Are wireless bike parts ACTUALLY worth it? (GX AXS Review)

The SRAM GX AXS review. Cool idea, but NOT worth it in Ryan's opinion. Here's why...

Want our full photo/video course? Sign up for the $5 Patreon level and up to get it for free, forever!

Our Sponsors:

If you want to use the same rad gear we do *and* support the channel, use the affiliate links below:

Use code LOAMRANGER to save $200 on any purchase.

Where we find music for all of our videos:

Our main action camera:

Our other action camera:

Our main action camera gimbal:

Our other action camera gimbal:

Our “big" camera:

Our on-camera microphone:

The best memory cards ever:

Our fancy motorized camera slider:

To find a curated list of our favorite video and photo gear:

Cheers!
#theloamranger #mtb

Electric wave for thumbnail was pulled from:

[trnge]

I clicked this purely because of the absolute lack of clickbait in the thumbnail. Providing the answer in the thumbnail, mad respect.

[flyingclint]

I’m the opposite. I love mine! It’s fast, it’s easy to setup, it’s smooth shifting, way better to adjust on the fly… so many great things about it!

[Calgaryguy]

Really enjoy the honest, no bull, reviews. It's nice to hear from a rider that you don't need the latest, most expensive, toy to ride and have fun. I'm looking forward to your next video!

[sweetgee]

I couldn’t agree less. I upgraded to the GX AXS first on my own bike and now have it on two more in the family. I can agree that the shifter takes some time getting used to, but when it shifts perfectly every time you don’t need the feedback. Getting rid of wires that stretch or don’t run smoothly has made me spend way less time on tuning my gears, now I set it up once and it works perfectly both with SRAM and Shimano cassette, so there is really no need for micro adjust on every gear, that would just complicate things. The micro adjust also works very well with the shifter, just push pairing button and shift in direction you need to adjust, very precise and quick. I also find it one of the most robust gears I have ever tried, I have bashed it into rocks a couple of times and it’s full of scratches, but after aligning the hanger again it still shifts perfectly. As for the app, unless you are 80 years old that is really not an issue 😉 In Europe I get this for about half of what you are saying, so it is really not that expensive looking at all the other stuff we bikers spend money on. So I would argue that your review is terribly biased by personal preferences, this is a really god product for those who like hassle free gearing every day and a clean setup, it just takes a few rides to get used to.

[quinlanprice]

AXS changed my life, shifting underload is great, microadjust, easy install, so durable, and no cockpit clutter! Love mine

[ClintGibbs]

I had electronic shifting on a cyclocross race bike. My experience with similar to yours. One morning I was about to head out to an event and the battery was dead, as in it would not charge. Shimano replaced it, but no bike event that day. I find mechanical shifting more reliable.

[DanielDyla]

I would add one more positive aspect: cleaning. I take my chain off and remove the derailleur and wash it in the sink. When I’m done I bolt it back on and there’s no fiddling with setting a cable and indexing. It picks up right where it left off.

[DonnyRosko]

I think this is a fair review, but I have the almost opposite experience. I have found the clutch to be stronger than my mechanical GX setup. I ride in pretty rocky AZ terrain. The fact that the mech will move out of the way when hit and move back is also a feature that I've unfortunately used. The cost is an issue, but not having to worry about cable tension and replacing the cable after a season is worth it to me, but maybe I'm rich ;) . I'm a big guy, I run DH casing tires on my enduro rig, I'm not worried about the weight. I've been running the GX AXS for just over a year on my two main bikes and I have to say I never worry about it. The charge last so long and only once have I ran out of battery or forgot the battery, but I've also driven to the trailhead without my helmet before so maybe that is me lol. Anyways, I always recommend the AXS to everyone, I love it and just added one to my wife's bike. To each their own and whatever gear gets you on teh trail and having fun is the right gear!

[chrisfair]

As a person who had an issue where the hang point was slightly bent once and two different shops adjusted and verified the hang point was as close to perfect as they could get... but no derailleurs I bought would stay aligned for more than 2 rides no matter the break in period. I finally realized I had spent almost $450 on progressively "better" derailleurs with no change in longevity and said oh well and threw down the money for the AXS system. Never have had to make an adjustment since and only had the battery die on me once because I did not charge it for 3 weeks. I find it to be the second best upgrade I have ever done after a dropper post (which was much cheaper).

[paradox]

I have been running AXS since it came out and have it on 3 different bikes, and I can honestly say the shifting is slightly better than mechanical when it's brand new with a fresh cable and easy pedaling, where AXS really shines ahead is over time and under load. Over time, it stays the same and the shift quality doesn't degrade like mechanical, where depending on your bike and its routing you have to go through the not big deal, to complete nightmare of replacing the cable and housing. I will also say that I have seen some issues with AXS shifting quality and non SRAM cassettes so that ethirteen cassette may be some issue. Also, the cost argument is a bit hard to accept with a set of $500 5Dev cranks on the bike. They are fantastic, and I have a set on my bike, but if we are talking bang for the buck, cranks are probably the worst place to spend your money.

