Is a $1000 SRAM AXS wireless drivetrain worth it? High Low Ep 4

Is a $1000 SRAM XX1 AXS wireless drivetrain really that much better?
Head to squarespace.com/EvansMTBSaga to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code EVANSMTBSAGA
Credit to Donut Media & Pinkbike for the inspiration behind this mega series.
Links to the parts seen in this video (affiliate links):
Polygon Siskiu D5 (red one) - bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/7m64dQ
Polygon Siskiu D7 (yellow bike, my main) - bikesonline-usa.sjv.io/b3Bv3k
SRAM XX1 AXS - amzn.to/3xlpFe3
Shimano SLX 12 speed - amzn.to/38iy07y
SLX 12 Speed cassette - amzn.to/3u7cUBG
BiBike 12 speed cassette HG driver - amzn.to/3u9rZTe
Shimano 12 speed chain - amzn.to/3x9m7LB
SRAM XX1 Chain - amzn.to/3uU97a2
Wolftooth 12 speed chain ring - amzn.to/3x5vhso
2022 Fox 34 GRIP2 - amzn.to/3CUUKG4
Bomber Z2 - amzn.to/37MrJ3U
Budget Headset (Risk one was crap) - amzn.to/3JsaoLF
Tools:
Headset Cup Removal Tool - amzn.to/3ugK0On
Headset Cup Press - amzn.to/3qlQWbX
Park Tool Truing Stand - amzn.to/3CXI5lG
To buy me a cup of coffee & support the channel: www.buymeacoffee.com/evansmtb...
For business inquiries: [e-mail]
If you'd like to send me something for a future video idea:
Evan's MTB Saga
PO Box 6498
Goodyear, AZ 85338

[@frotto]

The best was the dog taking itself for a walk.

[@mcnexplorer]

I saw that aswell 🤣

[@systemsbroken]

Sure, but Karen was triggered.....

[@MahmoudAhmed-gc9tg]

😂😂

[@emp29]

That dog scared me. I thought it had an arrow stuck in it.

[@afewspokesloose2699]

Came to comments just to confirm I wasn't the only one 😅

[@gamecart420]

me who has a $30 shifter watchin this 💀

[@XGamerTanmay]

Same

[@marklopez5522]

Same

[@suyashshrestha7178]

My cycle is worth 100$😂😂

[@venomgemar3737]

Who has 5$ one?

[@muratkarayev2055]

I haven't bike

[@CoorangaCorrella]

5:49 Dog appears out of thin air 🤣 Amazing video as always, genuinely can't wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.

[@memalang94]

Doctor strange's dog for sure 😂

[@raghufn5881]

Lol I was going to comment that

[@spaykill]

The magic of edition XD

[@sumsaudi]

PINKBIKE TAKE NOTES! excellent job with this series. cant wait to see you get some carbon hoops for the high bike.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Carbon hoops are in my possession, doing the rear shock first 👍

[@davidgarza2267]

@@EvansMTBSaga just out of curiosity. What’s the budget for low bike wheels?

[@schwarzauge4909]

@@EvansMTBSaga heyy man can you get some hunt-wheels for the bidget bike they are the absolut best bag for the bug

[@MrSupermugen]

@@schwarzauge4909 dissagree, Nukeproof horizon v2 are best bang for buck.

[@georgim2741]

I feel like the pinkbike had the limitations of using only one retailer for the parts supply. That is why their series were on that level. We all know that they can do better. But have to say, Evans, you are a god.

[@a.m.bgarage.everydayprojec9665]

yee yee. By far the BEST comparison video series. Ive used these videos to buy many of my bike components, and Evan's reviews are on the dot.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Dude thanks so much! Sometimes I have a hard time remembering to cover the bases with reviews and hit all talking points. Glad I helped though!

[@lachlanmtb7540]

I recently had a big surgery, which means I can can’t mountain bike for up to 7 months. These videos have been so fun and cheerful to watch during recovery. Keep up the great work Evan!

