Ended: Ultimate Drivetrain: X01 AXS / Garbaruk / MPM Tech / KMC

Win a brand new drivetrain package that I have been using on my amazing Orange 329 quiver Killer.

I wanted to upgrade the drivetrain on the 329. I’d had good success with AXS stuff on some other bikes during some photoshoots for short periods and wanted to test further. It does work really well, the auto-trim is great and the fact that the lack of cable tension allows it to move out of the way more when you strike something is cool too, then it realigns itself a few seconds later.

My only problem is that the shifter is very sensitive and is quite easy to shift multiple gears by mistake on rough sections. Also, because it’s a button instead of a big clunky cable-shifting lever you don’t get a solid click to know you have successfully changed.

I was running SRAM GX AXS, which lost a pin and was replaced under warranty, luckily they sent me an X01 replacement. I went for the Garbaruk 10-52t cassette because it looks sick and cost less than SRAM’s budget GX at the time. Finally I chose a KMC chain because they have a good reputation and are pretty cheap.

Then I chose an MPMTech Exchange cage because it looks pimp and… I thought it would improve ground clearance. The idea of the bigger pulley wheels means a shorter cage can be used. But, it turns out fitting it to AXS doesn’t make it any shorter but it does on the normal Eagle. Oh well it still looks pimp!