"It's me not you". A AXS story.

Pauliemon

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
211
310
Northern California, USA
Ahhh the old "it's me not you" breakup. I cannot come to terms with AXS ergonomics. It's got to be me, how many riders happily using AXS? A lot! I'm constantly shifting up when I want down or vice versa.. The shift levers are to close together for me. I'm actually not that impressed with it anyway. I'll be waiting on the voice command shifting. "Up no I mean down crap!" Yeah I'll probably mess that up to. Automatic? In the meantime I'm going back to XTR.
 

Paulquattro

E*POWAH Elite
May 7, 2020
2,297
1,274
The Darkside
Have you tried just reversing the up -down function in the app or the different style lever?
What he said
also you can buy an optional lever that replicates the standard levers better

 

Pauliemon

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
211
310
Northern California, USA
Reversed, closer, further, pointed up, pointed down. I've had it in every conceivable configuration and position. It's XO1 I believe that has the optional lever. Just can't come to terms with it.
 

Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,864
1,801
gone
Reversed, closer, further, pointed up, pointed down. I've had it in every conceivable configuration and position. It's XO1 I believe that has the optional lever. Just can't come to terms with it.
The optional lever is available on any level of axs, gx included.

I couldn't get on with the default setup, but once I had reversed the buttons using the app it was all fine.
 

mak

🦷
Dec 27, 2019
445
493
uk
I was tempted but after riding a friends bike last year, its not for me . There's just no feel to the change, Its hard to beat a well set up xt shifter set up.
 

Pauliemon

Active member
Sep 14, 2020
211
310
Northern California, USA
20221229_123955.jpg

For me I can't distinguish with my thumb which paddle. On the XTR or XT I use my index finger to shift up and thumb to shift down. Also it's like mak said there's no feel.
 

Tony4wd

Active member
Subscriber
Aug 3, 2022
256
221
Australia
Any gear setup that works smoothly and is easy to keep in tune is fine. I like the 9 speed shimano gears on the Cube reaction just as much as my AXS. The SRAM 12 speed with cable and various derailleurs was a PITA.
 

mtbbiker

Active member
Sep 15, 2018
111
114
Murrieta
My issue. With AXS was having two bikes. One with and one without. It would take several minutes to get use to whatever setup I had to shift with. My solution was to upgrade the other bike with AXS and didn’t realize the original shift button was still on the new shifter. But that new shifter was super easy to get use to. Now both bikes have AXS and the same shifter buttons and simply love how well it shifts👍🏼
 

cookie70

Active member
Mar 23, 2022
204
152
Central Coast, Australia
been running AXS on the EB for a little while, simply could not get on with the original paddle. The updated design is much better, tho I still mis-shift when things are getting spicy. My other bikes are the good ol' shimano and takes all of 5 seconds for my brain to be familiar with the shifters, I only use my thumb.
I feel the AXS shifter is a big miss on SRAMs part. It would be amazing if someone used the sram electronics with shimano shifter.. I use the bike yoke Left Hand adapter, gets the shifter in best position I have found.

As far as the derailleur , its awesome, it just works, shifts great (on shimano drivetrain) no faffing with cables, maybe a little noisy when its rough.
1672465686525.png
 

daju

Active member
Apr 21, 2019
134
86
manchester by the sea, ma
Ahhh the old "it's me not you" breakup. I cannot come to terms with AXS ergonomics. It's got to be me, how many riders happily using AXS? A lot! I'm constantly shifting up when I want down or vice versa.. The shift levers are to close together for me. I'm actually not that impressed with it anyway. I'll be waiting on the voice command shifting. "Up no I mean down crap!" Yeah I'll probably mess that up to. Automatic? In the meantime I'm going back to XTR.
I would love to get AXS, but riding here in New England with lots of woods and deadfall and making new trails I break a mech about every 6 months
 

6950rpm

Member
Sep 22, 2021
27
16
Isle of Wight
I added the AXS shifter to my Levo and love it. Initially it felt weird and wasn’t instinctive which button to press so I reversed the buttons in the app and that, for me, made it worse. Managed to get hold of the alternative paddle and that made a huge difference.
 

cappuccino34

Active member
Nov 24, 2020
530
329
Helmshore
I've got several bikes, but currently only ride one with AXS. (Updated paddle, the standard paddle is crap and they need to just ditch it)
I originally had it set up like a conventional cable shifter, but for some bizarre reason I kept going the wrong way with it so I flipped it in the app, so upshifts are now the top paddle and down shifts the bottom paddle. Up is up and down is down.
I now have no problem going from bike to bike, even though the AXS is upside down to the others.
 

Stihldog

Handheld Power Tool
Subscriber
Jun 10, 2020
3,492
4,870
Coquitlam, BC
I've got several bikes, but currently only ride one with AXS. (Updated paddle, the standard paddle is crap and they need to just ditch it)
I originally had it set up like a conventional cable shifter, but for some bizarre reason I kept going the wrong way with it so I flipped it in the app, so upshifts are now the top paddle and down shifts the bottom paddle. Up is up and down is down.
I now have no problem going from bike to bike, even though the AXS is upside down to the others.
Sitting here on my couch I couldn’t tell you how I programmed the AXS controls (up-down or down-up). But when I jump on my bike and make that first shift, it does what I want, when I want.
I also use the HG Shimano chain and 12 speed Shimano XT cassette. The biggest problem is that it’s too smooth, too quiet, too reliable, too fast etc. 😉.

If the cost comes down a bit I’ll put the AXS GX on the Hardtail.
 

Julz

Member
Jan 20, 2022
13
8
Innerleithen
do you know that you can still use your index finger to shift with axs? It has a little knurled bit behind the optional paddle where you can shift up or down with your index finger. I discovered it after dislocating my thumb. Worked perfectly until it healed and I went back to thumb only
 

jcismo1

Member
Jul 22, 2021
52
41
Colorado
I too was having a hard time adapting to the AXS controller, because my other bikes are standard Shimano. I left mine configured, as from the factory. What I did do, is a lot of trimming down of the paddle, as you can see in the pictures. It now feels very close to the standard Shimano shifter. I have been training myself to not use my thumb to shift into higher gears, when riding my bikes with standard Shimano. Now I’m using just my thumb to downshift and my index finger to upshift. The AXS feels quite natural now, as I have been using Shimano forever. Another benefit of the trim down, is that I’m not finding myself, making unwanted shifts. Oh, I also did a little stippling, to provide a little traction. It’s also a Sramano setup and works perfectly with the Shimano SLX cassette. BBB9C3E2-463D-46BC-9995-278F10D23897.jpeg 26CF66E8-51E6-4375-BD7F-447A7E935C06.jpeg
 

Privateerjon

Member
Jul 24, 2022
29
48
Bristol
I use the Zirbel shifter with my AXS. Flick up with the thumb to change up and flick down with the thumb to change down, simple. It's also silky smooth to operate, and wear free, due to the magnetic centring 'spring' and Reed switches.
View attachment 103776
Are you using their bars as well?

How is the wiring ran from the “blipped” unit. Ive looked at the website and couldn’t get my head around where it’s mounted
 

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