I’m a huge Etap fan anyway, and loved the original wireless groupset, but the first ride on the new Force AXS groupset blew me away. You still have the amazingly intuitive way of shifting (right shifter for up a gear and left shifter for down a gear just like a DSG gearbox!) and clean look to the bike, but the addition of an extra gear and the change of gear ratios is a game-changer. The move to 12-speed, including a 10t smallest sprocket, means that the range of gears at your disposal is outstanding. I’ve gone for the 10-33 cassette with the 46/33 chainset - perfect for trips abroad to the mountains, but also giving a higher top end than a 50/34 chainset and an 11t smallest sprocket on an 11-speed cassette. It really gives you the best of everything, and also enables you to spend more time centrally on the cassette for improved drivetrain efficiency.
I haven’t explored the customisation options through the AXS phone app yet, but that ability to tailor the setup to my own taste is appealing. With all the same functions as the top of the range Red Etap AXS groupset, the only slight penalty is around 200g of additional weight. However, with a price tag much closer to Shimano Ultegra Di2, SRAM Force Etap AXS should definitely be a strong consideration if you are considering an upgrade to an electronic groupset.
