What do you get as you bump up from the NX to the GX? The cassette does not use the new and improved ratio but has an 11-50t range. |, USD $375.00 Again, the trickle-down technology sharing only helps make SRAMs gear perform well across the board. The 112 uses the 10-51t cassette, and options for the front chainring range from 28-34t. The cranks are directly mounted to the chainring and are hollow-forged with HOLLOWTECH II. Grip shifts have found a home with riders who like to fire through their gears crazy fast, often in racing situations. An Altus step up, the Shimano Acera is built to handle the rigors of teenage trail riding and continue to perform with minimal maintenance. Odd to point out the teenage demographic so specifically, but it is a burly gruppo that will work well under harsh conditions and wont break the bank if something happens. This doesnt appear to affect performance initially, but the from-new play doesnt decrease as the derailleur gets older and does eventually make shifts slower. Although SRAM SX Eagle sits below it and is frequently specced as original equipment (OEM) on many bikes, consumers are unable to purchase it as a full groupset aftermarket. Shimano has now been in the cycling game for a century. SRAM conquered the reduced gear-range problem when they introduced their Eagle 1x drivetrains in 2016. A year later, they revolutionized the road-bike market by introducing the Grip Shift. The groupset got a thorough work out on a host of trails in Scotlands Tweed Valley, which took in some of the most challenging trails that were peppered with derailleur-high sniper rocks, chundery repeat bumps ideal for derailing chains, and rattle-inducing speeds on flat-out DH tracks that pushed all the parts to their limits. In the 1980s, Shimano introduced indexed shifting, which is now the basis for all mechanical shifters on bikes to this day. The single rechargeable battery the Di2 system uses has 1,000-2,000km (621-1,242mi) of battery life. SRAMs NX Eagle is its most affordable aftermarket 12-speed drivetrain. Both jockey wheel bearings are made from steel, like the parts fitted to the more expensive GX version. Starting from least expensive to most expensive: The Altus is the groupset that you will find on entry-level mountain bikes. Many riders have noticed a more refined feel to the shift in the Deore XT compared to the SLX. These are big-box-store bike drivetrains and arent likely to be found on the more robust bikes. Even though the Alivio still sports a 9-speed 2x or 3x drivetrain, it is lighter and shifts better than the Acera or Altus. It still running smooth, just changed the chain and cable/housing. Most of that increase is made up of the cassette and derailleur, so shaving some weight from an NX Eagle-based groupset would be relatively easy by upgrading to a GX Eagle level cassette. There was no derailleur bushing play or slop from new, and it coped well with a thorough thrashing. The SRAM NX Eagle PG-1230 cassette differs from GX, X01 and XX1 Eagle cassettes in that it uses Shimanos HG freehub body standard instead of SRAMs own XD Driver. This means you dont need to switch out your freehub or buy an entirely new wheel to enjoy some of the higher-end SRAM kit options. The cranks are interchangeable between the 2x or 1x chainrings, so you can switch without getting a new set of cranks. The derailleurs parallelogram design dubbed X-Horizon by SRAM is claimed to stop the derailleur from moving vertically closer to or away from the cassette. If I was upgrading the drivetrain on my bike and had access to or budget for a Microspline freehub body, I would choose Shimanos M7100 SLX over SRAMs NX Eagle. I dont have a compatible free hub, Deore. Get a Snycros iS Couple bottle cage when you subscribe to Mountain Biking UK today! Well, there are a lot of little pieces of technology working in unison to maximize efficiency, and we still havent even brought up the derailleurs that allow you to move through different gears. With the Deore XT, we also see the first compatibility with Shimanos Di2 electronic groupset. Many people have been telling me to buy a shimano deore groupset instead of a sram groupset, could anyone tell me why? Although it is possible to shift five easier gears with one push of the lever, the amount of movement the trigger needed to access the fifth shift made it hard to operate without twisting my hand or wrist on the bar. The various drivetrain components are available in a selection of colors from gold to rainbow, offering serious customization to show off to your friends as you cruise past them on the uphills. In terms of weight, the three groupsets compare as follows: SRAMs NX Eagle groupset is 30g heavier than Shimanos Deore M6100. It proved me wrong after two months or so, After that it was endless tweaking and there is always one gear which is a bit out of line. The SX Eagle is the most budget-friendly Eagle drivetrain offered by SRAM. I guess shifting isn't as nice, but hey so long as it gets me up the hill without doing something stupid and the chain doesn't pop off I'm happy. The chainring has been updated for improved mud clearing and a quieter ride. Once the setup