Explainer: SRAM’s new T-Type Transmission – What is it, who is it for?
Transmission (aka T-Type) is SRAM’s new Eagle 1 x 12 AXS drivetrain
When Eagle landed in 2016 it was the brand’s first 1 x 12 drivetrain and it made headlines with its performance and looks. The extended range of the Eagle groupset effectively ended the need for 2 x drivetrains. The paradigm shifted. Today the brand officially announced a ‘second-generation Eagle’, dubbed Transmission. So what is it and who is it for?
In a nutshell, Transmission is an update of the Eagle 1 x 12 drivetrains. Everything is new. The cranks, chainrings, teeth profile, chain, cassettes, spread of gearing, derailleur and controllers are all new. In total, there are four new groupsets; XX SL Eagle AXS, XX Eagle AXS, XO Eagle AXS and XX Eagle AXS eBike.
Now, from what I can see, the majority of the new technology is shared by all of the new groupsets. The main differentiator is the intended rider application. The range-topping XX SL groupset is aimed at giving the World Cup level (or Cape Epic for that matter) racer, every possible marginal gain by saving weight. The XX groupset balances robustness with weight savings – it is strong enough to withstand the pounding of an Enduro race yet still light enough to roll big endurance days. XO is the big trail or ‘Enduro specific’ groupset with alloy cranks. Perhaps most exciting is the eBike XX groupset which is available in Brose and Bosch variants.
There are three cassettes in the Transmission lineup and they all have a new tooth profile to improve shifting and friendlier steps between the lower gears for better cadence options in the steeps. XX SL is the superlight race spec. The XX and XO cassettes are more robust options designed to optimize lifespan. XO is the eMTB-approved cassette. A narrow/wide tooth profile on every gear will improve wear characteristics.
T-Type derailleur is available as XX SL, XX or in XO variants and looks sterk! It mounts around the wheel axle with a hangerless interface. The cages are bigger, the pulley wheels are bigger and quite conveniently, some of the parts are replaceable. The big gain is the ability to shift under power – early reports are its just nuts! Up or down, the shifting is smooth and far quieter than before. The lower pulley is a “magic wheel” that keeps spinning if a stick or object is wedged into it which prevents the mech from being ripped off.
On the cranksets there’s an alloy XO, a carbon eMTB XX, a carbon XX and a powermeter-ready carbon XX SL crankset. Arm lengths start at 162.5mm and there are also removable bashguard options. XX SL is the brand’s lightest carbon MTB crank.
The new controller, or Pod, has a flippable design and can be run on the left or right-hand side. It is both lighter and more ergonomic making it easier to shift whether in or out of the saddle.
Transmission only runs on the flattop chain which is SRAM’s ‘strongest chain ever’, in XX and XO models. XX SL is the race-spec flattop chain and it has a cut-out design in the outer plates that trims weight down.
Cross-compatibility within the new Eagle Transmission groupsets is no problem. Rearward compatibility only exists with the new controller. So you can fit the new controller to your first-generation Eagle AXS drivetrains, but nothing else. All other bits and pieces have undergone major revisions and will not work with the older bits. Legacy parts, in other words, replacement parts on the first-generation Eagle will stay in production and be available for many many years.
Matt Beers has been on the new system for a few days now and had this to say: “On the first ride the team was all looking at each other and saying ‘WTF’. It is so quiet and you can literally shift under full watts without any issues. I also noticed the new gearing, the jump from the 52t downwards isn’t a big gap anymore, which is cool.”
Local availability begins mid-April with pricing currently unavailable. Learn more.