New SRAM Red XPLR 13spd Changes Everything!

My First Ride experience with SRAM's brand new Red XPLR 13-speed gravel bike groupset in an amazing ride across Austria and Germany, but does the new tech live up to the expectations of gravel rider? Stay tuned for a full review on local trails soon.

This video is not sponsored by SRAM

Content
00:00 Intro
00:47 Main details
1:34 Why 13 speed?
3:13 Big obvious downside
3:33 Easier installation and servicing
4:09 Riding XPLR across Austria and Germany
12:04 First Ride Impressions - is it any good?
15:35 Summary

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[TheRidewithBenDelaney]

Your dialogue in the fields looks a whole lot better than mine in my garage... Dang it. Fun times riding with you out there.

[SoManyMiles]

Amazing groupset and multi-day test ride! Finally, UDH is showing its full potential. I hope for Force and Rival 13-speed in the near future.

I have been in Karwendel last week too. Such an amazing place. Sadly, I broke my hand riding down from Karwendelhaus.

Stay healthy everyone and enjoy the sweet ride! 🤙🏻

[ianfurqueron]

Looks interesting. A few weeks ago I saw an IG post by a custom frame maker and the client requested a UDH hanger for his road bike in an attempt to "future-proof" it as he felt it was only a matter of time before Transmission made its way to the road world. Looks like he isn't wrong.

[wesleygcoleman]

Very excited for 12-speed groupsets to get cheaper

[croccofanto]

i love the cheeky banter between you and Ben, that's rely fun.

[swazi]

Looks like an incredible ride... Austrian alps are on the bucket list. I think the new xplr group tech is awesome but i run GX cassette derailleur on my gravel bike because it allows for a bigger chain ring than the standard 40-42T

[neil]

I'll be excited when this trickles down to Force and Rival.

I'm a 2x kinda guy but the closer spacing of 13s to make mixed road riding more enjoyable finally seems to bridge that gap for me. I've always liked the simplicity of a 1x but hated the cadence problems when getting the range needed.

[kippen]

You have one of the best jobs in the world.

[charlesblithfield]

It’s a wonder that such a RD to frame interface wasn’t developed earlier. Maybe it will become industry standard. You’re a lucky fellow David to have such a job!

[Olmekc]

Nice information. I'm actually building a Frankenstein 11 speed. GRX crank, chainring, and rear derailleur with a SRAM 11spd 10-42 cassette. I don't have mountains by me, just some hills so I think I'll be fine.

[howlinhauler]

Came for the groupset, stayed for the group ride. cheers

[Allride_]

You were at Tegernsee lake not lake Constance (Bodensee). Big difference in both location and size and probably some other metrics too. I ran my first marathon by running two laps around the lake. If i did the same around lake Constance it would've been 520km 😂😂😂😂

[jonathan]

A 13-speed cassette makes great sense for a 1x. Stand by for grousing by the cycling Luddites, though.

[joekipper]

What an amazing video! Loved the views

[VYBEKAT]

Not enough gears.
I'm waiting for 15 speed.

[ChrisMillerCycling]

How fast is it around Centennial Park?

[npdf]

Impressive be interesting the watch a future comparison to Ekar 😊 wow the views were amazing David.. Pete 🚴🏻👍

[batbawls]

0:08 I can tell from the opening that David looks very excited about the new groupset. 👀👀👀

[ZenGarage]

I got to check it out under embargo and have to say the size of the rear derailleur is absolutely ridiculous. It's so big you'd think it was designed for an e-bike!

[davidtydeman]

I thought the purpose of the derailleur hanger was that it was designed to be the weak sacrificial part that bent or broke in a crash and was easy and cheap to replace. Now we will break an expensive derailleur or frame mount. Am I missing something???