New SRAM Force and Rival AXS XPLR bring 13-speed gravel gearing to a lower price point

SRAM’s new Force and Rival XPLR groupsets adopt the direct-mount design of Red XPLR, while featuring the improved ergonomics seen in the 2024 Red AXS shifters.

The newly launched gravel groupsets see both Force and Rival XPLR use the full-mount design that fits directly to the UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) dropout.

SRAM claims the combination of full mount with the new straight-parallelogram design gives improved shifting accuracy and more resilience to impacts.

The new architecture also aids chain management in conjunction with the clutch spring tensioning and narrow-wide tooth profiling, according to SRAM. Both the Force and Rival XPLR derailleurs are fully rebuildable.

Should you trash your rear derailleur, spares are available, including the mounting assembly, outer link, cage, damper and pulley assembly, battery latch and skid plate.

The new shifters used on Force and Rival have also been inspired by Red AXS, with a new lever shape that allows for comfortable, progressive one-finger braking from both the hoods and the drops.

The same ergonomic hood and lever shape is now shared across the top three SRAM AXS tiers: Red, Force and Rival, for both road and XPLR gravel groupsets.

Force and Rival also get new hood covers, with distinct patterns for each model and moulded indicators showing the horizontal to help position the shifters on your bars in the optimal 7-degree pitch. This, SRAM claims, provides a neutral wrist position.

Both shifter designs also get reach adjustment for the brake levers.

Force AXS and Rival AXS shifters can also be combined with SRAM’s Eagle Transmission AXS components, should you prefer to run a 10-52t cassette.

Force AXS shifters

The new Force AXS shifters work across both road and gravel. They feature a hidden bonus button, as seen on Red AXS, on the inner face of the shifter.

This can be configured through the AXS app to suit your needs. You can either use it as a secondary shift button or to switch between screens on your GPS – or even to operate an AXS dropper post.

The new levers are a reprofiled carbon and the new design has led to a 70g weight saving over the previous Force AXS shifters.

Force XPLR rear derailleur

The new full-mount derailleur bears a strong resemblance to the Red XPLR unit, sharing the same skeletal design, straight-parallelogram pulley assembly and oversized jockey wheels. That means the same simple fitment and no need for adjustment screws.

Just like the Red XPLR derailleur, it’s designed to work with the 13-speed 10-46t XPLR cassette in conjunction with any SRAM Flattop chain.

Force XPLR crankset

The Force XPLR crankset now comes in more crank-arm sizes, with 160, 165, 170, 172.5 and 175mm options.

The direct-mount chainrings are available with 38 to 46 teeth, and are joined by 44, 46, 48 and 50-tooth direct-mount aero options for gravel racers.

The carbon crank arms also come with silicone end cap protection covers.

There is a spindle-based power meter option for the Force XPLR crankset, although you can use a 1x option with a spider-based power meter using the thread-mount system, as found on Red AXS.

Force XPLR cassette

The 13-speed Force cassette is based on the same design as the 13-speed Red cassette and shares the same 460% range 10-46 tooth pattern.

The gear progression of 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 24, 28, 32, 38 and 46 teeth keeps the gear jumps tight through the most-used range, only widening the jumps as it gets to the upper end.

Force Flattop chain

The Force chain for XPLR is the same as the new Force Flattop chain for standard Force AXS.

The new chain features the same slotted link plates as Red, but uses solid rather than hollow pins. The chain weighs in at 12g less than the previous chain, and as well as the standard chrome finish, it is also available in a special-edition purple.

Rival XPLR

Rival XPLR has undergone the biggest change and could be the smartest choice of SRAM’s gravel offerings.

It employs the same full-mount rear derailleur and shifter design, and a new crankset that drops significant weight and, more importantly, looks far more premium than Rival's more modest level would suggest.

Rival shifters

Rival shifters are the same across road and gravel. They get the same ergonomic upgrades as Force, to the extent that all three shifters (Red, Force and Rival) now have the same hood shape and lever profiles.

Rival omits the hidden bonus button found on Red and Force for cost reasons. The new design replicates the 80% reduction in force required to activate the brake lever.

Rival also sees an upgrade to carbon fibre brake levers for the first time. That has led to a 64g reduction in weight over the old lever design.

Rival XPLR rear derailleur

Rival XPLR’s rear derailleur uses the same direct-mount UDH-compatible design as Force and Red. However, the pulley wheels on Rival are a pair of 16-tooth wheels, rather than Force and Red’s oversized bottom pulley wheel.

Rival uses a spring clutch derived from SRAM’s mountain bike offerings to deal with chain management.

Rival XPLR cassette

Rival XPLR’s cassette gets a high-polish nickel chrome plating and shares the same 460% range with its 13-speed 10-46 ratio.

Rival chain

The new Rival-level Flattop chain gets cut-outs on the outer links and a hard-chrome finish. The changes have led to a 12g reduction from the weight of the original Rival chain. The same chain is used on both 12-speed road and 13-speed XPLR groupsets.

Rival XPLR crankset

SRAM claims the new Rival crankset is the most advanced aluminium crank it has ever produced, with a new crank-arm design that optimises the stiffness-to-weight ratio.

With material only used where it’s needed, that means the cranks have hollow cut-outs in the centre of the arms.

SRAM's latest X0 Eagle crankset has obviously inspired the design. To me, it is also very reminiscent of the original Austrian-made Roox cranks from the 1990s that still adorn one of my retro bikes.

That's a good thing, because those cranks were impressively stiff and light. The crank arms are paired with a single direct-mount chainring, available in sizes 38 to 46 teeth with SRAM’s X-Sync wide/narrow-tooth profile.

The DUB crank spindle can accommodate bottom brackets in both road and mountain bike widths. That means 135mm, 142mm and Boost rear spacing, which gives unmatched compatibility for a gravel crankset. The new Rival XPLR crankset looks to be a great option for anyone looking to convert a mountain bike frameset for gravel.

The new crank-arm design shaves 50g from the previous Rival crankset.

Rival also gets a power meter option, using the same spindle-based design as previous Rival AXS, now integrated into the hollow crank arm. That means the same AAA lithium battery powers the meter for up to 400 hours of use.

Weight comparisons

Force XPLR with a power meter weighs a claimed 2,686g. That's 84g lighter than the previous version with a power meter (2,770g).

• Force XPLR claimed weight: 2,648g complete
  • 10-46 cassette, DUB BSA BB, 172.5mm crankset, 44t ring, Force shifters, Force 114-link chain, 2x 160mm brake rotors, SRAM AXS battery, Force XPLR rear derailleur

Compared to Shimano’s latest 2x GRX Di2 12-speed groupset, the new Force XPLR is 244g lighter, with the power meter Force XPLR option 206g lighter than Shimano’s offering – although Shimano, of course, has a front derailleur.

• GRX Di2 12-speed 2x12 claimed weight: 2,892g
  • 48/31 crankset, 11-36 cassette, front and rear derailleurs, 140/160mm rotors, 126-link chain, battery and wires, shifters

Rival XPLR with a power meter (2,961g) is 23g lighter than the previous groupset with a power meter (2,984g).

• Rival XPLR claimed weight: 2,923g complete
  • 10-46 cassette, DUB BSA BB, 172.5mm crankset, 40t ring, Rival shifters, Rival 114 link chain, 2x 160mm brake rotors, SRAM AXS battery, Rival XPLR rear derailleur

That makes Rival XPLR 31g heavier than GRX Di2, with the power meter option rising to 69g heavier.

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