SRAM RED eTap AXS

Decided to build my new bike around the newly released SRAM Rival eTap AXS groupset and it's finally ready to ride! Really fun process of learning how to build a bike from the ground up and lace wheels and am loving it so far.

I’m pretty light so 1/2 kilo in weight one way or the other isn’t really an issue. Cost not really an issue either. Leaning towards SRAM Red AXS, my son has it on his bike and I really like everything wireless and the battery charging and the power meter in the crank is sweet.

Battery life is superb, I usually get at least three months between charges and that's around 1000km of riding in all weathers. I did forget to remove the batteries once on a road trip with the bike on the roof and didn't realise the accelerometer would think the bike was moving and the batteries would kick in, so learned to remove them when transporting the bike. I hated SRAM brakes with a passion after having Rival on my other bike and swapping them out for Hope calipers, but these so far have been good though pads wear quicker than I'd like. Overall I'm completely sold on the AXS system, it's worked flawlessly for me over all terrains, all weathers and in a few major events including Grinduro and The Dirty Reiver.

100% etap. I hate SRAM mechanical with a passion, but their Etap system is absolutely phenomenal. I've spent the last twelve months riding an Evil Chamois Hagar fitted with a SRAM AXS mullet build and it's not let me down once, and that's been in all sorts of conditions from wet road rides, snow, red graded MTB trails and Grinduro Wales and The Dirty Reiver. My other gravel bike has Shimano Ultegra RX, which is fine, but no cables on Etap means no hassle.

It's around 2kg lighter, it's stiffer and the groupset is amazing. First the Sram Rival AXS eTap is amazing. Quick to shift and I love the mode that shifts the front cog for you. The weight and stiffness of this bike is amazing, I feel like I can sprint so much faster and more efficiently.