GX 11spd is the worst groupset I’ve ever lived with, can’t imagine how cramming an 12th gear in there could help…

2nd and last time I’ll ever buy an SRAM bike, the spares prices are just adding insult to injury.

@whitestone when do I turn it on or off? Just leave it on?

Just got back from a week riding with the gx. It was a nightmare. It would run fine on one run and then with no changes it would start ticking and jumping. then it would be fine again. Really disappointed with it

@bob_summers – leave it on except when you need to remove/replace the rear wheel when the extra tension that the clutch gives will work against you. On Shimano mechs you can run the clutch on or off but on Sram I believe it’s always on and you have to push a pin to lock the jockey arm in position.

I am going to swap the hanger out to see if it makes any difference and go right back through installation set up as it was a pain in the arse yesterday. Helvellyn double was ace and didn’t stop the downhill being fun.

It did work faultlessly on this section.

Nope, quite the opposite in fact. Having been on SRAM probably for 6 years through 11 speed and 12, I’ve gone to Shimano mech and shifter on Sram cassette.

The Shimano shifter ergonomics are shyte.

It’s almost impossible to use your thumb to shift down the cassette as the button is tucked too far round and high to get to. So I have to shift with my forefinger the other way, which is really annoying as I cover the brakes when racing.

Hopefully I’ll get used to it, but not impressed thus far, even if it shifts nicely.

By all accounts you can mix and match sram shifter with a shimano mech.

Will be sending an X01 eagle mech back thats lost its clutching, only been on the bike 6 months.

Sram jockey wheel bearings are shit as well, going to give the superstar ones a try.

@tomaso, just swapping the hanger out might not help much. Sorry if you’ve already done it and I’ve missed it but have you checked the hanger for alignment?

No GX, but NX Eagle user here.
Got it on my current bike I got last May, used all generations of Shimano XT until then.

When everything is 100% clean, freshly adjusted and no loads, the NX shifts smoother than the M8000 XT. Together with the slightly bigger range that’s it.

Shifter ergonomics are awful. When shifted under load it feels like it will explode. It starts misbehaving at the very sight of mud or dirt. It needs frequent adjustment, sometimes even the limit screws move around. The derailleur is developing play on most pivots. The derailleur is huge and exposed.

I like the NX crankset with the steel chainring as my frame can’t mount a bashguard (Stumpy Evo).

The M8000 XT was flawless for 1,5 years, it needed adjustment a couple of times, and always worked as it should no matter how neglected. At least the NX makes me wash my bike more frequently, which I guess is good.

Can’t wait for 12spd Shimano groupsets to pop up cheap at German sites to replace the whole thing, brakes included

It starts misbehaving at the very sight of mud or dirt.

I’ve binned off wet lubes and only use squirt, drivetrain picks up far less muck and dirt during the ride. 700miles on the last chain and still well within 0.5 wear.

Member
GX 11spd is the worst groupset I’ve ever lived with, can’t imagine how cramming an 12th gear in there could help…

Just for balance I have GX 11 speed on 2 mtbs and apart from seized hockey wheel bearings (replaced with NX bushes jockeys and no further issues) I’ve had no issues. They rarely need adjusting and are nice and snappy shifting. One of the steel cassettes is now 2.5 years old and still going strong. Shifting is still good and it took a new chain even though the last one had got to 1.0 on a chain checker.

Funnily enough I’ve had a go on a few shimano drivetrains and found the gears awkward to shift one way by thumb – the lever seemed too small and far away and I ended up using a finger to click it the other way (think it’s been slx shifters both times).

I don’t really much like the shimano 105 road groupset I’ve got either. The lbs mechanic says I’m wrong and why would I like ‘angry’ sram gears over smooth / quiet shimano ones.

Purely down to personal preference really – use what works for you.

There is no personal preference to SRAM vs Shimano, I just want gears that work! I am waiting on the SRAM Eagle adjustment gauge and will then start again and see if I can eliminate all the suggestions provided.

Popping into my LBS to speak to them about the mech not shifting down freely and see what they about that.

Where is the best place to get an adjustment gauge from?
Printing one on paper (to proper scale) would work at a push – would be just as accurate but a bit less convenient – has anyone tried that ?

I set mine up by measuring the distance between jockey wheel and largest cog, but this won’t be terribly accurate. All seems to run pretty nicely though, although it’s only been a couple of rides.

I’ve just spent a couple of hours working through all of the suggestions.
I found, on my bike at least, the problem was caused by badly shaped teeth on sprockets 9, 10 and 11.
When the chain was on sprocket 8 (1 being largest and 12 smallest), two of the teeth in sprocket 9 were stopping it seating as they protruded too far in board (towards centre of the wheel).
These teeth are the highly angled ones that sit slightly in board or the others.
I took a dremel to the back side and ground away a little material from all of these problem teeth on 9, 10 and 11 sprockets and it’s sorted the problem.
I guess it’s down to either bad design or bad quality control

@markwsf I’ve ordered the template from ebay, it was £7.99 and as cheap as I could be bothered to find.

@iverhogseye I can see how that might be as I have noticed the catching of chain plates on one tooth of the cassette on certain gears, but its only a 3 month old bike and I don’t see why I should have to adapt what is sold as complete system integration by SRAM.

My LBS, the Edge in Lancaster, have lent me a spare GX mech to help with my process of elimination. I just need to try not break it on Wednesday night in Torver.

@ivorhogseye, this is a known issue. Ive had to do the same on mine

I don’t have an issue with the kit.

Keep it lubed and straight and its fine

Thanks Sam. Did it settle down after the fudge?

@ivorhogseye it’s been alot better since. It didn’t cause a shifting issue in mine just an annoying click in the 5th gear, (1st being the smallest) a little tickle on a dremel stopped the chain catching on two problem teeth on the next gear and it stopped the noise

New hanger and full reset of setup using Sram template has made it fairly good and certainly an improvement. Not tried spare mech yet, but will try that next.

Still not convinced at how suitable 12 speed is for me and my riding.

Me too, been faultless for over a year.