SRAM NX Eagle Drivetrain first look
Complete NX Eagle group shown here.
1x gearing is one of the greatest revolutions in mountain biking with a drivetrain perfectly suited for the demands of the sport. A knock against it was range but SRAM Eagle with its 10-50t range addressed most of those concerns. Of course price was a concern again with the first XX1 versions introduced at $1417 but riders were hopeful the technology would trickle down to lower-priced groups. Until now, the lowest priced Eagle group was the GX at $495.
Today, the new NX group is introduced at $380 with a gearing range of 11-50. NX is compatible with the rest of the Eagle line with identical spacing, shift leverage and chain technologies. The only departure is the NX uses the older spline cassette and hub instead of the SRAM XD-Drive system.
Eagle NX is $115 cheaper and 302 grams heavier than Eagle GX
How does it compare to other Eagle Groups
SRAM Eagle XX1 weighs in at 1456 grams and X01 is 1502 grams while GX comes in at 1717 grams. The new NX group comes in at 2049 grams so it’s 302 grams heavier than GX
Price wise, NX is $115 cheaper than GX and they offer a $5 price break as a group so $110 less.
NX Crankset with flatties.
Here’s the detailed description of each component of the Eagle NX groupset.
NX Eagle Crankset
Designed for SRAM’s X-SYNC
2 chainrings, the NX crankset is engineered to control and secure the chain quietly and efficiently, just like the other Eagle groups. DUB technology features a more uniform approach to bottom bracket fitment, better sealing against contamination and forward and backward compatibility.
Features/Benefits
- 6000 series forged aluminum arms.
- DUB technology features a uniform approach to bottom bracket fitment, better sealing against contamination and is forward and backward compatible.
Very long cage derailler.
NX Eagle Rear Derailleur
This new NX Eagle derailleur features the SRAM 1x-specific X-HORIZON design. The larger, 14-tooth X-SYNC lower pulley facilitates 11- to 50- and 10- to 50-tooth cassette capacity, and also adds to NX Eagle’s overall smooth-pedaling feel. The Type-3 ROLLER BEARING CLUTCH provides quiet and consistent performance
Juliana rear sporting the new NX Eagle with 11-50 gearing
Features/Benefits
- Completely new rear derailleur with 11-50 and 10-50 compatibility.
- Eagle pulley technology provides greater efficiency, crisper shifting and quieter operation.
12 speed shifter shown here.
NX Eagle Trigger Shifter
New NX Eagle trigger with the massive range means you never have to worry about having the right gear for the terrain. Just like the other Eagle shifters, NX Eagle is easy, intuitive.
Features/Benefits
- Eagle Technology creates a smoother and more precise shifting system with exceptional reliability.
- Also available as a E-MTB specific Eagle shifter option limiting the pull lever to a single engagement.
- Compatible with Matchmaker X clamp.
50 tooth big cog looks very normal these days.
PG-1230 Eagle Cassette
Riders with a lower budget can now enjoy the wide-range PG-1230, 11- to 50-tooth Eagle cassette. The NX cassette gives riders every bit of the climbing range that the Eagle ecosystem and it now works with the widely used splined-drive body wheels. The PG-1230 is the only Eagle cassette designed to be durable enough to withstand the increased demands of E-MTB applications and a perfect solution to heavy-duty use and abuse.
Cassette with 11-50 uses the splined driver body.
Features/Benefits
- Compatible with 8-, 9- and 10-speed splined driver bodies.
- Wide 11-50t gear range—a perfect fit for most rides with optimized gear steps across entire range.
NX Crankset with flatties.
NX Eagle Chain
he NX Eagle chain features solid pin construction, Eagle PowerLock® and smooth, efficient shifting.
Features/Benefits
- Eagle PowerLock® chain connector with FLOW LINK technology provides better chain-guiding and increased longevity.
- Unique features and design also provide significantly improved wear resistance on Eagle cassettes and rings.
Pricing
Shifter – $42
Rear Derailleur – $107
Cassette – $100
Chain – $26
SRAM Crank NX Eagle DUB (DUB Cups/Bearings Not Included) – $105
NX Eagle DUB Groupset (Rear Der, Trigger Shifter w Clamp, Crankset DUB 12s w DM 32t X-SYNC Chainring, Chain 126 links 12s, Cassette XG-1230 11-50t, Chaingap Gauge) – $375
Weights and specs of the Eagle NX.
Final thoughts
Eagle NX is a very welcome addition indeed to the Eagle family which is now OEM supplied in most mid to high-end mountain bikes. Now, lower-priced bikes can benefit from the ease of use and gear range of the Eagle family.
An interesting departure is NX uses the spline drive system which has existed for over 20 years and is used by Shimano systems. This means that rear wheels compatible with the rest of the Eagle line using the XD-Drive hub will NOT work with Eagle NX.
We’re not exactly sure why Eagle NX does not use the XD-Drive system which has proven very reliable and is simpler to use. Perhaps they wanted to cast a larger net and make Eagle compatible with almost all wheels in use today. We don’t like this incompatibility with the other Eagle groups and the resulting compromise in gearing where the smallest tooth is now 11 instead of 10. It may sound like only one tooth but it is a significant 10% difference.
A side effect though is it gives users of other Eagle groups an option of using their spline hub equipped wheels. Put an NX cassette on your old spline hub wheel and it will now work with Eagle GX or XO1.
What do think? Excited about the Eagle NX release?
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