Every year, people at the show ask us ‘what’s the coolest thing you’ve seen at the show?’ Usually, it can be pretty tough to recall one specific thing, but this year it was pretty easy. Madrone Cycles is a brand new company out of Ashland, Oregon founded by Aaron Bland. A mechanical engineer by trade, Aaron introduced us to the world of Madrone Cycles which is starting with replacement SRAM derailleur parts, tools to rebuild them, and even a prototype rear derailleur of their own design!
Essentially, Madrone Cycles will now offer most of the replacement parts you would need to rebuild either a SRAM AXS Eagle or SRAM Eagle mechanical rear derailleur. That includes pins, bushings, snap rings, links, cages, and even derailleur pulleys. In addition to just offering the replacement parts, Madrone claims that the parts are more robust than the stock components which should increase the durability of the derailleur after the rebuild.
We have no way to validate Madrone’s claims, but based on how beefy their links look compared to the stock SRAM links on this broken AXS GX derailleur, we’re inclined to believe them.
That same design philosophy applies to their replacement cage and pulleys as well. The cage is made with thicker aluminum along the front where it would impact sticks and rocks, and the pulleys are solid to prevent any small sticks from getting stuck inside. Once reassembled, you should have a derailleur with better functionality that also keeps the main unit out of the landfill. Madrone gave us a demo of the repair process at the show with one of the most beat up SRAM AXS derailleurs I’ve ever seen, and the result was pretty amazing.
Offering the replacement parts is one thing, but without specialty tools, rebuilding a derailleur is not an easy task. Even with special tools it can be a challenge, but Madrone is offering a line of 3D printed tools to make it as easy as possible. The job requires the snap ring tool and spring tool which are included with the kit, but it’s also recommended that you purchase the pin press tool. Without it, you’ll need some kind of arbor press or specialty pin press tool, but Madrone offers it with the full link kit for only $25 more so it seems like a smart move. That puts the price of AXS link kit at $110 without the tool, or $135 with. The Mechanical Eagle link kit is slightly less at $95 without the tool. Alternatively, you can buy the tool alone for $45.
The cage will run $79, while the pulley kit is $63, but they can be bought together for $128. You can also just get a replacement pin set for $25. Madrone has found that often just the derailleur pins can be bent in a crash which can result in shifting that is slightly off, so it can be a good place to start.
Update: Since we saw Madrone at Sea Otter, the company has updated their tool to remove the derailleur pins. The original clamp tool worked, but pins that were badly bent made it a challenge to remove. Instead, Aaron went back to the 3D printer and created these pin punch tools. The tool acts as a jig and a punch guide to make it possible to remove any derailleur pin with plenty of force. Meant for a 5/32″ punch (not included), the tools will now be included with the link kits – giving you everything you need right out of the box.
What about SRAM?
We asked if Aaron had worked with SRAM on any of the parts or had any discussions with the brand, and so far the answer is no. Aaron mentioned that he would love to meet with SRAM and get their impressions of the parts but the brand is not affiliated with SRAM in any way.
Prototype Derailleur Too?
One thing Aaron made clear was that replacement SRAM derailleur parts and tools were not the main focus of the brand. Proof of that was the prototype rear derailleur they had in the booth. The green derailleur is their own design and has a cam on the bottom of it that allows it to be used with both SRAM and Shimano shifters. It’s still very much in prototype stage, but was polished enough to show. They plan for the derailleur to be fully user-serviceable, and it will have a clutch – though probably not hydraulic.