[@Tyber_gsk]

No wories mate.. my disk.. got crashed.. surgery, paralyzed for 12 months.. Learn to walk again and shit.. Now i.m back on my giant pathom 2 6 days a week.. Recover... and dont give up..

[@mrupholsteryman]

Praying to Jesus for ya'! 😇💪🙏

[@lachlanmtb7540]

@@Tyber_gsk thanks man 🙌

[@ferjohn7214]

You'll be alright man, I once my broke tibia and fibula and took me 8 months to recover and 2 months of therapy by myself. Everything will be alright

[@mr.waffentrager4400]

How are you 8 months later?

[@kerixau]

I’ve been checking ur channel everyday to see if you have posted on this series. In my opinion this is one of the best upgrade series on KZbin

[@GokkunGuru]

SRAM GX AXS is the sweet spot - best bang for your buck.

[@h0udinl]

Personally best bang for buck for me would be a sram shifter and Shimano the rest and yes that actually works been running it since July last year

[@dimitargeorgiev1293]

Best mtb series I've ever seen. Keep up making videos like these

[@BowzKnows]

I run SLX on my bike. It changes the gears well, stays in adjustment and is pretty rugged (never had an issue with the plastic clutch lever). I would rather put high-end components on for suspension, brakes, and contact points! I think I'm with Evan as well on the AXS, tried it once and wasn't a huge fan. I also enjoy the tactile feeling of cable actuated!

[@BowzKnows]

@Mustafa Hussein like where your body contacts the bike. And where your bike contacts the ground. So things like tires, wheels,, pedals, seat, grips, handlebars, can all make a huge difference of feel on bike when riding. Save half your money by not going wireless and spend it on nice pedals, seat, bars, and tires (and 4pot brakes)!

[@rfcdgaf]

This is the same type of guy who wants a horse drawn carriage instead of a car

[@olegyamleq7796]

man, i watch this and feel overwhelmed by how great a bike mechanic you are. great job!!!! great video!!! upvoted!!!

[@andycjohnston]

Great series. Loving it. Be great to see a separate vid on all the joys and pitfalls of wheel threading too...especially from the point of view of someone at home, and not a shop pro.

[@alfonzo9014]

the dog at 5:51 😂

[@cl4589]

I really like the last part of this episodes where we can get a glimpse of what will we see on the next episode. When you say "how much did you spend on that??" I also put my hands in my head asking the exact same question 😁 This series is so good! Great job man!

[@felixfam0481]

Same lmao, I saw the ext shock and was like "NO WAY"

[@MikeKraemer87]

@@felixfam0481 As a hard tail rider, idk what an ext shock is lmao.

[@sim_dude]

dude, those shots with "both" of you and the literal twin at the ends are awsome. Way to go ! love the serie :)

[@nvire5202]

One of the best MTB channels out there! I'll watch every single video and watched all the videos already

[@martinupchurch5360]

Love the series. I would only add you could have went with the 11speed Deore series, and would have had less compatibility issues. I am personally not sold on 12 speed, although that said I don't shift all the time and prefer the simplicity of less gears. I think Box one was onto something, though I do prefer the Shimano overall.

[@Fantaman058]

Way better than Pinkbike's budget vs baller series that was a huge letdown, good idea's poor execution. Keep up the good work.

[@malistraja5944]

Yeah they didnt try to get good budget parts they went for garbage

[@theamateur4490]

This is the series I've always wanted to see great job with this series so far

[@arnaudnicolau2093]

love those type of vids, well explained, some humour and pretty chill

[@BryceBetts]

Imagine getting a dollar every time Evan laced a wheel on this channel 🤣

[@dallinlake4274]

