Home > AASQ

AASQ Callout Reminder: Confused about ideal gravel bike gearing? SRAM is here to help

33 Comments
Support us! Bikerumor may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Quick reminder that SRAM is on tap for this week’s AASQ! It’s time to get in your questions now, and we’ll be back with the answers at the end of the week. 

One of the fastest growing segments of the bike market in terms of sales, there’s no question that gravel bikes are hot. Offering a way to combine the fitness aspects of road bikes with the adventurous nature of mountain bikes, gravel bikes often hit the sweet spot between efficiency and capability. But just like with any other new-ish cycling discipline, new territory can mean new questions in terms of equipment – like gearing.

Of course, riding bikes on gravel is nothing new. Riders have been doing just that for centuries. The difference is that now there are bicycles specifically made for the task, which should make things more enjoyable. But even within the gravel segment, there are different approaches. Are you looking for a bike that is more capable, even if that means it’s a bit slower? Or are you looking for a bike to set your PR on the next 200 mile gravel race? Depending on your goals, those could be two very different bikes.

sram force axs 43-30 wide range gravel bike group complete technical details and specs

Which brings us to our next AASQ installment. After recently announcing their Force AXS wide range gearing option, SRAM has a number of gearing options for gravel – both eTap and standard. So, if you have questions about how to set up your next gravel drivetrain, which components play nice with other, or just general gearing questions as they relate to gravel, this is your chance. As usual, we’ll round up the best questions and send them over to SRAM for the answers and we’ll report back next week!

sram.com

Click here to use the AASQ form to submit questions for SRAM!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

33 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Eric
Eric
3 years ago

Will we see Force AXS or GX Eagle AXS?

Paul S.
Paul S.
3 years ago

I have a single dropbar bike for Road, Gravel, and Cyclocross. I am not ready to lose my 2x gearing for road and most gravel, but I appreciate a 1x setup for some gravel and cyclocross. Is there a good option for me to run 2x most of the time, and swap to 1x with a spider/chain swap and removing the FD? Extra points if it doesn’t require a rear derailleur swap.

Andrew
Andrew
3 years ago
Reply to  Paul S.

This is exactly what I do on my Super-X…. I have a Sram AXS 2x Setup that I run for the SPring/Summer for Road and Gravel Riding, then just swap to a 1x for the fall for CX season! Perfect!

Mayhem
Mayhem
3 years ago

Have you abandoned further development of mechanical road/cross/gravel/dropbar groupsets?

Bob
Bob
3 years ago
Reply to  Mayhem

I must know the answer to this. It’d also be great if there was a cable stop built into the front der (like Shimano) as many frames are designed for full cable housing.

Kyle
Kyle
3 years ago

Is SRAM going to offer AXS cassettes in intermediate ranges (high 30s-mid 40s) for those looking to optimize gear steps and ratios for flatter terrain?

headstart71
3 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

Ye, this is needed

Guy
Guy
3 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

This is the only question when it comes to SRAM gravel gearing.

Tiaho
Tiaho
3 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

Something like 10-40 in 12speed is really needed for force!!!

Ethan
Ethan
3 years ago
Reply to  Kyle

E.Thirteen 9-46 with an Eagle derailleur!

Thor29
Thor29
3 years ago

I think there is a fairly large demand for a mechanical road 1x system that uses 12 speed mountain cassettes. Such a setup would allow a low enough gear for loaded touring or super steep off road climbs without giving up too much top end. So when is it gonna happen? Make a version that works with mechanical disc brakes and I will buy it. (No electronics or hydraulics for me).

Caesar
Caesar
3 years ago
Reply to  Thor29

Literally any serious road cyclist that do not ride on a pancake-like area. Hated the 1x groups, the experience SRAM and 3t forced into their pro team has been an absolute disaster.
For recreational rider or super flat area yes

2TurnersNotEnough
2TurnersNotEnough
3 years ago

As a numbers geek, I like having my Quarq power meter. What are my options to get sufficiently low gearing for gravel riding on a 2x drivetrain, while being able to run a crank-based power meter?

Seb
Seb
3 years ago

I’m a 1x fanboy and on 11s the 420% range 10-42 cassette hit the sweet spot for many but there is no similar option for 12s. No I don’t want to use a front derailleur and I don’t need the range of the Eagle cassette but would rather have the 420% with smaller jumps between the gears. Are you planning to fill this gap?

