Facebook Twitter Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Mountain Biking
      • Road Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    SRAM Rival GX AXS Mullet Review - Gravel Bikes
    Gear Reviews

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    Jason MitchellBy Jason MitchellSeptember 17, 20218 Comments9 Mins Read

    Mullet drivetrains are quite awesome these days. Whether you’re looking for simplicity, reliability or have a frame that is 1x only, the latest SRAM Rival and GX AXS components can be grouped together for the perfect wireless mullet build for your road or gravel bike.

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Kit Features:

    • Mixed Rival AXS mullet groupset with GX AXS rear derailleur
    • Choose any Eagle cassette (10-50t tested)
    • Available Quarq single-sided power meter
    • Smaller-profile Rival shifters than Force or Red
    • Easily pair and manage preferences and updates with AXS mobile app
    • Price: ~$1600 (depends on exact configuration)
    SRAM Rival and GX AXS Mullet Kit Review
    Wide-range 1x shangri-la.

    Rival and GX AXS mullet for gravel

    Bike component manufacturers are scrambling to meet demand, but that hasn’t stopped SRAM from introducing their Rival and GX AXS kits this year. Both offer the same function as the more expensive Red, Force, XX1 and XX0 groupsets, but in a more affordable package. You definitely gain weight due to the lack of carbon and titanium bits, but that weight savings translates into significant price savings and allows riders to spend money elsewhere (like wheelsets or cockpits).

    In August, SRAM also launched their gravel-specific 1x groupsets; Rival, Force and Red XPLR. This allows gravel cyclists to keep a cohesive groupset instead of crossing over into MTB land. But, while the gear ratios for the XPLR groups are wide enough for most terrain at 10-44t, it doesn’t match the 10-52t range offered by SRAM’s Eagle cassettes. So, while most gravelistas will love the XPLR gearing for everything, the 520% mullet range will allow super-low gearing for even the most technical or demanding terrain. In short… mullets aren’t quite dead. 

    Yukon, OK Gravel Testing - SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet
    The mullet kit allows for wide tire clearance.

    With that, the summer-long Rival/GX AXS mullet groupset testing began with a miracle bike build using the new Ventum GS1 gravel bike. I say “miracle” because parts availability requires the use of a Shaman and potentially blood sacrifices these days. Kidding aside, availability is improving, but it will be awhile before supply meets demand, not only for SRAM, but for every bike, frame and component right now.

    Expanding AXS wireless electronic shifting down to the Rival and GX level was somewhat expected and, to get it to those price points, it comes with the obvious material compromises (alloys instead of titanium and carbon). That said, electronic shifting will always be more expensive than mechanical, but at around $1600, SRAM is now able to offer this kind of performance on more entry-level bikes. And, since the material changes don’t affect performance, everything functions pretty much as well as their Force and Red counterparts (once dialed).

    One of the primary features of Rival AXS is the redesigned hoods. They are notably smaller and fit even better for those with smaller hands. I didn’t have any issues with Red or Force hoods previously and the Rival hoods are just dandy as well (only smaller). You don’t get any ports for external shifters (MultiClics or Blips), but eliminating that feature makes sense at this price point. You do still get lever reach adjust, but no contact point adjustment here. Again, you get the table stakes that the average rider needs and nothing more.

    SRAM Rival AXS Shifters - Review
    The hoods are smaller, the lever is alloy, but the performance remains superb.

    On cold mornings, I do notice the chilly alloy levers on my fingers, which is something that doesn’t happen with carbon brake levers. The feel and shape of the brake levers remains excellent for single or multi-finger braking in the hoods or drops. In the hoods, you will notice that one-finger braking will cause the shift paddles to hit your middle finger when depressed, so two-finger braking is recommended when additional force is anticipated. Of course, braking from the drops vs. hoods will result in improved leverage and finger clearance. One-finger braking is about all you need in the drops. Plus, if you’re set up with a short drop bar, like the Zipp Service Course SL-70 XPLR, reaching deep into the drops is easy and comfortable for road, gravel or even singletrack adventures.

    No question, one of the most anticipated options of the Rival AXS ecosystem is the single-sided Rival AXS Power Meter with Quarq’s legendary reliability and accuracy. I’ll post a detailed review of the power meter in the near future, but just know that for only $219 more (if building from scratch), you can go from the standard crank to power measurement, or for $249, you can upgrade your existing Rival crankset. A worthy upgrade, in my opinion and something that is invaluable for training and racing (I loved having it for the SBT GRVL Blue Course).

    SRAM Rival GX AXS and Ventum GS1 Review
    Easy, one-finger braking in the drops.