So as someone who has tuned fox forks that uppity feeling could be one of 3 things and it may be all of them. 1, you could have too much low speed compression. 2, you could have too much air. 3 you could have to manny tokens in your fork. Remember its better to add compression to a lower air pressure fork than to add air or tokens and decrease compression. First fully open your compression and set to 28% sag (I find this to bee the sweet spot) then ride three small sections of trail. 1 a majorly rocky section 2 a flat and flowy section 3 a steep section. The goal is to use 75 to 85 percent of the travel in the rocky section 35 to 45 in the flowy section and in the steep you don't won't the fork to go down more than 55 percent if you are going straight without bumps. If you find that the fork is great though the beginning of the travel but blows through the last 30 percent of the travel then add a token. By adding tokens you are adding more progression to the travel. If you find the beginning is to stiff remove air. If it's blowing though the travel in the beginning to much and you haven't gone above 4 clicks of what fox recommends for compression add 1 click compression and follow the same line on the trail again. If you use more than 4 more click than what fox recommends go back to what fox recommends and add 2 psi of air. Remember when adding air you still need to cycle the fork to add air to the negative chamber and same with removing air because you want the air chambers to be right and both to decrease In Pressure

[@eugene44569]

Bro this vid hit 300k! It got reccomended to me again. Keep up the good work

[@MazdaMiata-gt8kw]

such a great series, hi-low works so well for mountain bikes

[@kieftoker]

Can't wait for the upgraded wheels episode! Great stuff!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I've already filmed the shock episode, but noticed the stock wheels are SEVERELY holding back the bike, so I moved up the wheel episode to be after the shock

[@mcmenormw6269]

5:51 Has anyone also seen the dog coming out of nowhere?

[@eugene44569]

Damn congrats on your first 200k. Also congrats on 30k subs.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks dude! I was wondering where you've been

[@timpeterson7821]

Great video, love this series

[@safechauffeur]

Great video, as always, but the time travelling space dog coming through that trail portal (caught on camera) at 5:50 is probably a once in a lifetime event. It was quite lucky that Derrick barely maneuvered around that wormhole, or he would have lost $10! #itsamiracle #spacedog #timetravel #derrickisspared

[@Illtakeakersakerslight]

IMO any frame that still has standard old school drop outs and skewers deserves 11spd shimano at the most. Its not a bad thing, its actually a great setup and a very reasonable price. the best part is that you can actually find the components.

[@eugene44569]

dang this vid hit 400k! you are going to hit 50k by the end of this month for sure

[@arencacho8201]

Yoooo it feels like 90s advertisement on the way you speak lol. Loving your vid man!

[@fackerhidonbush8420]

If you want to get the job done cheap, you can go shimano 1x11 on the cassete 11-51t and get any 12s derailleur you want. And for 60$ (in my country) you can get the 11s crankset and for 26$ the shifter. Basically the whole transmision for 230$ without any compatibility issues. Or just get the deore 10s cassete 11-46t and save some money on the shifter, chain(not changing these), cassete and derailleur. The second setup would be 150$ before selling the old stuff.

[@fantomita_rider477]

i am subscribed but my cranks still stripped. All jokes aside i really love you're content and i hope you keep making more of it

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha I think we've all stripped cranks, or know someone that has!

[@raymxndtang92]

i love wating for these vids- there are other comparisons but this just is just- 🔥🔥🔥

[@pires3476]

The effort on the videos is insane!

[@kenetics1344]

Sunrace 12 speed cassettes work very well. Also shimano m5100 11sp 11-51t. Deore 12 speed shifter/derailleur with a sunrace cassette is best budget upgrade imo and you can still use the hg driver. Great video series so far!

[@Mikesonbikes]

The sunrace shifts terribly compared to any Shimano hyperglide+

[@kenetics1344]

@@Mikesonbikes Yeah, I wasn't trying to say sunrace shifts as nice as hg+. I was referring to ease of converting to 1x12 being a better "budget". Deore 12s with sunrace cassette can use eagle/kmc chain, regular narrow wide chainring and hg driver.

