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Written by Tyler Benedict
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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:
- NX Eagle overview and first rides
- GX Eagle overview and first rides
- X01 Eagle weigh-in and install
- XX1 Eagle weigh in, install and first impressions
- Eagle 12-speed introduction
- Eagle 12-speed tech overview
Tyler Benedict
11,246 articles
Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.
Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.
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Matt
6 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.
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JBikes
6 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)
Reply
Jake
6 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.
Reply
Bradley
5 years ago
Reply to Jake
Good call a plastic lower brakes to easily so good thing you went with GX over NX.
Reply
Author
Tyler Benedict
6 years ago
Reply to Matt
Matt, I just added a price comparison table to the bottom of the post. Not a typo, the NX shifter is actually two bucks more than the GX shifter, probably because of the extra materials used to create the cable port. I only put USD, but the differences for € and £ are similar, just using this for comparative purposes.
1
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Matt
6 years ago
Reply to Tyler Benedict
Hey, thanks for that.
Reply
haromania
6 years ago
Reply to Tyler Benedict
Thanks for the effort here, awesome stuff!!!
Reply
Dave
6 years ago
Reply to Tyler Benedict
Awesome, thanks so much for adding that!
Reply
The Dude
6 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.
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Matt
6 years ago
Having done a quickie search, going from X01 to XX1 is about $10 per gram or ~$300 total.
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karmaphi
6 years ago
What happened to the X1 tier? I recall it being between XO1 and GX.
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nopers is bopes
6 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
Reply
Al
5 years ago
Reply to nopers is bopes
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.
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Bob
6 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.
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mudrock
6 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.
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Anonymous
6 years ago
Your X01 crank weight is much higher than what sram.com shows. They show 471g (175mm, 32t) and you show 520g.
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Mark A Rosen
6 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.
Reply
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!
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Ned A
4 years ago
Reply to Bearcat Şándor
Ha this is the best way to think about it! I picked up an S-Works and it comes with imposter syndrome.
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6 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.
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Rob Holloway
6 years ago
Makes my full GX but with X01 cranks seem ideal.
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John
6 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!
Reply
John
6 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…
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Rods
6 years ago
Great post! Maybe buy all GX, but swap to X01 cassete/chain for weight and durability
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Markus
6 years ago
No love for Gripshift? One of the main reasons why I run SRAM. Great for racing.
3
Reply
6 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.
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Stephen Poole
6 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.
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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.
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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.
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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? 🙁
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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!!!
Reply
Adrian marshall
3 years ago
Will a Sram xo1 work OK on a sram DX cassette
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