I put a gx on with my slx cassette. Shifted clunky and wasn’t smooth in all gears. Changed the pulleys to Shimano and it was a eureka moment. Shifts like butter and super quiet. Probably someone will say that’s not advised but it made a massive difference in how this mixed drivetrain worked for me.
@@RC-fp1tl Yes and groove profile. So the Shim pulleys would at least match up better to the Shim chain and cogset. (It for my particalr bike got rid of the clunk shifting much more [as seen in this video]). That said, this hack is still going to be somewhat clunky much of the time no matter what simply because of the slight spacing differences in the 2 systems and 12sp spacing does not leave much margin for error. Jbean's bike might be perfect for it to work but another diff drivetrain, chainline, suspension system etc. can make it a real bitch to duplicate that success. Especially since he did not even say what bike it worked on lol. 🤣I bought the upgrade kit to monkey around with but really unless you have the extra cash or can get what you want free as a tech at a bike shop, it is not worth your time. Any Shim 12 speed mechanical shifter will still shift easier. Even to the point of the fact that the Sram shifter requires a bit too much pressure to click the switch compared to a freakin mechanical Shim 12 speed. 🙄🙄
@@geu6270 I'm a fan of Shimano mechanical 12sp but it certainly does require more force than a SRAM AXS controller to press. Case in point: I've converted about 5 bikes in my in-laws seniors/retinree riding group because many of them have arthritic thumbs or are over 80/90. The AXS shifter is a lot less strenuous (except the new Pod controller, that sucks for shifting force) vs. Shimano mechanical (especially XT And XTR who both have instant release). It's even less force if you go the Leap Components Quickshift paddle upgrade, where you can remove the spring and reduce the force another 30%.
About 6 weeks before I purchased the Sram AXS GX I had installed a new Shimano 12 speed Hyper Glide cassette and matching chain on my Rail 9.7 (2020). I liked it. It worked great. When I purchased the AXS GX derailer I changed the lower jockey wheel (14-tooth Sram, narrow/wide ) to a 13 tooth Shimano. The install was fairly easy. Linked the controller to the derailer, fine tuned the shifting, some adjustment on the B screw. Went for a test ride. Two issues I noticed right away. 1-too quiet, 2-too smooth. I thought there was something wrong …there must be something wrong. I continued the test ride and ran the gears up and down several times. It didn’t miss a shift. Okay, the next day I went for my usual 15-25km ride up the mountain and down the trails. All types of terrain in our area. Steep rocky sections to flat loamy. I never skipped a shift …never. This combination is ridiculous. I’ve been using this setup for over 6 months now and I have not needed to adjusted anything. I also thought that I might chew through chains and cassettes faster. Nope. I usually ride 15-25km 5 days a week in gnarly MTB conditions. With regular maintenance and cleaning I still have 35% chain wear left. That’s not too bad.
Re; lower jockey wheel. Thats a good question. There was a video that showed the “hack” and the lower jockey wheel was changed. I assumed it was to accommodate the shimano Hyper Glide chain. Scram jockey wheel was 14t narrow/wide and the shimano was only 13t. The swap was pretty straightforward because the axels were the same diameter…so I did it and it seemed to work. I kept the spare wheel just in case it didn’t work…but it did.
I did this. The Shimano cassette is 1.1MM wider. So, if you set it up properly the smallest and lowest gears will be .55 millimeters outboard, but these are held in place by the limit screws. So they are actually dead on. The next gears moving to the center will be 0.45mm, then .35mm with the middle two gears be .05mm off. For reference a standard piece of paper is .1mm thick. In my experience it works perfectly, better than is described above.
@@Akre2 Adjust it so that it's dead accurate in the center. Leave the limit screws out at first and then shift across the range. You may be able to see if it's more 'out' at one end than the other and, so, correct for that. As normal, just adjust in so that it shifts well in both direction. I, generally, try and find slow shifts and move the mech so it will shift faster in that direction. Once you're done turn the limit screws so that the high and low gears cannot overshift.
Wow, that makes no sense to do that with the flat profile of the sram chains that will wear the Shim cogset out faster and really not give you anything except to help you waste your money.
My 12 speed XT shifter and GX derailleur beg to differ on your last statement. This with a XT cassette and XTR chain. Shifts are fast and quiet. The hardest part was setting the b-gap. I used a ruler and set it to about 13mm with no sag on the shock.
Great video & commentary! Wow! That's real world testing like nothing else. You're insane dude, b/c riding that terrain (icy downhill singletrack with rocks. drops, etc) is pure fearless. Your bike was bouncing around more than a yo-yo. If there was going to be an issue in subtle compatibility between mixed components, you would have exploited it with that riding. Well done you!
I dont know why but when I use KMC chain, it feels much better than shimano xt or gx chain when I combine shimano xt shifter derailleur on sram cassette.
Too bad KMC chains are some of the worst for 12sp. All independent data shows they are the absolute fastest wearing 12sp chains (their 11sp stuff is great).
I just bought a GX SRAM kit to install onto my Orbea Rise. I'm glad to hear it works well. I have an XT casset with an XTR chain and a Shimano spider chain ring.
@@michaelsteven1090 No idea. Took it to the bike shop to get installed at the same time as my annual tuneup the beginning of November and they still haven't finished it. In any case I won't be riding it until Spring anyway. Too much snow here.
@@brendan1 wow..they must be tuning a lot of fat bikes!..I'm in the northeast and thankfully have no snow..I also work at a bike shop..Send it down here, were slow..haha
Yeah I’ve been running a Sramano AXS drivetrain for about a year with no issues. First on my Transition Sentinel and now on my Norco Sight VLT 29er. Wouldn’t go with anything else!
Can't mix Shimano derailleur and SRAM shifter (or vice versa) at 12:00 - that's just flat out wrong. Have done it plenty of times. There are a number of videos on UA-cam showing this to be case. If anything you want to mach the shifter to the cassette as it's the shifter that dictates how much cable is pulled and therefore how the spacing works.
Job well done with this review! I am considering replacing my rear derailleur (Shimano XT 12sp) on my current ride - 2023 Intense Tracer 279 (Pro build) with current componentry as follows: Cassette: Shimano SLX 12 sp. 10-51t Chain: Shimano SLX 12sp Cranks: e*Thirteen Helix Base 30t 170mm Chainguide: e*Thirteen Vario Guide & Bash Looking for feedback as to whether or not to do the conversion to the GX AXS and ditch the Shimano XT 12sp rear derailleur and shifter. All feedback welcomed!
