My findings on SRAM AXS XPLR WIDE as 2X drivetrain with 10-36,10-33 cassettes

[CustomMetal]

Normally I am pretty cadane sensitive, but spin a high cadance (90-95) and am happy with how the bike rides, but then it is one of many bikes so I am only usuing it for my winter rides or gravel. I wouldn't be happy for racing (except for TT and Hill Climb) to be on 1x. If you are keeping the same cassette but going from a 40 to a 46 I would want a new chain. Keep the current chain in a box with the 40 tooth ring and save it for if you want to do some knarly gravel. I find it easier to chaing a chain ring with sram 1x than anything else

[CustomMetal]

Also bear in mind im on 650b 50mm slicks! if I was on 25mm 700c wheels I would be running a 50 tooth up front as I can push a big gear... Bear that in mind

[stjepan]

Normally I am pretty cadane sensitive, but spin a high cadance (90-95) and am happy with how the bike rides, but then it is one of many bikes so I am only usuing it for my winter rides or gravel. I wouldn't be happy for racing (except for TT and Hill Climb) to be on 1x. If you are keeping the same cassette but going from a 40 to a 46 I would want a new chain. Keep the current chain in a box with the 40 tooth ring and save it for if you want to do some knarly gravel. I find it easier to chaing a chain ring with sram 1x than anything else

Thanks for the update, appreciate time taken to reply!
I mainly try to go as fast as possible on my shorter rides, so this is where I think 46t ring would be beneficial. And this should be without compromising too much on the rolling hills (7-10% gradient on average) I mostly encounter on the weekend rides. Not sure I would be able to push 50t ring on those hills with just the 1x, to be honest.
I was planning to keep the 40t ring and the old chain for the gravel stuff. I have gravel specific wheels and a dedicated 10/44 cassette for this too.
One more question - how about if I swap the existing 10/44 cassette on my road wheels with the 10/36 one (to be used with this new 46t ring)? I would be loosing some bailout gears with that combination but should have tighter spacing and should find my cadence easier. Is my reasoning on the right track?

[robtrail]

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to give my 2 cents here: I have an AXS rival 36T setup on my bike with 10-36 cassette, flat top chain and 30-46 GRX crankset and I can confirm that shifting is great! Not a single problem with it, the only adjustment I made was that I cut the chain not in the big/big combo, instead I set the chain in the 2nd biggest cog and big ring, it will prevent me from over stretch the RD and will keep the chain tension fine in all combinations.

Now my question to you guys is: could be possible for a 36T RD to handle a 10-44T with the 30-46 GRX in the front? Or should I move to an XPLR RD?

[jfranci3]

I've had pretty good luck with using the flat top chain anywhere. It seems the biggest issue with the flat top chain is that Eagle RD uses a narrow/wide on the top pulley. You just need to use a standard top pulley that has space under where the chain contacts (it leave room under the chain contact area rathern then having some width there). 2x chainrings won't care because the teeth are pointier. The 1x chainrings don't seem to mind it. The cassettes don't need to care either. The chain may not be landing all the way into the rings, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything.