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Complete SRAM Eagle Comparison – What’s the difference between NX, GX, X01 & XX1?

what's the difference between sram eagle groups
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Now that the SRAM Eagle 1×12 groups offer a complete lineup from entry level up to top of the line, we wanted to see what the difference is between NX, GX, X01 and XX1 groups. Is it worth upgrading from NX to GX? What about X01 to XX1? Why is one part better or lighter than the other? We answer all that and more in this video, showing how the cranks, cassettes, shifters, derailleurs and chains differ as you move up the line.

The video provides the complete overview, but here’s the nutshell bullet point version of how each SRAM Eagle component improves as you go from NX to GX to X01 to XX1:

SRAM Eagle Cranks Comparison

All Eagle cranks now come with their DUB spindle and direct-mount chainrings, which have X-Sync tooth profiles optimized for the 12-speed chain.

  • NX: Forged 6000-series alloy arms with stamped steel chainring
  • GX: Upgrades to lighter 7000-series arms and stamped alloy chainring
  • X01: Upgrades to carbon fiber arms and CNC machined alloy chainrings to save weight and increase stiffness.
  • XX1: Upgrades to hollow carbon fiber arms with one-piece spindle+insert, with additional machining inside spindle and on chainring to save more weight.

SRAM Eagle Derailleur Comparison

All Eagle rear derailleurs work the same way and have their clutch with Cage Lock features. The main differences are in materials used, and the top-level derailleurs have tighter tolerances and more precise manufacturing and assembly methods to improve longevity.

  • NX: Standard steel pins riveted into place, stamped steel pulley cage.
  • GX: Upgrades to steel pins with bushings and C-clips for smoother, more durable action.
  • X01: Upgrades to an alloy outer pulley cage and revised parallelogram arms to save weight.
  • XX1: Upgrades to ti bolts, stainless steel pins, and a carbon outer pulley cage to save weight.

SRAM Eagle Shifter Comparison

The shifters’ internals are virtually identical across the range, so it’s mainly materials and adjustability improvements as you move up. All are available in eMTB versions with single click downshifts, too.

  • NX: Full plastic construction, but is the lightest shifter with Matchmaker mounts. Also, the only shifter offered with a standard fixed bar clamp mount.
  • GX: Upgrades to alloy lower body.
  • X01: Upgrades to adjustable thumb shifter lever, letting you adjust the starting position and an alloy upper cover.
  • XX1: Upgrades to a carbon fiber upper cover, keeps the adjustable thumb lever.

SRAM Eagle Cassette Comparison

The cassettes have the most dramatic differences, using three different construction methods across the four options. All are 12-speed, and the top three require an XD driver body on your rear hub. Only the NX Eagle cassette fits on a standard splined freehub body.

  • NX: Standard stamped steel cogs, and other than the three-cog cluster at the top, each are individual pieces with plastic spacers between them, offering 11-50 range.
  • GX: Upgrades to a one-piece construction with all cogs pinned together, and increases to 10-50 range.
  • X01: Upgrades to a one-piece hollow machined steel main cluster with alloy 50-tooth cog pressed onto the back. Premium black and coating to reduce friction and increase durability.
  • XX1: Same construction as X01 cassette, upgrades to PVD gold Ti-Nitride-like coating to improve corrosion resistance and durability.

SRAM Eagle Chain Comparison

If you’re looking to get the biggest durability bang for your buck, look to the chains. SRAM’s product managers told us the difference from NX up to X01/XX1 chains can be 2x the lifespan. Not just total lifespan, but the performance will be better for longer throughout that lifespan, too. All Eagle chains use their Flow Link construction to remove sharp edges from the inside of the plates, making shifting smooth and quiet in both directions, and they all come with their Eagle-specific Power Link quick connect.

