r/sram

I had made plans to get a UDH Crux 3 frame to build up with XPLR, but it fell through. I am pivoting to ordering a frame, but it most likely will not be here until after the summer season.

For now I might as well take the mechanical GRX off of one of my gravel bikes, and upgrade it to the E1 shifters paired with a non UDH RD.

I wouldn't mind trying out a mullet setup. What would be the best bang for the buck Eagle RD to put onto a non UDH frame?

Or should I just go with d2 Rival/Force. I have a lot of elevation near me so range is appreciated.

Looking for real world experiences with both mechanical and wireless transmission from people. Is it worth upgrading to AXS or is the mechanical group actually that much better than the wireless? I searched and can’t find a lot of use cases from people who have actually experienced both.

I was reading SRAM's instructions and it simply said "Apply grease to the driver body threads." for installing an XD driver.

Which kind of grease? Any kinds of grease/paste/anti-seize I shouldn't use?

Hi all,
As the title says, when shifting to the largest cog the derailleur cage collides/rubs with/on the biggest cog until the gear shift is fully done.

My chain is cut at 118 links, according the manual for a chainstay lenght (axle to axle) of 425mm.

The micro adjust is already set to +18 of 23 possible steps. It’s right on the edge the other gears work ok. Increasing the micro adjust even more does help slightly but the other gears are noisy then.

What am I missing?

As far as I am aware the new XPLR groupsets with UDH direct mount does not have the old b-tension screw e.g.

What am I doing wrong?

Hi

I’m trying to buy my first gravel bike and my options are between rival and force. But the price spikes up to another 1k for the force i’m wondering if its worth just going ahead and buy the force or should I just keep my Rival and use the other extra $ for other upgrades?

Dear everyone,

I recently got what seemed like a great deal on a previous-generation Cervélo R5 (2023), equipped with the previous-generation SRAM Red eTap AXS.

To be honest, I bought it on the spot because the frame looked absolutely stunning. I know painted frames are technically heavier than raw carbon, but let's be real — they look way cooler, and we're probably talking about, what, 50 grams?

I also knew that this generation of the R5 has an excellent reputation, and I assumed you can't really go wrong with a SRAM Red groupset.

However, I've since discovered that getting the groupset properly dialed in can be a bit of a headache. At first I had multiple chain drops, although things have improved and seem to have settled down now. Unfortunately, not before it left an ugly dent in my crank.

What I only realized recently is that this generation of Red AXS is actually quite heavy. If I'm not mistaken, it's around 150 grams heavier than the current Dura-Ace Di2.

I thought I was buying a lightweight climbing bike, but in the end it feels like I've ended up with a 7.3 kg tank instead.

Other than that, the group works wonderfully. Shifting is reliable and I can say I would strugle to go back to shimano system.

Am I overthinking this, or does anyone else feel that an R5 paired with first-generation Red AXS kind of defeats the purpose of such a lightweight frame? 😅

I want to grab some crank boots for my 1x13 XPLR Rival cranks

Ive found some locally online but they are all labelled up as Force Crank Boots....so Im wondering if all cranks are the same size (albeit probably different materials/weight)

TIA

Assuming they don't fit (looks like they don't) has anyone found any aftermarket ones that do fit....

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some advice before ordering a new chainring.
My bike is a Canyon Grizl CF SL with the following drivetrain:
SRAM Apex XPLR AXS 1x12 (electronic)
40T SRAM direct mount chainring (8-bolt)
11-44T XPLR cassette
12x142 mm rear axle (non-Boost)
I'm getting ready for a multi-day bikepacking trip through Slovenia with around 7,000 m of climbing, so I'd like to make the gearing a bit easier by switching from a 40T to a 36T chainring.
I've been reading about chainring offsets and now I'm a bit confused. I understand there are 0 mm, 3 mm, and 6 mm offset versions, and I don't want to end up with a poor chainline or compatibility issues.
I'm currently looking at a 36T direct mount, 8-bolt, 0 mm offset chainring from The Mechanic Parts.
My questions are:
Is 0 mm offset the correct choice for a Canyon Grizl with a 12x142 rear end?
Has anyone here made the switch from 40T to 36T on an Apex XPLR AXS setup?
Did you need to shorten your chain, or did the existing chain work fine?
Are there any clearance or chainline issues I should be aware of?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has done this conversion or has experience with SRAM's direct mount chainring offsets.
Thanks!

The front brake was pulling the rotor to one side (outwards), and this would often cause a strong vibration and loud noise. If I didn't back off on the brakes I could see myself potentially losing control of the bike. I tried re-centering the brake calipers, and maybe there would be temporary relief, but soon enough the rotor would once again be pulled to one side and the loud, embarrassing, potentially dangerous resonance would return. I most hated how pedestrians would get startled and look up from their phones at me with rage, thinking that I didn't see them, and had just panic braked to avoid hitting them. I have SRAM AXS hydraulic disc brakes.

I finally solved the issue with the following process.

• Put the bike in a repair stand.
• Remove bicycle wheel.
• Remove the brake pads.
• Clean the calipers and pistons with IPA followed by wiping down with a clean microfiber cloth.
• Insert SRAM ultimate piston press tool into the brake caliper with the smallest width setting.
• Pump
• the brake levers to protrude both pistons.
• Wipe the newly exposed piston edges with IPA and a Q-tip.
• Apply SRAM DOT fluid to the sides of the exposed pistons.
• Press the pistons all the way back into the caliper with the piston press tool.
• Return the piston press tool to its narrowest setting, and pump
• the brake levers until the pistons protrude all the way against the piston press sides.
• Install new brake pads (SRAM organic Steel Back).
• Clean the wheel rotor with IPA and a microfiber cloth, and reinstall the wheel.
• Loosen the brake caliper mounting bolts all the way, and pump the brake levers a few times to ensure the pistons and brake pad backs have a solid connection.
• Tighten the mounting bolts a little, leaving them loose enough to reposition the caliper by hand.
• With visual inspection against a white background, adjust the caliper position by hand until the two brake pads are centered with respect to the rotor, exhibiting a uniform gap between rotor and brake pad.

Now that the problem is solved, I am reflecting on the cause. I think the weird resonance issue was caused by some combination of:

• Stuck brake piston that needed massaging
• Cheaper grade rotor that has perfect periodic cutouts, making it more prone to unexpected resonances; I notice that nicer rotors, such as shimano ultegra, do not have a single spatially periodic cutout shape on the rotor disc.
• Not having the calipers centered originally
• Wearing in a slight angle into brake pads because of uncentered calipers

Since there were multiple variables in the solution --- brake pad change, caliper repositioning, piston massage --- I cannot say for certain the true cause.

Hi, I’ve decided to try sequential shifting for the first time (latest SRAM Red group) but I notice that the chain is often placed in configurations which I would classify as cross-chaining. Such as big ring up front and second-largest cassette cog. Is this normal? Should the programming avoid such inefficient chain angles? Thanks!