Mark V explains the SRAM AXS eTap Eagle set up in Episode 4 of Late Night in the Shop. And, does so while conforming to the SRAM nomenclature; specifically,
- Plain eTap means 11sp road wireless.
- AXS eTap means 12sp road wireless.
- AXS Eagle means 12sp mtb wireless
- Eagle generally means 12sp mtb.
My Open UP now has AXS eTap with AXS Eagle derailleur. We call it AXS eTap Eagle. What’s important about this drivetrain is we’ve now embraced 1x Road because of the 12 speeds that start with a 10-tooth cog.
The way I configured my brown bike as an AXS eTap Eagle drivetrain definitely refines the 1x hack mechanics have been attempting for decades. Think of it as a 50T bailout gear added to the 10–42T cassette of the original XX1 combined with a very sophisticated chain construction from their road 1x.
Up front is a 40-tooth ring that works for me.
I’m not spinning up a hill anyhow or sprinting to a finish. Instead, getting a full gear range with no front chain ring. Even though I live in a very hilly area, I’m most often in the middle cog. The servo-controlled derailleur completes the shift under power too. When I’m in the mountains, I’ll switch the right to a 32 and if it’s an all-flat ride, a 42.
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