With Zach giving the SRAM Rival eTap AXS group an honorable mention in his Editor’s Choice roundup, and my prior experience with Kogel’s Kolossos pulley cage upgrade, this new part makes the mid-level derailleur make more sense than ever.
Considering a Rival AXS rear derailleur and Kogel’s new Kolossos cage for it still comes in almost $100 less than a new SRAM Red AXS rear mech, it makes the ~$400 price tag for the cage little more palatable. Especially when you realize it comes with their free-spinning ceramic bearings.
This model is designed specifically for the 12-speed Rival AXS group, they offer different versions for Red and Force, which have a slightly different pivot location and tension hole placement. The features are the same, though, with a two-position tension spring adjustment so you can set it softer for road, or firmer for gravel, and 14-tooth upper and 19-tooth lower pulleys.
MSRP is $439, but through Dec. 31, 2021, it’s $399 with free customization of pulley, stop pin, screws, and bearing cover colors, letting you mix and match all of those parts however you want. Choose from black, blue, red, gold, and raw.
