Bike Check: Kate Courtney's Scott Scale - Albstadt XC World Cup 2021

May 9, 2021
by Ed Spratt  

Kate Courtney Bike Check
BIKE CHECK
Kate Courtney's
Scott Scale
Photography by Andy Vathis

The course in Albstadt features some tough climbs, fast descents, and with the mostly dry conditions many of the Elite Women have opted to run hardtails for this week's racing. Kate Courtney has been competing in Albstadt on her tricked out Scott Scale with plenty of carbon fiber components and some oil slick titanium bolts. Let's take a look at how Kate Courtney is setting up her race machine for the flat out Albstadt course.

Kate Courtney Bike Check
Kate Courtney
Age: 25
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Instagram: @kateplusfate

Scott Scale Details

Frame: Contessa Scale, size small
Fork: RockShox SID SL Ultimate, 100mm (69psi, two tokens)
Wheels: Syncros Silverton SL
Tires: Maxxis Aspen 2.4", 15psi front, 16psi rear
Drivetrain: SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS
Brakes: SRAM Level Ultimate
Bar/Stem: Syncros Fraser iC SL
Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS
Saddle: Syncros Belcarra
More info: Scott Sports


Kate Courtney Bike Check
Kate Courtney Bike Check
For Kate's cockpit setup she is running Syncros' lightweight carbon Fraser IC SL integrated bar and stem with a computer mount. The Fraser IC SL weighs just 220 grams at its uncut 740mm width. Kate is also running her custom dropper post Blip device that is mounted inside her grips for easier control.

Kate Courtney Bike Check
Kate Courtney is one of the riders who have opted to run a chain guide for this weekend's racing. Kate is using a minimalist setup that should add a bit of extra security against any dropped chains, a nightmare scenario in the middle of a race.

Kate Courtney Bike Check


Kate Courtney Bike Check
Kate Courtney Bike Check

Kate Courtney Bike Check

This season is the first year that the Scott-SRAM team are riding Syncros wheels after running DT Swiss hoops in previous years. For 2021 the team are using Syncros' Silverton SL one-piece carbon wheelset. The Silverton SL wheels hit the scales at a claimed 1290 grams with options of both 26 or 30mm internal widths. Kate is choosing to run the 30mm internal width wheels this week.

Syncros claim that each carbon spoke is 35% stronger with a weight of 3.5g grams each compared to steel spokes at 5.7 grams. Each rim is a single hollow piece with only the valve hole needing to be drilled, resulting in a claimed increase in impact protection and a reduction in pinch flats.

Kate Courtney Bike Check

Kate has opted for the 2.4" Maxxis Aspen tires for the main race at Albstadt, she will be using 15psi up front and 16psi for the rear. For the short track race, the pressure may go up one psi because of the large number of tarmac sections on the course.

With the weather potentially looking wet this week, they did have a set of 26mm internal width Syncros wheels paired with a prototype 2.25" Maxxis mud tire that they would have run at 16/17 psi.

Kate Courtney Bike Check
Kate Courtney Bike Check
To finish off her race bike build Kate is running some fancy titanium bolts and some extra carbon parts including her upgraded derailleur cage. The oil slick bolts are from the Californian company Better Bolts and the carbon fiber upgrades are from the German company Hopp Carbon Parts. Hopp Carbon Parts' derailleur cage weighs just 7 grams.

Kate Courtney Bike Check


Posted In:
Reviews and Tech Bike Checks XC Racing XC Bikes Scott Scott Scale Kate Courtney Albstadt World Cup XC 2021 World Cup XC


