I was in process of building a gravel bike:
RIBBLE CGR SL...
Initially was deemed to be 1X system with SRAM rival axs etap XPLR rear derailleur and SRAM Force XPLR 10-44 cassette and a single oval 44t chainring mounted on a SRAM DUB Rival WIDE crankset...
After much thought I decided I wanted a 2X drivetrain, because 1X wasn't sufficient when doing a fast group ride.
The jumps from a 15-13 and 13-11/ especially that one/ are hard when already doing 24-26+ MPH...
And to add to that 44-10 wasn't high enough gear to keeping up when needed...
Initially I installed the 10-33 cassette and the Rival XPLR rear derailleur.
At this point I removed the 40t chainring, that came with the crankset and installed Force AXS spider 107 BCD for 46/33 chainrings.
And of course the Force AXS 46-33 rings.
That's why I got the Rival WIDE even if it is boat anchor, because it still had the 8bolts direct mount interface that I can attach either regular107 BCD, or smaller 94 BCD if I wanted to run 44-30 2 X, which I didn't.
Probably would have gotten away with regular,not WIDE crank, but didn't wanted to riskit if I decided later in the process to run large 45-47mm tires.
10-33 cassette:
After some initial tinkering and adjustment of the B gap bolt I got it to shift very very good...
However there were a few problems...
At that time I didn't have the WIDE FD installed, so I was switching the chain manually between small&big rings.
I got it to shift good on the big ring with the B gap bolt turned out almost all the way, otherwise it didn't wanted to shift from the largest cog to second largest cog.33-28t
After that when I switched to small ring shifting was OK,...
BUT when going down the cassette after the middle the chain was completely loose and if give it more tension then it wouldn't shift from Largest to second largest cog. Period...
Back to square one, I cut the chain...
Initially it was Rival AXS chain 120 links.
I cut initially 3inch of that chain/3 inner and 3outer/
After that I cut another 2inch/2 inner and 2outer/.
So basically going with 110 links. A little too short as I found later,
At this point I installed the 10-36 Rival AXS cassette . Didn't have the time or desire to play with the 10-33, since running a 46/33 with 10-33 cassette wouldn't give more than 1:1 climbing gear and that's not low for gravel. So 10-36 I went.
When trying to shift from second largest to the last cog, the chain was simply too stretched and was kind the jamming and didn't wanted to shift from 32 to 36 cog/ on the large chainring... Oops.
Again I got a new chain and I cut4 inches, /4 inner, 4 outer.../ This is again Rival 120 links chain.
After very careful adjustments of the B gap bolt turned out, but not all the way and switching between small and large rings to ensure proper tension when on the small ring and 11t cog. The AXS when in 2X mode wouldn't let you shift to the smallest 10t cog.
After that I installed the SRAM AXS wide front derailleur.
Installation was straight forward, but according to SRAM you have to install 2.5 mm spacer on the left/ non driver side and 5.5mm spacer on the drive side, before you put the crank in.
Guess what the Sram didn't provide the needed spacers that come with the 68-73 mm BSA DUB BB.Even though it labeled WIDE.
Instead there were a 2 mm, 3mm, and 4.5mm spacers and after spending ton of money on everything, frame wheels, group set, bars, saddle ,etc. I decided to use what I had.
I installed 3mm/ instead of 2.5mm/ on the left side and 4.5 mm on the drive side. These simply snap on on the BB cups,but being 0.5mm theoretically short, I installed a 1mm spacer on BB itself on the threads, so I was hypothetically sticking to the right 0.5 mm.
According to a few people that I talked to from SRAM,
When installing a WIDE FD you need to try and have the big ring to be a little OFF the marks on the cage. Basically he marks should have been a little outside of the ring, because they were saying when the FR shifts TO NOT OVERTHROW THE CHAIN.
I found that insufficient in my case and because the bottom of Rival WIDE FD cage has like V shape, so if you set the large ring Off the marks sometimes the teeth were hitting the rear apart of cage, so I scrapped that.
I installed the FD by feel, playing a little with the High limit screw.
I set up a very small gap between the tooth and cage and tightened it.
That's it.
Pairing everything together and little extra adjustments on the High and Low limit screws.
I have to tell you it shifts like a dream.
Small to Large ring,
Large to small ring I performed hundreds of shifts on the bike stand, it works like a dream.
I also had the bike Off the stand and on the floor upside down and performed numerous shifts in front and rear...
Flawless performance no dropped chain.
As I said earlier the B gap screw is very very sensitive. You have to find theRIGHT POSITION.
In my case is 3 mm or so in when looked from the left side.
Micro adjustments are easy,but I find it better to do it before the chain was installed, much more precise.
After I installed the chain l do just a one or two micro adjustments on the right side and write this down to remember where I am at.
I also tried it in Sequential and Compensation modes in SRAM AXS app.
Shifts like a dream in both directions and on both rings, in both modes.
Also very smooth.
A little less smooth in the Compensation modes, maybe because I had to compensate 2cogs.
And in Sram AXS app in Compensation mode, when shfts from small to Large ring the rear is delayed sort of on purpose.
But nonetheless great experience.
Happy with the results.
I am almost/key word ALMOST positive it would have worked with 10-33 in 2X mode, but again I tested with this cassette only In 1X and without FD.
P.S.
Please pardon me, if I repeat something, or made a mistake.
I am writing at work on my phone, constantly being interrupted, etc.
Thanks for your time
Cheers
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