SRAM AXS not responding

TommyC

Active member
Jul 7, 2022
288
212
Hampshire
Luckily I’ve had no issues with my second hand axs. But I think I’d just go back to cables if I kept getting grief. I love axs, but if we’re all honest with ourselves, it’s not THAT much better. We just try and justify the cost in our own heads!
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,584
USA
Totally agree Rick. But if components will fail at 3 years, then good to know. Not sure it's worth dropping another $700 into the bike for a possible failure at some unknown time. I'm not particularly hard on the bike components. I just ride the bike a lot. Feels like a dishwasher - buy one 20 years ago and it's still running; buy one now and planned obsolescence is in 5-7 years. Should I just go back to manual shifters?

FWIW, my AXS derailleurs have outlasted my XTR and XX1 Eagle derailleurs - so far they've been quite reliable. Across the family we have them on about 7 bikes. No failures yet! Di2 stuff had awful reliability. And I have blown up a couple XX1's. Maybe I'm just lucky, but the AXS stuff has taken some big hits. I really don't miss cables, and I've never had a ride ruined because of a battery issue. I'm a convert! I did try XX transmission on one bike, and sold it a couple weeks later - it wasn't that much better but it was incompatible with pretty much everything else I have on the other bikes and as spare parts.
 

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Jun 5, 2021
1,868
2,932
La Habra, California
the AXS stuff has taken some big hits. I really don't miss cables, and I've never had a ride ruined because of a battery issue. I'm a convert! I did try XX transmission on one bike, and sold it a couple weeks later - it wasn't that much better

I agree for the most part. I beat the bejeebers out of my AXS before selling it.

Here's a hint: you can restore your AXS derailleur to "as new" condition with a wide-tip Sharpie pen... or can of Rustoleum. 😄

At first I thought the same thing about the Transmission series. It's not "that" much better. But it's pretty cool to be able to slam the gears under power on those occasions when you're too lazy to execute a "proper" shift.
 

jgusta

Member
Mar 21, 2021
119
49
USA
3 months on GX T-type AXS with 2 failures due to battery connector pin and spring gone bad. Warrantied by Sram each time, but pretty annoying since bike down for at least 2 weeks each time when happens and 1st replacement only lasted 2 weeks. All for $400 derailleur is not acceptable in my opinion. Think Sram should do better with reliability for such important part of bike to function properly without dying prematurely. Works great when working of course, but when dies at this spring connector, shifting is gone and component and bike obsolete until replaced. Why other bikes are still cable actuated
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,584
USA
I agree for the most part. I beat the bejeebers out of my AXS before selling it.

Here's a hint: you can restore your AXS derailleur to "as new" condition with a wide-tip Sharpie pen... or can of Rustoleum. 😄

At first I thought the same thing about the Transmission series. It's not "that" much better. But it's pretty cool to be able to slam the gears under power on those occasions when you're too lazy to execute a "proper" shift.

I just didn't want to face the cost of having spare(s) for SRAM transmission lying around or on other bikes. That stuff is 'spensive. I like uniformity - almost to the point of obsession.
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,853
1,584
USA
3 months on GX T-type AXS with 2 failures due to battery connector pin and spring gone bad. Warrantied by Sram each time, but pretty annoying since bike down for at least 2 weeks each time when happens and 1st replacement only lasted 2 weeks. All for $400 derailleur is not acceptable in my opinion. Think Sram should do better with reliability for such important part of bike to function properly without dying prematurely. Works great when working of course, but when dies at this spring connector, shifting is gone and component and bike obsolete until replaced. Why other bikes are still cable actuated

Go back to regular GX Eagle AXS, problem solved. ;-)
 

jgusta

Member
Mar 21, 2021
119
49
USA
Go back to regular GX Eagle AXS, problem solved. ;-)
Haha, I went T-type and electronic mostly to ditch the UDH derailleur hanger that was the cause/main contributor to damaging three derailleurs last summer (one 12spd, two 11speed derailleurs) from UDH throwing cage into cassette and mangling it. One big stick caused UDH to shift cage, other two just from too much driving torque at giving time. Hangers on ebikes, no great for me, especially when being aware or proper or good shifting most the time.
 

jrlieber

New Member
Apr 2, 2024
3
2
Ketchum
Latest update. Had to replace derailleur for about $500usd. The mechanic wondered if I’d been transporting the bike with battery on. Not for boxed travel but in the car all the time. For future, remove battery always when any type of non riding travel. There may be some type of wear with chronic rubbing. Not sure but it’s something to consider and cheaper if this is the answer!!
 

jgusta

Member
Mar 21, 2021
119
49
USA
Latest update. Had to replace derailleur for about $500usd. The mechanic wondered if I’d been transporting the bike with battery on. Not for boxed travel but in the car all the time. For future, remove battery always when any type of non riding travel. There may be some type of wear with chronic rubbing. Not sure but it’s something to consider and cheaper if this is the answer!!
That’s interesting. I travel to trails with bike stationary inside car upright with both tires on with zero contact to RD with anything. Not sure how this can cause battery spring pin RD to go bad?
 

Tony4wd

Active member
Subscriber
Aug 3, 2022
263
231
Australia
For future, remove battery always when any type of non riding travel. There may be some type of wear with chronic rubbing. Not sure but it’s something to consider and cheaper if this is the answer!!
That mechanic is grasping at straws. I'd say it's better to keep the battery on to seal the pins against moisture and dirt.
 

Jackware

Fat-tyred Freakazoid
Subscriber
Oct 30, 2018
2,109
2,325
Lancashire

RTFM;​

"Do I remove batteries for travel?"​

Whether you're traveling by plane, train, or automobile, removing your batteries during transit will prevent battery depletion. The longer the trip, the more neccessary this becomes. When your battery is installed, your AXS system goes into power save mode only when the bike is stationary. As soon as your bike moves, the system awakens. When traveling, your bike will think it's moving, so you'll want to equate transport time to ride time. Driving 30 minutes to a local trailhead may not require battery removal, but a cross-country excursion certainly does. When in doubt, take the batteries out and replace them with blocks.

 

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