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186 Comments
  • 48 8
 You show the whole gorgeous bike and no word about that thing taped to the left brake lever? Really? What is that?
  • 51 1
 It’s a SRAM Blipbox, it makes the blip button on her left grip activate the dropper mechanism.
  • 7 1
 It's her axs blipbox. What allows her to connect the button to her reverb dropper.
  • 12 11
 @nicktapias: Aha, looks like Sram still has a way to go with its electronics. It's huge.
  • 5 2
 @TheJD: It’s more designed to be mounted under a stem on a TT/triathlon bike so the buttons can be mounted on aero bars internally. It definitely needs a rethink for mountain applications. I would like a redesigned paddle for the Reverb AXS the feel is kinda terrible in general with AXS.
  • 4 1
 @nicktapias: They were running the blip box under the stem or even in the frame in previous races. Having it electrical taped to a brake lever seems like some sort of last minute fix maybe?
  • 3 13
flag neilsbike (May 9, 2021 at 15:30) (Below Threshold)
 Yep, it's a Blipbox for her dropper but does it help her control her fork lockout too. In the past KC has used Fox Live Valve on her Dual Suspension bikes. This time what is she using to control just the front suspension?
  • 12 2
 It’s a Blipbox, it makes blippy sounds.
  • 24 91
flag johntaylorphotos (May 9, 2021 at 15:53) (Below Threshold)
 @nace: I would quite like to axs Kate Courtney’s blipbox....I’m sorry, I’ll get my coat, goodnight.
  • 2 2
 It's a cry to make the AXS mountain bike controller be able to drive one Blip like the Force and Red AXS controllers can do on road bikes.
  • 11 0
 @neilsbike: I don't think Kate has ever run Fox suspension in her pro career. She's always run the Scott TwinLoc stuff on RockShox suspension. If you look in the other shots she's running a traditional cable-actuated lockout on her fork going to a remote on the left side of her bar.
  • 1 0
 @Jango997: Could be, maybe they were planning to run the full suspension going in, then changed to the hardtail at the last minute?? Or maybe there isn’t enough space on the Fraser stem?
  • 1 0
 @neilsbike: You can see that she has a traditional wired lockout running from a remote under her left brake lever to the top of her fork.
  • 4 0
 @neilsbike: Kate has been on Rockshox her entire professional career.
  • 43 0
 We leave it on the outside during the week for battery access, programming needs or to easily remove it if she decides not to race with it. Google “Brad copeland best dropper post” and you’ll see it in final race spec hidden in the frame.
  • 40 3
 @neilsbike: Kate has never used Fox Live Valve and probably has no idea what it is, or that it exists.
  • 1 3
 @nicktapias: they already have one. It's a lot better than the stock one. I recommend
  • 14 38
flag conoat (May 9, 2021 at 23:28) (Below Threshold)
 @johntaylorphotos: you got downvoted, predictably, by the betas and the simps, but that was pretty clever and genuinely funny.
  • 2 0
 mbaction.com/best-bike-hacks-a-better-dropper-seatpost/amp
The blip box when mounted in the frame @bbcopeland it's a neat solution, does the blip box need charging often?
  • 8 8
 @conoat: Maybe other people just have respect for women?! That doesn’t mean they put them on a pedestal, but they know not to make comments about people they don’t even know.
  • 2 1
 I think that is the chip for the timing.
  • 2 0
 @bbcopeland: Absolute genius sir, well done.
Clean install, and use of a product not inherently designed for the MTB AXS system.
  • 1 0
 @conoat: For the Reverb AXS? Have not seen a new design for the paddle on that controller, only for the derailleur side.
  • 1 0
 @PAmtbiker: "In the past, the team had been running an unbranded Fox shock while RockShox was developing this one which has only been around for a short time now."

