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SRAM GX Eagle leaves the nest, spreads 1×12 gearing to all mountain bikes

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Been pining over the new SRAM Eagle groups but couldn’t justify the cost? Never fear, trickle down tech is here, and the all-new SRAM GX Eagle group comes in at half the price of X01.

Virtually all of the same tech is here, it’s almost entirely a matter of swapping alloy for carbon, tweaking the manufacturing techniques and putting the chainrings through a little less finishing. But the important part -performance- is all here. Shift on down to see the tech…

The GX Eagle crank arms are solid forged 7000-series aluminum, and get different shaping than the GX1 11-speed cranks. The 11-speed models also offer a hollow forged 7075 option, which saves a bit of weight and we’re thinking leaves the door open to OEM mixing and matching down the trail. These, however, seem overbuilt and should appeal to riders that are hard on their equipment but still want the latest shifting tech.

These are available in GXP and BB30 spindles and 165/170/175mm arm lengths. Because they use the standard SRAM direct mount chainring pattern, you could theoretically use any of their cranks with the new chainring:

The GX X-Sync 2 chainrings are cold forged, but lack the additional machining of the higher end groups. The get all the same extensive tooth profile shaping to catch and release the chain quietly and smoothly…and keep it there under hard riding. UPDATE: They will be available in both Boost and Non-Boost chainline options.

The chain is essentially the the same, using Flow Link inner chamfers and smooth shaping for quieter, smoother shifts, but goes with solid pins rather than hollow. The outer plates are nickel plated and inner plates get the black oxide coating. All links receive SRAM’s Hard Chrome coating to extend chain life.

At the back of the bike, there’s a new pinned cassette and GX Eagle derailleur.

The lower 11 cogs are all stamped steel, and the 50-tooth cog is aluminum. All are held together with stainless steel pins.

Mounting is XD Driver only, so you’ll need to get that part if you’re switching from Shimano.

In case there’s any question how much range you have, it’s printed big and bold on the largest cog: 500%. The two largest cogs both get narrow wide tooth profiles, but only on the backside. The outward faces get the normal machined ramps to assist chain movement on and off.

The rear derailleur comes with their Roller Bearing Clutch to keep tension on the chain, working with the tooth profiles to keep the chain on the gears.

Construction is die cast aluminum with stainless steel hardware rather than the carbon fiber and/or forged aluminum parts on the top groups. Pulleys are the same, with the lower one using a wide-narrow tooth profile.

The shifters are housed in an alloy and plastic body, down from the alloy/carbon or full alloy models above it. Functionally, it’s identical and works with their single-clamp Matchmaker system to sit on the brake lever’s perch.

The one tradeoff is there’s no position adjustment for the thumb lever. Other than that and materials, they’ll work just like all the other Eagle shifters. Which brings up an important point: All Eagle components from XX1 down to GX are interchangeable. Mix and match as your budget allows and they’ll play well together.

For the complete tech overview on Eagle chainrings and features, check our launch coverage from XX1/X01 Eagle here.

GX EAGLE PRICING & CLAIMED WEIGHTS

SRAM GX Eagle 12 speed mountain bike group

Crankset $120-$170 / €125-€175 / £107-£148 610-662g
Rear Der $110 / €110 / £93 290g
Cassette $195 / €200 / £170 450g
Shifter $40 / €35 / £30 122g
GripShift $40 / €35 / £30 144g
Chain $30 / €29 / £25 270g

Look for it to hit aftermarket in August 2017, but it’s already available on complete bikes from several brands, with more launching prior to August. The obvious question is, how much cheaper is GX Eagle? For comparison, here’s the breakdown:

XX1 Eagle:
Cranks – $425 | €463 | £356
Cassette – $420 | €458 | £353
Chain – $60-85 | €66-92 | £50-71
Triggers – $162 | €170 | £131
Gripshift – $148 | €155 | £119
Derailleur – $289 | €304 | £234
X01 Eagle:
Cranks – $390 | €426 | £328
Cassette – $360 | €392 | £302
Chain – $60-85 | €66-92 | £50-71
Triggers – $127 | €145 | £112
Gripshift – $118 | €134 | £103
Derailleur – $220 | €240 | £185

In the most expensive configuration, that puts the total for a GX Eagle group at $545, a far cry from the $1,356 for XX1 Eagle and $1,157 for X01 Eagle.

Check out actual weights of GX with comparison to XX1/X01 Eagle groups in our first ride review!

SRAM.com

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29 Comments
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stansmonster
stansmonster
6 years ago

“But my triple crankset on my 26 inch bike shifts fine and always had and I ride real mountains so this is a stupid attempt to force people to buy new stuff”.

There, I said it all for you first.

donutsaf
6 years ago
Reply to  stansmonster

hahahaha yesssss!

Flux
Flux
6 years ago
Reply to  stansmonster

Well, speaking the truth and common sense seems like would be a popular thing to post, so…

Callum
Callum
6 years ago
Reply to  stansmonster

The best ever!

Tim
Tim
6 years ago

Wow, this is great news. Looking forward to the weight comparison with XX1. With drivetrain options this good at price points like this, it’s easy to see why derailleur-based shifting (as opposed to hub or gearbox) remains dominant.

Matt
Matt
6 years ago

Hate their brakes, love their drive trains.

John
John
6 years ago
Reply to  Matt

So much this!