@@bikersedgeMakes sense, but I didn't hear you say it would or would not work, and that's ok as I'm looking for all feedback and I will decide based on the feedback provided by others. But what about from a maintenance perspective, any advantage? No cable stretch is one advantage I can think of. No adjustments once the initial adjustment is set? Of course having a dead battery would be a disadvantage.
It would work with the setup you described as long as you use the older type AXS and not a current T Type. There’s a bit of a maintenance benefit to AXS but it’s not purely set and forget. There will still be adjustments to make over time like with a cable derailleur. I went back to cable on my bikes because of the dead battery thing. I’m not good at remembering to charge batteries.
Connor (AKA Clean-Shaven-Baby Face) - Sram is really making advancements in the biking world! I have run a Shimano drivetrain minus the cassette and chain. This was pre-XD driver days. It worked fine.
Excellent. Really useful info clearly presented. I have a fairly new 12-speed XT set up, but SRAM wireless looks exceedingly cool. There's no way I'd bin my cranks or cassette and, freehub body and replace them all with SRAM kit. But it's good to know I "could" throw on a SRAM wireless derailleur and shifter without compromising performance. I'll have to start saving my pennies. Cheers
Hey Connor, thanks for the vid. I've been running the Shmeagle drivetrain for about 6 months now and it is pretty freaking awesome. I can't fault the shifting at all, it is immediate and precise and so much neater than having to constantly adjust cable tension. I enjoyed it so much I bought a second one for the new Trail Rail 9.8 I have on backorder. I have however snapped 2 chains running this setup. First one was an SLX CN-M7100 12 Speed that was still sized for the XT derailleur, and the second an XT/Ultegra 12-Speed to replace the first one (that I probably cut a couple of links too short (noob)). The second one snapped on the third ride and I thought I may have messed up the derailleur adjustment as the SRAM gauge doesn't work for this setup. Turns out the Ultegra is the road bike version :D what a doofus
great video, love the scenery and the info Im XTR on my 21 trek rail but damn with this I would only have brake lines left. AXS dropper already replaced dropper cable.
Interesting note on the differences in cable pull ratios. However, it appears that quite a few people have been successful with using mismatched shifters and derailleurs for 12spd though.
So I've got Gx axs on a xt cassette and xt chain. I've set my b tension up as per the marks and a ruler. Those who mention overly clunky noises when changing need to play around with chain length and b screws because mine is quieter and smoother than my manual xt derailleur. Bearing in mind that the speed of shifting is so much quicker so that could impact sound.
Great review since I'm considering doing a mullet setup for my gravel bike and already have a Shimano cassette and crank. Makes my decision much easier.
@@kam1l0 Tks for the good news ! Any special handling needed that I should be aware of ? Some recommended swap of jockey wheels into sram axs fd for better alignment but seemingly not plug and play which I certainly hope to avoid. With chain from shimano as shared here or sram chain as slx owner, Ed, shared ? Tks again !
Well, i did what you wrote. Plug and play :D works on xtr chain cassette crank with garbaruk oval ring. You only need to set the b tension screw as you would in full sram grp set. With the old tool ( red ) the new is white.
@@kam1l0 Tks again ! 🙏🙏 The mentioned "clunk" is also obvious ? I do found reportedly typical "clunk" for my xtr in my hardtail for pavement and nvr on trail when shifting down in the smallest 4 clogs ? Looking forward to my 1st shramano 🥳🥳🤞🤞
Hello , I see on the POV shot, that you are running the Shimano DI2 XTR/XT computer screen on the handlebar, showing the gears that you make on the Sram GX AXS, how is posible this connectivity, really glad to hear about it? , I have 2 bikes, one with shimano DI2 xt , and another with Sram Gx axs, is really nice that combination that you have done here , nice video , keep on doing like that !!!
The computer didn’t show the gear on the AXS. I’d seriously doubt it would work on a Shimano product. If I’m not mistaken a Garmin computer will display AXS data.
Thanks for the video. I went ahead and pre ordered the sram gx axs for my shimano drive train. The question I have is will I need a new derailleur hanger to make the switch?
Great video, very informative. I still don't understand how you Northern Hemisphere peeps ride in the snow! Because I can tell you, there's not much snow down under!
have you noticed noisy jockey wheels when your chain is dirty? I'm running GX AXS/XT cassette and chain on both my bikes, and while they shift great, when the chain gets even a bit dirty or dusty, the jockey wheels get a bit noisy
is the GX AXS derailleur used in the test the current SRAM GX AXS for T type drivetrain? I have Shimano XT on a Trek Fuel Exe and would like to go wireless. Like the feature of AXS that allows shifting under load.
I went full gx cabled and was not happy. Upgraded to gx axs and still not happy. Changed my driver, xt cassette, xtr chain and chainring. Hopefully this will satisfy me. Otherwise, i go back to full xt or xtr.
I ran a sramano for a bit ( gx cassette with xt shifter and derailleur ) works just fine. Finally went full shimano thinking I was going to blown away and it was almost the same. Love the xd driver more than the microspline and love the one piece cassette vs loose cogs. Does the axs phone app allow you to save different profiles for different bikes? That would be awesome because that means you can swap it effortlessly between bikes and all of the sudden the $600 seems likes a bargain.
It allows you different profiles but you’d still have to set upper and lower limits and b tension manually every time. Not to mention you’d be going through master links like crazy popping chains off every time.
I personally find "Hyperglide+" to be BS. I never felt any different with shifting at all. I like the way the XTR shifter and derailleur works and was happier when I dumped the XTR cassette for a Garbaruk. Considering going AXS though to replace the XTR bits @@vongdong10
Thanks for the great video! You made my decision to upgrade easier and it's working great so far. But I have one question: How did you set the distance from the upper pulley to the cassette? The attached gauge is for a SRAM cassette with 52 teeth and my Shimano SLX has 51 teeth at the largest sprocket?! Looking forward to your reply... Greetings from Germany
Am I wrong in assuming that as far as the distance between the Shimano cassette cogs is equal to Sram's , the GX AXS should be working with no problems? The next match should be cassette - chain, in this case, both Shimano. I just can't see what it shouldn't be a match from heaven:). I am really tempted to find out.
so what if one had the shimano cranks and the AXS gx and a AXS cassette? is there a off brand chainring that fixes this issue of not being smooth sounding and what have you. I'd def try this out with my old DA 9100 cranks off my bike.