www.pinkbike.com/news/bike-check-kate-courtneys-scott-contessa-spark-rc.html

Didn't see a good pic of the Twin Loc in this article. I'll try to find a pic of her XC and Live Valve battery as it was a couple years ago
  • 2 0
 @neilsbike: Good luck. You will not find it. Kates actual mechanic responed to you saying she never used it lol. It's true the team was using unbranded FOX shock, but always with mechanical twin lock - It may have been before she joined the team.
  • 2 0
 @mattg95: OK, this answer deserves attention, there's a whole article on this exact button on this particular bike
  • 1 0
 @mattg95: it uses a CR2032 battery so it’s good to be able to replace easily if needed, or pair it to a different seatpost if a crash or other incident requires it. Sometimes (but rarely) the riders may opt not to race with the dropper— particularly for short track— so not having to disassemble the whole front end last-minute is helpful. However, in final race spec it goes into the downtube as shown in the article, and I usually service the fork a day or two before the main event anyway so that’s when it goes inside the frame.
  • 1 0
 @onawalk: thanks! I appreciate it.
  • 1 0
 @neilsbike: Kate wasn’t on the team then.
  • 1 0
 "Kate is also running her custom dropper post Blip device that is mounted inside her grips for easier control."
  • 19 0
 The input from @bbcopeland in the comments adds a great dimension to this section. Thank you @bbcopeland.
  • 1 0
 You’re welcome! Pinkbike comments are always full of interesting opinions...
  • 15 0
 Those wheels are epic...I don't understand how they are built. And 15-16PSI wow... at 20 I'm struggling to keep my tires on the rim.
  • 45 1
 She is probably quiteighter than you I'm sure.
  • 6 1
 @ybsurf: And XC riders aren't shralping every corner, they would blow out all their energy and would need a heavier bike to withstand it.
  • 6 0
 Surprised me as well that, thought the xc crew would run a lot firmer than that
  • 2 0
 Totally agree on those wheels! The tyre pressures are, of course, based on the tyre size (volume). So if she were running, say, 2.25s, she'd likely need slightly higher pressures.
  • 2 1
 @frankwizza: at about 180lb I was running 20lb max in my tires for most races last year
  • 1 0
 @ngaron: Same.
  • 4 0
 I'm 72kg and find 17/20 to be just about right for the 2.4WT on 25mm for XC (hardtail). No issues, but I am surgical when it comes to lines, as I suspect most XC riders are as well.
  • 1 0
 @mrkkbb: what's your reasoning behind 25mm over 30mm while running WT tires?
  • 13 0
 That is one tricked out bike, love it.
  • 8 0
 She has a carbon fiber cover for where the shift cable would be. That is officially as weight conscious as I've seen.
  • 46 0
 I take that as a compliment
  • 2 0
 Banter! @bbcopeland:
  • 2 0
 @bbcopeland: As you should. I was careful not to say weight weenie.
  • 5 0
 I would take that as a composite.
  • 3 0
 A piece of clear packing tape would be both lighter and more waterproof than the bolt and cover.
  • 2 0
 @bbcopeland: wouldn't not having the carbon cover at all be more weight-conscious?
  • 2 0
 @adrennan: yeah but it would look like shit
  • 7 0
 Wonder why she has 35mm-tubed SID. She’s like 50kg.
  • 4 0
 Yeah, seems like the SID SL Ultimate 32mm would be enough and it weighs 211 grams lighter. Nearly half a pound.
  • 29 7
 Cause she rides hard and prefers the extra control on a rough track would be my guess... these ladies might be slight but they ride harder than most dudes twice their size.
  • 17 0
 Pretty sure she is running 32mm tubes and Pinkbike messed up in the description. If you zoom in on the second picture, the tube is flattened near the brake caliper. I believe only the SL model has this?
  • 2 0
 @Jango997: The lowers and decals look more consistent with the SID SL as well.
  • 7 0
 If only RockShox marked their forks with the stanchion diameter so you could easily tell...
  • 3 0
 @PAmtbiker: The SID SL (the 32mm version) has "SL" written on it inside the "D"

www.pinkbike.com/photo/20590665
  • 8 11
 Kate Courtney would run a 32mm SID into the ground. She rides that motherfucker like you would ride a Boxxer.
  • 33 0
 This is the 32mm sid. Look closer
  • 3 0
 ^^ well that settles it... straight from the horses mouth, as it were.
  • 2 0
 @badbadleroybrown: it’s albstadt, it is not a rough track by any stretch..
  • 1 2
 @bbcopeland: you are right.. on PC it is clearly visible to be an SL, but on the phone the resolution is so bad i had to trust the text..
  • 13 0
 @GZMS: Pretty sure he'd be right given he is Kate's mechanic Wink
  • 2 0
 @Rig: yeah, he might know lol
  • 1 0
 Amazing bike. At first I was a bit surprised with the rim width and tire width but can provide more shock absorption and grip due to the volume so could be somewhat logical. The button for the dropper is also somewhat crazy, but functionality over everything. Big Grin
  • 1 0
 I'd love to try those silvertons. No one is building competition level wheels with 5.7g spokes though, so that's not a relevant comparison. I'd like know what the 'rim only' weight is, since there's probably more carbon there to support the spoke junction.
  • 4 0
 Straight from the horses mouth:
www.instagram.com/p/COqWtugIdGV/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • 8 0
 Didn't know Zlatan retired from football to become a bike mechanic. Wink
  • 2 0
 @evildos: hahaha
  • 2 0
 Would to take those wheels to bike shop and be like "hey can you true this?" Very nice bike. colour isnt my thing but i would be happy VERY happy to ride that bike.
  • 1 0
 @bbcopeland I have a set of Aspen 2.4's I picked up this spring - directly from Maxxis web store ... but they dont have "one 70" printed on the side? Anything you can share about these. I like the footprint of my aspens - but they are heavy and not very supple. MAybe One70 is a higher thread count light and supple tire for top-level pro's only.
  • 6 2
 How much doesn't this bike weigh?
  • 1 6
flag tacklingdummy (May 9, 2021 at 13:27) (Below Threshold)
 My wild guess is 21lbs.
  • 7 2
 @tacklingdummy: more like 19 range
  • 4 3
 @Homerdaman: I would guess under 19lb.
Having built an airbourne titanium up previously at 19lb, the scale frame and wheels on this are lighter than my bike was. Those tyres are really light too.