  • NX: Standard steel plates and solid pins.
  • GX: Upgrades to chrome treatment on the pins to increase strength. I misspoke in the video, this chain still has solid pins…not hollow ones.
  • X01: Upgrades to Hard Chrome plate and pin treatment to drastically increase total strength and reduce the wear that’s typically considered “chain stretch”, and gets hollow pins to save weight. Black Ti-Nitride treatment reduces friction and helps prevent corrosion.
  • XO1: Upgrades to a slightly more corrosion resistant gold treatment, otherwise exactly the same as X01 chain.

SRAM Eagle Group Weight Comparison

NX Eagle GX Eagle X01 Eagle XX1 Eagle*
Crankset 698g 632g 520g 493g
Rear Derailleur 340g 290g 276g 265g
Cassette 612g 448g 354g 360g
Trigger Shifter 111g 122g 124g 124g
Chain 271g 262g 260g 260g
TOTAL 2032g 1,754g 1,534g 1,502g
DIFFERENCE +530g +252g +32g

*All groups are weighed with stock 32-tooth chainrings and DUB cranksets except XX1 Eagle, which is weighed with the original non-DUB 30mm spindle version.

SRAM Eagle Price Comparison

NX Eagle GX Eagle X01 Eagle XX1 Eagle*
CRANKSET $105 $120 $390 $425
DERAILLEUR $107 $110 $220 $289
SHIFTER $42 $40 $127 $162
CASSETTE $100 $195 $360 $420
CHAIN $26 $30 $60 $85
TOTAL $380 $495 $1,157 $1,381

Pricing shown for lowest priced option, which is typically the standard configuration with normal mountain bike spindle. The fat bike spindle costs a little more. That’s the complete SRAM Eagle group overview. Check out our individual coverage and first ride reports for each group at these links:

SRAM.com

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33 Comments
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Matt
Matt
5 years ago

When you put it like that, no reason to go all the way to XX1. I wish they would have included price as one of the comparisons.

JBikes
JBikes
5 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Its almost a universal law that there is no real cost benefit or functional benefit to any top tier group compared to 2nd rung (excluding Campy SR which is really a above an beyond factory tuned level)

Jake
Jake
5 years ago
Reply to  JBikes

Yeah, my jam on both my bikes is GX Eagle everything with a XO1 Eagle cassette. It’s a little more expensive, but that XO1 cassette is so much lighter.

Bradley
Bradley
5 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Good call a plastic lower brakes to easily so good thing you went with GX over NX.

Matt
Matt
5 years ago
Reply to  Tyler Benedict

Hey, thanks for that.

haromania
haromania
5 years ago
Reply to  Tyler Benedict

Thanks for the effort here, awesome stuff!!!

Dave
Dave
5 years ago
Reply to  Tyler Benedict

Awesome, thanks so much for adding that!

The Dude
The Dude
5 years ago
Reply to  Tyler Benedict

It would be cool to see a comparison of using these parts across the various group to come up with the best performance to cost combo. I.E. Is upgrading your shifter to xo and downgrading GX cass to NX still have the same shifting feel as a X0 group. Where are up/down grades noticeable.

Matt
Matt
5 years ago

Having done a quickie search, going from X01 to XX1 is about $10 per gram or ~$300 total.

karmaphi
karmaphi
5 years ago

What happened to the X1 tier? I recall it being between XO1 and GX.

nopers is bopes
nopers is bopes
5 years ago
Reply to  karmaphi

i dont know if that segment is really needed
nx = cheapo bike
gx = best value
x01,xx1 just in case you want to spend more money

Al
Al
5 years ago

Hey, what is SRAM NX and GX the equivalent of in Shimano road and mtb groupsets? I can’t find anything solid but the best info I can find so far is that NX is equivalent to lower SLR/105 and GX is equivalent to higher SLR/105.

