SRAM's Force XPLR AXS E1 sits one rung below Red XPLR in the new 13-speed gravel hierarchy, sharing the same architecture and shifting behavior but trading some of Red's flagship touches — like the Magic Pulley Wheel and lighter materials — for a more accessible price. The new Force XPLR and Rival XPLR rear derailleurs borrow much of their design from SRAM's latest Transmission mountain bike groupsets, and like Red XPLR, they feature the company's Full Mount interface, which attaches directly to the dropout of UDH-compatible frames with no separate hanger required. If your gravel frame has a UDH dropout and you're building a 1x13 drivetrain without paying for Red-level pricing, this is where most riders will land.

The Full Mount design is the story here. There are no adjustment screws for limits or chain gap; just trim the chain based on the chainstay length, chainring size, and cassette size using SRAM's handy setup guide, position the pulley cage into the setup position, pull back on the derailleur body until the chain is tensioned, and lock down the mounting bolt. The dropout gets sandwiched between two aluminum tabs and braced by the thru-axle, which means no bent hangers after a rock strike or a baggage-handler encounter at the airport. The linkage geometry is adapted from SRAM's mountain bike derailleurs, too, with a straight parallelogram configuration that's less prone to bump-induced movement, while down below, the offset pulley cages are connected to mechanical spring-type clutches to manage chain slap.

Compatibility is narrow and worth understanding before you buy. This derailleur only works with SRAM's new 13-speed XPLR 10-46T cassette and Flattop chains, and it's 1x-only — there's no front derailleur option in this system. Not compatible with SRAM T-Type chains. If you're currently running 12-speed XPLR or any of the older eTap AXS 12-speed gravel setups, moving to Force XPLR E1 means replacing the derailleur, cassette, chain, and shifters together — the 13-speed system doesn't mix with the 12-speed parts.... Read More