If the choice was *&%$ing SRAM or walking, it would be a tough choice to make.
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I can’t speak to the AXS mountain bike rear derailleurs, but my Force AXS eTap RD is quite silent and has a less high pitched sound than Di2 Ultegra. Whether you prefer one of the other is IMHO like a discussion over exhaust noise. Personally, I don’t care either way.
I think what you are experiencing are slightly “chunkier” shifts of SRAM group sets with mountain bike cassettes in general. (I have tried Force 1 and XX1 11-speed with 10-42 cassettes.) So I don’t think this has anything to do with the groupset being electronic or not, and is largely a matter of taste. I have yet to try a 12-speed Shimano mountain bike groupset, so I don’t know how they compare. My 9-year old Shimano XT drive train shifts more smoothly now than it did initially. I just attribute that to years and years of usage. I can tell, because the rear up shifter works both ways. I almost exclusively use my thumb, so the index finger direction is “almost new”.
Still, I think the advantages of SRAM eTap groupsets, especially the fact that there exists Rival eTap AXS now, is a problem. The cumulative advantage is IMHO substantial and if I were agnostic in terms of hood shape and button layout, I see clear advantages with going SRAM eTap AXS. Just the 10-36 cassette alone is a huge boon, especially for more average riders, riders who want to go 1x or if you want a quiver killer bike. Shimano has nothing like it in its drop bar groupset range.
I would love the new 12spd DA in mechanical. But, I could see it being Di2 only. That would make more sense if you ask me. New bikes are all coming out with Di2. Also, peeps who are still on mechanical can make the jump to Di2. If that were the case, I might be even willing to go Di2. As for disc only, there are still a lot of rim brakes out there. 
Pretty sure there will be a Rim brake version. Sure, most bikes these days are disk brakes, but given Shimanos sales numbers even low fraction of rim brakes would still be millions of units. Maybe the next Dura Ace in 6 years or so will be disc brake only 
(Also, I kinda hope people upgrade and dump there current DA on the second hand market, for pennies. Come on people I know you want the 12-speed! 
)
Yeah, I think so, too. Shimano is a supremely conservative company and by the looks of things there is still a sizable share of people who like the look of a rim brake bike and have the cash to spring for DuraAce. Two team mates of mine did just that.
Walking, every single time.
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I see a lot of people using Shimano being forced to walk, once the gradient becomes steep enough, so they can‘t spin their too high gears anymore…
SRAM is by no means perfect, especially set up of FD.
But there is a lot Shimano can learn from SRAM still (gearing, availability, power accuracy).
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Also a really good selling point over Red AXS since that doesn’t have rim options. It’ll be DA or Campy Super Record if you’re splashing all the cash.
12-speed rim AXS? Well, colour me surprised!
Every AXS groupset is 12 speed and Force and Red launched with both.
As of now, availability of Rim Red is actually better, probably lower demand.
I guess the reason not many people have seen it, is because SRAM sponsored teams that were fully Disc already, and because it doesn’t speak to the weenies so much.
The Canyon Ultiamte 10 LTD (sub 6kg) was one of the very few bikes that came with it out of the box:
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Release must be coming soon. Trek project one no longer has Shimano DA as an option. only Ultegra Di2. Saturday to coincide with Mens olympic road race?
I believe, though could be wrong, that you cannot order a full AXS groupset in rim any more, but the individual components remain available.
SRAM still lists AXS rim groupset options on their site as a current offering.
For Dura Ace?
No way.
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I feel like such a Luddite reading this thread. Can I just get a 10 speed mechanical group with rim brakes please? Can the world of tech just slow down?
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Sure, you can order a Tiagra groupset any time you want.
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Since no one has mentioned it here yet, I thought I’d update the thread with the new rear derailleur manual. It can be found on FCC sites, but feel free to use my link: https://assets.bettershifting.com/r9250_manual_20036cc49d.pdf
Main points:
- Charge port in the rear derailleur
- LED in the RD
- Button on the RD
- EW-SD300 type wire port (to connect to the battery, BT-DN300)
- Charging cable looks like that of the FC-R9100-P power meter
- No more Junction A, that’s all part of the rear derailleur now
Also, it transmits ‘Dual Control Lever battery status’ over BluetoothLE/ANT, suggesting that the levers have batteries in them.
(people on WW suggested self-charging levers, but I have no idea really)
For my take on it, visit DURA-ACE R9250 semi-wireless Rear Derailleur Manual published
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What do you think the 3rd port of the new battery can connect to? It seems to be redundant given that shifters have enough of ports to connect with additional satellite/sprint shifter. Or it provides somewhat backward compatibility?