SRAM Goes Full Gravel with RED XPLR 13 Speed Groupset 

After SRAM chummed the water with some not-so-secret spy shots of the unreleased 13-speed SRAM RED XPLR groupset, most of the gravel world sat waiting, cash in hand. Well, it’s finally out, with details and some bonus products that will make your head spin — so let’s get to it!  

What is SRAM RED XPLR? 

The latest release follows the new SRAM RED groupset. The updated group improves many small details but dramatically improves braking and lever feel. SRAM decided to make this jump while everything fell into place. The SRAM Transmission mountain bike group used the UDH to create a bombproof rear derailleur, and the existing XLPR line drifted into gravel territory. 

A proper mixture of mountain and road from the SRAM groupset universe formed.  So why not? 

Why 13 Speeds? 

The first question that comes to mind with “new or more gears” is, “is this a new standard?” However, the new RED XPLR group set uses the same XDR driver body as the 12-speed group sets and the same chain, so there is no new standard. 

How? The unique cassette angles over the spokes and doesn’t take up any more space on the cassette body.

New Chain? Sort of—but no. This is the same flattop 12-speed chain you’ll find on the new SRAM RED but with some extra bling.

SRAM RED XPLR Derailleur 

If you’re familiar with the SRAM Transmission mountain bike groupset, the new RED XPLR derailleur won’t surprise you. However, there are some very cool gravel—and drop bar-specific additions. 

What’s the “same”? There is a lot of carry over from the Transmission world including the same AXS batteries, the same Magic wheel (genius), zero limit screws, and of course, a UDH mount. Maintenance, installation, and troubleshooting are precisely the same as the transmission line, and the same goes for chain sizing using the SRAM chain length calculator. 

How about interchangeable parts with Transmission? The pulley set from the Transmission derailleurs and the GX Transmission rear derailleur battery latch are interchangeable with the RED XPLR AXS rear derailleur. SRAM states that these are the only parts of the derailleurs that can be used interchangeably. 

The XPLR line is specific to the length of the cage and some bits to lighten up the derailleur to be worthy of the SRAM RED naming convention. The entire derailleur is rebuildable, and parts are all replaceable except for the front, where “RED” is engraved. 

The new design will only work with the SRAM 10-46T XPLR 13-speed cassette and road Flattop chains. 

SRAM XPLR Cassette

The cassette is the most excellent stand-alone piece of the SRAM RED XPLR groupset. It reminds me of the first power-dome RED cassettes, which were a work of art and loud, haha. 

The XPLR cassette, however, draws on years of product knowledge and delivers a good look and functional design. The cassette mimics the Transmission design with a block of road/gravel gears. 

It offers a 460% range, and if paired with the right front ring, you should be able to climb anything. Like the transmission groupset, the cassette shifts the best under load and force. Something that is usually a no-no, given the torque produced in the lower gears. This (like Transmission) makes the groupset a real option for e-bike and e-gravel riders, shifting under load constantly. 

The gearing jumps are tight for the four highest gears, then skip a tooth for the next three, and get further spaced out as you travel up the cassette. 

SRAM XPLR cassette tooth count: 10,11,12,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,38 and finally 46T

SRAM XPLR Crankset and Powermeter 

Unlike Shimano, SRAM went all-in with power and redesigned chainrings for their RED XPLR crankset. Like the transmission mountain bike crankset, the crankset uses a thread-on chainring available in many gravel-specific sizes (38T-46T). 

For those looking to harness the power, the new SRAM RED XPLR crankset with power boasts dual side power capture, 200 hours of battery life with a replaceable coin cell battery, and IPX7 waterproof protection. Perfect for those creek crossings; don’t stay under water longer than 30 minutes. 

The crankset itself is a SRAM RED design (the same as the latest release), available with or without a power meter. Those not power-hungry can opt for the direct-mount single chainrings, available in the exact 38T-46T sizing. 

SRAM RED XPLR Shifters / Brakes 

Some items, including the shifters and brakes, are carried over from the SRAM RED launch. Yes, the shifters now go up to 13 points on the cassette, but the brake lever and caliper are the same. 

It seems like more cross-over. What’s backward compatible? The SRAM RED XPLR AXS will work with prior generations. It is also compatible with all AXS controls, all road Flattop chains, and all wide 1x crank arms. However, because the 13-speed Full Mount rear derailleur is optimized to work with the RED XPLR XG-1391 cassette, those drivetrain parts are not backward compatible. 

I wanted to touch on the shifter and brake setup quickly. The design is more than refined; it is a complete overhaul. The lever pull has an ease I’ve never felt in SRAM road brakes. The caliper body looks more like a CNC machined one-off than a forged or cast production piece.

I didn’t cover the RED road launch, so this was new to me when I experienced it with the RED XLPR gear – this was a serious brake performance update. 