I think you're always going to be a little better off with all the components from the same brand, but I was surprised at how well this all played together.
Nice video, couple of questions for ya would you think that an SLX shifter/derailleur would have the same problem-less performacne on an NX cassette? how do you get your audio so good out of the gopro? do you use an external/lav for both rider and trail sound?
I’ve been running an XT shifter and derailleur with an NX cassette without any problems. I even have a shimano chain on it. I use an external lav and sync audio in post. Makes a huge difference.
I have been wondering about this particular setup ever since they made GX wireless. I'm still not totally sold on the cockpit look with 2 clamps, and the clunk sound. If you find a tidy way for EV spec to work with MMX shifter, please include it in a future update :)
The clunk sound comes from the motor on the rise. Really no way around it. I know problem solvers makes adapters to run Sram shifters on Shimano levers.
Thanks for the great video and shared experience ! "Clunk" is from motor on the rise means even full sram setup will have this "clunk" ? Many thanks in advance for your further sharing. Cheers.
My xtr also has the "clunk" sound in the shift to the last 3-4 smallest rear cogs which I understand is typical and for the "shifting under power" ? Not sure if of same severity share here though that is due to "rise of motor". Cheers.
Finally fitted sram gx axs yesterday to my 2x12 speed xtr groupset and wow wow wow ! Great quiet shifting over 24 gears and I agreed at least 50% on my own experience with my lbs expert who shared that shimano microspline with sram axs runs the best .. nvr tried full sram setup and no wish to do so. Fingercross that this positive experience remains the case after last 2 days of 50 miles so far. No exceptional clunking I can detect. Cheers.
Great video! Thank you. Do you have any idea whether or not this would work with 11 speed Shimano? I have a Deore 11-51T cassette and 11 speed Shimano chain. I don't really want to (or need to) replace either at the moment but would love to run the GX AXS.
I haven't tested it on 11 speed, but there are a ton of factors to consider when mixing speeds. It probably wont work and if it does, it probably wont be the best shifting you've ever had. That said, if you decide to try it, let me know how it works.
Thanks for replying. That's what I expected to be honest. Perhaps I'll just wait until I need to upgrade my cassette and I'll do freehub, cassette and AXS at the same time. I'll let you know if I go experimental mode before then!
@@GeeklyUpdate If you have the newest 11spd Deore you should try a Shimano 12s chain! You’ll get the benefits of Hyperglide+ without having to switch the whole drivetrain.
I been running x01 axs shifter/derailleur with xt cassette and chain. The poor shifting might be because your b tension might be a bit too high as I noticed that today as I'm toying around with mine still. I have noticed the axs derailleur limit screws are basically completely out and I had to microadjust the derailleur because of the limits of the derailleur. Makes me believe I did something wrong in setting the cassette in the microspline but it looks right and shifts pretty well.
Yeah the shifting was actually perfect. Couldn’t have asked for better. I honestly think it shifts faster than my 100% Sram cable actuated stuff. It was a little loud when in popped into each ganar though. I was shifting under some of the worst conditions though so that’s to be expected.
I just tried this today with GX AXS along with an xt cassette and chain. Every gear shifts fine except the 51t, it clicks as if it wants to shift down. When I microadjust to resolve is messes up the other gears. Any thoughts on this?
@@gword809 mine does this to a certain degree. I felt like it got better when I increased the b gap way larger than what sram recommends. I have my limits screwed all the way out too. What bike are you doing this on?
Nice video. I am thinking of mixing Shimano cassette with Axs as well. Will Axs crankset work with Shimano 12spd cassette? or do I have to stick with Shimano Crank? much thankssssss
Don't see how your comment sram shifter and shimano derailer or vice versa can be so. If one brand shifter pulls other brand derailer different lengths how could any mixed drive train work on mixed cassette? I run a GX 12 speed shifter, XTR derailer and XO1 cassette and shifting is perfect .
The spacing on the cassettes is the same across the brands. The problem lies in mixed derailleurs and shifters. Both derailleurs move the same amount to match the cassette spacing, but a shimano shifter pulls the cable more to move the derailleur the same amount as a Sram shifter with a shorter cable pull. From what I’ve heard (no personal experience though) once you’re in 12 speed the pull ratios are close enough that it works ok.
I yeah. That comes from the cassette and chain. I think it’s pretty smooth shifting. I swapped wheelsets and am no longer running this combo. It’s full eagle now. I think they both shift great.
That one is above my pay grade. I don't know if you'd be able to dial the limit in enough to get it to stop mid cassette like that. I'll do some digging and see if I can find an answer.
I had a shimano 11 speed drive train then fixed 12 speed derailleur just for the bigger pulleys and fixed my 11 speed derailleur in my friend's 10 speed bike. I wanted fix 11 speed xx1 cassette then I got to know the gear spacing is different 3.9 mm shimano 11 speed vs 3.8 sram 11 speed xd drive. One question I heard gear spacing for shimano 12 speed 3.55 mm and for sram 12 speed 3.65 mm. Does the GX axs allow you to set different shifting travel other than 3.65 mm for 12 speed
I just did this conversion and there is a trick. Swap jockey wheels from shimano to AXS derailleur. Set b tension gap to 12mm gap between top jockey wheel and largest cog when in the second gear. Shifting under load improves and much quieter due to the thinner jockey wheels allowing the chain to glide over easier.
Hi you said a Sram mechanical shifter and derailleur won't work well with Shimano gear due to the difference in the increments applied by the shifter being different.? So wouldn't it be the same with the AXS shifter and derailleur since the increments spaces are designed for the Sram cassette or am I missing something. Can you program in different incrimination so to speak Thanks
Once you take the cable out of the equation it’s not longer an issue. The derailleurs move the same amount in order to change gears because the space between cogs on the cassette is the same across brands. Where the problem lies is that Sram and Shimano have to pull the cable different amounts for said derailleur movement. There’s no way to tune it.
Thanks for the prompt reply a first for me on UA-cam. I was wondering like many how its going in the long term Also did you do the derailleur pulley change over as one of the guys detailed ? A few years ago after endless trouble I replaced the original GX derailleur on my 18 Giant Trance with a XT derailleur (all 12 speed )and it fixed 90% of the problems.
