The long-awaited and more affordable SRAM Eagle Mechanical Transmission is finally here, with both a cheaper version targeting OEM spec and a more premium option for riders who prioritize simplicity and serviceability.
Many mountain bike riders are enamored by AXS, UDH & T-type innovation – me among them. But some still would love to combine the highlights of SRAM’s latest tech with the simplicity and affordability of a classic mechanical shift setup.
Well, that wait is over.
These 2 all-new mechanical shift SRAM Eagle 90 & Eagle 70 mountain bike drivetrains deliver all the robust and simple direct-mount promises of Transmission for a fraction of the price. No Batteries required.
Read my in-depth review of the new Eagle 90 Mechanical Transmission here.
SRAM Eagle 90 | 70 Mechanical mountain bike transmissions
SRAM claimed their T-type MTB Transmissions delivered the perfect mountain bike shift. Now Eagle 90 & Eagle 70 both bring that same performance to riders who prefer mechanical simplicity over more expensive wireless electronics.
The two new Eagle 90 and Eagle 70 Mechanical groupsets promise the same painless setup & adjustment, universal direct ‘Full Mount’ fit, full shifting under load, and modular rebuildability as good or better than SRAM’s top electronic transmissions. But now it comes at a much more affordable price, and is just as light for the key components.
Plus, you’ll never have to remember to charge your bike.
SRAM has done a solid job of shifting the direction of mountain bike drivetrains. First, with wide 1x Eagle up to 520% range. Then, the simplicity & interoperability of wireless electronic AXS. And finally, a standard the industry would actually get behind with the Universal Derailleur Hanger that paved the way for their direct mount T-type Transmissions.
It’s been nearly a decade since SRAM innovated with a mechanical shift group. So, while the pace of technology marched on, if you didn’t want to charge batteries or didn’t have a big budget, you were out of luck.
Now, SRAM Eagle Mechanical finally fills in that gap!
What’s new?
SRAM touts this as the first-ever mechanical groupset without a derailleur hanger, thanks to their direct Full Mount interface using their UDH standard. That means the same tough and robust design since it is bolted right to your frame. Setup is easy with no need for adjustment screws since the frame-derailleur-cassette interface is already defined and the same from bike to bike. Combine that with SRAM’s latest cassette ramp design and flattop T-type chain, and it also means crisp shifting even under load.
Plus, the new Eagle 90 is said to be the most rebuildable derailleur ever…
More modular and rebuildable than ever!
When SRAM launched their direct mount AXS Transmission, it promised both improved durability AND new modular construction that would make it easier to repair a derailleur that did break. We even broke that claim down in a detailed Patent Patrol story.
Now with SRAM Eagle 90, that finally comes to fruition with a derailleur that can really be fully rebuilt. SRAM talks it up like this could be a mountain bike derailleur that could last a lifetime.
The Eagle 90 mechanical derailleur can be completely broken down – separating out the direct mount B-knuckle, the P-knuckle that houses the clutch, the parallelogram & its skid plates, the cage in several levels of disassembly, and all the bushings it rotates around. SRAM sells each of those user-replaceable parts individually from $18-85 (20-93€ / £18-83). So, if you damage a part of your derailleur or just want to regularly service it each season, it’s both easy to do and affordable.
Hooray!
The Eagle 70 isn’t nearly as user-serviceable, but it still has replaceable skid plates. It uses a lower-tech drag-spring damper clutch mechanism (stronger than the old SRAM drag-spring) that isn’t interchangeable. But you can still replace the rest of a damaged derailleur cage if need be.
Probably faster shifting than Eagle AXS?
While the idea of shifting under load was a nice new feature of T-Type Transmission, it did require SRAM to slow down shifting, primarily so ebikes under full power wouldn’t try to shift multiple gears at once and possibly damage the chain, cassette, or both. That definitely bugged a lot of mountain bikers coming from the faster-shifting previous generation of AXS.
Although SRAM says they looked at the numbers (because AXS tracks shifts), with the old setup, 88% of all shifting was single shift in regular use, just 9% a double shift, only 4% a triple shift, and a measly 1% trying to shift 4 gears at once. (Please forgive SRAM’s rounding, not mine.) So with Eagle Mechanical, they figure they could make you happy about 96% of the time.
Now, the new SRAM Eagle 90 & 70 Mechanical mountain bike transmissions bring back fast multi-shifts, at least for non-ebikes. With 2 shifters available for each groupset, you can pick up to two shifts at a time from the standard MTB shifter. Or there’s a separate eMTB-specific Single Click Shifter so you can’t screw up, even shifting under full power from the ebike’s motor.
The new shifters also look a bit bigger/longer. That’s because SRAM optimized the new layout to sit closer to the bar and to align your cables with Stealth-routed brake hoses for clean and direct cable routing. A side benefit is shorter shift housing and reduced total cable bend angles for better shift performance overall.
Just a note: new Eagle Mechanical shifting components are NOT backward-compatible with previous SRAM mountain bike or dropbar shifters.
New short alloy cranks, too
The new Eagle Mechanical groups add their own simple forged alloy cranks, adopting the trend of ever-shorter crank arms. Eagle 90 offers cranks from 155-175mm, plus an eMTB-specific 150mm set. SRAM Eagle 90 features 8-bolt direct T-Type chainrings, with stamped steel and machined alloy rings available.
Eagle 70 is a bit lower tech (and with fewer length options) with 3-bolt direct T-Type chainring mounting.
Both share chainring-mounted bashguards, the same as with GX & X0 cranksets.
SRAM Eagle Mechanical Transmission – Pricing, options & availability
The most important note here is that the new SRAM Eagle Mechanical Transmissions are more affordable than anything AXS, and they are available now. Importantly to note, all T-type Transmission components are also cross-compatible. So if you buy a bike with Eagle 70 or upgrade your bike with Eagle 90 today, you could still swap to a wireless setup with just an AXS shifter & derailleur down the trail.
There are essentially 4 variants of the new SRAM Eagle Mechanical Transmission – 90 & 70 for mountain bikes and 90 & 70 for eMTBs. The differences just come down to cranks specific to individual ebike motors and the eMTB shifters that allow only one shift at a time.
An Eagle 90 complete groupset sells for $670 / 730€ / £655, including the new mechanical rear derailleur, mechanical shifter with a clamp, plus a crankset, GX chain & GX cassette. Get your own bottom bracket and new brakeset separately.
On its own, the new Eagle 90 mechanical derailleur costs $190 / 205€ / £185, the shifter is another $50 / 55€/ £50, and the alloy crankset $155 / 170€ / £150.
You’ll see the Eagle 70 groupset mostly already spec’d on entry-level performance mountain bikes, but you can buy the components separately as well. Comparing it to its more-expensive sibling, the new Eagle 70 mechanical derailleur costs $125 / 135€ / £120, the 70 shifter adds just $30 / 35€/ £30, and the alloy Eagle 70 crankset another $90 / 100€ / £90.
Officially a model year 2026 drivetrain (MY26), you can get a complete group or mix-and-match a new affordable mechanical mountain bike build kit from your local SRAM dealer now!