    Overall performance (including some hiccups)

    Pairing and setting up your AXS components with the SRAM AXS app is a breeze. Subsequent firmware updates are also easy — something I’ve come to expect from the AXS ecosystem. In my experience, that process is much, much better than Shimano Di2 updates (which have bricked my groupset on multiple occasions). Having a mobile app to zero the power meter and manage all the functions is superb and kudos to SRAM for meeting customer expectations with a great mobile experience!

    As with all AXS components, your battery levels are easily seen with colored LED’s. They go green to yellow/green, then red, depending on your battery level. The good and bad of a mullet groupset is that it only takes one battery. For travel and overall simplicity, it’s awesome, but if you don’t have a spare, you could be out of luck. Do yourself a favor and pick up a spare for long rides or races (just in case). Unlike the road group rear derailleurs, the LED on the GX AXS rear derailleur isn’t as easily viewed from the saddle. My pro tip: always give it a pre-ride test shift. Also, the coin-cell batteries in the hoods will wear out after a couple of years. Those levels can be checked via the app and warnings will appear on Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT or other head units.

    SRAM GX AXS Rear Derailleur
    To get the widest range on a gravel bike, go with a mullet build.

    For gearing, I opted for a 40t front chainring mated with the SRAM XG-1275 10-50t Eagle cassette. The biggest two cogs are 42 and 50 teeth. If you’re going with the XPLR group, your largest cogs will be 38 and 44 and may be best mated to a 38t chainring if you want the lowest gearing. Personaly, I would still prefer having 40t up front because I’m still pedaling at 31 mph. And with the mullet, that bailout gear comes in handy!

    Most of my 800+ miles of testing has been on gravel and singletrack, which is just what the mullet setup is made for. No front derailleur and massive range is so sweet on rougher gravel and singletrack trails. And, the added clearance for bigger tires is a must (however, your frame clearance will still dictate tire size). Chain retention has been superb and the Roller Bearing Clutch keeps things super-quiet. The chainstay on the Ventum GS1 is as clean as a whistle — further evidence that chainslap is a thing of the past.

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Review - Road Mode
    Full-on road mode isn’t as good as a 2x kit, but that range is killer.

    Unfortunately, achieving the smooth shifting I expected from this drivetrain took some time. I fiddled with the micro-adjust buttons for weeks and just settled for decent shifting for awhile (smooth everywhere but at either end of the spectrum). I didn’t love the performance, with all the rasping and delayed shifts, but I thought that’s just how it performed. After running out of ideas, I reached out to SRAM and ended up getting it looked at.

    As it turned out, my B-Gap adjustment was out of wack and the chain was also bad. I still don’t know how that chain passed factory spec, but after getting a brand new chain at 500 miles, shifting has remained absolutely golden. So, if your shifting isn’t crisp, it may be either your B-Gap or the chain. I’m finally loving the smooth, quiet shifting and performance that I had anticipated.

    SRAM Rival/GX ASX Mullet Review
    Finally… smooth shifting on all gears after a new chain and proper B-Gap.

    Braking power has been good overall. I’ve noticed some extra squealing from the front brakes on extended gravel and singletrack descents, but that’s kind of par for the course and nothing extraordinarily bad. I can easily adjust the calipers for rub-free performance and don’t have any power issues with either one or two-finger braking.

    Of course, mullet kits do sacrifice a little when it comes to gear gaps. With a 10-50t cassette, the gaps are bound to be wide and you’ll often find yourself searching for the right gear for your tempo. That just comes with the territory and there’s not much you can do about it. Yes, 2x is better for strict road duty or fast-paced group rides, but if you are cool setting your own tempo and embracing the gaps, the simplicity and wide range can’t be beat.

    The Good

    • AXS performance at a lower cost
    • Wide clearance for 650b tires
    • Easy in-the-saddle micro-adjustments
    • No signs of chainslap — even after rough terrain
    • Smaller hoods do have a great feel
    • Single battery adds simplicity
    • Affordable power option
    • Monster truck climbing ability
    • Paddle shifting wins for all-season simplicity

    The Bad

    • Levers can be cold to the touch
    • Surprisingly, the original chain was faulty from the get-go (an easy fix once identified)
    • Watch that B-Gap
    • LED battery indicator isn’t as visible from the saddle as road derailleurs
    • Replacement brake pads have caused some lingering clearance issues

    The Bottom Line: SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet

    For the widest tire clearance possible and up to 520% gear range, a mullet build is the way to go. During a summer of testing, I rode extensively with both 650b and 700c wheels/tires. The Rival/GX AXS setup gives the best of the AXS ecosystem at the lowest possible price. Shifting is intuitive and adjustments can usually be done in the saddle. Unfortunately, I did have to replace my chain to finally fix my shifting issues. That’s an inexpensive fix, no question, but I’m still trying to figure out how this bum chain left the factory in the first place. I love how quiet the drivetrain is — even on the roughest terrain. And, monster truck climbing comes in handy when pitches get steep and technical.

