So I hop around bikes frequently, and one thing I really did notice was how stiff/spongy the older D1 AXS levers were. It was VERY noticeable when coming off of a Shimano setup. They stopped fine, it was just more of a squeeze to make it happen.
Whatever Sram has figured out with the new E1 lever, gamechanger for them. They are very close to Shimano now.
The hoods are shaped better too, much thinner, and if you are a home wrench, the line is way easier to get into the lever body, it's a one wrench operation now.
Bleeding is super easy, most modern stuff I'd say is nice and easy now. I have the Sram bleed kit and I don't even get a drip when I do it now, so that's a bonus.
Break in was super easy, and the pad bite/lever reach screws are also actually functional and work well.
I have no complaints, I honestly kept the front and rear ders going on my one bike, and just changed the levers/calipers over, which has been night and day better. The derailleurs work fine.
I sorta wish Sram would stop using DOT fluid, especially with some travel restrictions coming into play depending on where you live (DOT fluid and aluminum is bad news, some countries are making you drain out DOT fluid pre-flight). Shimano seems fine with mineral oil, and I can't tell a difference, make it easier on us please.
Didn't weigh them, don't care that much, just wanted better levers, and boy did I get it.
I have used the thread together bottom bracket for this same bike. Since the frame as titanium the dissimilar materials almost fused together making it really difficult to remove. To answer your question, yeah I prepped the surfaces before installing. Anyway Its odd that I would pick a bottom bracket based on removing it but did. I expect to wear it out. I put over 6,000 miles on the commuter per year. I'm expecting to replace this every two years. On the bright side this part is about a third of the price of that wheels manufacturing thread together, so win/win?
Purchased these to control a Reverb AXS xplr dropper post I added to my gravel bike. These with a blip box are the best way to control the dropper post on a Shimano Di2 drop bar bike. Blips won't work with the dropper post. I like the dropper post for 200 mile unbound North course because it helps on the steep rough descents. These are easy to install near the shifter with the formable holders and route the wires under the bar tape. These are mirror images of each other so you can put them in the same location on both sides if you want and not have to do a 180 with the control wire to get back to the blip box. I also have these on my TT bike at the brake levers and they work great there too with a blip box.
Simple installation, they last, and I've never had a pair fail. I ride lots of hill repeats throughout the year in all conditions, so I'm trying out the variety of materials, from the organic quiet, to the powerful sintered copper options. The latter seem to provide more miles on hills, albeit with more noise. I'm an advocate of changing out brake pads well before the minimum thickness specification as opposed to having to replace rotors, so I keep several pair on hand.