has been performed a couple of times, it does get easier. These are the controls located in the bike cockpit that enable you to change gears. For the price, NX Eagle faces tough competition from the likes of Shimanos 12-speed M6100 Deore groupset, which is where I would spend my money. Both Shimano and SRAM have shifters that can downshift multiple gears in a single stroke. I also found the cranks edges to be quite square, which did cause a small amount of discomfort when rubbed against my feet or ankles. Both systems can be customized via their individual apps. Installation of the derailleur, shifter, cassette and crankset was straightforward, and no unusual steps were needed to fit it all to the bike. Cheap enough that you don't care, and with an XT shifter, works just as well. Dont worry! I just upgraded to gx with a nx cassette but if I was starting fresh, 90% sure I would go shimano. Alex Evans is BikeRadar's mountain bike technical editor. If you are looking to get XTRs 12-speed cassette, you will have to upgrade to Shimanos Micro Spline freehub to accommodate the larger cassette. If you have a Shimano HG hub and want some XX1 components, thanks to the cross-compatibility of SRAM Eagle components, you could use the NX cassette and match it with XX1 cranks and chains. The NX Eagle rear derailleur is compatible with 10-50-tooth (such as SRAMs previous XD driver cassettes) and 11-50-tooth cassettes only, not SRAMs latest 10-52-tooth versions. Drivetrains from the outside can all look very similar, but there are enough differences between SRAM and Shimano groupsets and technology for us to break down some of the more substantial contrasts. SRAM brought the 1x drivetrain back into the mainstream with the XX1 group. This list is long, so prepare yourself (listed from least expensive to most expensive): Weve included a helpful chart so you can quickly compare the weight and cost of each major groupset in the SRAM lineup. For example, its possible to use the components in the NX Eagle range bar the derailleur with all of SRAMs other Eagle kit. You're going to need a new hub or rear wheel if you want a deore 12 speed cassette though. You will need to compromise on the number of teeth your cassette has, though. There is also a greater variety of materials used for this group compared to the Altus. They also created Total Integration, allowing riders to brake, shift gears, and steer without taking their hands off the handlebars. The shifters lever ergonomics are identical to the groupsets more expensive counterparts in the Eagle range. The XX1 was designed for cross-country biking or for the really serious weight weenies of the world, and why SRAM spared no expense at cutting the weight from this system. Thats a pretty confident move if you ask me, but what do I know? I ride SRAM GX and its really good for the price, but the SX and NX stuff isnt up to par. Upgrading from GX Eagle to GX Eagle AXS also lets you stop calling your shifters shifters and start calling them controllers. Ooh, la la! They now offer it for all of their bike ranges. 1000 Kms and nothing but issues. Chicago-based manufacturer SRAM was founded in 1987. The chainring uses Shimanos Dynamic Chain Engagement for chain retention to deliver smoother pedaling along uneven terrain. Shimano Deores build quality appears to be better than NXs, too. This comes at no additional cost to you, and we will never base our reviews on whether or not we earn a commissionoff of a product. Shimano did everything possible to lighten the XTR groupset without compromising quality or performance. Sounds pretty simple, right? This freehub is available on many higher-end wheels and is something to note before making a big switch and revamping your gruppo. I ride a giant stance 29 with a SX group set. Since I'm switching from 3x8 idk if 1x10 will be enough for me that's why I'm debating whether to buy it or not, Press J to jump to the feed. The derailleurs build quality could also be improved, but didnt seem to affect performance during the test period. This makes the shifter feel a little cheap to operate and more defined clicks would improve the overall feel. The XX1 Eagle drivetrain is $1,500 and, if upgraded to the AXS version, will cost $2,000a very pretty penny in the biking world. Sturdy and shifts great but cant really compare to SRAM. It shifts hard every now and then but I think it's mostly me. Shimano Deore. This spins the front gear (called a chainring), pulling on the chain connected to the back gears (known as the cassette). Higher-end shifters also allow for faster gear changes by offering multiple gear drops with one thumb push. |, EUR 410.00 Hyperglide (HG) has become an industry standard for every 8-10 speed Shimano or SRAM cassette; Shimano 11-speed cassettes will also work on an HG freehub. NX Eagles shifting isnt as crisp as Deores, where each shift has significantly more definition. A final step up in the hierarchy before getting into the real deal drivetrains is Shimanos Alivio. However, shifting isnt as crisp as it could be and the cassette and derailleur are quite heavy. I will probably replace the crank set, but overall could you give a rating for