Bob
Bob
5 years ago
Reply to  karmaphi

I’ve wondered about that, too. I have a X1 11-speed crankset and it has nice hollow aluminum crankarms. Seemed like a nice step in quality/price before the fancy carbon cranks.

mudrock
mudrock
5 years ago

Glad that BR is going to video recap on complex posts. Two things: didn’t realize til now that TB has a scar under left eye, and studio could benefit from some sound proofing. The cutaway on the XO crank is a nice visual aid.

Anonymous
Anonymous
5 years ago

Your X01 crank weight is much higher than what sram.com shows. They show 471g (175mm, 32t) and you show 520g.

Mark A Rosen
Mark A Rosen
5 years ago

Just like road biking, from very good to best, you pay about $1000 for each pound shaved off the bike weight. Maybe I should just eat less.

Bearcat Şándor
5 years ago
Reply to  Mark A Rosen

Also, a slightly heavier bike will make you work harder, and that will burn more calories making you weigh less and the whole system lighter? Right? That’s what i’m telling myself. I’m not cheap, i’m just health conscious!

Ned A
Ned A
4 years ago

Ha this is the best way to think about it! I picked up an S-Works and it comes with imposter syndrome.

F
F
5 years ago

Can you add GripShift comparison to the table? Since thats what I’ve been riding since 1996 X9/X0 3×8/9 and more recently1x11 NX.

Rob Holloway
Rob Holloway
5 years ago

Makes my full GX but with X01 cranks seem ideal.

John
John
5 years ago

Minor nitpick: Fourth bullet item under chain comparison s/b XX1 (currently says XO1 as of the morning of 6/24).

Otherwise great work TB and the BR staff!

John
John
5 years ago

It’ll be interesting to see whether SRAM can bring their 12 speed system to road before Shimano brings their micro spline system to your Dura-Ace this fall…

Rods
Rods
5 years ago

Great post! Maybe buy all GX, but swap to X01 cassete/chain for weight and durability

Markus
Markus
5 years ago

No love for Gripshift? One of the main reasons why I run SRAM. Great for racing.

Johnny
5 years ago

I want to understand why bike companies are putting GX on $5500 bikes? This had been a price point reserved for XT, but I don’t see GX and XT as being comparable in terms of performance/weight. I see GX as being more the SLX SRAM derivative. Ignoring the extra gear, am I wrong?

I also wonder if we have reached the tipping point on 1x in terms of benefits vs weight. Cassette are larger and heavier and chainrings have to do the same thing to keep gearing approximately equal. Are we moving backwards as companies are pushing 50T+ casettes? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a die heard 1x user. I just run an E13 and a 32T chainring keeping things nice and light, but having plenty of range.

Stephen Poole
Stephen Poole
5 years ago

The NX shifter isn’t the only one with a normal bar mount; I have a GX which attaches directly, no Matchmaker required.

Nicu
Nicu
4 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Poole

The difference is at GX you can attach a MMX clamp.

Bearcat Şándor
5 years ago

Personally, i’m just going to go for a GX with an X01 chain. Then i’ll upgrade to X01 here and there as i can afford it, and sell the part that i’m replacing.

Max Esplin
Max Esplin
5 years ago

I have X01 cassette and chain then a Gx derailleur. The GX cassette and chain wear down super fast and loose their color fast to.

Greg
Greg
5 years ago

Anyone have any trouble of the chain skipping off the biggest 50t sprocket when backpedaling? I have GX and have the chain cut right and adjusted right too. Bike Shop says it happens? 🙁

Money Badger
Money Badger
5 years ago

It would have been nice, if they still had the 1X in the line up, your either aboot $500 for GX, then the only better option is XO which you more than double the cost, like the 11 speed line up, the 1X filled that spot nicely, you can feel like you get something quality and finish wise, for say $800 for a group, we have customers that feel the GX is to heavy and a bit low line, at $500, but the only option to go up is XO at almost $1200,
Bring back the 1X!!

Awesome work on the comparisons!!!

Adrian marshall
Adrian marshall
3 years ago

Will a Sram xo1 work OK on a sram DX cassette

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