@@bikersedge Thank you ! Understand you had moved to all eagle setup and probably not into hundreds of mileage .. will find out soon how this gm axs upgrade work out and fingercrossed with spare xtr jockey wheels on order. Too much cost to get to all sram, including wheelset and already the $ put into xtr which is quiet and smooth shifting after running in and 2-3 tuning by lbs. However, axs wireless seems the right direction to have less dependence on lbs and almost all positive review on this cost effective gx axs did not help 😅🙏. Thanks again.
I made the swap and have loved it so far. However, the chain gets super noisy if it gets even remotely dirty. So noisy it almost sounds like its out of alignment, but as soon as I clean the chain it sounds fine. I did look close at the sprocket wheel on the derailleur as I slowly peddled the bike on a stand and it looks like teeth are slightly too big to fit into the grooves of every other chain link? Maybe the Sram teeth of the wheel don't line up well with the Shimano chain?
Hey man. I’ve done the axs with Shimano drive train on three bikes. You use the Shimono chain and Cassette and just size the chain according to the axs install video which you can find on UA-cam and it works like a dream. Hope that helps
I disagree with your last two points re: chains and shifters. We've found that for 12 speed stuff, SRAM chains will work just fine on Shimano drivetrains, but you lose the buttery Hyperglide shifting. Shimano chains don't seem to work very well on SRAM drivetrains, and I think it's because of the inner profile of the chainlinks (particularly the Shimano quick link) needing to mate up to a Shimano(-compatible) chainring. As regards shifters and mechs, at 12 speed the two brands do actually seem to play ok together - it's not optimal, but the pull ratios seem to be virtually identical and I know a couple of people running Shimano 12sp mechs on SRAM Eagle shifters, and vice versa. At 11 speed and below, you are absolutely correct, but things seem to get funky at 12 speed.
Interesting about the 12 speed derailleur and shifter combo. Might have to try that. The shimano chain isn’t ideal on Sram drivetrain but I’ve been running one for months now and it’s ok.
@@rantingwrench On the Rise I have the ethirteen chainring (which probably helps) and the Shimano quick link. On the Mojo (other bike with shimano/sram mix) I have the Shimano chain and quick link with a Sram chainring and cassette.
I put a gx on with my slx cassette. Shifted clunky and wasn’t smooth in all gears. Changed the pulleys to Shimano and it was a eureka moment. Shifts like butter and super quiet. Probably someone will say that’s not advised but it made a massive difference in how this mixed drivetrain worked for me.
Did they fit without any modifications?
@J Bean Bump!
Good to know thank you! Were the shimano pulleys different tooth counts than the stock axs ones?
@@RC-fp1tl Yes and groove profile. So the Shim pulleys would at least match up better to the Shim chain and cogset. (It for my particalr bike got rid of the clunk shifting much more [as seen in this video]). That said, this hack is still going to be somewhat clunky much of the time no matter what simply because of the slight spacing differences in the 2 systems and 12sp spacing does not leave much margin for error. Jbean's bike might be perfect for it to work but another diff drivetrain, chainline, suspension system etc. can make it a real bitch to duplicate that success. Especially since he did not even say what bike it worked on lol. 🤣I bought the upgrade kit to monkey around with but really unless you have the extra cash or can get what you want free as a tech at a bike shop, it is not worth your time. Any Shim 12 speed mechanical shifter will still shift easier. Even to the point of the fact that the Sram shifter requires a bit too much pressure to click the switch compared to a freakin mechanical Shim 12 speed. 🙄🙄
@@geu6270 I'm a fan of Shimano mechanical 12sp but it certainly does require more force than a SRAM AXS controller to press. Case in point: I've converted about 5 bikes in my in-laws seniors/retinree riding group because many of them have arthritic thumbs or are over 80/90. The AXS shifter is a lot less strenuous (except the new Pod controller, that sucks for shifting force) vs. Shimano mechanical (especially XT And XTR who both have instant release). It's even less force if you go the Leap Components Quickshift paddle upgrade, where you can remove the spring and reduce the force another 30%.
About 6 weeks before I purchased the Sram AXS GX I had installed a new Shimano 12 speed Hyper Glide cassette and matching chain on my Rail 9.7 (2020). I liked it. It worked great.
When I purchased the AXS GX derailer I changed the lower jockey wheel (14-tooth Sram, narrow/wide ) to a 13 tooth Shimano.
The install was fairly easy. Linked the controller to the derailer, fine tuned the shifting, some adjustment on the B screw. Went for a test ride.
Two issues I noticed right away. 1-too quiet, 2-too smooth. I thought there was something wrong …there must be something wrong. I continued the test ride and ran the gears up and down several times. It didn’t miss a shift.
Okay, the next day I went for my usual 15-25km ride up the mountain and down the trails. All types of terrain in our area. Steep rocky sections to flat loamy. I never skipped a shift …never. This combination is ridiculous. I’ve been using this setup for over 6 months now and I have not needed to adjusted anything. I also thought that I might chew through chains and cassettes faster. Nope. I usually ride 15-25km 5 days a week in gnarly MTB conditions. With regular maintenance and cleaning I still have 35% chain wear left. That’s not too bad.
why only lower jockey wheel ?
Re; lower jockey wheel. Thats a good question. There was a video that showed the “hack” and the lower jockey wheel was changed. I assumed it was to accommodate the shimano Hyper Glide chain. Scram jockey wheel was 14t narrow/wide and the shimano was only 13t. The swap was pretty straightforward because the axels were the same diameter…so I did it and it seemed to work. I kept the spare wheel just in case it didn’t work…but it did.
@@mfren6253 do you have the video link of this ?
@@sebastiengiovannelli8556 . I’ve since installed an XT cassette and new HG chain, E thirteenth 34t chainring. It still works amazing.
Can I please get the part number for the 13T jockey wheel you used?
I did this. The Shimano cassette is 1.1MM wider. So, if you set it up properly the smallest and lowest gears will be .55 millimeters outboard, but these are held in place by the limit screws. So they are actually dead on. The next gears moving to the center will be 0.45mm, then .35mm with the middle two gears be .05mm off. For reference a standard piece of paper is .1mm thick. In my experience it works perfectly, better than is described above.
