Now it strikes 13: Sram upgrades

Sram 13 Gang

Photo: Sram

What Campagnolo has been doing with the Ekar groupset since 2020, Sram is now also bringing to the rear wheel: the cassette with 13 sprockets. However, these 13 gears are not being used on mountain bikes, but currently only on gravel bikes.

Sram Red XPLR AXS, as the new gravel groupset is called, is the first drivetrain from Sram that works with 13 gears. The basis is the cassette with 10 to 46 teeth, which offers narrower gear ratios thanks to the additional sprocket. The sprocket set can be mounted on the usual XDR freehub body, as the largest sprocket hangs on a bracket towards the spokes. A specific 13-speed chain is not necessary, the new groupset works with 12-speed flattop road bike chains.

The system requirement for the 13 gears on a gravel bike is a frame with a UDH interface - the rear derailleur and its mounting are therefore close to a mountain bike. The groupset only works with a single chainring, which also shows the proximity of gravel sports to mountain biking.

When Sram will upgrade the mountain bike drivetrains to 13 gears is not yet known.

sram.com