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Good mechanical derailleur vs AXS

8412 Views 56 Replies 23 Participants Last post by Cerberus75, Jan 23, 2022

megablue

Discussion Starter · Jan 19, 2022

I need a new cassette, and unfortunately, with supply chain issues I can not find just an SLX or XT cassette available. So that brings me to basically replacing the drivetrain and selling off parts I don’t need/stock piling them for future supply issues.

My options would be:
XT drivetrain including cranks and 4 piston brakes for $800 (these are unused take offs)
GX AXS with 10-52 tooth cassette, chain, shifter, cranks (battery and charger included) for $875
XO1 derailleur and shifter with GX cassette and XX1 chain for $560

I’ve got both XD and microspline drivers for my wheels. I’ve ridden both sram and shimano 12 speed drivetrains before and don’t have a ton of preference (although I like shimano shifter slightly more).
Which direction would you go?

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Dagonger

· #2 · Jan 19, 2022

megablue said:
I need a new cassette, and unfortunately, with supply chain issues I can not find just an SLX or XT cassette available. So that brings me to basically replacing the drivetrain and selling off parts I don’t need/stock piling them for future supply issues.

My options would be:
XT drivetrain including cranks and 4 piston brakes for $800 (these are unused take offs)
GX AXS with 10-52 tooth cassette, chain, shifter, cranks (battery and charger included) for $875
XO1 derailleur and shifter with GX cassette and XX1 chain for $560

I’ve got both XD and microspline drivers for my wheels. I’ve ridden both sram and shimano 12 speed drivetrains before and don’t have a ton of preference (although I like shimano shifter slightly more).
Which direction would you go?

XT...works, smooth, shifts under load, and great 4 piston brakes.

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megablue

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 19, 2022

Dagonger said:
XT...works, smooth, shifts under load, and great 4 piston brakes.

Sent from my KB2007 using Tapatalk

Yeah I’m not a huge shimano brake fan. I’d likely sell them off, but, I agree that shimano shifts very well

dudeman

· #4 · Jan 19, 2022

XT works, Sram axs works better. Sram mechanical is, well, suboptimal in my experience.

megablue

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 19, 2022

dudeman said:
XT works, Sram axs works better. Sram mechanical is, well, suboptimal in my experience.

So I could sell off the XT brakes for roughly $375 at the least. So would AXS be worth almost double what the xt is?

Nat

· #6 · Jan 19, 2022

Go AXS and don't look back

Reactions: 4

mtnbkrmike

· #7 · Jan 19, 2022

dudeman said:
XT works, Sram axs works better. Sram mechanical is, well, suboptimal in my experience.

I agree. I have an XT drivetrain and 4 pot XT brakes on my Honzo. They are perfectly fine but don’t hold a candle to my XX1 AXS drivetrain. The GX would be just as good I suspect.

What crank is included with the GX AXS package?

mlloyd007

· #8 · Jan 19, 2022

I have both the X01 AXS and the X01 mechanical derailleur and to be perfectly honest, I prefer the shifting action of the mechanical derailleur. It feels much more direct and positive compared to the AXS which feels pretty vague and indirect. Having no cable is nice, but between the additional cost and the sort of disassociated shifting experience, I’d recommend the mechanical X01.

Jayem

· #9 · Jan 19, 2022

X01 derailleurs are absolutely great, the X01-level cassette though is needed for durability. If there's one part to have as X01, that's it. It's cheaper per year than XTR or SLX given how many seasons they last, the Shimano stuff still doesn't last more than a season or almost-two for me, but the X-dome one-piece cassettes are absolutely amazing for wear. I can't stand shimano due to the extra shift effort required, it irritates my thumb.

Reactions: 3

mtnbkrmike

· #10 · Jan 19, 2022

mlloyd007 said:
I have both the X01 AXS and the X01 mechanical derailleur and to be perfectly honest, I prefer the shifting action of the mechanical derailleur. It feels much more direct and positive compared to the AXS which feels pretty vague and indirect. Having no cable is nice, but between the additional cost and the sort of disassociated shifting experience, I’d recommend the mechanical X01.

Interesting. Teamed up with my Garmin Edge 830, my AXS drivetrain makes my XT and XX1 mechanical drivetrains feel like a 69 degree HTA.

megablue

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 19, 2022

mtnbkrmike said:
I agree. I have an XT drivetrain and 4 pot XT brakes on my Honzo. They are perfectly fine but don’t hold a candle to my XX1 AXS drivetrain. The GX would be just as good I suspect.

What crank is included with the GX AXS package?

Regular Gx

mtnbkrmike

· #12 · Jan 19, 2022

megablue said:
Regular Gx

Thinking more about this, I think every option is good. You are very fortunate to have so many.

Can’t go wrong with any one of the 3.

