SRAM GX Transmission Upgrade Kit
Included Parts:
- Pod Controller (Rocker Paddle version, w/ standalone clamp)
- GX AXS T-Type derailleur body
- AXS battery and charger
- T-Type Powerlink
MSRP: $550 / € 650 / £ 570 (EU / GB pricing includes VAT)
SRAM’s latest 70 and 90-series Transmission groupsets bring mechanical shifting to the Transmission ecosystem — something I’ve been pretty excited about. The new mechanical versions are a lot less expensive than their wireless counterparts, there aren’t any batteries to charge, and there’s a lot to be said for the tactile feel of a mechanical shifter.
But there are good reasons for liking wireless shifting, too, and for folks with a 70 or 90-series Transmission bike who want to try it out, SRAM’s new GX Transmission Upgrade Kit is a potentially compelling option.
The new upgrade kit’s concept is simple: it contains the bare minimum of stuff needed to convert a SRAM 70 or 90 mechanical groupset to use a GX AXS wireless derailleur and shifter.
That means you get a Pod Controller (the Rocker Paddle version with a standalone mount), an AXS battery and charger, a replacement T-Type Powerlink (SRAM doesn’t condone reusing them), and a GX T-Type derailleur body. Instead of getting a full derailleur, you move the cage, pulleys, chain damper, setup key, and mounting bolt / bushing / knurled ring over from your existing mechanical T-Type derailleur. The chain, cassette, crank, and chainring from the original group remain.
We haven’t got our hands on the kit, but have disassembled a few T-Type derailleurs, so we have a good handle on the process — and it’s pretty easy. The derailleur cage assembly threads off the old derailleur and back onto the new one as shown below; the setup key pries out with a flat bladed screwdriver and pops into the new derailleur by hand; and the mounting bolt and bushing both come off when you remove the original derailleur, and the knurled ring takes a gentle pry to follow.
The version of the GX T-Type derailleur body included with the kit has an all black finish instead of the gray / black one on the standard derailleur, but is functionally identical. If you’re upgrading from a 90 Transmission setup, you’ll effectively have a full GX Transmission group, just with different finish on the cranks / cassette / derailleur, and possibly a steel chainring instead of an aluminum one. The entry-level 70 Transmission uses a different chain damper, crank, cassette, and chain, but the parts are fully cross-compatible.
[Check out our First Look on the 70 and 90 Transmission groups for more on that.]
As with all of SRAM’s Transmission variants, you need a frame with a UDH to mount the derailleur and a matching T-Type chain / cassette / chainring; in the case of the upgrade kit, you also need an existing T-Type derailleur to move parts over from. Realistically, that means the kit only makes sense for folks with a 70 or 90 Transmission-equipped bike who want to make the leap to wireless shifting.
It’s cool that SRAM is offering the most bare-bones possible upgrade path for folks who’d prefer a wireless shifting setup over a mechanical 70 or 90-series Transmission group. At an MSRP of $550, the kit still isn’t cheap, but it is $126 cheaper than buying a full GX T-Type derailleur, Pod Controller, battery, charger, and Powerlink.
Having spent a good bit of time on the 90-series Transmission now (Full Review coming in a bit), I’d honestly be hard pressed to say that going to the GX wireless version feels like all that huge an upgrade, but having more options isn’t a bad thing.