[@kenetics1344]

I built 2 budget bikes for my wife and son using the same combo and it shifts pretty good. Just a little more adjusting of the b-gap. Definitely not as nice as my slx/xt hg+ setup

[@lowqualitysenpai6169]

I personally use the sunrace 12 speed cassettes on my m7100 slx drivetrain. It doesn't shift as much as smooth as what HG does, but it does the job just fine, it's better than what I used to have, though the b-gap is kinda misleading, cause if you tried to align it with that, it won't shift even sometimes.

[@Xoskelleton1441]

Was it just me because I think I saw a dog come out of nowhere 🤔 😳 😅

[@nosreuter]

On top of absolutely nailing the content, your alter ego editing wins the price. Your simply having me fooled sometimes, like when you both finish the lap chasing each other and you even manage to pass in a very convincing way 💥

[@quincatbagan6316]

Finally I’ve been waiting for this to stop for soooo long now😤

[@carlosnatividad6680]

Apart from the good transparency on the parts, you have great video editting, on the part where you "were" overtaking yourself had me surprised, great video as always!

[@carlosnatividad6680]

Or that was another rider just wearing your clothes, idk but still that was great visual story telling

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thank you Carlos! The edit is my favorite part. This time I got another rider to wear Chad's clothes 😭 just to mix it up. Theres some people that think we are two different people, so I wanted to add to that confusion 😁

[@carlosnatividad6680]

@@EvansMTBSaga can't wait for other episodes in this series :D

[@DcCock]

The dog phasing into existence during the ad piece had me laughing harder than it should have. I felt a little targeted by this one since I did decide to go baller on my EVIL Following MB build. I was going to take the Shimano XT RD and shifter off my Canyon Spectral but I decided to try out GX AXS instead and I bought a Garbaruk cassette since it's lighter and cheaper than XX1. Wireless shifting is awesome but completely unnecessary, I would only recommend it if you do a lot of technical climbs and ride trails with surprise climbs. Don't compromise on any other part of your build to get it. If I were to build another bike which is likely going to be a long travel bike like an EVIL Insurgent, I would probably go X01 mechanical or Shimano XT again just to use that money on something else like Onyx Hubs. I have GRX mechanical on my gravel bike and I don't ever think I wish I has electronic shifting on it or on my Canyon Spectral back when I had it. Electronic shifting is amazing but unnecessary. I wouldn't call it a gimmick if you're really into technical climbing.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Sorry for making you feel attacked. We actually have the exact same tastes. I've decided I'll ultimately go with the X01 cable too! They're so light, I just held one the other day

[@DcCock]

@@EvansMTBSaga When I saw that Garbaruk package appear, I thought "oh shit, I'm the rich bro in these videos"

[@max.racing]

Dude youre video quality is like from an channel with more then 200k subscribers! Insanely good video! U will get really big really fast i know it!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks man I really appreciate it! Almost every minute of the day is put into the videos so I appreciate the recognition and it gives me motivation 👍💪

[@kevinbloxom8013]

Great video love the Garbaruk

[@katsaras1]

5:50 Is that Dog walking him self on the trail?

[@kevinhodgins9071]

Such good series! Well done 👍🏼 So is the special chain/chain ring just a 12 speed issue? Seems staying in the 10 or 11 speed for low bike may give you more options and better access to value for performance options and cross brand compatibility. Happy Tuesday Evan! ☕️ Love the redemption for the Z2 Bomber!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Yeah it's a 12 speed issue. The stock deore chainring said 10/11 speed ☠️

[@lastfm4477]

Or just use a KMC or SRAM 12-speed chain.

[@Digthenride]

This series is Amazing! I don’t think i can wait 2 weeks for the next vid with the rear shock❤️

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Next video out Monday or Tuesday. Doing weekly uploads until the series is over

[@Digthenride]

@@EvansMTBSaga lets go! thanks for the grind! Love from🇦🇺

[@vestacperformance]

Looking forward to the rear shock upgrade video!