So when you micro adjust, what cog do you adjust it in? The 6th or 7th?
@@Akre2 Adjust it so that it's dead accurate in the center. Leave the limit screws out at first and then shift across the range. You may be able to see if it's more 'out' at one end than the other and, so, correct for that. As normal, just adjust in so that it shifts well in both direction. I, generally, try and find slow shifts and move the mech so it will shift faster in that direction. Once you're done turn the limit screws so that the high and low gears cannot overshift.
GX axs with SRAM chain on my SLX group set and 5 months later and i must say it works flawless!
Nice! Good to hear.
Interesting ... shimano 12s chain used here but you are doing fine also with Sram 12s chain 🤔. Tks for sharing 🙏
Wow, that makes no sense to do that with the flat profile of the sram chains that will wear the Shim cogset out faster and really not give you anything except to help you waste your money.
My 12 speed XT shifter and GX derailleur beg to differ on your last statement. This with a XT cassette and XTR chain. Shifts are fast and quiet. The hardest part was setting the b-gap. I used a ruler and set it to about 13mm with no sag on the shock.
Great video & commentary! Wow! That's real world testing like nothing else. You're insane dude, b/c riding that terrain (icy downhill singletrack with rocks. drops, etc) is pure fearless. Your bike was bouncing around more than a yo-yo. If there was going to be an issue in subtle compatibility between mixed components, you would have exploited it with that riding. Well done you!
Thanks for the kind words!
This guy is awesome!
I dont know why but when I use KMC chain, it feels much better than shimano xt or gx chain when I combine shimano xt shifter derailleur on sram cassette.
Too bad KMC chains are some of the worst for 12sp. All independent data shows they are the absolute fastest wearing 12sp chains (their 11sp stuff is great).
I just bought a GX SRAM kit to install onto my Orbea Rise. I'm glad to hear it works well. I have an XT casset with an XTR chain and a Shimano spider chain ring.
does it work?..any problems?..clunkiness?
@@michaelsteven1090 No idea. Took it to the bike shop to get installed at the same time as my annual tuneup the beginning of November and they still haven't finished it. In any case I won't be riding it until Spring anyway. Too much snow here.
@@brendan1 wow..they must be tuning a lot of fat bikes!..I'm in the northeast and thankfully have no snow..I also work at a bike shop..Send it down here, were slow..haha
really huge thanks to you because finally got an answer regarding mixing the brands
Happy to help!
Yeah I’ve been running a Sramano AXS drivetrain for about a year with no issues. First on my Transition Sentinel and now on my Norco Sight VLT 29er. Wouldn’t go with anything else!
Nice. I’ve been pretty stoked so far.
I used a GX shifter with a Shimano SLX mech with no problems at all!
I’ve heard you can get away with that on 12 speed. Stoked to hear it worked for you.
Can't mix Shimano derailleur and SRAM shifter (or vice versa) at 12:00 - that's just flat out wrong. Have done it plenty of times. There are a number of videos on UA-cam showing this to be case. If anything you want to mach the shifter to the cassette as it's the shifter that dictates how much cable is pulled and therefore how the spacing works.
@@lenolenoleno true. There are some limited cases where the pull ratios between shimano and sram line up.
Job well done with this review!
I am considering replacing my rear derailleur (Shimano XT 12sp) on my current ride - 2023 Intense Tracer 279 (Pro build) with current componentry as follows:
Cassette: Shimano SLX 12 sp. 10-51t
Chain: Shimano SLX 12sp
Cranks: e*Thirteen Helix Base 30t 170mm
Chainguide: e*Thirteen Vario Guide & Bash
Looking for feedback as to whether or not to do the conversion to the GX AXS and ditch the Shimano XT 12sp rear derailleur and shifter. All feedback welcomed!
I don’t think I there’s really any performance benefit with doing an AXS conversion. It’s cool stuff though. Just not totally necessary in my opinion.
@@bikersedgeMakes sense, but I didn't hear you say it would or would not work, and that's ok as I'm looking for all feedback and I will decide based on the feedback provided by others. But what about from a maintenance perspective, any advantage? No cable stretch is one advantage I can think of. No adjustments once the initial adjustment is set? Of course having a dead battery would be a disadvantage.
It would work with the setup you described as long as you use the older type AXS and not a current T Type.
There’s a bit of a maintenance benefit to AXS but it’s not purely set and forget. There will still be adjustments to make over time like with a cable derailleur. I went back to cable on my bikes because of the dead battery thing. I’m not good at remembering to charge batteries.
@@bikersedge when you say "the older type AXS", can you drop a part number? (e.g. . GX ??)
Just not Transmission.
Connor (AKA Clean-Shaven-Baby Face) - Sram is really making advancements in the biking world! I have run a Shimano drivetrain minus the cassette and chain. This was pre-XD driver days. It worked fine.
Im very impressed with how great it works. And it’s cool to get wireless shifting on shimano stuff.
Excellent. Really useful info clearly presented.
I have a fairly new 12-speed XT set up, but SRAM wireless looks exceedingly cool.
There's no way I'd bin my cranks or cassette and, freehub body and replace them all with SRAM kit.
But it's good to know I "could" throw on a SRAM wireless derailleur and shifter without compromising performance.
I'll have to start saving my pennies.
Cheers
Hey thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Hey Connor, thanks for the vid. I've been running the Shmeagle drivetrain for about 6 months now and it is pretty freaking awesome. I can't fault the shifting at all, it is immediate and precise and so much neater than having to constantly adjust cable tension. I enjoyed it so much I bought a second one for the new Trail Rail 9.8 I have on backorder.
I have however snapped 2 chains running this setup. First one was an SLX CN-M7100 12 Speed that was still sized for the XT derailleur, and the second an XT/Ultegra 12-Speed to replace the first one (that I probably cut a couple of links too short (noob)). The second one snapped on the third ride and I thought I may have messed up the derailleur adjustment as the SRAM gauge doesn't work for this setup. Turns out the Ultegra is the road bike version :D what a doofus
Glad you liked the video! I don’t have my Sramano anymore but I was worried about the chain. Bummer you’ve had trouble.
Shmeagle - I like it!
great video, love the scenery and the info Im XTR on my 21 trek rail but damn with this I would only have brake lines left. AXS dropper already replaced dropper cable.
Having only brake lines is really nice.
