Calling the Eagle AXS derailleur the “brain” of the system, SRAM has designed a safety mechanism into the high tech part. The Overload Clutch was designed to disengage on impact, then return to position and shift back into gear. This feature protects the derailleur’s motor, as well as saving the rest of the component and the bike’s derailleur hanger in the process.

Designed for the demands of World Cup XC racing, XX1 Eagle AXS combines SRAM 1x technology with the lightest-weight materials. The XX1 derailleur uses a carbon cage, titanium hardware, and a distinctive rainbow colourway. The system comes with a colourful rainbow chain to match, which uses a PVD titanium nitride coating to create its sparkle. SRAM says the rainbow chain is exclusive to the wireless system but, other than being really eye catching, does not provide any performance improvement compared with the mechanical XX1 coating.

Despite adding batteries to the system, ditching cables allows SRAM to keep wireless XX1 the same weight as mechanical XX1. The claimed weight is actually five grams lighter than the current equivalent mechanical system.

SRAM AXS App

This is where the “access” moniker comes in. SRAM’s new app lets you adjust the functionality of Eagle AXS to your personal preferences and then monitor your usage. You can go one step further and connect AXS hardware to your SRAMid, which will, among other things, send service reminders when it’s time to check your components’ wear.

The main feature of the app is to program SRAM’s wireless system according to your preferences. It lets you personalize controller assignments for shift commands, including the Reverb electronic dropper post. You can further expand Eagle’s capabilities by adding SRAM “Blips” to the system, if you choose.