[@celticknyt]

You could have saved about $100 bucks by just using a KMC 12 speed chain, they're cheaper than the Shimano and compatible with the chainring.

[@chromz234]

Kmc is a great chain brand

[@sim0n_ank3r19]

Arent we going to talk about that dog that just spawned

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Trail dogs are weird!

[@sim0n_ank3r19]

@@EvansMTBSaga i love your videos keep up the good work

[@spuddo123]

5:50 That dog just returned from the 4th dimension lmaoo

[@1sektCC]

I love how easy u put the tyre on ! :D

[@Ropetable]

for 80 bucks you could have bought a new crankset including chainring for shimano 12s

[@MountainBiking_Bulgaria]

The conclusion with Shimano chains incompatibility can apply the same as SRAM's HD driver body to be honest. Not to mention that Raceface, woolftooth, Hope are already making a compatible chainrings with Shimano's chain, which provides the mentioned in the video Hyperglide+.., which is a revolutionary development in Cable shifting. The only difference is that even at lower tier of DriveTrain such as a Full SLX - you get a better shifting performance than you will ever get with SRAM's 2k bugs Drivetrain. Before the crap start spilling on my way, which reminds me - Notifications OFF - have a test with full drivetrain bundles, bodged cranksets with used chainrings can not present event a half-descent test for shifting performance :)

[@dylan-5287]

Having tried both, I don't notice any difference with hyperglide. A well setup 12sp drive train feels good either way. Hyperglide is mostly marketing. But fully agree on the electronic shifting. Not only is the cost outrageous but don't see any upside.

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

Hyper glide 2 is just shimano’s marketing for adding shift ramps for the downshifts, something sram has done for years now which is why srams cassettes have always shifted better, especially on the downshift. Shimano could have added it years ago when sram did but never bothered until their cassettes wouldn’t work with e bike motor’s. And you’re absolutely deluded if you think a cheap monkey metal six group set will ever come close to the performance of x01 or xx1, not even XTR comes close. You buy shimano because it’s cheap and does the job. You pay the extra for sram because it does the job well and lasts.

[@bpisan]

Haven't even watched yet and thank you for making a real comparison. SLX is a realistic upgrade for MANY MTBers and knowing what they are getting compared to the top bling is great. This series should blow your channel up.

[@shredder475]

Yes new Vid from the Lad👀😍

[@sean_mtb5270]

This is the best series off bikes in my opinion

[@jeddacheese]

THE DOG THAT COMES OUT OF NO WHERE TRIPPED ME RIGHT OUT 5:50

[@reillypoe2260]

and i hope you keep the high bike as your own you deserve it

[@brandonb6164]

That dog spawning in at 5:48 was hilarious

[@crisadriancruzat5428]

love this kind of video!

[@matejstetina6408]

Great job as ever Evan! I love your videos, hopefully you'll fulfill your dream of meeting Seth Alvo from Berm Peak.

[@Guoenyi]

Re-lacing a wheel to get this comparison done. Nothing stops this dude lol

[@Spark_MTB_BMX_Coaching]

I don’t know how you do it but you get better at making videos every time you put a new one out.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks man! Editing is my favorite part of the entire process

[@Guitariste-metalFr]

Great video ! I've tested a Spark Team Issue AXS and I had the same feeling regarding the feeling when you're changing gear. I had the feeling to make use of a gaming mouse, super sensitive, but almost cheap. That's a pitty as I've really enjoyed to change gears on high pressure, as the AXS should avoid any "bad speed change", even on high load ! As consequence I went for a Tallboy CC, with an XT groupset, working like a charm. However, having an Ultegra 2*11 groupset on my roadbike, I have to say that I am really temptated to get a SRAM eTape, for 1.2k, not only for getting wireless shifting, but as well to get 2*12 speed + another ratio and finally to get a powermeter ! Spending 500e on a powermeter, then around 180e for both front ring will cost me at the end for around 800e, so at the end close to an eTape, having all in need in box. Am I the only one to think that as well ? Let's see.