Interesting note on the differences in cable pull ratios. However, it appears that quite a few people have been successful with using mismatched shifters and derailleurs for 12spd though.
It seems to work pretty ok with 12 speed. Not sure it’s perfect but it seems to work well enough.
So I've got Gx axs on a xt cassette and xt chain. I've set my b tension up as per the marks and a ruler. Those who mention overly clunky noises when changing need to play around with chain length and b screws because mine is quieter and smoother than my manual xt derailleur. Bearing in mind that the speed of shifting is so much quicker so that could impact sound.
What chain are you running? I think a lot of it will come down to the chain you run vs cassette, chainring and derailleur.
@@bikersedge xt 12 chain. The rule is never mix brands on cassette and chain apparently!
@@stuartm137 good to know!
Great review since I'm considering doing a mullet setup for my gravel bike and already have a Shimano cassette and crank. Makes my decision much easier.
Right on!
Awesome test.... thanks!
Glad you liked it!
Shimano Dura ace is a must with your setup
12s sram shifter can pull 12s shimano RD, just add a spacer.
Great video, my kit is ordered! 🤞👍
Will the Eagle GX AXS work with a Shimano 9-speed Drivetrain then? It would be useful if it did
@@DavidOwensuk I think you'd be better off using an Archer Components, 2nd Gen D1x Trail for 9-speed application.
*
waiting for my GX atm ;) Got full XTR :P
I m also waiting for my gx axs with my xtr but 2x12. How did yours worked out ? Tks.
@@richardloh8260 Still works very good :)
@@kam1l0 Tks for the good news ! Any special handling needed that I should be aware of ? Some recommended swap of jockey wheels into sram axs fd for better alignment but seemingly not plug and play which I certainly hope to avoid. With chain from shimano as shared here or sram chain as slx owner, Ed, shared ? Tks again !
Well, i did what you wrote. Plug and play :D works on xtr chain cassette crank with garbaruk oval ring. You only need to set the b tension screw as you would in full sram grp set. With the old tool ( red ) the new is white.
@@kam1l0 Tks again ! 🙏🙏 The mentioned "clunk" is also obvious ? I do found reportedly typical "clunk" for my xtr in my hardtail for pavement and nvr on trail when shifting down in the smallest 4 clogs ? Looking forward to my 1st shramano 🥳🥳🤞🤞
Hello , I see on the POV shot, that you are running the Shimano DI2 XTR/XT computer screen on the handlebar, showing the gears that you make on the Sram GX AXS, how is posible this connectivity, really glad to hear about it? , I have 2 bikes, one with shimano DI2 xt , and another with Sram Gx axs, is really nice that combination that you have done here , nice video , keep on doing like that !!!
The computer didn’t show the gear on the AXS. I’d seriously doubt it would work on a Shimano product. If I’m not mistaken a Garmin computer will display AXS data.
Beautiful place to ride!
I can't complain.
Thanks for the video. I went ahead and pre ordered the sram gx axs for my shimano drive train. The question I have is will I need a new derailleur hanger to make the switch?
Glad you liked it!
Nope. The hanger you have will do the job.
Thank you so much sir cleared my doubts
You are most welcome
One word ! Bravissimo 👍
Hey Thanks!
Great video, very informative. I still don't understand how you Northern Hemisphere peeps ride in the snow! Because I can tell you, there's not much snow down under!
We do it out of sheer desperation.
have you noticed noisy jockey wheels when your chain is dirty? I'm running GX AXS/XT cassette and chain on both my bikes, and while they shift great, when the chain gets even a bit dirty or dusty, the jockey wheels get a bit noisy
Glad I’m not the only one. Mine gets super noisy after a dusty ride.
is the GX AXS derailleur used in the test the current SRAM GX AXS for T type drivetrain? I have Shimano XT on a Trek Fuel Exe and would like to go wireless. Like the feature of AXS that allows shifting under load.
No. This video is three years old.
I went full gx cabled and was not happy. Upgraded to gx axs and still not happy.
Changed my driver, xt cassette, xtr chain and chainring. Hopefully this will satisfy me. Otherwise, i go back to full xt or xtr.
I ran a sramano for a bit ( gx cassette with xt shifter and derailleur ) works just fine. Finally went full shimano thinking I was going to blown away and it was almost the same. Love the xd driver more than the microspline and love the one piece cassette vs loose cogs. Does the axs phone app allow you to save different profiles for different bikes? That would be awesome because that means you can swap it effortlessly between bikes and all of the sudden the $600 seems likes a bargain.
It allows you different profiles but you’d still have to set upper and lower limits and b tension manually every time. Not to mention you’d be going through master links like crazy popping chains off every time.
@@bikersedge got it. Still good to know though.
I find my sramano fitted days ago better than full xtr .. lol ! Quiet and accurate shifting that simply works great 🥳
Almost the same? So hyperglide plus isn't leagues better than sram's cassettes?
I personally find "Hyperglide+" to be BS. I never felt any different with shifting at all. I like the way the XTR shifter and derailleur works and was happier when I dumped the XTR cassette for a Garbaruk. Considering going AXS though to replace the XTR bits @@vongdong10
Thanks for the great video!
You made my decision to upgrade easier and it's working great so far.
But I have one question: How did you set the distance from the upper pulley to the cassette? The attached gauge is for a SRAM cassette with 52 teeth and my Shimano SLX has 51 teeth at the largest sprocket?!
Looking forward to your reply...
Greetings from Germany
I used the gauge to get it close and then messed with it a bit to get it right. Worked out pretty well.
Am I wrong in assuming that as far as the distance between the Shimano cassette cogs is equal to Sram's , the GX AXS should be working with no problems? The next match should be cassette - chain, in this case, both Shimano. I just can't see what it shouldn't be a match from heaven:). I am really tempted to find out.
I think the problems come from jockey wheels/chainrings and interior chain widths being slightly different. It works well enough though.
so what if one had the shimano cranks and the AXS gx and a AXS cassette? is there a off brand chainring that fixes this issue of not being smooth sounding and what have you. I'd def try this out with my old DA 9100 cranks off my bike.
Great review!!! I have the Shimano Deore on my canyon Neuron on. Will it work as well?
It should work just fine.
@@bikersedge excellent!! Thank you !!
If I have SRAM X01 shifter and cable RD, I can use then with Shim XT cassette with Shim Chain and chain ring?
