SRAM Apex AXS Mullet assessment: Funds digital shifting with big vary

SRAM Apex is the most recent within the SRAM lineup to get a refresh and it is a large one. After years of being comparatively unchanged, the fourth tier within the SRAM lineup brings digital and 12-speed shifting to much more folks. Till now in the event you have been on the lookout for digital shifting that meant Rival was your least costly possibility. In the meantime in the event you wished a 12-speed groupset for a gravel bike there wasn’t a mechanical possibility.  

Apex adjustments all of that by providing each 12-speed mechanical and a brand new decrease value digital possibility within the first gravel solely groupset from SRAM, by which I imply 1x solely. Clearly in the event you trip it on tarmac it’s going to nonetheless proceed to operate. Now as you browse our checklist of the finest highway bike groupsets, and the gravel bike choices included, there’s one more funds targeted consideration. Whereas Shimano lately introduced 12-speed mechanical to the get together with each a new 105 mechanical and a 12sp GRX mechanical, SRAM is providing not solely mechanical and digital shifting but in addition an official mullet construct. 

All that selection is one thing that’s going to show the market on its head. Not a lot as an aftermarket possibility however undoubtedly within the OEM market. After years of rising costs, abruptly body producers have a option to push the worth of high quality builds down. You’ll be able to anticipate to see a complete new vary of inexpensive gravel bike builds hit the market quickly with SRAM Apex on board. If you do, one of many choices you may end up contemplating is a SRAM Apex AXS mullet construct. 

A mullet construct is the widespread title given to methods with drop bar controls and a mountain bike rear cassette. That is the choice you may discover on bikes focusing on journey biking and bikepacking, and now there’s an possibility with digital shifting and a funds worth. As you ponder if it is best for you, you may need to not solely resolve if the mullet design will suit your wants but in addition if Apex AXS is best for you. Do you have to go for the additional worth of a dearer Power AXS system, or the upmarket and mechanical GRX, or is SRAM AXS the proper selection on your new body? To check it, I’ve put a Salsa Warbird collectively and caught to an HG cassette together with a SRAM Apex AXS in a mullet configuration. My guess is that this shall be a preferred OEM possibility so hold studying to see if it is the proper answer for you. 

Design and aesthetics

If you begin to have a look at a brand new groupset, it is at all times the controls that set the tone each visually and functionally. In each regards what you will discover whenever you have a look at the controls for the most recent SRAM Apex AXS system is one thing so near Rival AXS; the 2 are just about indistinguishable. Each methods omit any carbon fibre and as a substitute use a mixture of aluminium, metal, and plastic the place applicable. 

For the controls, meaning an aluminium lever and the identical chunky plastic design you’ve got seen from SRAM in different groupsets. When you like to carry the highest of the hoods, there isn’t a scarcity of house right here and the buttons proceed to be straightforward to press it doesn’t matter what gloves you may be carrying. Weight ought to be the identical as properly with the Apex AXS controls hitting my scales at 241 grams for both sides. That is with no brake elements hooked up, however the brakes are additionally functionally the identical as Rival. Each methods are lacking the bleeding Edge ports discovered on higher-level brakes however in any other case adjustments are solely beauty. There’s one main distinction although. Not solely between Rival And Apex but in addition between Apex and each different AXS groupset earlier than. 

Shimano can take credit score for the primary gravel groupset however SRAM selected to take a special path. With out wires to attach particular person elements, every part has at all times been a little bit of a buffet. Begin with the extent of controls you have been prepared to pay for then add a rear derailleur, and probably a entrance one too, a chainset, and cassette to suit your wants. When you have been constructing a gravel bike you may select a 1x bike then later resolve you wished to alter bikes, or change methods, and add the elements to make a 2x system. You would not want to alter the controls, till now. Apex is the primary gravel-only groupset that SRAM has ever made. If you wish to go to a 2x system sooner or later, you may must funds new controls as properly. 

With that in thoughts, for many who are buying within the aftermarket, I would advocate upgrading only a bit to the Rival AXS controls. When you have been to do this, there can be some small variations from a visible standpoint. Whereas Rival AXS makes use of a largely black on black and shiny design, Apex AXS as a substitute employs a liberal use of huge fields of white bearing the Apex title. There is a new look to the feel of the hood however I would name that purely visible as properly and do you have to combine and match, unlikely to be noticeable. 