SRAM RED XPLR Pricing

• XPLR Rear Derailleur:USD: $700.00, EUR: €630.00, GBP: £540.00
• Red E1 Flattop Chain: USD: $99.00, EUR: €89.00, GBP: £76.00
• Red XPLR Cassette: USD: $600.00, EUR: €585.00, GBP: £500.00
• Red XPLR Crankset (non-power): USD: $650.00 (chainring included), EUR: €585.00, GBP: £500.00
• Red XPLR Crankset Power (chainring included):, USD: $1,100.00, EUR: €990.00, GBP: £850.00
• Separate Chainrings:USD: $150.00, EUR: €135.00, GBP: £115.00
• Paceline X Rotor: USD: $70.00, EUR: €63.00, GBP: £54.00
• SRAM RED Shifter/Brake lever: USD: $675.00, EUR: €608.00, GBP: £520.00

SRAM RED XPLR Weights 

• SRAM XPLR Derailleur: 375g
• SRAM XPLR cassette: 289g
• SRAM XPLR Rotor: 132g (no lock ring)
• SRAM Dub BB T47: 87g
• SRAM RED Chain: 250g
• SRAM XPLR Crankset 40T Power: 514g
• SRAM RED Brake/Shift Lever (with hose and caliper): 370g

First Impressions: SRAM RED XPLR Review

I was pumped when SRAM let the cat out of the bag. They were making a gravel-specific groupset. I knew the new groupset had better braking performance, and they are dedicated to the 1x drive train; it could be fantastic. 

Spyshots revealed a lovely mix of the Transmission mountain bike design and the new iteration of RED… but with an extra gear. After learning the new groupset required no new standard or chain, I was extra curious. 

Install and Build

When the groupset arrived, I followed the SRAM instructions to the “T” and was pleasantly surprised to have an uneventful time with the assembly. Most review bikes come fully assembled, and we dial them in, but rarely do I build a frame from the bottom up, especially with new gear. But the instructions were spot on, the brakes were very easy to set up/bleed, and the chain sizing was foolproof. I used the new Park Tool 13 spd chain tool, and though the chain is still a “12-speed” design, it worked excellently. 

The RED XPLR uses the same setup as Transmission MTB; the setup cog is highlighted with an orange band (the grey ones are to deaden the sound of the cassette). You size the chain with the rear derailleur in setup mode (a click between fully open and engaged to ride). Pull the body tight so the chain is engaged, and tighten the UDH fixing bolt to torque, allowing the two lines on the hanger to meet up. 

Ride Ready

After the installation, I was eager to get on the road, so I slapped on some wheels (the Zipp 303 XPLR wheels were still in the mail). The first thing I noticed was the braking performance. I’ve ridden the previous RED groupset for a while. Every iteration gets slightly better from the first RED hydro brake, but not “wow” better.

This version is WOW better and perfectly fits the style of gravel riding.  One-finger braking is easy, and the lever feels smooth and fluid. The lever body melts in your hand and allows for a full hand on the lever. Plus – there is a bonus button, one that’s easily programable and tactile.

Shifting Speed

The shifting is quicker than the Transmission MTB (or it feels that way) and very smooth. The cassette jumps, and a 40T front ring seem spot-on for my riding style. The higher end of the cluster is tightly spaced and allows for a cadence dial-in and metered effort. As you travel up the cassette, the jumps are more significant until you reach the “save me” 46T cog. 

Like the Transmission MTB groupsets, the RED XPLR group shifts exceptionally well under load. You can shift quickly when chugging along on chunky gravel, spinning a slow cadence. The same goes for climbing and shifting to a higher gear for an all-out attack. It lacks that “ca-chunk” shifting sound and feels more like a slightly increased pressure on the pedals. 

Chain Retention

Chain retention is well managed, and I didn’t drop a chain during my test periods—believe me, I tried. The slightly smaller cage of the RED XPLR derailleur holds the chain nicely without affecting the feel while pedaling. I attribute this to the chain sizing tool as well. 

The crankset is a nice mix of road and MTB. The spin-on chainring is very dialed and something I liked from the Transmission XX SL cranksets. It does require a specific tool to remove the ring (above), and it is available separately if you’re like me and like to swap rings constantly like a track racer.

So Far, So Good

I’m reserving my full thoughts for a longer (months) review period, but I’m very impressed so far. Yes, it’s a RED groupset, so it’s pricy, but the performance is fantastic, and the progress should (hopefully) hit the FORCE and APEX groups. However, the cassette will be tough to get down in price from $600 to something more palatable to the public. 

As of right now, I’m very happy with the SRAM RED XPLR groupset. The performance in shifting, braking, and overall ease of use is top-notch. Look for a full review as we put the RED XPLR group through the paces and even some cyclocross racing early in the fall. 

SRAM.com