You might run into the chain not playing well on the pulley wheels on the derailleur or vice versa if you went with a sram chain.
Good video. How did this setup compare to say a full SRAM GX Eagle AXS setup and a full XTR setup?
I think you're always going to be a little better off with all the components from the same brand, but I was surprised at how well this all played together.
Nice video, couple of questions for ya
would you think that an SLX shifter/derailleur would have the same problem-less performacne on an NX cassette?
how do you get your audio so good out of the gopro? do you use an external/lav for both rider and trail sound?
I’ve been running an XT shifter and derailleur with an NX cassette without any problems. I even have a shimano chain on it.
I use an external lav and sync audio in post. Makes a huge difference.
@@bikersedge dope man thanks for the tips!
I have been wondering about this particular setup ever since they made GX wireless. I'm still not totally sold on the cockpit look with 2 clamps, and the clunk sound. If you find a tidy way for EV spec to work with MMX shifter, please include it in a future update :)
The clunk sound comes from the motor on the rise. Really no way around it. I know problem solvers makes adapters to run Sram shifters on Shimano levers.
Thanks for the great video and shared experience ! "Clunk" is from motor on the rise means even full sram setup will have this "clunk" ? Many thanks in advance for your further sharing. Cheers.
My xtr also has the "clunk" sound in the shift to the last 3-4 smallest rear cogs which I understand is typical and for the "shifting under power" ? Not sure if of same severity share here though that is due to "rise of motor". Cheers.
Finally fitted sram gx axs yesterday to my 2x12 speed xtr groupset and wow wow wow ! Great quiet shifting over 24 gears and I agreed at least 50% on my own experience with my lbs expert who shared that shimano microspline with sram axs runs the best .. nvr tried full sram setup and no wish to do so. Fingercross that this positive experience remains the case after last 2 days of 50 miles so far. No exceptional clunking I can detect. Cheers.
Wolftooth makes an adapter like this. Also problem solvers might as well.
Great video! Thank you. Do you have any idea whether or not this would work with 11 speed Shimano? I have a Deore 11-51T cassette and 11 speed Shimano chain. I don't really want to (or need to) replace either at the moment but would love to run the GX AXS.
I haven't tested it on 11 speed, but there are a ton of factors to consider when mixing speeds. It probably wont work and if it does, it probably wont be the best shifting you've ever had. That said, if you decide to try it, let me know how it works.
Thanks for replying. That's what I expected to be honest. Perhaps I'll just wait until I need to upgrade my cassette and I'll do freehub, cassette and AXS at the same time. I'll let you know if I go experimental mode before then!
@@GeeklyUpdate If you have the newest 11spd Deore you should try a Shimano 12s chain! You’ll get the benefits of Hyperglide+ without having to switch the whole drivetrain.
@@aromaj8 I doubt this will work. Please post some evidence on this
May I ask, what's your digital optical gear reader? Thanks..
Not sure I know what you're talking about.
I been running x01 axs shifter/derailleur with xt cassette and chain. The poor shifting might be because your b tension might be a bit too high as I noticed that today as I'm toying around with mine still. I have noticed the axs derailleur limit screws are basically completely out and I had to microadjust the derailleur because of the limits of the derailleur. Makes me believe I did something wrong in setting the cassette in the microspline but it looks right and shifts pretty well.
The shifting wasn’t poor. It was incredible.
@@bikersedge ah I just mistook your loud shifting as not optimal shifting.
Yeah the shifting was actually perfect. Couldn’t have asked for better. I honestly think it shifts faster than my 100% Sram cable actuated stuff. It was a little loud when in popped into each ganar though. I was shifting under some of the worst conditions though so that’s to be expected.
I just tried this today with GX AXS along with an xt cassette and chain. Every gear shifts fine except the 51t, it clicks as if it wants to shift down. When I microadjust to resolve is messes up the other gears. Any thoughts on this?
@@gword809 mine does this to a certain degree. I felt like it got better when I increased the b gap way larger than what sram recommends. I have my limits screwed all the way out too. What bike are you doing this on?
Nice video. I am thinking of mixing Shimano cassette with Axs as well. Will Axs crankset work with Shimano 12spd cassette? or do I have to stick with Shimano Crank? much thankssssss
I'd probably try to match your chain, cassette and chainring for the best performance.
What a sick trail! What trail is this haha
Little Cottonwood Quarry
Thank you for the video. Will the gx rd, shifter (cable) work on shimano 12 speed cassette? Thanks
That should be very comparable to this. Should work.
“This trail is the perfect spot for a nice camp fire” -all the hipsters
Hammock hanging, pot smoking youths.
@@bikersedge nailed it
“This campsite is the perfect spot to ride and drive through” -all Utahns
Cool, if you're a super impatient Shimano guy...Does Shimano have any plans to make wireless???
Wish I was privy to that information. I mean it’s got to be coming at some point though. They have to in order to stay relevant.
Don't see how your comment sram shifter and shimano derailer or vice versa can be so. If one brand shifter pulls other brand derailer different lengths how could any mixed drive train work on mixed cassette? I run a GX 12 speed shifter, XTR derailer and XO1 cassette and shifting is perfect .
The spacing on the cassettes is the same across the brands. The problem lies in mixed derailleurs and shifters. Both derailleurs move the same amount to match the cassette spacing, but a shimano shifter pulls the cable more to move the derailleur the same amount as a Sram shifter with a shorter cable pull.
From what I’ve heard (no personal experience though) once you’re in 12 speed the pull ratios are close enough that it works ok.
Top,👍🤟
In terms of shifting, do you get the hyperglide benefits on the shimano? How does it compare if its a full eagle setup?
I yeah. That comes from the cassette and chain. I think it’s pretty smooth shifting. I swapped wheelsets and am no longer running this combo. It’s full eagle now. I think they both shift great.
My rear mech is deore xt m8100 I want to change from gx is that smother to shift.
Not sure if you’re asking if GX is smoother. If you are, I wouldn’t necessarily says it’s smoother or all that different.
Will it work with my XTR set? Or will it be better if I use the XX1 AXS upgrade set (shifter & mech)?
Should work just fine.
Anyone have the part number for the Orbea Rise derailleur hanger needed for sram axs?
I used the stock hanger. Shouldn’t need anything specific to AXS
How are the sram pulleys with the shimano chains?
Seems to be just fine so far. Chain doesn’t jump or skip.