[@ianhenderson8014]

A little tip that helped me a lot with wheel building was to take an extra spoke and screw it into the top of the spoke nipple so it won’t fall into the rim

[@MyZippy13]

Love my XX1 AXS. Could never go backwards now.

[@Sinon_xD]

mtb verison of high low by donut media love it!

[@purplegarage05]

Those gold jockey wheel looks absolutely amazing

[@lameboysmtb6705]

Shimanos cassettes also have a really cool design and they slip between gears soooooo easily… as a guy who rode sram for 3 years and just now am riding slx on my hard tail holy crap is Shimano good it flys up and down the cassette without a noise or clank its so crisp if you haven’t tried it you have to the build quality on Shimano is also incredible

[@brody8r]

Great editing

[@sbbeowulf8296]

I love how a little before that 4 minute mark you cropped out the person and a dog just appears out of nowhere

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Dude that's so funny! You are the very first person to comment that the person was cropped out! Lot's of people think the dog appeared out of nowhere hahaha. I cropped out the person to protect their privacy, and after making my initial crop the dog just appeared. I was laughing so much, so I just left it like that haha. Good catch dude!

[@___crown___8210]

I love the dog in your video

[@AdrianAyala]

Seriously had me rewind on the dog! I thought it had an arrow or something in its side till I realized what was actually going on.

[@kandarpada]

I like this video it's very informative.

[@huntnman]

OOOOk. @5:52, that was freaking weird.... that dog walking out of no where. LMAO😂

[@jasonswift7098]

The dog just beamed out of nowhere its like scotty got the coordinates wrong 🤣

[@HH-fh4ds]

I think having a sram electronic is quite use full because you don’t need wires and is easy to do and good for trails cuz if you fall it has shock absorbers which doesnt bend the hanger

[@azeroforakira3506]

That dog in 5:50 is a wizard!

[@sweetpotato8466]

Small channel but the sickest budget😵😵

[@lucascaldas6717]

Is no one gonna talk about the dog walking out of thin air at the end of the sponsor section🤣🤣😂😂🤣😂

[@rfcdgaf]

No grease on chainring bolts, no grease on crank spindle, no grease on pedals. Fucken A+ video

[@TheSlowworms]

Ahhh man, you had your fair share of issues with this one. I think Chad realised though and took it a bit easier on you this week. Keep up the good work 👍

[@aspotterabroad4145]

I actually just switched out my SRAM mechanical on my Epic EVO for the GX AXS and loving it. Not quite as expensive as the XX1 version but still super smooth.

[@jamesrussell3695]

Agreed. No idea what he is talking about with this button delay. It could be that he is pressing the button on that shifter wrong. On the big button you are supposed to press down. Switched from mechanical X01 to X01 AXS and it is the fastest shifting i have had in 20 years

[@timlampron2792]

I was more confused, or maybe misunderstood, when he said it could take hours with the micro adjustments. I found the complete opossite. Setting up and adjusting the AXS is 1000x easier than a cable actuated drive train. I also think it's unfair to evaluate it with so many mismatch parts. Stick all gx eagle on and thus drive train is soooooo much better than cable actuated. However, I do agree it is an adjustment if you're big on "feeling" the click of gears. Eventually you just begin to realize the thing just works flawlessly and though you don't feel the gear change you notice the gears have changed.....

[@NabeGamma12]

I honestly think it's cheaper to buy a different chain brand like KMC than replacing the chainring that would fit the shimano chain. I've had that issue before when I bought a new shimano chain. Went to 2 different LBS to check the issue, one said it's my chainring, the other said it's the chain. So I went with the latter and bought a KMC, worked like a charm.

[@wyaspence]

If you do this series again I'd love to see you try out a Kogel Bearings oversize cage... curious how they perform.