What a stunning bike, regardless of weight.
  • 1 3
 @Homerdaman: Perhaps, but the AXS dropper, AXS watt meter, and chainguide add some substantial weight.
  • 2 2
 I bet this is around 18.5 lbs
  • 1 4
 @Homerdaman Also running the SID Ultimate 35 is heavier than the SID SL Ultimate 32. 211 grams heavier.
  • 2 0
 Just built a very similar S-Works Epic HT with similar weight wheels and similar set of components, but with a mechanical dropper & shifting rather than AXS. It’s 19.2 lbs with pedals so I’d suspect closer to 19.8-20 when you consider the weight penalty of the robot dropper and her smaller frame.
  • 1 17
flag likeittacky (May 9, 2021 at 18:30) (Below Threshold)
 @Homerdaman: And to think they need a Large 12 speed cog is pathetic. It be interesting to see how fast gals from 10 years ago would have timed on their old drivetrains?? do you think athletes are getting faster and stronger or weaker do to the fancy ass components and tech???
  • 1 0
 @tacklingdummy: small penalties for large gains. The data after the race, and the real time data during the race are key. For the riders wearing clear or no glasses watch their eyes during the climbs, they aren't checking their speed, they're checking their power. They're making real time adjustments to effort based on what they know they can sustain and for how long they can sustain it versus what they think the rider in front of them can do. Watch them in the start/finish straight each lap: same thing. Eyes are on the power, trying to recover, be as efficient as possible. As for the seatpost, it's the only post I've owned that I've actually used the infinite placement for. It's amazing. Note that the only two droppers that failed during the races this weekend were both not-AXS.
  • 1 0
 @tacklingdummy: Yet still lighter than the previous SID.
  • 15 1
 19.5 or so as you see it spec’d here.
  • 9 0
 @tacklingdummy: it’s the 32, they misreported that detail (our boys use the 35)
  • 4 0
 Do the wheels have weights at 90 degrees to the valve?
  • 2 0
 Cool observation. I'm just speculating, but with the wheel being super light, then any weight imbalances in the rim (like the valve) would be more obvious or at least more measurable. I would love to know more!
  • 8 2
 These are Axxios Technology vibration damping patches and can be found at various specific places all over the bike frame as well as the handlebars, cranks, fork legs, hubs, BB shell, and the rims, too.
  • 11 0
 @bbcopeland: Wait, wut, those $1500 placebo stickers? Well if it makes you "feel" better
  • 11 0
 @bbcopeland: wow had to look it up. Looks like homoeopathic garbage!
  • 5 0
 @IMeasureStuff: lol totally in fact im really surprised that something that has no patents or has been misrepresenting actual science (look up there explanation of a quantum corral in their sales literature) with no scientific data to back up said claims could end up on a pros bike. Do they offer these freely for testing to try and convince riders to use them? i'm confused. It appears they were called out back in 2017 by singletrack magazine and they failed to even correspond with them despite multiple attempts to get any answers about there claimed tech.
  • 1 0
 @bbcopeland: In Brad's defense... it appears that this is something that team Scott/SRAM have likely specified. Even Nino's picture is used on Axxios' website .

Team Absolute Absalon is also listed under "Our teams and athletes"

Even if Brad personally thinks they're total pseudoscientific garbage... he'd probably be forbidden from saying so Wink
  • 1 0
 @Killerclam: if someone pays us a lot of money to put stickers on the bike we have no problem doing so.
  • 2 0
 What´s wrong with the seat angles ? Many riders riding their seats as forward as possible... I see it´s not only common in enduro...
  • 1 0
 my guess is the reach is a little longer than required but the current trend seems to be longer bikes regardless of frame size. Not sure really but perhaps the next size down didnt fit well and this was the next best option but thats just my guess but yeh it does seem odd to see the saddle so far forward on quite a few riders bikes these days?
  • 1 0
 Long derailleur cage looks vulnerable, does a fast XC-racer even need such a wide range cassette? Would a lower range, like up to 46T not be fine, allowing for shorter cage derailleur?
  • 5 3
 Woah. Low tire pressures! I assumed the XC people would be running insanely high pressure to reduce rolling resistance
  • 23 0
 Vibration at high pressure adds more inefficiency than the bigger contact patch.
  • 7 0
 The world has mostly moved on from stupid high pressures. "Suspension losses" (the whole system moving up and down over small\tiny trail features) mean rolling resistance on anything but a perfectly smooth surface (like a velodrome) is actually better with a low pressure (to a point, of course) that lets the tire conform instead of going up and over those small features.