    Buy Now: Visit CompetitiveCyclist.com

    61
    SHARES
    ShareTweet
    Gravel sram
    Previous ArticleMAAP Evade Pro Base Jersey & Team Bib Evo Review
    Next Article Bontrager Circuit Long Sleeve Jersey Review
    Jason Mitchell
    • Website
    • Twitter

    A native of the Pacific Northwest, Jason quickly developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded this site in 1999 -- sharing his love of road biking, mountain biking, trail running and skiing. That passion is channeled into every article or gear review he writes. Utah's Wasatch Mountains are his playground.

    You Might Also Like

    Redshift Arclight PRO Clipless and Flat Pedals

    March 24, 2023

    Velocio Concept Merino Long Sleeve Jersey Review

    March 22, 2023

    Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review

    March 20, 2023

    8 Comments

    1. Alex Miller on February 7, 2022 8:41 pm

      Do you think you can put a 50T chainring on? I’d want this on my road bike. Thanks.

      Reply
    2. Jason Mitchell on February 7, 2022 10:19 pm

      It’s a killer setup, for sure. I suppose you could put a 50T on there, but as a 1x, your frame may not have clearance. And, I’m not quite sure you can get a chain long enough to rock a 50T/50T chainring/cassette. But, you could get a 1:1 at that ratio. I guess the short answer is I don’t know for sure, but I can ask some friendlies at SRAM.

      Reply
    3. Alex Miller on February 8, 2022 8:05 am

      That’s OK. If I ever give it a shot, I’ll let you know. To me, the larger jumps in cassette is no problem on a road bike. I would like to have a 1x with the same gear range as my 2x road bike. I don’t know if the market will ever produce that, though.

      Reply
    4. Christopher Samuel Chaudoir on July 31, 2022 11:22 am

      In response to the other question, I just built an AXS mullet, using a Trek Checkpoint frame, which has a max chainring size of 44T for 1x configs. Maybe that helps.

      Also, there seems to be disagreement about Eagle vs Road cranksets. SRAM’s mullet page endorses MTB cranksets. All builders I know of (Rose, Open, 3T, and Santa Cruz to name a few) use SRAM Force road cranks, ostensibly for the smaller Q-factor.

      Reply
    5. Bill on October 12, 2022 11:48 am

      I was reading this with great interest and thought that while I love the idea of AXS, £1600 is really expensive.
      With a std mechanical/hydau rival groupet, a eagle 36T direct mount +6 mm offset chainring, a 12 speed gx chain and a e13 9-46 cassette, you can get the same range over 11 speed instead of 12 for 1/2 the cost of the electronic mullet kit.

      Keep the spare cash to fund a get set of carbon 650b and just keep it in the bank.

      Reply
    6. Jason Mitchell on October 12, 2022 1:15 pm

      Yup, you can certainly cobble something together like that and it will work great. But, its definitely not as elegant. That said, saving money to get some carbon 650b wheels is a great option!

      Reply
    7. Dref on November 6, 2022 6:44 am

      This is nice, man. Thanks for the tip. I really liked to upgrade from GRX 400 to an AXS eTap and i’ll prolly go along with the GX and Rival setup. Unless I’ve got some time to save money, I’ll buy the Red and X01. Great post!

      Reply
    8. Jason Mitchell on November 6, 2022 8:55 am

      Rival and GX seem to have a little more availability these days, but it all depends on your budget and what you can find right now. Performance is the same… it’s just a weight difference really.

      Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular

    Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch Review

    March 9, 2022

    Montec Fawk Ski Jacket and Bib Review

    February 28, 2022
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021
    8.5

    Canyon Lux Trail CF 7 Review

    November 28, 2022
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 TLR Wheelset Review

    June 18, 2020
    9.4

    Roval CL 50 Disc Wheelset Review

    September 13, 2019
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 TLR Wheelset Review

    September 9, 2021

    Review: SRAM Force XPLR eTap AXS for Road?

    October 5, 2022
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Redshift Arclight PRO Clipless and Flat Pedals
    • Velocio Concept Merino Long Sleeve Jersey Review
    • Arc’teryx Rush SK 16 Backpack Review
    • Giro Montaro MIPS II Helmet Review
    • Outdoor Vitals Vario Jacket Review
    • Santini Gravel Bib Tights Review
    • Sportneer K1 Massage Gun Review
    • Review: Giro Latch Mountain Bike Shoes
    • Rapha Pro Team Long Sleeve Gore-Tex Infinium Jersey Review
    • Rab Xenair Alpine Light Insulated Jacket Review
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.