[@hxn_er9939]

Just recently started mountainbiking and I gotta say its really fun with friends! Although my bike is 2nd hand, its a GT Avalanche 4.0 26er the shock doesent even work lol but I tried trailing with a cross country bike and I gotta say its really fun. I'd LOVE a new bike with full suspension, but unfortunately my family cant afford a new one :(

[@deepgamingteamtwitch]

Best thing about the video was him wearing a Berm Peak tee , supposedly supporting Seth 😀

[@samtansleyphotography]

1:51 YOOO I GOT THOSSSEEE (albeit in black) on a side note they really help with mud clearance in the wet and i don't have to clean out pulley worms anymore! they also look super sick as well as quieten down the grinding of the plastic pulley wheels on my NX

[@jrsfield]

12s is very touchy in my experience and tiny little details feed into functionality like the inner shape of the wide teeth space in the shimano vs sram chains, the exact height of the pulleys (different behaviour even between the 50t vs the 51/52t cassettes, the chainring tooth profile, the bearing size on the upper pulley, the lubrication of the shifter cable along its whole path, third party components (like the garbaruk cassette without their pulley cage). I got sram with the bike I bought and although its a mech it is very smooth. I am trying to be very careful with third party components am adding and still I have already found that the shape of the sram chainring teeth would have been much better suited to the 2-3 biggest rear sprockets than my absoluteblack as it avoids grinding the chainring in those gears thus saving power and equipment. Am glad somebody braver than me tried the less standard combinations and shared the experience (and I ve seen the follow-up where you swap the AXS derailleur).

[@Mulimark]

I wonder what kind of brakes chad will choose. The ultimate baller brakes just have to be Trickstuff, but might be overkill even for this kind of series.

[@mtbfiend2515]

I find it funny that some lesser-known KZbinr ( no hate btw love the vids) blows the pink bike's value-comparison test out of the water. While I do think that the used market is a little bit iffy it’s so much better than pink bikes. It feels like upgrades that I would make on my bike if I were doing a budget build. Keep it up!

[@thezonemtb]

I run a Shimano XT drive train but with a SRAM AXS GX derailleur. I get the smoothness of hyperglide shifting and wireless shifting. The only "hard" part is you have to measure for the B limit position instead of using the plastic guide. Which is really easy anyway.

[@330_Crew]

It’s actually quite amazing the rate of diminishing returns for $$$ spent, assuming weight is your only benchmark. How many more $$$ were spent on high bike to only be half a pound lighter than low bike. It will be interesting to see if the trend holds for future upgrades. Should calculate and trend with each update: % more spent on high bike compared to % reduction in weight over low bike. For example, spent 150% more on high bike to gain only a 5% weight savings.

[@spencerwylie3140]

i love the 'WOAH WHAT IS THAT HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND'

[@ct7473]

Evan, when building a new wheel, to avoid losing spoke nipplies inside the rim, screw an old spoke into the top end of the spoke nipple (the thicker part) and it will allow you to hold it in place inside the rim when putting it onto the old spoke! Adds a few seconds per spoke but compared to shaking it loose it saves you time. Hope it helps buddy!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

These were sealed with wax or something!

[@ct7473]

@@EvansMTBSaga Oof.. must be some fancy spoke nipples to be sealed with wax! Didn't even know that was a thing! Off the top of my head I'd just heat up some stray shifter cable or some other thin metal thingymabob and poke it into the wax so it melted and held. So many times I've dropped a spoke nipple into a rim and spent the next 30 mins anxious I'd be able to get it out the last spoke hole because I'm too lazy to start over :D

[@NSmoto90]

5:51 the dog just spawned in😂😂

[@ChezzyDirt]

just fyi micro adjust is just like the barrel, it works across the range not per gear. One benefit of AXS is cable housing degradation, you know over time your shifting is sluggish because the wire cuts into the housing, not an issue on AXS.

[@NatNetNitNotNut]

Sheeeesh an ext rear shock. Monster!

[@Dragon-bl2wd]

5:51 dog: hi😂