https://thegravelride.bike/chris-mandell-sram-zipp-rockshox-and-the-new-xplr-gravel-line-up
3 Likes
Really good to finally see the clean Reverb AXS dropper post come to 27.2mm.
Not a need, but absolutely a want!
3 Likes
Wondering if @Nate_Pearson would ever ditch an aero bike (and the requisite non-round seat post) to get one of these for a road setup and lower cornering position? 
Mehā¦
1X Only
Additional complication and maintenance of seat post and fork
Overkill for all gravel races or rides Iāve done
If I need the fork or the seat post Iād rather be on a mountain bike anyway
7 Likes
At this point thereās so much overlap in bike styles/components, this seems redundant. I feel like once Iām to the point of using a suspension fork and dropper post, Iām on a hard-tail MTB anyway.
2 Likes
As far as 1x and the new gearing, I am not sure 1x is for me, but this new cassette at least makes sense for what I would want. Full mullet (10-50/52) was major overkill on the low end, with bigger steps than I would want. So the 10-44 is the best that SRAM offers for what Iād use.
1 Like
Well 1x from SRAM makes sense, they canāt make a FD to save their lifeā¦
I agree a āGravel Suspension Forkā is unnecessary.
I do want the post though, but not for the reason MTBārs run droppers. Iām 6ā2" and if I could get lower on descents Iād pick up considerable speed.
If SRAM is reading this. Add hidden buttons to the shifters to control my Garmin and I will be buying a complete drivetrain setup and dropper post.
If Shimano/PRO is reading this. Make a Di2 dropper post in 27.2.
From what I heard in 2019, there were two version of this seatpost being considered ā one that was marginally lighter and one that was much, much lighter. It looks like they took the marginally lighter approach. Kinda bumms me out 
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That said, running the 75mm version with an ultralight shim in an XC bike with a larger diameter seat tube is definitely the wireless weight weenie approach.
I really think the head design on AXS Reverbs is far from optimized in terms of weight. Functionally, it is the easiest to use and most reliable seat post head of any dropper Iāve used, but in an effort to make it work so well it seems they didnāt focus too much on weight savings.
If they could drop some weight from the head of the post it would be a huge weight improvement.
6 Likes
The 101 wheels seem to be a major flop IMO.
$1800 for for a 1600+g box section wheelset? I see ZERO reason to buy them over the 303S or 303 FC
2 Likes
Iāll be ordering the new detailed and big gravel cassette this week. Iāll still be running 2x but now have gears to spin those steep climbs.
The dropper posts are hilariously short travel but I guess most gravel bikes donāt have MTB sloping top tubes. I run a 175 and could go longer still lol
Iām interested in this as wellā¦ but Do you think we could use the new cassette in a 2x setup?.. knowing the traditional Sram FD difficultiesā¦
I was going to say, āthe $2500 Enve G23 wheelset disagreesā but itās a lot lighter. These would be aimed at rocky trail adv bike/ bike packers, but the weight limit is also low and those bikes canāt handle rocky terrain well anyway. Looks like they are just trying to throw something out there. They would have been better off rebranding the Roam rims.
I like they went flat-top chain compatible with an eye toward sharing wheelsets with a road bike.
What weight range would you consider attractively light for an electronic dropper? While the head seems mass-ive, Iām not sure that much more than an ounce or two could be dropped (majority of weight being inherent in the actual dropper post itself).
In terms of marginal stuff, it sure would be nice if sram could make a half size batt, that would fit the same charger/mount base. Assuming that the power demands of the elec dropper mechanism are less than a derailleur.
Agree on this. I have 1x on my CX/Gravel bike and going to a 10-44 would give me a really nice range for both race types without having to swap chainrings all the time.
1 Like
The battery is actually pretty light. Itās not where the weight comes from. That said, I didnāt swap my battery after 6 months of use and it still wasnāt flashing red, so Iām sure they could make the battery smaller and save a few grams.
In most droppers the weight comes from the internal components that are in the post, but the AXS is a different beast. If you hold an AXS Reverb, itās very top heavy. The head of the post is extraordinarily heavy compared to other droppers, and the weight distribution of the AXS is very different than a normal reverb and any other post Iāve felt.
I donāt know why droppers need to be built like a suspension component. It seems an overcomplicated solution to me and I think we could build a much lighter solution that way. I really like the direction of the new Fox dropper that focuses on being lightweight. Just a simple spring.
4 Likes
Return of the Gravity Dropper
Those were lethal, but dead simple and light IIRC. A proper modern take (like the Fox) with a reasonable blend of tech for better return damping, along with infinite positions seems like the future ideal.
3 Likes
I donāt get the road dropper post desire. I do a heap of my steering/keeping my bike stable on descents with my hips.
Maybe Iām just doing it wrong.
Dropper on MTB 1000000000% every time.
3 Likes
Itās possible to sit on the saddle in the dropped position, especially so in these case with only 50-75mm drop. I even do it on my MTB plenty of the time. Doing so will lower the rider center of mass which is seldom bad for cornering (i.e. nearly always the best thing to do in fact) and still give the control aspect of saddle contact.
As mentioned above, particularly tall people may be the ones that could benefit the most.
2 Likes
Iām 193cm and although I donāt really ride road these days, Iāve done a couple long fast road descents on the MTB and it felt less stable with the saddle down 
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Iām big into the Lee Likes Bikes doctrine and have really improved my descending by focusing on getting low. It doesnāt feel right on the tarseal though without locking my hips into the saddle.
As you say, maybe the trick is just the 50mm mark.
ETA: I can absolutely see the benefit on gravel where you want to let the bike float under you (like on a MTB) to maintain traction.
2 Likes