Duzzi
Duzzi
6 years ago

There you go with a 450 frame cassette, which makes this stupid looking set up heavier than a dual despite an (gasp!) aluminum cog! … and still with less range than it!

Mark Landsaat
Mark Landsaat
6 years ago
Reply to  Duzzi

How do you figure it’s heavier than a dual? An 11 speed XT cassette in 11-40 is around 410 gram. You lose an FD shifter around 120 gram and you lose and FD around 140 gram. that adds up to 670 gram.

Duzzi
Duzzi
6 years ago
Reply to  Mark Landsaat

Do your math starting from XTR 1132 9 speed (212 grams), shave off the weight of long cage vs medium, and you will see that 12 speed and a 50 cog is a bit of a ridiculous way to achieve the same range we had at our fingertips a decade ago.

Mark Landsaat
Mark Landsaat
6 years ago
Reply to  Duzzi

to round things out, an XT 2x crank is around 700gram

Mark Landsaat
Mark Landsaat
6 years ago

While this is exciting…… NX Eagle for the win!

paquo
paquo
6 years ago

450 bucks for a cassette that lasts 6 months ll, i think i’ll keep my ansient xt stuff w’ $60 cassettes

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago
Reply to  paquo

Cassette $195. The 450g is the weight.

Woody
Woody
6 years ago
Reply to  PabloE432

Sunrace are making a 12sp Shimano HG fit 11-50T cassette that’ll cost about half what the GX Eagle is going for. Cherry pick your parts and save yourself $$$…

http://pataibicaj.hu/uploads/cat/SunRace%202017%20-2018%20Catalogue%20(S0)%20(Low%20-Res).pdf

Luiggi
Luiggi
6 years ago
Reply to  Woody

I see a 10-50 there too. Wonder if it fits a Shimano or a XD driver…

John
John
6 years ago
Reply to  Luiggi

With a 10t cog, it has to be XD. Shimano drivers cannot take anything lower than 11.

Bazz
Bazz
6 years ago
Reply to  John

Sun Race have a different cassette body for their 10-50 and 10/42 12 speed cassettes. It looks like a normal cassette body but with a small step down at the end to allow for the 10t cog. At the moment only Sun Race is making this cassette body for their hub.

Roman Indus
Roman Indus
6 years ago
Reply to  Luiggi

Shimano ofcourse

Callum
Callum
6 years ago
Reply to  paquo

Wow! You’ve already had this grouppo for 6 months! What are your thoughts on how it rides?

Paniagua
Paniagua
6 years ago

Low end Eagle, can we call it “seagull” ?

fred
fred
6 years ago
Reply to  Paniagua

SRAM Seagull , has a nice ring to it 😉

Luis Raventós - Biomecanica 3D

Nice move from SRAM!

Tom
Tom
6 years ago

Do you know if the B knuckle bolt has the new improved bush/bolt in it so that if doesn’t creak or work it’s way loose like the Eagle XX/XO has?
It might be sad but that addition to the Eagle XX/XO rear mech got me very excited when that was launched.

Eligio Sanchez
Eligio Sanchez
6 years ago

I was diehard Shimano drivetrain for years. When the Eagle came out I decided to give it a try because I had coupons in order to bring the cost down. All I can say is after 7 months on it it totally blows anything Shimano away. So much quieter and slippery smooth. Never clunky even under strain. It’s Awesome!!! Don’t hate until you try it.

nonamejd
nonamejd
6 years ago
Reply to  Eligio Sanchez

I had the opposite experience. Years of ignoring Shimano drivetrains until XX1 came out. The gaps on that stupid cassette were enough to get me to try Shimano again and after riding XTR Di2 I’m not in any hurry to go back.

Carl
Carl
6 years ago

Mix-and-match combo would be the XO shifter (mainly for the lever adjustment) and chainring then GX derailleur, crank, and cassette. I’ll make up the weight difference by carrying a half liter less water (or however much it actually is).

Chainrings will last longer than the cassette, even XX/XO, so I wouldn’t mind having the more refined version.

leon kew
leon kew
6 years ago

well it seams that all shimano gurus are getting a bit nerveous.
sram is the first to bring out 12 speed and love it as shimano cant copy which is even better .
shimano is not the top choice now and also look how many tops firms out there equip there bikes with sram.and look how many uci wins there is using sram.
sram did a good move some time ago by buying sachs company as it looks like that the german/usa brand is going from strengh to strengh,also look how many companys equip there bikes with sram and not shimano.
about weight a 12 speed setup is a lot lighter than a dual as just think about it you only need one chain ring,one shifter,one cluster,one rear mech. and to make it lighter you can always use gripshift shifter with only one moving part a spring how simple.
its seams to me that a lot of comments here are shimano gurus and dont like how big sram has got.
i have had several shimano groupsets in my life and in my opioun they are to quite and smooth ,i like to know when i have changed gear and sram gives me that postive click without no ghost shifts.

Me
Me
6 years ago

I think Shimano should be sweating bullets right now. Will they change-I don’t think so. I remember a little company called Suntour which was on top of the bike game. They thought that they had it made and did not innovate. Along came Shimano with new innovations like indexed shifting and shift ramps and gates. Suntour died a painful death. That was 25 years ago. Now Shimano is acting like Suntour. Look at the awesome stuff Sram is making, and Shimano is delivering 14 front derailleurs in the new Deore M6000 group. 14 front derailleur configurations! Seriously, if you don’t believe me go to their website. I think we may be witnessing the end. And on another note, eTap completely destroys di2.

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