As you proceed down the bike, similarities proceed. The SRAM Apex AXS crankset is sort of an actual duplicate of the Rival AXS crank. The DUB Axle stays the identical as does the cast alloy building. The chainrings use the identical 8-bolt attachment type and the 750 gram weight ought to be the identical as properly. As with Rival, that 750 grams contains the non-obligatory single leg, spindle primarily based energy meter with the identical 400 hour AAA battery system and +/- 1.5% claimed accuracy. The one actual distinction is visible because the matte Apex end does not do as properly to cover the cast texture. 

The place issues begin to actually change on this system, at the very least for me, is on the rear of the bike. The interoperability of the SRAM AXS system has at all times meant mullet methods (utilizing a mountain bike rear derailleur with drop bar controls) have been attainable. With Apex, SRAM is totally embracing the idea. Beforehand aftermarket mullet setups would have employed a GX rear derailleur on the low finish. With Apex SRAM has rebadged that product and introduced it totally into the Apex AXS system. 

Which means for all of the bikepackers and mountain bikers enjoying with drop bars you’ll be able to stay up for extra bike selections. As already talked about, you’ll have had this selection prior to now with the acquisition of extra components. Now producers can hold every part matching and there is even the choice of utilizing an HG appropriate freehub and an Eagle chain with a 12-speed AXS mullet construct. That configuration will imply an 11-50 cassette however do you have to buy a motorbike like that, you can later swap to an XDR appropriate cassette with selections of 10-50 or 10-52. Ought to your wants change at a later date you possibly can additionally swap in an Apex AXS rear derailleur and swap to a 44 tooth max cassette. You’d nonetheless have choices for HG or XDR appropriate cassettes.  

Efficiency

As I frolicked with this groupset, I wished to reply two distinct questions. Wouldn’t it work to reside with a mullet construct for on a regular basis blended floor, quick, driving and do you have to contemplate a SRAM Apex AXS bike in the event you see the proper worth?

After spending time with SRAM Apex, the reality is I actually solely wish to discuss concerning the selection of mullet or not. Apex AXS is so good that it is virtually a boring query to reply. In relation to gravel bikes I want to remain down market a bit. I would want that after I hit the deck after a prolonged slide throughout black ice that the elements underneath me are a bit extra inexpensive. On the similar time, I want digital shifting in order that on those self same rides, with heavy gloves and frozen fingers, shifting is straightforward and crisp with solely a contact of a finger. All meaning I’ve spent extra time on gravel bikes with Rival AXS than Crimson or Power. 

If that sounds prefer it strikes a notice for you as properly, the largest disadvantage to that selection is weight. At a measured weight of 3137 grams for the system you’re including a substantial quantity of weight to your bike in comparison with lighter groupsets. Nonetheless, I used to be capable of construct a motorbike with a able to trip weight of 9.3 kg with none deal with weight. I did not really feel like this setup held me again however these are the numbers you’re looking at.

Apart from weight, the remainder of my expertise with the SRAM Apex AXS mullet groupset was typically constructive. I did not have the enjoyment of testing the Overload Clutch system which disengages the motor in rear derailleur within the occasion of an influence. I did nonetheless discover the clutch was greater than succesful sufficient to regulate motion and hold the chain silent even on a quick descent throughout washboards. When it was time to sluggish on those self same descents, the brakes have been each bit pretty much as good as any of the opposite methods I’ve used from SRAM. I additionally appreciated the cage lock function which makes it simpler to take away a wheel than SRAM gravel derailleurs with out that function. The facility meter is as correct as I would anticipate from a single leg system and I proceed to like the form of the hoods, levers, and buttons.

When it comes to drawbacks to Apex AXS within the mullet configuration, I did discover the system is a bit sluggish to shift. The mixture of the large cassette, beefy derailleur, and enormous gear jumps sluggish issues a bit. There’s additionally extra noise shifting underneath energy on the backside of the cassette. If you end up pushing up or down, whereas underneath energy, close to the 11-tooth cog the shifts make noise regardless of by no means lacking a tooth or in any other case having a difficulty. On the prime of the cassette, the place the torque is decrease, it shifts as easily as my SRAM Crimson AXS highway bikes. I think if the efficiency down low is a matter you may wish to both look upmarket for the rear mech and cassette or select an XPLR system with smaller jumps.

