AXS XPLR users. How durable?

So I REALLY want to use wireless shifting on my next bike, but have no need for a massive 50+, or even 40+ tooth, cassette. I’m thinking of using an XPLR cassette and possibly mech, but the gravel mechs don’t have the overload clutch of their MTB counterparts. (The bit that allows them to take hits, not chain retention)

i suppose my question is twofold, can I (preferred option) use an Eagle AXS rear mech with a 10-30 or 36t cassette? Or failing that, how much abuse will the XPLR mechs stand up to, crumple at the thought of a hit, or smash through would be destroying rocks?

I find the jockey wheels clog up with crap much easier on my XPLR mech over my GX & XO mechs if that’s of any use to you.

i suppose my question is twofold, can I (preferred option) use an Eagle AXS rear mech with a 10-30 or 36t cassette?

I’m sure that when I looked in to doing this a while back the general consensus was that the Eagle rear mech wouldn’t/didn’t work with a 10-36 cassette. I think it works with the 10-44 but not 100% sure.

The clutch on the XPLR is too weak, I wouldn’t bother if I was you. I hear the new transmission RED one is stronger though….

But can I use an MTB Mech with an XPLR cassette?

I agree with the comments about the weak clutch.  I’ve never lost a chain on my 1*11 DI2 GRX, but have lost it twice on Force XPLR AXS, even on something quite benign like jumping from a kerb.

I wore out the pivots on a X0 rear mech in about a year, so I don’t think durability is a strong suit for AXS/Sram

An XPLR cassette is 10-44
If you are wanting a 10-30 or 10-36 thats just a standard road axs cassette

Yes any of the AXS MTB mechs will work with the XPLR (10-44) cassette, no problem at all.
But they struggle with a cassette under that, they will work, but you’ll find the shifting is a bit ‘off’

No idea if Eagle would work, don’t see why not. Is this because you have one? I have Force AXS 12s on my gravel bike, 36T chainring and 10-36 cassette (XG1270). I’ve had no issues with chain drop and I’ve been down some real bone shakers – the kind where you can’t really see properly because you’re bouncing around so much :)

It’s for a DH bike. No need for big cassette, but also no need for flimsy road kit.

Doesnt look like a DH specific AXS/T Type is on the horizon either, so trying to bodge, whilst not bodging, IYSWIM.

No cassettes smaller than 10-44 in XD/XDR 12s as far as I’m aware, but if you’ve got a different freehub, you should be fine.

That’s my next q I guess, I know folk use shimano MTB cassettes with AXS, will AXS work with Shimano road?

There are plenty of AXS/XDR cassettes less than 10-44

https://www.sigmasports.com/item/SRAM/Force-AXS-XG-1270-12-Speed-Cassette/UDC9

You can use an Eagle AXS mech on these, no problem. You could argue that a wireless mech is a tad overkill for DH but it’s your money ;)

Not had any clutch issues with my Force AXS mechs (I have two). I’ve not crash tested them yet so can’t say much about the durability/crashability.

If you’re looking to bodge/makeshift something then this is really interesting –

https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/10rgrqw/7_speed_axs_sram/

And yep, we have used ‘AXS Mech/Shimano Cassette’ and ‘Shimano Mech/AXS Cassettes’ without a problem
Everybody online says it doesn’t work, but it works absolutely fine in my experience

reggiegasketFree Member
There are plenty of AXS/XDR cassettes less than 10-44

I stand corrected.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/10rgrqw/7_speed_axs_sram/

from what I’ve read, it’s not possible to index all the gears, as the spacing is different to Eagle.

might just get a couple of cheap shimano road options to try out with an AXS eagle mech, see how we go.

Won’t road spacing be annoying with the narrow gaps between ratio ie you’ll have to dump three gears vs one on an mtb DH cassette?

I have got far too interested in this for some reason.

Just treid a XX1 Eagle AXS rear mech with a 10-28 AXS cassette and a 11-30 Shimano Cassette and it all worked absoltely fine

Hope this helped!

Won’t road spacing be annoying with the narrow gaps between ratio ie you’ll have to dump three gears

Easily programmed with AXS :-) jumps between gears on DH cassette are 2 teeth anyway, so would only ever be 2 shifts.

I have got far too interested in this for some reason.

Just treid a XX1 Eagle AXS rear mech with a 10-28 AXS cassette and a 11-30 Shimano Cassette and it all worked absoltely fine

Hope this helped!

Well, yes, it would.  What chain and chainring was it?  Certain chainrings and chains are tolerant of each other, but not the other way around.  From what I remember, SRAM chains prefer SRAM chainrings and don’t work well with Shimano chains.  This is why I have a WT chainring on SRAM cranks on a Shimano 12s XTR drivetrain.  Also, I think XPLR requires a flat-top chain to work with the rear mech correctly, no?  I have a FT chain on an XPLR 10-44 cassette, but the chain works fine on an Ibgrid cassette too, so the FT chains may work just fine with other cassettes.

It was a Eagle chain and a 32T XX1 +3mm chainring

Although I have never tried anything else, I would presume of the ‘road’ groupsets designed with a flattop chain need that to work correctly.

I’ve tried Absolute Black, Rotor CX1, Wolftooth, and Garbaruk rings with an AXS flat-top chain and they were all fine.

(all narrow-wide, obvs)

Thanks all! Just what I wanted to hear. Everything I’ve read/enquired about has been quoting manufacturers, so indicated it was a no go.

Stay Tuned!