The complete SRAM XPLR gravel group comes together to create a sum greater than its parts, no matter how you mix it all up.
If we’re being honest, SRAM’s foray into gravel bike drivetrains has been a bit confusing. Starting with a hydraulic “clutch” on all of their eTap AXS road bike derailleurs, introducing “Force Wide” to accommodate gravel’s larger tires, and an assortment of derailleurs that almost required a diagram to find compatible cassettes, it was enough to make you look away.that includes Zipp wheels and a Rockshox Rudy fork. If the product has XPLR on it, it works together.
For comparison, the Shimano GRX groups are designed to work with 11-speed road and mountain bike cassettes, with the latter using MTB derailleurs rather than the GRX derailleur, same as SRAM does. The Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed group has 9-36, 9-42, and 10-44, which all add an additional cog for smoother gear steps at the small end of the cassette, but the same gear range on the largest cassette.
Like the road bike derailleurs, the Orbit is a fluid damper that simply slows the cage’s movement to prevent wild chain movement over harsh terrain. Unlike a spring-loaded clutch, it’s not adding tension to the system .No matter if it’s root gardens, chunky gravel, drops, or big bunny hops, the chain stays quiet and on track.
I still prefer getting in the drops on fast, aggressive, and steep descents, and having the levers in easy reach is key here, too. Fortunately, SRAM’s drop bar levers have plenty of adjustment range. Controls are simple, just turn the knob to adjust the Race Day damper’s compression damping from open to closed. Full range rebound adjustment is on the bottom with a removable knob.
I ride this drop-in a lot on all my gravel bikes, but the control provided with this setup let me go faster with more confidence. Instead of picking carefully around each root, I could just roll through them, focusing more on the exit. I found myself having to either anticipate usage well in advance, or slow excessively before using it while on a descent. Traditional, mechanical dropper levers placed mid-bend on the handlebar feel more intuitive and comfortable for me in this use case, and that they can be used one-handed is even better. I feel like SRAM can solve this, and I hope they do, because the function of the Reverb itself is fantastic.
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