Some people still like to say that hard tires feel faster, since you get rattled even at medium speeds and that gives the impression of speed, but feeling fast is not the same as going fast. Traction and truly low rolling resistance on real trails are way more important than the idealized high pressure rolling resistance over a smooth surface.
  • 3 0
 I feel like an idiot. Back in the '90s me and my mates would pump our tyres up to 35+ psi on race day because it lessened rolling resistance so it had to be faster.
  • 3 0
 @SimonNZ: don’t worry, lots of people still do that stuff, even though now we know better.

Back in the 90’s no one knew better… the pros were running high pressure too
  • 2 0
 @sdurant12: and we were all on 26-inch narrow tires with tubes, needed that higher pressure to avoid pinch flats
  • 1 0
 @SimonNZ: DH racers are still doing that as well as running super firm forks and shocks.
  • 1 0
 @suspended-flesh: not really. Yeah, they're running higher tire pressures than a petite XC racer, but in general tire pressure has gone down in DH as well. And Suspension spring rates are higher for a different reason, ie: smashing into bigger things at much higher speeds, not just because of a misunderstanding of how too firm of a setup effects rolling speed.
  • 1 0
 @SimonNZ: plus you guys were running much narrower tires with tubes!
  • 1 0
 @sdurant12: BS. It was known in the 1990s that lower pressure was less rolling resistance for mtn biking, and Canadian coaches were recommending lower psi
  • 1 0
 @taprider: yes, but riding with tubes got in the way of using lower pressure, too many pinch flats
  • 1 0
 @AndrewFleming: but thats what the sticke.......er i mean Axxios technology vibration damping patches are for?
  • 1 0
 @rabidmonkfish: haha. And isn't it interesting that those stupid things have just disappeared...
  • 4 1
 It would be cool to see the winners bike.
  • 7 2
 No dropper post, mechanical shifting, and stock Xmax wheels aren't the right narrative.
  • 4 0
 @Jamminator: Interesting that Kate, PFP, Batten, and most of the other top finishers chose to ride hardtails on a course with a lot of steep climbing and not a lot of techy bits and LeComte kicked all their butts on a Massi fully.
  • 3 0
 @beninslc: Just goes to show that fitness matters more.
  • 1 1
 The syncros grip with the blip is for front fork lockout to make climbs easier..but it can be used for multiple reasons most pros use it as a lockout for shocks either front or rear
  • 2 0
 Absolutely stunning bike. I love to see her running such soft pressures.
  • 1 0
 There are some stunning bikes around these days buy this is on another level. Simply wow.
  • 2 0
 So clean with the sloping top tube line into the seat stays
  • 1 0
 I love her bikes for these reasons, they look so badass in such a compact size.
  • 1 0
 I bet that bike costs more than my first house! What an awesome looking machine.
  • 1 0
 What's up with her power meter? Is it some proto unit or just a cosmetic cover she's running?
  • 3 0
 protoype unit. It's the Sram Blackbox power meter
bikerumor.com/2021/01/11/prototype-blackbox-sram-xx1-axs-direct-mount-power-meter-chainring-coming-soon
  • 1 0
 @riddenagenda: same one as the Ghost team bikes in the other article, right?
  • 2 0
 @mtallman2: the same. only issued to a few riders currently. unsure if it will get a public release. the power meter hardware is integrated into the chainring, making it a very expensive power meter for mere mortals.
  • 1 0
 @riddenagenda: they already sell a chainring based power meter... it's like $800. The black box proto must have something updated.

