With the new NX Eagle group, SRAM has brought accessibility of their 1×12 mountain bike groups to everyone. By using a standard cassette interface, it opens the door to OEM spec on entry level bikes with almost no compromises to the original’s range or features. What it boils down to is weight and materials used. Here’s what we think of the new group after a few rides, plus actual weights and a complete comparison of weights for all SRAM Eagle groups…
Installation is straightforward, just like the other groups. I actually had less issues getting the shifting perfectly lined up with this NX group than when I installed the GX group.
What was most immediately noticeable and impressive was how quiet the group was. Other than riding in the 50-tooth, there was virtually no noise when pedaling. With all of the Eagle groups, there’s a slight noise when riding in the 50t, similar to winding a clock, largely because the chain is at it’s most extreme angle and the derailleur is pulled its furthest. I expect their high end groups to ride quietly, but this one was a pleasant surprise.
The cranks arms are plenty stiff, particularly for the level of rider likely to own this group.
Another impressive feature? The looks. Shaped exteriors on the arms and an all-black motif give it a higher end look than the price suggests. Even the chainring looks more chiseled than the GX group’s chainring. Which means it doesn’t look out of place on a higher end bike:
Shifting was crisp and fast, both up and down the cassette.
The only potential issue I noticed was that the plasticky section holding the Rollamajig cable wheel on the back of the derailleur was a little loose. The cable’s probably helping retain it, but it’s here where we see the lower end materials potentially lessening the group’s durability compared to higher end versions. Which is totally normal for lower end groups from any brand, just worth mentioning.
Derailleur adjustment screws are easily accessed.
Where the system makes a little more noise is during shifts. I heard a bit more of that “clank” going from gear to gear, particularly when shifting to a harder gear. It’s something I hear on cassettes with individual cogs like this as opposed to one-piece clusters like their other Eagle cassettes. It’ll be interesting to see how those plastic spacer rings between the cogs hold up, too.
The shifter’s levers are plastic, but not flexy. The NX Eagle shifter doesn’t feel any less solid than the others out of the box, and thanks to it’s mostly plastic construction, it’s actually the lightest shifter of the group.
Overall, my first impressions are really good. I’m stoked to see low end groups getting nearly top level performance. Yeah, it’s heavy, but for folks just getting into it or without a lot to spend, it’s the performance that’s going to get them stoked on riding and sticking with it. For that, kudos to SRAM for putting wide range and great shifting in easy reach.
SRAM NX Eagle Actual Weights
On our scale, the parts weighed in at:
- Cranks – 698g (175mm arms, 32-tooth chainring, DUB spindle)
- Derailleur – 340g
- Shifter – 111g (with cable)
- Cassette – 612g
- Chain – 271g (full length, but I trimmed off 7 or 8 links during install)
Other parts you’ll need are the DUB bottom brackets. They sent along the BSA threaded (73g, tested) and PF30 (85g) versions. Both include a spacer ring that needs to go on the driveside (3g).
SRAM Eagle group weight comparisons
Here’s how the weights compare for all SRAM Eagle groups, with the difference compared to XX1 Eagle:
| 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 DUB cranksets except XX1 Eagle, which is weighed with the original non-DUB 30mm spindle version.
For full tech specs and group overview, check out our launch coverage here.
Hmm, NX shifter and GX for the rest seems to be a nice combo, IMO.
But I think the GX Eagle cassette doesn’t work on Hyperglide cassette bodies, so you need to have or buy a rear wheel with an XD cassette body instead ($$). And the GX Eagle is 100 euros more MSRP than the NX Eagle one.
You don’t need an XD driver, the new cassette is an 11-50, so it’s compatible on all Shimano/Sram freehub bodies.
500g- that’s not such a big weight penalty. It’s great to see tech trickle down so quickly to entry-level bikes.
SRAM hasn’t brought the accessibility of their 1×12 mountain bike groups to cyclocross racers; what’s the holdup SRAM????
“Level of rider likely to own this group” just slightly snobby 😉 .
…have plastic cassette spacers ever given anyone trouble? Nitpicking a bit, there.
