Replacement for NX Eagle derailleur

Hi all

First post here, so nice to meet everyone.

I have a damaged NX Eagle derailleur that needs replacing. Turns out there are stock issues everywhere until October. So I wonder if it’s an issue downgrading to an SX eagle derailleur, or whether it’s worth upgrading to GX. Considering cost, obviously, and I understand the GX would require a new XD driver if I were to change the cassette at the same time.

So is it pointless downgrading? I’m not doing more than 40k a week. If I upgraded could I stick with the 11-50t cassette and NX shifter? Appreciate that’ll probably make the derailleur less functional than it should be.

Cheers

I’ve heard SX can be a bit flimsy so I’d be tempted to go for GX. You won’t need a new driver or cassette unless yours are really worn out or you want to take advantage of the 10-5p cassette rather than your current 11-50.

It might not shift as nicely as a full GX set up but it won’t be worse than an NX, certainly not a worm out NX!

If you get a GX mech, you don’t have to use a GX cassette, any eagle cassette (and in reality, any 12speed cassette) will be fine.

All eagle stuff works together.

And if you can find a Shimano 12 speed mech it will work as well

When I cooked my x01 eagle rear mech I replaced it with a GX and literally cannot tell any difference between the two. Saved £80.

Just get a Gx eagle one – it’ll be more durable and fine with what you’ve got.

My Scandal came with a GX mech and lower end hyperglide cassette. Shifting is good so far.

GX definitely

I got a GX rear mech last week through Mantel and it’s the latest model that can use 52t cassette but I’m running it on a 50t NX cassette fine.

Or, as Murray mentions, run a shimano mech. Had the same issue 3 months ago. I couldn’t find a NX mech, so bought an SLX one. It’s running with no probs (probably better than the NX) using the NX shifter on the 50-11 NX cassette.

Thanks all.

Well looks like stock issues on the GX now too, so may try the SLX. Take it that’s the M7100?

Shimano here, and I found a Deore in stock the other week for £62 to replace my XT. A friend had just replaced an SX under warranty. That’s more money than Deore, or even SLX, if buying. The Deore is in my view superior for the clutch that works and is adjustable. I did need to adjust it at the outset though. 2 other friends replaced better SRAM 12 speed mechs with shimano recently without issue and are happy with them. All this across DEORE-SLX-XT, between which for your (and my) purposes it’s splitting hairs in my view.

But stock is king in 2021. You’ll be dependent on what you can find…

M7100 is the 12 speed. Still showing in stock at Merlin.
Clutch seems to work fine, have had zero issues with it since going on. Was adjusting my NX every other ride.
https://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-slx-m7100-rear-derailleur-12-speed-179601.html

I put a deore one on when my NX broke. Way more sturdy as well as being cheaper. Everything else still sram NX and works fine together

Nice one. Thanks all