Reactions: 1

whatshubdoc

· #13 · Jan 19, 2022

Since you have an XD freehub can’t you run a SRAM cassette with your Shimano drivetrain?

mtbfree

· #14 · Jan 19, 2022

megablue said:
I need a new cassette, and unfortunately, with supply chain issues I can not find just an SLX or XT cassette available. So that brings me to basically replacing the drivetrain and selling off parts I don’t need/stock piling them for future supply issues.

My options would be:
XT drivetrain including cranks and 4 piston brakes for $800 (these are unused take offs)
GX AXS with 10-52 tooth cassette, chain, shifter, cranks (battery and charger included) for $875
XO1 derailleur and shifter with GX cassette and XX1 chain for $560

I’ve got both XD and microspline drivers for my wheels. I’ve ridden both sram and shimano 12 speed drivetrains before and don’t have a ton of preference (although I like shimano shifter slightly more).
Which direction would you go?

Have you looked at Sunrace cassete or Deore/XTR options? No need to change whole drivertrains if just cassete is worn-off...

megablue

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 19, 2022

whatshubdoc said:
Since you have an XD freehub can’t you run a SRAM cassette with your Shimano drivetrain?

I could, but I’d have to get a new cassette, crankset, chainring, and bottom bracket which would end up running me about the same as the other options.

mtbfree said:
Have you looked at Sunrace cassete or Deore/XTR options? No need to change whole drivertrains if just cassete is worn-off...

can find them in a 10-45 but no 10-50/51 options and I had a terrible experience with the deore cassette previously so I try and avoid them. Can find an XTR but they are charging way over retail for it. I don’t see any other options honestly.

mtbfree

· #16 · Jan 19, 2022

megablue said:
I could, but I’d have to get a new cassette, crankset, chainring, and bottom bracket which would end up running me about the same as the other options.

can find them in a 10-45 but no 10-50/51 options and I had a terrible experience with the deore cassette previously so I try and avoid them. Can find an XTR but they are charging way over retail for it. I don’t see any other options honestly.

Then just buy 10-45 and backorder SLX/XT. And you will build up some power in the meantime until 10-51 cassete arrives

Reactions: 1

megablue

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 19, 2022

Jayem said:
X01 derailleurs are absolutely great, the X01-level cassette though is needed for durability. If there's one part to have as X01, that's it. It's cheaper per year than XTR or SLX given how many seasons they last, the Shimano stuff still doesn't last more than a season or almost-two for me, but the X-dome one-piece cassettes are absolutely amazing for wear. I can't stand shimano due to the extra shift effort required, it irritates my thumb.

Would you say the X01 cassette is worth roughly $200 more than the GX cassette? I’d love to get one but seems like a big price jump. I can get the GX cassette for $190 where as the X01 would be about $360

Reactions: 1

mtnbkrmike

· #18 · Jan 19, 2022 (Edited)

megablue said:
Would you say the X01 cassette is worth roughly $200 more than the GX cassette? I’d love to get one but seems like a big price jump. I can get the GX cassette for $190 where as the X01 would be about $360

That’s the big jump in cost for everything in SRAM’s lineup - GX to X01. In my view, it’s worth it. I have an X01 cassette from 2018 on my go to trail bike. It has a million miles on it and is fine. Let me leave you with this to indicate the kind of mileage I have put on that drivetrain…

My 2018 X01 cassette has tons of life left. Tons. This, on the other hand, was my third idler that I swapped mid summer:

Automotive tire Rim Bicycle part Automotive wheel system Motor vehicle

I have just now gone SS to try to eliminate this as a wear item:

Rectangle Font Emblem Circle Symmetry

My point though is that despite the mileage, my X01 cassette somehow remains pristine.

Another thing to consider is that I can’t get more than a season out of an XX1 chain. Yet that X01 cassette just keeps on keepin on.

Interested to hear from others on this. Maybe I just have a magical cassette.

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Sidewalk

· #19 · Jan 19, 2022

X01 cassettes are magical. They are worth the price jump.

I just put a Garbaruk on my XTR bike. My preference was Sram>Shimano ((X01/XTR). But now I prefer the XTR+Garbaruk cassette. I am hoping the Garbaruk ends up being reliable.

Reactions: 1

trmn8er

· #20 · Jan 19, 2022

I have ridden mostly SRAM X01 and XX1 mechanical over the years on a variety of bikes. Based on close to 17,000 miles of dirt riding this drivetrain I really like it overall. I just got a new bike with AXS GX level. I will say it seems slightly slower to shift. I am getting used to it and like it. It’s clean not having a cable and seems to shift clean and smoothly. I have less awkward shifts. I do anticipate downshifting a bit more as we have steep punchy climbs. I will be swapping the GX 10/52 cassette for an X01 as in my experience, these cassettes are amazing, and a substantial weight savings vs the GX Aside from that, the AXS GX is every bit as good as the X01 or XX1 AXS rear derailleur and shifter. I say go AXS if you have the coin.

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