While the GX gear lever is made of forged aluminium, the NX trigger is plastic. SRAM also uses a mixture of steel and aluminium for the rear derailleur, while the rear derailleurs of the GX and X01 Eagle are made entirely of aluminium. In addition to the chainring, the NX Eagle chain is made of unalloyed steel.
As with higher-end derailleurs, the NX does have an adjustable clutch that riders can dial in if they are riding rowdier trails. After our first rides on the trail, we noticed that the shift lever felt similar to its higher-end counterparts with crisp, smooth engagement.
NX and GX cassettes are not interchangeable without changing the hub. On some hubs, the hub driver can be changed but some can't and would require replacing the entire hub. Otherwise, according to Sram, everything else (chains, shifters, derailleurs) are interchangable.
NX 12 speed goes on a splined Shimano compatible hub. Boost 148 most likely depending on your frame. Although frames meant for older hub standards with splined 8,9,10 Sram or Shimano driver bodies will work.
The main differences between SRAM vs Shimano are: SRAM has a stronger hold over the high end of the groupset market, whereas Shimano's groupsets are often bought by entry to mid-level users. Shimano shifting actuation works on a 1:1 ratio, whereas SRAM's shifting actuation works on a 2:1 ratio.
Deore XT carries the big advantage of having the Shadow Plus technology (link), unlike the Deore which in the best case has the Shadow compact design. Simply put, the XT works faster, more accurately, more silently and doesn't need regular service for adjustement.
SRAM X9. Equivalent to Shimano SLX, X9 was the workhorse groupset of SRAM's range. Nearly all the performance features were present at this level, with slightly cheaper construction methods and materials keeping prices down, but the weight was higher.
Shimano SLX is also a killer value and sees a bit of weight savings over the cheaper Deore groupset. Much of the weight is in the rear cassette that gets an alloy cog and carrier compared to the steel Deore option. Looks get a bit cleaner and materials also get a slight improvement.
Chain reaction gets them cheap bc they tell Shimano they are going to spec them on their bikes so they get it cheaper. Shimano pricing can be all over the place, while sram stuff doesn't go on sale quite that often.
The XTR versions, however, do control power noticeably better than the XT. I didn't notice any brake fade on longer descents with the XT brakes. SLX offers much of the same tech (12-speed, Hyperglide Plus, four-piston brake caliper), but at an even lower cost than XT.
The key difference between SRAM and Shimano groupsets is the shifting actuation – the distance between shifts relative to the lever index. Shimano's 1:1 ratio means the cable and derailleur move further during each shift. SRAM works on the tighter tolerance of a 2:1 ratio.
SX is the new budget friendly Eagle setup. It's going to be slightly heavier than NX and GX, and it will have a Non XD hub, so future upgrades to GX,XO or XX would require a new rear wheel. I'd spend the extra 250 and get GX, because you are getting more than just a drivetrain.
The SRAM cassettes are lighter because of the lack of spiders connecting the different cogs, and the smaller driver. That's why they are so expensive too. and at least the highest end stuff (like eagle, possibly some of the 11spd stuff) is machined from a single piece, and isn't an assembly component.
Conclusion. To say I'm pleased with the results of the frankentrain would be an understatement. Considering these parts were never designed to play well together, the Sram GX AXS shifter and derailleur work perfectly on the Shimano XTR cassette.
Best SRAM Mountain Bike Groupset Buying Guide
- SRAM's groupsets are sought-after for their industry-leading weight-saving properties.
- SRAM SX Eagle is the brand's entry-level groupset.
- XX1 Eagle AXS is SRAM's top-end drivetrain collection, used by many professional riders in elite competition.
The big change for NX Eagle is the splined-driver-style cassette. The XD driver that SRAM has been using for the last several years works well and is great in terms of making a lightweight system with a wide range of gears.
With proven AXS wireless technology, and the rugged durability of GX, it's Eagle at its best. Featuring an expanded 520% range, seamless compatibility with the rest of the ecosystem, and the ability to customize with the AXS app, GX Eagle AXS is your entry point to the future.
SRAM LLC is a privately owned bicycle component manufacturer based
in Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded in 1987. SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders, Scott, Ray, and Sam, (where Ray is the middle name of the company's first CEO, Stan Day).
SRAM Corporation.
Cassette lifespan can range between 4000 to 10000 miles, and this is affected by the cassette itself and maintenance frequency.
SRAM's cassettes and chains are compatible with all of Shimano's groupsets, and vice versa. Likewise, Shimano and SRAM buyers have the freedom to mix different levels of chains and cassettes so long as they are designed for the same kind of transmission.
The Eagle NX drivetrain is designed for Shimano HG hubs and has an 11-50 cassette 455% range. According to Sram, all the Eagle drivetrains are mix and match so you could use a GX 10-50 cassette (if you have the XD hub) with an NX drivetrain and save a few bucks.
With the release of its latest road and mountain bike products, SRAM also introduced a new technology it calls AXS (say “accessâ€), essentially a way for all its wireless products to communicate so riders can more easily mix and match components from its different groups.
Low Gear = Easy = Good for Climbing: The “low†gear on your bike is the smallest chain ring in the front and the largest cog on your cassette (rear gears). In this position, the pedaling will be the easiest and you'll be able to pedal uphill with the smallest amount of resistance.
Mostly, for a mountain biker with average physical abilities the best and most recommended gear ratio combination is 32T on the front with 34T on the back.
Mountain bikes have between 1-40 gears, with most mountain bikes having between 7 and 28 gears and some custom mountain bikes have over 40. Adult mountain bikes have on average more gears than kid's mountain bikes do.
Acera and Altus is positioned at the same level but based on my experience I feel Altus is much better than Acera. They create less problems and operate more precisely. Also they are lighter. They use some technology from Alivio line which you will appreciate.
Middle GearThis is a great gear for everyday terrain when you're cruising along on a flat road or on undulating terrain. You want some resistance, but not too much. If the road goes up and down a bit, you'll probably flick between the rear gears to cater for changes.
Di2 stands for “Digital Integrated Intelligence†– Shimano's version of electronic shifting. DI2 gives you instant, accurate, lightning-fast shifts the first and every time, at the push of a button. Even in the most extreme conditions, shifting is precise and controlled.
The SRAM Road Groupset HierarchyThere are just four main subdivisions: Apex is its entry-level system, followed by the mid-range Rival, and topped by the performance-level Force and pro-standard Red.