[jinavl]

@the loam ranger..every time i hit jumps im saying in my head.."stand up to the jump, stand up to the jump"" lmao..thanks ..but the advice is fantastic

[krgau]

I’ve had the GX AXS for 12 months now on the Fuel EX8. The system has worked flawlessly and the micro adjustment feature is really handy when out on the trail. My experience is very positive with the upgrade.

[benwithrow]

My AXS X01 is the best shifting experience I've had. Great, consistent, shifts over time and with dirtier chains. I don't think using a non-SRAM Eagle cassette is the right way to review the system. My take is that a well adjusted cable derailleur and the AXS equivalent shift about the same for a couple of rides, but then the cable setup's shift quality just starts to degrade until you are forced to tweak it. The AXS version is just perfect until you wreck and bend the derailleur bracket. I also doubt there is much of an overall weight penalty, once the shifter and cable are accounted for. That being said, if you have to really cut corners somewhere else to afford, go cable (XO1). If you can upgrade to AXS with just a little extra penny pinching, I think you should do it, but plan on buying an extra battery just to be safe.

Ranger, keep making great videos. I really enjoy them. Your how-to's provide a nice, new perspective. I really enjoyed the cornering and jumping videos. You should try and review the ShockWiz shock/fork setup tool. That thing has been super helpful for me, but I don't see much mention of it online. I think most average riders would really benefit from it.

[dayinnymtb]

Since having surgery for carpal tunnel my thumb has been really having problems with a traditional shifter and it is extremely painful after a ride. The electronic shifter gives me no issues so I am totally grateful for having wireless on my new bike.

[LikeAStickOfDynamite]

I've been running a GX AXS on my Spectal 29 CF9. It was specd on the bike, I didn't think much of it, nor was it the selling point of the bike for me - but simply put its a *really* nice to have. I like not having to worry about cable tension, the shifts are very smooth and I like only having to press a button as opposed to pushing through the shifter. If you have the cash, you'll love it. If you don't have the cash, you don't need it!

[superawesomefuntimego]

Been running the AXS on my Wreckoning for the last 9 months. Love it. Super precise shifting all day, every day. Battery lasts a long time (Never ran out on a ride). So easy to set up for super fast multi gear shifts and no messing with a cable when they stretch or get jacked in a wreck. I also run XT on my Spectral and X01 before it. Standard shifting with those two is still excellent, just not quite as good as my experience with AXS. But after everything is said and done, the price increase from even GX AXS to a standard XT or even GX setup....is it worth it? For a majority of people I'd agree that answer is a no as $600 is a LOT and buys several XT Derailleur's.

[gianfrancocervera]

I thought that the weak clutch was a problem in my unit but I see that it is "normal". I agree that u can spend that money on other parts or lessons but it's cool though. I use mine with an NX cassette that comes with my status 2022 and it runs smoothly and really love it.

[ChinoZ]

I bought my dream bike a couple of years ago thinking the high end derailleur would be super smooth as most reviews had claimed. Unfortunately this was short-lived and suddenly my rides which I thought would be enjoyable, became more frustrating due to regular cable tension issues which required me to adust the barrel adjusters every three or so laps (approximately 20km of riding). I endured this for a year and a half with time and effort troubleshooting (which I'm thankful for as it taught me some maintenance skills) as well as have had three different LBS try and resolve the issue. I lost some motivation to ride as I did not look forward to having to muck around with my rear derailleur. every time I took my bike out. My dream bike at that. Finally, I purchased a SRAM AXS X01 and the difference is night and day. 200% worth it. If you can afford it, yes, go for it. One less moving part that requires replacing, consistent shifting EACH AND EVERY TIME, and a cleaner cockpit. Having an en enjoyable ride each and every time, where I worry less about stretching cables, and spend time having fun outdoors and appreciating being out in nature, is worth it. Note: I am using a SRAM X01 AXS with a Shimano XT 12sp cassette. Works beautifully and shifts consistently each and every time.

[JasonTankard]

The axs derailleur has another great function you missed, and that is bash protection. If you hit it, it actually MOVES and then moves back. Protecting itself. Less likely to damage it or bend/break a hanger.

[unclerick]

I got the GX AXS upgrade kit a month ago as a 40th birthday present. I love it. When my freehub grenaded on my bike, I switched my wheel from my other bike that had an I9 Hydra hub paired with Shimano cassette. Oddly enough, It worked better than with my GX cassette.