SRAM claims this system improves bearing sealing and is compatible with its entire range of Eagle products. The XTR is Shimanos top-of-the-line group for mountain bikes. Many riders trust the quality that goes along with their storied history. Shifting was consistent too, with few problems during the test period. My 170mm DUB Boost spacing NX Eagle cranks weighed 553g, while the 30t X-Sync 3 NX-level chainring I tested them with weighed 134g. The cassette itself has a clean black finish. I dont have a compatible free hub, Deore. A full SLX groupset retails for 398.94 / $394.94 / AU$734 compared to NXs slightly lower price of 365 / $375 / AU$563 / 410. These are big-box-store bike drivetrains and arent likely to be found on the more robust bikes. Only three parts of the drivetrain are sold aftermarket cranks, derailleur, and shifters. And, while SRAMs NX Eagle groupset was a solid performer out on the trails, where shifting was reliable thanks to technology taken from its more expensive counterparts, shifting wasnt as crisp as Id have liked and there were quality issues with the derailleur straight out of the box. I suspect there won't be anything left of them by 600mi lol. This freehub is available on many higher-end wheels and is something to note before making a big switch and revamping your gruppo. These are purpose-built for going downhill fast and are not really made for pedaling at all. cassetta 1230 sram 50t The derailleurs build quality could also be improved, but didnt seem to affect performance during the test period. The SRAM NX Eagle rear derailleur weighed 300g on my scales. Even at Gear Hacker HQ, there is friendly debate over which company reigns supreme, and it comes down to the style of riding and the day of the week. For the most part, Shimano created the standard freehub called Hyperglide way back in the 1990s. The GX cranks are offered in both aluminum or carbon, a difference of 94 grams. The Di2 electronic drivetrain is still wired. The chainring uses Shimanos Dynamic Chain Engagement for chain retention to deliver smoother pedaling along uneven terrain. Shimano introduced the first electronic drivetrainthe Di2 systemin 2009 (for road bikes only). This allows the cassette to fit the Shimano HG freehub, so you do not need to replace your entire wheel to accommodate the 12-speed cassette. 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. Already have an account with us? The Deore derailleurs clutch is adjustable compared to NXs non-adjustable version and controlled the chain better than NX. The cassette uses the same ranges as the SLX and XT but features an alloy beam spider carrying 3 alloy, 5 titanium, and 4 chromoly sprocketssaving weight and adding a cool aesthetic to the rear cassette at the same time. Although the NX Eagles cassette offers only an 11t smallest sprocket, rather than the 10t sprocket of GX or above, I didnt struggle with spinning out or wished I had a smaller cog. The cranksets black coating quickly wore off due to some shoe and ankle rub, which revealed the silver metal underneath. A metal lock ring would help remedy this problem. Some of the links in this website are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase a product using our link, we will earn a small commission. Again, generally speaking, durability improves with price, but it seems to plateau around the midrange options. With the introduction of their Eagle line, SRAMs options for riders have almost doubled. Really missed the old shifter with was so smooth even after all those years during which I changed only the cassette and chain. That may not seem like a lot, but my weight weenies out there will know this makes all the difference on those rooty uphills. To get into this world of elite enduro riding, you are looking at a $1,285 investment for the drivetrain (excluding brakes). Their new freehub Micro Spline uses a 23-spline interface and will work with a selection of their 11- and 12-speed cassettes. The cassettes sprockets are all made from stamped steel. If the freehub body change is a concern, your options become more limited, although there are plenty of Shimano-compatible aftermarket 12-speed cassettes that will work with HG freehubs, you just might compromise on some of SLXs weight savings and shifting performance. Again, the trickle-down technology sharing only helps make SRAMs gear perform well across the board. Despite NXs from-new slop, my test samples reliability was good, though. Basically it comes down to shifting performance. The derailleur worked well with the chain and chainring, and I suffered no dropped chains during the test period. 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. SRAM, while only being in the bike industry since 1987, has taken a firm hold of the mountain-biking component market with its relentless innovation. The NX Eagles cassette ratios are 11t, 13t, 15t, 17t, 19t, 22t, 25t, 28t, 32t, 36t, 42t and 50t. Installation of the derailleur, shifter, cassette and crankset was straightforward, and no unusual steps were needed to fit it all to the bike. The SX Eagle is the most budget-friendly Eagle drivetrain offered by SRAM. Sturdy and shifts great but cant really compare to SRAM. This means the smallest possible sprocket is limited to 11 teeth (rather than the 10-tooth sprocket found on XD-compatible cassettes), and to differentiate NX from more expensive offerings, the largest sprocket is 50-teeth rather than 52. 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. This update quickly made the GX the most affordable wireless drivetrain bike on the market. groupset sram bikeradar 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. The Shimano SLX group is most commonly found on reasonably priced mountain bikes. Alex moved to Morzine in the French Alps at 19 to pursue a career as a bike bum and clocked up an enormous amount of riding. After the test period, there was some wear present on the cassettes sprocket faces but the teeth remained hook- and damage-free. Initially released as a 10-50t cassette, the Eagle cassette offerings increased to 10-52t, creating a 520% gear range. As mentioned earlier, all of the Eagle components can be mixed and matched to dial in for either performance or the desired look. Mountain bike chainrings have seen some change lately, from having two or three ringsalso known as 2x or 3x, which would be verbally expressed as 2 by or 3 byto now only one front chainring (1x/1 by). Chicago-based manufacturer SRAM was founded in 1987. sram groupset drivetrain 1x12 Shimano has now been in the cycling game for a century. Why is the shimano 12 so good. Shimano resisted initially, sticking to the 2x drivetrain, which has a greater gear variety. 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. However, the difference in shift quality and feel between NX Eagle and GX Eagle was stark. Impressively, the NX Eagle rear derailleur managed to control excessive chain movement well, given the required chain length to accommodate a 50t cassette sprocket. Some of the drawbacks of the low-cost SX gruppo are that the cranks are a three-piece set, which is heavier and not as durable or stiff as the NX and above gruppos that are two-piece. For those keeping score at home, this range is better than 210 drivetrains can offer and has fewer moving parts to worry about. You can get it with an 11-46 range, which is more than enough for everyone. Single chainring drivetrains are now the most popular option in modern mountain biking for many reasons. Dont worry! Which one should I buy to replace my 3x9 setup ? This is less of an issue with GX models and above. Although the shifter paddle was light to use and shifting performance remained consistent during the test period not degrading after significant use in muddy conditions individual shifts arent very defined and it can be hard to distinguish between them. Once the setup has been performed a couple of times, it does get easier. It would be impossible for us to pick the ultimate winner between SRAM and Shimano. nx sram shimano eagle 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. I wouldn't recommend SX. In response to Shimanos electronic shifter system, SRAM released Red eTap, a wireless road bike groupset. This gives the rider the choice to upshift using either the thumb or index finger. Before we shift things into high gear, lets start with a quick breakdown of the components that make up the drivetrain and the two main manufacturers of these components, SRAM and Shimano. gx slx sram The shifter can change five easier gears with one push of the paddle, while shifting to harder gears happens one at a time. 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. Weight is the main difference, with a minimum drop of 243g (0.5 lbs). Fabrication material is the main divergence here. They also created Total Integration, allowing riders to brake, shift gears, and steer without taking their hands off the handlebars. Its similar to the XT but with an added R (which stands for racing). sram groupset A fun fact is that SRAM still offers grip shifts with their high-end products. If youre upgrading an older bike from 9-, 10- or 11-speed with an HG freehub body, thanks to NX Eagle not using an XD Driver with its cassette, its by far the least complicated and most cost-effective way into SRAMs Eagle ecosystem. SRAM has built NX Eagle to offer a 12-speed drivetrain at a more affordable and accessible price, but in doing so has compromised performance, especially when compared to the more modestly-priced Shimano Deore and slightly more expensive SLX, which is ultimately where Id spend my money. I ride a giant stance 29 with a SX group set. The NX Eagle derailleur is only compatible with up to a 50-tooth cassette sprocket, so accessing SRAMs 520 per cent 10-52t gear ratio will require additional investment in a GX Eagle or higher derailleur. Suffice it to say, you are looking at some serious kit. This tech helps with the tooth positioning on the cog to make shifting smoother and more efficient. They brought in several road-bike innovations throughout the years and brought the 112 group back to the mainstream in 2012, which of late has become the market standard. SRAM and Shimano produce incredible drivetrains that are exceptional at all price points. And would not buy a sram product, unless it came stock on a. Bike they are over priced after market. The DUB system cranks have a bottom bracket bearing preload lock ring on the non-driveside to help set bearing tension. better shifting, although I have had issues with the quality of the deore crankset. NX Eagle performs solidly on the trails, but for the money it isnt as good as the competition, GBP 365.00 RRP Riding those famous tracks day in, day out for eight years, he broke more bikes than he can remember. Including bar clamp and supplied inner cable, the SRAM NX Eagle shifter weighed 123g. However, performance-wise, NX Eagle struggles to match Shimanos Deore, let alone challenge SLX. sram groupset We looked at dozens of other reviews and comparisons to see if they chose winners, and they all basically took the same stand. This makes the shifter feel a little cheap to operate and more defined clicks would improve the overall feel. Take note: as mentioned before, the SRAM Eagle drivetrains from GX to XX1 now require SRAMs proprietary XD freehub body (10t-50t/52t). The 212 options are a 36-26t chainring with either a 12-speed 10-45t cassette or a 12-speed 10-51t cassette. To fit SRAMs GX Eagle and above drivetrains, youll need SRAMs proprietary XD freehub body (10-50t/52t). The steel cassette options range from 11-28t to 11-36t and use Shimanos Hyperglide technology. As always, the Eagle is a 12-speed (11-50t), with the standard NX coming with an 11-speed cassette (11-42t). It is a call we dont want to make. That drivetrain alone probably costs more than most of our entire bikes. ** First, a note on mountain biking jargon: All of the components listed below as part of the drivetrain collection are known as the groupset, groupo/gruppo, or group. The chain is directional and has a slight curve to better follow the profile of the teeth. This means the cassettes range is only 11-50t compared to 10-52t for the more expensive XD versions. 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. Because the PowerLock is not reusable, setting the chain to a useable length meant using another link. SRAM doesnt recommend using non-Eagle SRAM-branded components with its kit, but third-party kit is likely to be compatible, although performance may be decreased. My cranks have bashed so many rocks. These drivetrains offered a 500% gear range, eliminating the need for 2x front chainrings. SRAM X01 is also available in the AXS wireless drivetrain, and itll bump up your total cost to $1,900, but golly, those shifts are going to be smooth. Even though the Alivio still sports a 9-speed 2x or 3x drivetrain, it is lighter and shifts better than the Acera or Altus. I tested SRAMs NX Eagle groupset on multiple bikes, including my Marin Alpine Trail XR and Yeti SB165 long-term test bike. The XT 10-51t cassette is 64g lighter than the SLX cassette. So until the 113 comes out, this is as good as it gets. The 112 uses the 10-51t cassette, and options for the front chainring range from 28-34t. There is a third manufacturer, Campagnolo, but they make up a tiny percent of the mountain-biking components market in North America. Indexing the derailleur and setting the high and low limit screws was simple, and cable tension was easy to set correctly, too. Upgrading from GX Eagle to GX Eagle AXS also lets you stop calling your shifters shifters and start calling them controllers. Ooh, la la! The shifters lever ergonomics are identical to the groupsets more expensive counterparts in the Eagle range. While not officially included in a groupset, it is vital to know which freehub you have on your bike before switching to a new groupset or cassette. |, EUR 410.00 The X5 is where the drivetrains become slightly more trail-worthy, and it provides a 10-speed drivetrain with 2x or 3x chainring options. As a company, Shimano makes up approximately 80% of the global road-biking components market, but only 20% of the global mountain-biking market. The cranks are two-piece alloy that are bonded together for a lighter weight. 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. He started racing downhill at the tender age of 11 before going on to compete across Europe. When SRAM NX Eagle was launched in 2018, we covered most of the specifications and details in the initial review, but I am going to run through some of the top-line specs here. It is essential to know what is on your bike and what the cassette youre upgrading to will require. sram sx 1x12 groupset 175mm 5pcs derailleur velocidades grupo 170mm equivalent ubyk Carbon fiber does have a higher strength-to-weight ratio, but the trade-off is overall durability. NX is OK, maybe closer to Deore. The durability can also decline in the super high-end offerings where weight saving is more crucial than longevity. They are all designed very well. 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. The key when buying a drivetrain is finding one that you can afford. 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. One reviewer did say that if they could have the SRAM AXS controller and derailleur paired with the Shimano XTR hardware, it would be the perfect system. Grip shifts have found a home with riders who like to fire through their gears crazy fast, often in racing situations. Shimano Deore. I had to remove two additional links to set the chain to a length that meant it wasnt slack. Occasionally brakes are included in the groupset, but we are only discussing the drivetrain and not including any information about the brakes in this article. Shimano has done lots of work to offer a high level of customization to suit each riders preferences and terrain. groupset sram guna shimano nx eagle hub speed body From a price perspective, NX is roughly comparable to Shimanos SLX, sitting one up from the bottom in the hierarchy. The whole setup is mainly made of steel. So as you can see, there is really no way to choose a winnerboth companies bring incredible technology to the table with no signs of slowing down. While researching this article and comparing setups, we noticed that Shimanos website does not include their drivetrains as a package. That means if you want to buy a full XTR groupset, you need to go through each component and pick individual parts. I ride SRAM GX and its really good for the price, but the SX and NX stuff isnt up to par. Its also Matchmaker compatible (unlike the SX Eagle range), so was easy to set up in a position that was comfortable for my preferences, and I would happily speculate the vast majority of other users will have no problems either. In reality, Ive been able to reuse SRAMs PowerLocks more than once, despite SRAM not officially recommending this. With Shimano steadfast on 2x systems, the 1x quickly became a favorite among mountain bikers, and Shimano had to play catch up to SRAMs innovation. Its pins are solid rather than hollow as seen on more expensive chains and its compatible with all other Eagle products. This means upgrading and replacing broken parts is relatively straightforward. Really, everything on this drivetrain is as good as technology will allow it to be. For simplicitys sake, we only show the Eagle groupsets as they are the benchmark, and everything else is cheaper and heavier (basically). including any information about the brakes in this article. Get a Snycros iS Couple bottle cage when you subscribe to Mountain Biking UK today! I just upgraded to gx with a nx cassette but if I was starting fresh, 90% sure I would go shimano. The NX Eagle 126-link chain including PowerLock weighed 274g on my scales. groupset bikeradar The SRAM X01 drivetrain and XX1 drivetrain are essentially the same, but SRAM has made a few tweaks to make them better serve their assigned purposes. Shimano has three subsets of mountain bike groupsets: Downhill, Daily Drivers, and Mountain Biking. For example, its possible to use the components in the NX Eagle range bar the derailleur with all of SRAMs other Eagle kit. In the 1980s, Shimano introduced indexed shifting, which is now the basis for all mechanical shifters on bikes to this day. As your legs press into the pedals, they add pressure to the cranks (the shafts that connect the pedals to the front gear). The shifters on the SLX come with I-SPEC EV, enabling the rider to join the shifters and brakes on one clamp for a cleaner cockpit and dial in your riding setup. Shimano now offers 12-speed cassettes with a 10-51t range in their top three drivetrain setups. This spins the front gear (called a chainring), pulling on the chain connected to the back gears (known as the cassette). 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. You're going to need a new hub or rear wheel if you want a deore 12 speed cassette though. Shimano didnt make it into the US market until the 60s. A final step up in the hierarchy before getting into the real deal drivetrains is Shimanos Alivio. While it does make sure you are getting precisely what you want, it does not offer an easier way to buy a groupset. Both systems can be customized via their individual apps. However, to keep them running quietly, a rigorous chain cleaning and lubrication routine was needed. SRAMs NX Eagle is its most affordable aftermarket 12-speed drivetrain. Finally, the mountain biking family of drivetrains comes on a long list and with a more diverse range of groups. This game-changer is something we all take for granted now. 1x10 deore. However, shifting isnt as crisp as it could be and the cassette and derailleur are quite heavy. 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.