Electronic shifting - should it be better?

Electronic shifting - should it be better?

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272BHP

Original Poster:

6,106 posts

248 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
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Just swapped out my SRAM GX Eagle for Eagle AXS and got the local bike shop to set it up.

Not totally convinced at the moment, shifting seems to be of the same quality as cable, some changes are good some are noisy and clunky. I have tried to adjust with the app but still not great - more chain slap as well.

Not sure why I bothered as it stands.

frisbee

5,242 posts

122 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
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If it's inconsistent across the cassette it could be a misaligned/bent hanger. Were all the components new?

I carefully followed the instructions setting mine up, Dura Ace, and it is like a machine gun. The front change is especially impressive with the speed of the shift and the rear snicks perfectly between gears.

frisbee

5,242 posts

122 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
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Chain slap could be the b tension. I've not worked on Sram but I got the impression it was more complicated to set than Shimano.

272BHP

Original Poster:

6,106 posts

248 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
quotequote all
frisbee said:
If it's inconsistent across the cassette it could be a misaligned/bent hanger. Were all the components new?

I carefully followed the instructions setting mine up, Dura Ace, and it is like a machine gun. The front change is especially impressive with the speed of the shift and the rear snicks perfectly between gears.
Not new, it was an AXS upgrade kit so you just get the derailleur and the pod shifter - bike is only 4 months old though.

It is fitted to an e-bike and it might be my imagination but I am sure it changes better when I switch the power off.

numtumfutunch

4,929 posts

150 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
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Sounds hooky

My current ride with Ultegra Di2 is utterly fantastic and makes the mechanical Duraace on the bike it replaced feel antiquated at best despite being the best shifting I had ever experienced up until that point

Cheers

stargazer30

1,659 posts

178 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
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I have gx eagle axs on my gravel bike and it shifts lovely, certainly no worse than the sram rival mechanical it replaced. I did have to buy the plastic b screw spacer tool to get it dialled in correctly, and the new mech hanger arrived bent too. SRAM stuff is certainly less forgiving than Shimano but once setup it’s great.

I did note the tech manual says you can’t use full multi shift on e-bikes though, I think the max was 3 gears at once.

272BHP

Original Poster:

6,106 posts

248 months

Saturday 23rd November 2024
quotequote all
stargazer30 said:
I have gx eagle axs on my gravel bike and it shifts lovely, certainly no worse than the sram rival mechanical it replaced. I did have to buy the plastic b screw spacer tool to get it dialled in correctly, and the new mech hanger arrived bent too. SRAM stuff is certainly less forgiving than Shimano but once setup it’s great.

I did note the tech manual says you can’t use full multi shift on e-bikes though, I think the max was 3 gears at once.
I have the spacer tool and got it bang on centre.

I will tinker some more and if I have no joy I will take it to another bike shop, at this point it feels like a waste of 400 notes though.

stuarthat

1,103 posts

230 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
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I bought wheel top EDS
From AliExpress before you laugh check it out on YouTube it is perfect.
With discount code believe it’s around £237
Delivered

sir humphrey appleby

1,728 posts

234 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
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I have SRAM Eagle on my Scott 910 and it took a bit of fiddling with the app but now it changes gear like a rifle. Awesome bit of kit, plus the little chirrup sound as it changes gear is cute

Nigel_O

3,200 posts

231 months

Sunday 24th November 2024
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I also run an AXS upgrade kit on my ebike. The old mechanical derailleur was ok, but it was occasionally inaccurate and often slow to change down when only the spring was powering it (new cable didn’t improve things - I suspect the cable route had a tight spot)

I really like the AXS - not especially fast, but deadly accurate, which is all I need

Scoobyshue

244 posts

174 months

Monday 25th November 2024
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I couldn't see if you were running full sus or not. If you are you need to set up the mech (with the plastic measurement tool) when the rear suspension is at sag. If you set it up with no weight on the bike it won't be quite right.

I have GX AXS on my full sus which was an upgrade from Shimano XT. I wouldn't go back to cable operated. You don't have to worry about cable routing, overshifts, mis-shifts or ghost shifts. I did find that chain slap was worse as you have said. Unfortunately there is no way to make this better on the mech. The tension is not adjustable. You could run a STFU chain guide.

Overall for me I think it was worth the change, and now I'm used to it I don't even notice the chain slap.

272BHP

Original Poster:

6,106 posts

248 months

Monday 25th November 2024
quotequote all
Scoobyshue said:
I couldn't see if you were running full sus or not. If you are you need to set up the mech (with the plastic measurement tool) when the rear suspension is at sag. If you set it up with no weight on the bike it won't be quite right.

I have GX AXS on my full sus which was an upgrade from Shimano XT. I wouldn't go back to cable operated. You don't have to worry about cable routing, overshifts, mis-shifts or ghost shifts. I did find that chain slap was worse as you have said. Unfortunately there is no way to make this better on the mech. The tension is not adjustable. You could run a STFU chain guide.

Overall for me I think it was worth the change, and now I'm used to it I don't even notice the chain slap.
It's a hybrid so no suspension except for the Future shock at the front. I might get someone to sit on it anyway while I adjust - worth a try.