Only when I put my cassettes in the ultrasonic cleaner. I can’t dry them in the oven, the horror of having to wipe down 4 plastic rings with a paper towel.
You REALLY do not need 12 speed with just a 450% spread. Especially with the silly spacing used in this
absurdly heavy cassette … really 616 grams is heavier than a dual!!!!!!
Good point on the weight of this compared to a double chainring setup. I think the main benefit of NX Eagle is that with NX Eagle, beginning riders need to learn just “push this button to make it easier, and this one to make it harder” in place of the old system of “push this button this way to make it a little easier and this one this way to make it a little harder, and push this button on the other side of the bar this way to make it a lot harder and finally this button to the other way to make it a lot easier- oh and easy and hard are in opposite directions for each set of buttons”. It’s easy to forget what it was like mastering the use of two shifters that work in opposite directions, and how much of a barrier that can be for some people who are averse to complexity.
The spread is the same as the new Xtr 10-45 rhythm step cassette, so for racers it can be an advantage, but that is not the target group of NX. 10 or 11-speed would suffice, but it’s probably easier and just as cheap making it Eagle 12-speed, and 12 beats 10 and 11 in the mind of many customers. Shimano M6000 10-speed with 11-42 cassette is the next step down (which, or similar, should be specced on every children bike instead of stupid 3x groups).
Regarding weight of the cassette; Sunrace 11-50 12-speed weighs 586 grams, so slightly lighter and cheaper, but Eagle NX isn’t for the weight conscious anyway.
The price difference between GX and NX is nice and will see wide range 1x specced on cheaper bikes, where 1x makes even more sense.
The spread is the same as the new XTR 10-45 rhythm step cassette, so for racers it can be an advantage, but not for the target group of NX. 10 or 11-speed would suffice, but it’s probably easier and just as cheap making it Eagle 12-speed, and 12 beats 10 and 11 in the mind of many consumers.
Shimano’s alternative is currently SLX M7000 (11-speed with 11-46 @ 482 grams), which has a ridiculous 9 tooth step from 37 to 46, but is lighter. Difference in gear range is ~9%.
Regarding weight of the cassette; I’d take 1x any day for a hard tail as long as total price/weight is about equal to 2x, and might even for a full suspension bike (with increased un-sprung weight) due to function and simplicity. Alternative 12-speed cassette from Sunrace 11-50 is slightly lighter and cheaper, but Eagle NX isn’t for the weight conscious anyway. My Eagle GX group has made me an 1x ambassador; it just works so well.
The price difference between GX and NX is nice and will see wide range 1x specced on cheaper bikes than before. It is on the cassette and crank set the price is much lower though, but hopefully the shifter and derailleur price will decrease when in full distribution. I think wide range 1x gear sets should be specced on every cheap bike, where riders seems not to be able gear properly with 2x/3x groups, but it is probably still too expensive. (Sidenote: The same is true for kids bikes, where 1x 11-42 should be specced, instead of stupid 3x groups).
500g is xx1 to nx – the gx to nx difference is 250g (1/2lb), which is awesome. What a great time to be shopping mid-range mountain bikes.
TLDR, TOO HEAVY
I have recently purchased a bike with an NX Eagle drivetrain (Trek Roscoe 8). I’m 46 years old and have always ran high end Shimano. Being that I’m no longer a top contender I figured I’d step down and go mid/low end. I have zero regrets. This system shifts beautifully and seems really solid. The only challenge I see with 1×12 set up is the fast shift transitions like dropping gears rapidly to climb off a short downhill. I tried it on my 1×10 shimano setup and made it, but on a 1×12 GX Eagle setup, I wasn’t able to get to the proper gearing fast enough and even after repeated attempts, failed on that climb with that bike.
I have a solution! I ordered a grip shifter. I also ordered a slightly lighter cassette and plan to transfer the NX shifter and cassette to “upgrade” my son’s 9 spd shimano setup.
The NX cassette runs on a shimano freehub body – The XD/X01/XX1 all run on SRAM XD freehub bodies. Just upgraded my wheelset and cassette because of it.