Patrick
Patrick
3 years ago
Reply to  Seb

I have seen a couple AXS builds with the Shimano 10-45 cassette. That’s probably what I would do with my next build. There’s certainly a bit of a hole between SRAM’s 10-36 and 10-50 (but a 10-36 still covers a lot of range on it’s own).

fabiano
fabiano
3 years ago

hypothetically, when sram goes to 13 speed, the drivetrain can be reprogramably for that or we need to buy a new groupset upgrade?

candle39road
3 years ago

Force AXS has been available.

Pete
Pete
3 years ago

When are the 14-speed cassettes dropping?

Andrew
Andrew
3 years ago

This is exactly what I do on my Super-X…. I have a Sram AXS 2x Setup that I run for the SPring/Summer for Road and Gravel Riding, then just swap to a 1x for the fall for CX season! Perfect!

Guy
Guy
3 years ago
Reply to  Andrew

What crankset are you using to swap between 2x and 1x? Or do you have two separate cranksets?

Andrew
Andrew
3 years ago
Reply to  Guy

Sadly, 2 separate cranksets due to the silly PF30-83 BB. I have a Sram Red AXS Dub (Regular axle length) for 1x and a Force AXS Dub-Ai Crankset for 2x.

Seb
Seb
3 years ago
Reply to  Andrew

How do you fit the regular axle to the Ai offset Cannondale shell? Doesn’t it require a longer spindle than the regular DUB one?

dking1525
3 years ago

12t cassettes:
10-50t;10,12,14,16,18,21,24,28,32,36,42,50 SRAM XG-1299 Eagle
10-42t;10,11,12,14,16,18,21,24,28,32,36,42 SRAM Why does this not exist?
10-33t;10,11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,28,33 SRAM RED XG-1290

John
John
3 years ago
Reply to  dking1525

Checkout Shimano’s XT 12-speed 10-45T cassette. SRAM can’t be bothered.

Erik
Erik
3 years ago

There is already a Force AXS.

Guy
Guy
3 years ago

Do you have different cranksets for 1x and 2x or are you able to use the same with either a different spider or an offset single ring?

kevin hoard
kevin hoard
3 years ago

Force AXS has been out since March 2019

SebThorman
SebThorman
3 years ago

Hey Sram,
Not really a specific gearing question, but up the same alley.
I have 1 do it all bike the I am very pleased with. I swap wheels between all out road and gravel and have different cassettes on the two wheels but keep the same 46 tooth frontring.
The gravel cassette have a largest cog of 36 teeth while the road cassette tops out at 28 teeth.
Can I run the same (length) chain on both wheelsets and if so how do I find a good compromise between the two optimal lengths for each given cassette?
What are the downsides to this?
Also generally what downsides are there to using a long cage rear derailleur with a small cassette.

Thanks
Sebastian

Heffe
Heffe
3 years ago

One more for definitely getting an answer to this question: Have you abandoned further development of mechanical road/cross/gravel/dropbar groupsets?

paochow
3 years ago

Echoing the others questions about mechanical 12sp. When are you going to release a 1×12 mechanical Road group? You are missing out on a large group of bikepackers who are either hacking 11 and 12 speed groups or going with other alternatives altogether. The electronic AXS may work well for day or short distance riders, but those taking their bikes on long trips out to the middle of nowhere aren’t interested in carrying a bunch of batteries or having another mouth to feed with their charging systems. Thanks!

Mike
Mike
3 years ago

“Is SRAM going to offer AXS cassettes in intermediate ranges” – exactly my question:
Currently there’s a huge jump between Force/Red 12s cassettes (max 33t) and Eagle cassettes (min. 50t). One is not enough for off-road gravel full of hills, the other is too much. Will we see 12s 10-42 and 10-46 cassettes?

What about mechanical 12s groupsets (not only Force/Red, but also Rival and Apex)?

Justin
Justin
3 years ago

Don’t forget the 10-36 cassette

binx
binx
3 years ago

Shimano 10-45 cog spacing is different from Axs cassettes. Rotor makes an 11-39 and 11-46.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox.