SARAH’S SANTA CRUZ BLUR XC C S £5,599
The miles are taking their toll on the Blur as multiple components need replacing at once
At the time of writing, the Blur and I have covered almost 3,000km. Predictably, the chain and cassette, rear tyre and headset bearings are all making it known that their days are numbered. I’m pleasantly surprised by the SRAM DUB BB bearings, though, which are still running smoothly.
Admittedly, I left it far too long before checking the SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain for wear, and by 2700km, the chain-wear tool showed 1.0. Thankfully, the friendly folk at SRAM sent me a new cassette and chain – in high-spec XX1 Eagle form, no less, and with a wireless GX Eagle AXS mech and shifter to go with them. At £435 RRP, this is the nicest cassette I’ve ever had, so I’ll be sure to replace the chain much sooner next time!
Fitting the AXS derailleur and pairing it with the shifter and app was easy, as was swapping the function of the shifter buttons. That’s one less internally-routed cable to worry about, and the full set-up weighs 21g less than my GX drivetrain. I just have to remember to charge it! The only downside is the rattle of the mech