Guessing it's the mountain version of this www.sram.com/en/sram/models/pm-axs-kita-d1
  • 1 0
 @badbadleroybrown: yep, that's right. this is basically an mtb version of the Red versions. The cost starts to mount up when you change the chain rings. That's because the meter is integrated into the ring. For the Sram Red series, they offer a 50% discount if you send in your worn out Red power meter ring, but it's still a $420 replacement
bikerumor.com/2019/09/12/sram-spins-out-details-of-red-axs-power-meter-trade-in-program
  • 1 0
 Slick bike, especially those wheels! But if you break a spoke... you have to throw the wheel away??
  • 3 0
 It's pretty rare to break a spoke when the whole wheel is properly tensioned, and since this is always in perfect tension until it isn't, you're way more likely to crack the rim before you break a spoke.
  • 1 0
 Carbon can we fixed, so I guess it also would be possible to fix a carbon spoke.
  • 1 0
 @justinfoil: ahh, good to know! Looks quite delicate around rocks, but XC racing pays well.
  • 2 0
 I read somewhere I think on the syncros website that if it’s not broken too badly they can actually weld or rejoin the carbon back together
  • 1 0
 Grams here and there but the total weight of the bike is nowhere.. Beautiful bike!
  • 2 0
 K cool, BUT HOW MUCH DOES IT WEIGH!?
  • 1 0
 Around 7 kg I reckon.
  • 2 1
 Thank god they don't say the price.
  • 1 0
 But what's that weird chainring she is using?
  • 1 0
 @chrsei some variation of this I think www.sram.com/en/sram/models/pm-axs-kita-d1
  • 2 0
 @kidtrailboss: 819 dollars WHAT
  • 1 0
 @Kimura: it is an integrated power meter, not so much just a chainring
  • 3 0
 I would have drilled Speed-Holes in that chain ring but then I'm a loser, so....
  • 1 0
 Would love to try a set of those wheels.
  • 2 1
 Valve stem covers too much weight?
  • 3 0
 Valve stem covers weigh too much time! Jokes aside, it's probably so that a tire can be aired back up if absolutely necessary without taking the time to unthread a valve stem cover.
  • 2 2
 I know she's got smaller feet than me, but all I can see is guaranteed toe-overlap.
  • 14 0
 There is no toe overlap
  • 1 0
 Some nice touches on that bike.
  • 1 0
 I wonder, does Kate run tire inserts?
  • 1 0
 Hey Pivot Bikes. Check out the cool color of this Scott.
  • 7 8
 Funny how they run AXS, with the heavier batteries and all . Running mechanical makes more sense
  • 13 0
 The shifting is more reliable (unless you forget to charge the batteries). When you factor in the cable and housing weight, all of a sudden the gruppo weights are very close. A little birdy told me the AXS was 5 grams lighter XX1 to XX1 AXS but I've long sense forgotten the source so can't be sure. Courtney is also running a 7 gram cage too so that helps.
  • 10 1
 By the time you take away the steel cables there's next to nothing in it, plus these hold up to impacts better, can make frames without cable management in mind. But mostly to sell the most expensive parts to consumers
  • 1 1
 My thought as well. The AXS dropper and AXS power meter add some substantial weight. Seems like they would go with a lighter dropper and no power meter.
  • 3 1
 One thing I’ve noticed with the axs system is how quick the shifting is, and the ability to take some thinking out of it. Especially with some short track races these pros race, you could make good use of that adjustable long press shifting feature which just saves time. Literally a mouse click to cycle gears..no fatigue really and it’s guaranteed if you click where as the cable could get shorted halfway through a full down shift in a quick momentum shift.
  • 1 0
 @TrekXCFactoryRacing: Agreed - mechanical doesn't go out of adjustment. If it's out of adjustment, you hit something and tweaked a hangar or derailleur...in which case mechanical would also go out of adjustment.
  • 8 1
 AXS weights are within grams with AXS being lighter until you go down to the GX level for drivetrains. There is another gain to be had from AXS: data. I've swapped front rings before several races after previewing the course and seeing how much I used each gear in the back. Efficiency is king, here. Why run a 34t if I never use the smallest 2-3 cogs in the back? I can save weight and have a more efficient spread running a 32 on that course, especially if I look at the AXS app and see that my power output is even across the gears. Meanwhile I can make a different call if I see I never touch the the low cogs on the back. Or I can look at my route, see what gear I was in, the power outpoint at that moment, the gradient, the speed, the cadence, and make an informed decision on gearing given the other requirements of the course. Funny, my mechanical system never told me any of that.
  • 4 0
 Ironic to think so after seeing Flueckiger (and his broken dropper cable) having to stand up the last lap.
  • 1 1
 AXS just avoids all the risks of a mechanical cable failure, very rare that would happen but not being able to shift will cost you the race
  • 1 0
 nice
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