Just six short weeks ago, we reported on the launch of SRAM’s long-awaited Mechanical Transmission mountain bike drivetrains, Eagle 90 and Eagle 70. For many, especially those who have lamented the proliferation of electronics in cycling, this was a welcome new product launch.
But maybe you are among those who just can’t live without batteries on your bike?
Upgrade your mechanical SRAM Transmission to AXS wireless
The warm reception to Mechanical Transmission reminded us that mechanical shifting is far from dead. But SRAM, the global leader in putting a battery on it, wants you to have the option to convert your new Mechanical Transmission to wireless, too. That’s right, the new SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission Upgrade Kit can turn your cable-actuated Eagle 90 or Eagle 70 derailleurs into wireless GX Transmission derailleurs for just $550 / 650€ and a quick home swap.
You may recall, one of the talking points when SRAM launched its Transmission drivetrains was that they were rebuildable. And the parts were interchangeable. So since all the T-Type derailleurs share the same general design, SRAM didn’t even need to design anything new, just pull a few spare parts off the shelf…
The new AXS Transmission upgrade kit includes the GX AXS-enabled derailleur body (without a cage), an AXS battery & its charger, an AXS Pod Controller, and even a new chain link. The kit uses your existing derailleur’s tool-free quick spin-off cage and reverse-threaded mounting bolt, along with your current flattop chain, chainring, cranks, etc. While we haven’t done it (why would we want to?), swapping out the derailleur bodies is straightforward. According to SRAM, “just disassemble, upgrade, reassemble.”
Yes, that sounds a bit oversimplified, but it doesn’t seem particularly difficult, either. Bear in mind that this will also involve removing/reinstalling the chain, removing the mechanical shift cable/housing, and swapping out the shifter for the AXS Pod. All of those steps are fairly easy to complete on one’s own with a little mechanical know-how and the right tools, too.
SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission Upgrade Kit
For the battery-averse among us, SRAM’s Mechanical Transmission drivetrains were a refreshing reminder that cables have and continue to work well and not everything needs to be wireless. Cory has spent a fair amount of time riding Eagle 90 and describes it as “the exact mountain bike group [he] was waiting for.” I’ve been riding with it for the past few weeks as well, and I’ve been very impressed. It works great, and you don’t have to remember to charge any batteries.
But if you have wireless AXS FOMO, SRAM now has you covered.
What Problem Does This Solve?
So, this got me (us) wondering, does anyone actually want this?
While I doubt these conversion kits will be flying off the shelves, I can see some riders ponying up for the upgrade. Say, for example, you bought the new Kona Hei Hei CR that Steve has been testing. That bike currently only comes in one complete build, and Mechanical Eagle 90 is the only drivetrain option. If you wanted a wireless drivetrain, you could buy this $550 conversion kit and be good to go with just a few minutes of drivetrain swap.
If you were to buy the parts individually, the derailleur will set you back $400 (with a cage), the AXS Pod Controller sells for $150, the AXS Battery is $59, the AXS Battery Charger goes for $49, and the PowerLock link is another $18. That’s a total of $676, a cool $126 more than the upgrade kit. So, assuming you already have an Eagle 90 or Eagle 70 drivetrain and you want to convert it to wireless, then you could save a little money with this kit. That’s not a ton of money, but it’s almost enough to buy a new set of tires.
(Although, those savings might not really add up. You might just as easily find some more affordable AXS deals out there. Or prefer the older, cheaper AXS shifter. Or not need another charger if you already have some AXS components. Plus, realistically, some creative mechanical work and you could install a separate GX AXS T-type derailleur in place of a Mechanical Eagle 70/90 one without splitting the chain, and still end up with a spare derailleur cage in the process.)
More SRAM AXS Upgrade options is always better
I think it’s cool that riders have the option to upgrade to wireless. But this is undoubtedly a pretty niche market – limited only to those who just bought a bike with one of these new Eagle 70 or 90 groupsets, but have electronic buyer’s remorse. (Plus, SRAM already had/have a simpler $568/595€ AXS upgrade kit to go from original Eagle to non-T-type AXS, where you didn’t have to swap cages and could upgrade a lot more existing setups already out on the trail.)
I’d argue that a wireless to mechanical downgrade kit could be as much or even more popular. And it wouldn’t be hard for SRAM to put together since all of the parts already exist.
What do you think? Would anyone want to convert their GX AXS Transmission or S1000 AXS setup to Eagle 90? Let us know in the comments below.
