BEN’S KONA PROCESS 134 SUPREME

MONTH 11: A wonky hanger forces Ben to adjust SRAM’S wireless AXS gears, but the process proves a cinch

£9,999 / 29in / konaworld.com

Ialways think it’s a sign of a good component if you don’t need to mention it during these monthly longtermer updates. Eleven months in, however, and I finally have cause to talk about the wireless SRAM AXS gears. The XX1 AXS drivetrain fitted to the Kona is SRAM’S top-end electronic groupset and until now it has performed faultlessly. The only interaction

I’ve had with it being occasional battery charges. Over the last few rides, however, it’s had me cursing electronics – the shifting has gone out of whack and caused the chain to dance around on the cassette in several of the gears.

This was odd as I hadn’t crashed or even hit the mech on anything that I was aware of that could cause the mech hanger to bend. The mech even looked straight to the naked eye but just to be sure I took the Kona to my local bike shop (Ace Bicycles in

Monmouth) where the alignment of the hanger was checked and found to be slightly wonky, so that explained the mis-shifting.

But once straight, how do you adjust the gears without a barrel adjuster like on a conventional cable-operated mech? Until now I hadn’t given it a second thought as the gears worked perfectly. After a quick search online, I found what I was looking for: simply hold down the AXS button on the shifter pod and use the shift paddle to fine-tune the shifting – easy-peasy!

With the gears sorted, my attention turned to the knackered pivot bearings in the frame. I’m still waiting for the replacement bearings to arrive, but with the roughness developing into a rather unpleasant creak, this can’t happen soon enough. Fingers crossed,

I’ll have it sorted in time for the next update.

WHY IT’S HERE It’s Kona’s Supreme build, but will it turn out to be Ben’s dream build?

Mech has taken a whack at some point, is this what caused the shifting issues?

Button on the bottom of the shifter works with the paddle to fine-tune gears

THE RIDER BEN SMITH Position Art editor Mostly rides Forest of Dean Height 5ft 9in Weight 76kg THE BIKE ■ Limited-edition ‘dream-build’ fullcarbon trail bike with 134mm rear travel and 29in wheels ■ 140mm-travel Rockshox Pike Ultimate fork paired with Super Deluxe Ultimate shock ■ SRAM XX1 AXS electronic shifting and Reverb AXS electronic dropper post eliminate cables for clean looks ■ Zipp 3Moto carbon wheels boost traction and comfort, and come with wireless pressure sensors