That leaves the query of how a mullet drivetrain works for on a regular basis driving. That is the query I discovered most intriguing to reply. For most individuals, it’s a query prone to come up when observing construct choices for a motorbike just like the Specialised S-Works Diverge listed as the most effective all-arounder in our finest gravel bikes consumers information. I can say with confidence that you simply aren’t lacking a lot by selecting Apex AXS however that does not tackle the gearing. You’ve got acquired selections for XPLR or mullet builds, which goes to do every part you want?

To reply that query, I put collectively a selected trip that I felt would cowl every part I want a motorbike to do. I ran a 42 tooth entrance chainring together with the 11-50 HG appropriate cassette as I think this would be the commonest possibility from OEM. Once I was again from the trip, I ran it by the SRAM AXS internet system to assist perceive how I’d used the bike. What I discovered was that within the preliminary 13 miles / 21 km flat driving, I stayed virtually solely within the 13 tooth and 15 tooth rear cogs with solely an additional couple minutes within the bigger 15 tooth. Once I headed off highway with a mild gradient, I spent my time between the 15t and 36t with one transient take a look at of the 50t gearing as I checked out a mountain bike path. 

Though I went by every part of the trip, I’ll prevent the complete evaluation protecting seven hours of driving. As a substitute you’ll be able to already see that I am utilizing the gears in a means that is smart. On the flats I am close to the underside however not within the 11t fairly often. Low gradient uphill, I exploit the center of the cassette. Later within the trip on an extended quick descent my gear utilization appears to be like just like the flats and on the 45 minute climb after that, I favoured the highest of the cassette however by no means the 50 tooth. On an unloaded bike, that is what I wish to see. Even close to the top of the trip after I caught as much as one other rider holding a quick tempo on a brief trip, I favoured the underside of the cassette however wasn’t at all times within the 11 tooth. When you generally have a necessity for severe gear vary, I would not fear about selecting a mullet construct. The one time you may must suppose exhausting is for these on the lookout for a quiver killer bike. XPLR will higher deal with conditions the place you turn to highway wheels and tyres. For many who plan to stay with gravel tyres, even in the event you additionally do some quick driving on flat surfaces, my time trying by rides on SRAM AXS Net says a mullet construct is a workable possibility.

Verdict

SRAM Apex AXS is obtainable as an aftermarket buy. For people who want to purchase a body and construct up a motorbike, or maybe refurbish a motorbike you’re keen on, it will likely be an possibility to avoid wasting just a little cash in comparison with Rival. In that scenario there’s virtually no distinction between Rival AXS and Apex AXS however selecting Apex controls add to the worth in the event you ever desire a 2x system. Efficiency will not differ so this shall be a worth choice. 

For most individuals although, the choice between Apex AXS in a mullet construct, Apex AXS XPLR, dearer SRAM groupsets, or Shimano GRX goes to return the following time you purchase a brand new bike. As you contemplate these choices the very first thing to consider is in case you are on the lookout for mechanical or digital shifting. If it is mechanical you need then GRX would be the lighter dearer possibility. For these contemplating digital although, you now have a 12-speed funds possibility and SRAM Apex AXS is sensible for the worth. 

If you’re making an attempt to resolve between Apex AXS and Apex AXS in a mullet construct, I would not deal with the gearing. If you’re even contemplating it, and it’s a gravel-first bike, the possibilities are the gearing will give you the results you want. Even in the event you spend time along with your gravel bike driving on flat roads, there’s workable gears. What you may wish to contemplate is that the mullet gearing will imply just a little extra weight for an already heavy groupset and barely slower shifting with extra noise. When you by no means see your self bikepacking then you will get plenty of vary out of the XPLR groupset and shifting ought to be a bit smoother. 

Personally, I want digital shifting even when it is heavier and I really like big climbing gears. I additionally are likely to hold 40mm tyres on my gravel bikes. I would in all probability transfer a 10-50 XDR cassette however I definitely would not go up a SRAM Apex AXS mullet bike.