Question is... does it perform better than full Shimano mechanical or full SRAM AXS?
No. There’s no reason to see this as an upgrade. Just nice if you want wireless shifting and don’t want to replace your entire Shimano drivetrain.
@@bikersedge thanks... I’ll keep fingers crossed for next gen 12sp Mtb XT Di2...
Is there a tiny display out there that shows the current AXS gear?
I think some of the Garmin units can display AXS data.
will GX AXS work with 7 speed GX DH 11-24t cassette? just limit it to 7 speed with low limit screw?
That one is above my pay grade. I don't know if you'd be able to dial the limit in enough to get it to stop mid cassette like that. I'll do some digging and see if I can find an answer.
will the shimano scylence hub work with the 11-speed sram nx derailleur? sory for my english
We haven't really seen any of those at the shop. From what I understand Shimano cancelled the project. Not sure about compatibility.
Have you ever mixed and matched drivetrain components? How did it go?
I had a shimano 11 speed drive train then fixed 12 speed derailleur just for the bigger pulleys and fixed my 11 speed derailleur in my friend's 10 speed bike. I wanted fix 11 speed xx1 cassette then I got to know the gear spacing is different 3.9 mm shimano 11 speed vs 3.8 sram 11 speed xd drive. One question I heard gear spacing for shimano 12 speed 3.55 mm and for sram 12 speed 3.65 mm. Does the GX axs allow you to set different shifting travel other than 3.65 mm for 12 speed
I love doing that. Shimano has the best shifting casettes and chains, but I much prefer the feel and function of SRAM derraileurs and shifters.
I have been running Shimano cassette with a KCM chain using a SRAM derailleur for +5000 km. Works perfectly
@@MrAskPetersen Stoked to hear it!
I just did this conversion and there is a trick. Swap jockey wheels from shimano to AXS derailleur. Set b tension gap to 12mm gap between top jockey wheel and largest cog when in the second gear. Shifting under load improves and much quieter due to the thinner jockey wheels allowing the chain to glide over easier.
Hi you said a Sram mechanical shifter and derailleur won't work well with Shimano gear due to the difference in the increments applied by the shifter being different.? So wouldn't it be the same with the AXS shifter and derailleur since the increments spaces are designed for the Sram cassette or am I missing something. Can you program in different incrimination so to speak
Thanks
Once you take the cable out of the equation it’s not longer an issue. The derailleurs move the same amount in order to change gears because the space between cogs on the cassette is the same across brands. Where the problem lies is that Sram and Shimano have to pull the cable different amounts for said derailleur movement. There’s no way to tune it.
Thanks for the prompt reply a first for me on UA-cam. I was wondering like many how its going in the long term Also did you do the derailleur pulley change over as one of the guys detailed ? A few years ago after endless trouble I replaced the original GX derailleur on my 18 Giant Trance with a XT derailleur (all 12 speed )and it fixed 90% of the problems.
Jockey wheels swap to Shimano's need for good shifting ? Tks.
@@richardloh8260 I didn’t need to swap the jockey wheels for this to work.
@@bikersedge Thank you ! Understand you had moved to all eagle setup and probably not into hundreds of mileage .. will find out soon how this gm axs upgrade work out and fingercrossed with spare xtr jockey wheels on order. Too much cost to get to all sram, including wheelset and already the $ put into xtr which is quiet and smooth shifting after running in and 2-3 tuning by lbs. However, axs wireless seems the right direction to have less dependence on lbs and almost all positive review on this cost effective gx axs did not help 😅🙏. Thanks again.
What trail are you riding (always looking for new/diverse options)?
Quarry trail in Little Cottonwood
I made the swap and have loved it so far. However, the chain gets super noisy if it gets even remotely dirty. So noisy it almost sounds like its out of alignment, but as soon as I clean the chain it sounds fine. I did look close at the sprocket wheel on the derailleur as I slowly peddled the bike on a stand and it looks like teeth are slightly too big to fit into the grooves of every other chain link? Maybe the Sram teeth of the wheel don't line up well with the Shimano chain?
Does anyone have experience doing this with new t type axs?
I haven’t heard of it working. I doubt it does with the difference in chain shapes.
Did you changed also the Chain or let the original Shimano.... if you keep it... what about the length?
Watch at 2:34 - length is the same.
Hey man. I’ve done the axs with Shimano drive train on three bikes. You use the Shimono chain and Cassette and just size the chain according to the axs install video which you can find on UA-cam and it works like a dream. Hope that helps
I just have one question, will GX AXS works with NX 11 speed cassette?
Probably not. Lots of factors here but it's going to be best to match speeds.
Is it possible to put on gx axs on an nx 11-50t 12 speed casette??
Yes
Hmm do it will work with 12 speed 11 50 nx cassette?
Yes.
Is the original chain the right length to work with the gx?
It was pretty much spot on.
What was the bag you were runing on the orbea?
It’s the Evoc frame bag.
I disagree with your last two points re: chains and shifters. We've found that for 12 speed stuff, SRAM chains will work just fine on Shimano drivetrains, but you lose the buttery Hyperglide shifting. Shimano chains don't seem to work very well on SRAM drivetrains, and I think it's because of the inner profile of the chainlinks (particularly the Shimano quick link) needing to mate up to a Shimano(-compatible) chainring. As regards shifters and mechs, at 12 speed the two brands do actually seem to play ok together - it's not optimal, but the pull ratios seem to be virtually identical and I know a couple of people running Shimano 12sp mechs on SRAM Eagle shifters, and vice versa. At 11 speed and below, you are absolutely correct, but things seem to get funky at 12 speed.
Interesting about the 12 speed derailleur and shifter combo. Might have to try that. The shimano chain isn’t ideal on Sram drivetrain but I’ve been running one for months now and it’s ok.
@@bikersedge Interesting! What chainring and quick link are you using?
@@rantingwrench On the Rise I have the ethirteen chainring (which probably helps) and the Shimano quick link. On the Mojo (other bike with shimano/sram mix) I have the Shimano chain and quick link with a Sram chainring and cassette.
this guys video quality is wat too high for his sub count. 100k next year 100%
Hey thanks! Stoked you like the channel!
@@bikersedge just keep posting man ur already there
My Giant is full slx.. Do you think itll work with it?
If it’s 12 speed it should probably work.
@@bikersedge Going to have to try it out. 👊🏽