the groupset? Again, generally speaking, durability improves with price, but it seems to plateau around the midrange options. Shimano has done lots of work to offer a high level of customization to suit each riders preferences and terrain. Now available with SRAMs AXS wireless rear derailleur, the GX is a very value-forwardand high-techoption for those that really hate wire rattle. This is less of an issue with GX models and above. |, 9/c/2/e/9c2e6f89ac88d20b2a177b368412b930b9859fbb_SRAM_NX_Eagle_mountain_bike_groupset_20.jpg, Reliable shifting; light lever feel; good shifter ergonomics; HG freehub body compatible, Low derailleur build quality; heavy cassette; not as cheap as it should be, 2,049g Total weight including 170mm cranks with 30t chainring, rear derailleur, 126 link chain, 11-50t cassette and shifter, DUB crankset, X-Sync 2 Eagle chainring, Matchmaker, Zero Loss shifter, X-Actuation, Type-3 Roller Bearing clutch, Cage Lock, X-Sync jockey wheels, X-Horizon, HG freehub cassette, PowerLock chain link. Found on the bottom of drop handlebars for road bikes, it made for more effortless shifting. These are purpose-built for going downhill fast and are not really made for pedaling at all. The horizontally positioned cable port means a large loop of outer cable isnt needed at the rear dropout, helping to keep the bike tidy and reducing the chances of it getting snagged on rocks, etc. At 614g it is going to contribute significantly to the amount of unsprung mass any parts that arent supported by the suspension on your bike and can negatively affect suspension performance. The DUB axle and bottom bracket NX Eagle crankset is made from forged aluminium. We have finally reached the cream of the crop. Shimano has three subsets of mountain bike groupsets: Downhill, Daily Drivers, and Mountain Biking. Durability is always a concern when berm bashing on your mountain bike. Riding those famous tracks day in, day out for eight years, he broke more bikes than he can remember. Equally, shifting when putting the power down was trouble-free and generally fairly quiet, with no loud clunks or bangs as a gear was selected. Their new freehub Micro Spline uses a 23-spline interface and will work with a selection of their 11- and 12-speed cassettes. From a price perspective, NX is roughly comparable to Shimanos SLX, sitting one up from the bottom in the hierarchy. With that said, if you find our review helpful and decide to purchase an item we review, we would be very appreciative if you use our links to do so. One of SRAMs most notable influences was the reintroduction of the 112 drivetrain to mountain biking. To further clarify, their downhill-specific group sets are called Saint and Zee. This means upgrading and replacing broken parts is relatively straightforward. The Deore derailleurs clutch is adjustable compared to NXs non-adjustable version and controlled the chain better than NX. I heard you can shift under load. In reality, Ive been able to reuse SRAMs PowerLocks more than once, despite SRAM not officially recommending this. Much better shifting and more durable as well. We did not include the Altus, Acera, or Alivio as it is very unlikely that riders will be upgrading to these systems. The SX is where you get into the serious business when it comes to SRAMs drivetrains. The updated SRAM Eagle family, ranging from SX XX1, also has cross-compatible technology, so you can easily mix and match components as you see fit. Alex then moved back to the UK and put his vast knowledge of mountain biking to good use by landing a job working for MBUK magazine as features editor. For the most part, bikers are going to be looking at the main Shimano mountain biking groupsets. Thanks! The X3 is solely a 7-speed setup, with the X4 offering a shifter and derailleur capable of working with 7- to 9-speed drivetrains. Riders with smaller budgets are afforded the ability to own a high-performing piece of kit without having to eat ramen for the rest of the year (weve all been there). For most cyclists, saving roughly 500g of weight is not worth a $600 jump in price. Especially the SX. Because the PowerLock is not reusable, setting the chain to a useable length meant using another link. He's one of BikeRadar's lead testers, knows how to push bikes and products to the limit, and wants to search out the equipment that represents the best value for money. The gold on the cranks does look really good, though! The chainring for the XX1 comes with a large range of teeth from 28-40t, offering the rider lots of options to fit their riding style. The X7 is a 10-speed drivetrain, again with 2x or 3x configuration, but it gets a clutch and the rear derailleur to stop the chain from popping off. The NX Eagles cassette ratios are 11t, 13t, 15t, 17t, 19t, 22t, 25t, 28t, 32t, 36t, 42t and 50t. Both are two-piece and provide excellent performance and stiffness. The chains silver surface was less corrosion-resistant though and required careful drying post-wash to prevent rust. It has SRAMs Type-3 Roller Bearing clutch, to help improve chain control, and Cage Lock system, where the derailleurs cage can be locked in a forward position to make wheel removal easier.