My 3 ride old bike has just thrown the rear mech into the back wheel. The chain seem to have gotten jammed in the jockey wheel

I seem to remember a thread where similar was happening to a good few people but can’t find it now.

Was this problem resolved?

cheers

Seems to be. I had the original for 6 months before it jumped the jockey. The new one has a pronounced ridge to stop that and it hasn’t happened yet (but still less than 6 months).

BTW, did this happen with the higher models XX1 etc or is it just GX that had the problem?

It’s a GX mech. I’ve just found the thread so I’ll check to see which jockey wheels I’ve got fitted but I’m guessing it will be the newer spec.

Bit disappointed with Eagle so far as it only lasted 40 miles before this. Wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary and 99% sure the mech didn’t hit anything.

Going to call into my LBS and see what they say

cheers

1500miles and no issues (other than the shit bearings/sealing sram use, but thats standard!)

Both of my bikes have the later style jockey wheels & no issues 🙂

I got a replacement rear mech from Sram a few months back after this issue. I just asked the bike retailer to speak to them and it arrived within a week.  Winner!

As per the original thread I’m on my 6th rear mech, various XX1 to GX models, over the last 2 years or so though in fairness the last one in October was a rock strike (the original 4 were all pulley related). It looks like they have fixed the problem from what I hear and have experienced over the last 6 months…..fingers crossed.

Note: on bike trips I now always pack a spare emergency mech!

The Mk2 mechs seem to be trouble free and also shift a little nicer too I think.

Anyone used the uberbike eagle jockey wheels yet? Doesn’t look like they have the ridge like the new sram design but have good quality skf bearings unlike sram. Is the ridge really necessary or was it only when the bearings wore out that the chain would jam on the original sram design. I’m still on the old style jockey wheels and would rather replace them before the inevitable happens and I’m left with a bust mech miles from home. Can get the new style sram for around £33 or £40 for uberbike.

Op, which jockey wheels did it have in the end?

It didn’t seem to have a lip on the bottom wheel but I didn’t have a picture for reference

Bike back in the LBS now, they had a quick look and seem to think there’s more play in the mech than should be.

Fingers crossed they can sort it out.

Coming from 11 speed it’s always worried me how low to the ground the mech is on a 12 speed and how easy it look to catch it on something but I didn’t get a chance catch it before it self destructed.

I had a gx eagle mech. It was awful. I was given the new ridged jockey wheel which helped. But ultimately get what you pay for.

Ive upgraded to the XO1 and its great.  I was given  the new ridged jockey wheels by sram whilst at ardrock.  So maybe get in touch with them direct

Never had a problem with my GX mech which came on a bike in Dec 2017, not sure which revision of the jockey wheels it had. The bearings died though so I replaced with the uberbike ones. Yes they have nice bearings but the shifting is a lot worse I think because the sram ones have some “engineered” slop especially in the top one whereas these are rigid. The only way to get shifting 99% is having it setup so I have to overshift slightly going back up the block. If I correct that then for a couple of the gears it won’t shift down the block. Yes I know how to get gears up, never had the issue with original one blah blah…..I would just get sram and perhaps chuck in some better grease, I got 1000 miles out of mine so £33 not bad for that

This thread has put me off “upgrading” to GX Eagle from XT11 even though I could do with an extra gear.

You can replace the shit sram bearings with proper ones:

Making a dollar out of fifteen cents

OP, if your lbs give you a mech back with the old jockey wheel it might well happen again.

If they give you a new mech that will come with new ones as standard unless it’s a very old one been sat on a shelf for 9 months or so…

No personal experience* of Sram drivetrains but there’s a review/comparison of Eagle GX & X01 here – http://www.bikepacking.com/gear/sram-eagle-review/ – the recommendation for “bang for buck” is to use GX except for the derailleur. They seem very sensitive to set up to get the shifting spot on, but from memory that was the case with early 11spd and 10spd systems from both Sram and Shimano.

@dlr – £33 for 1000 miles is not bad for jockey wheels? You’ve obviously a lot more disposable income than me 😓 My XT jockey wheels lasted at least 6000 miles.

* Edit: I should say that friends who have Sram drivetrains have no complaints (I don’t know which groupset any of them have) and reckon the longevity of the chain and cassette is very impressive.

I bought my gx eagle setup back in may from one of the German sites and it came with the new style jockey wheels. Over 100 hours of riding now and it’s not missed a beat.

But ultimately get what you pay for.

Yeah, can’t believe these suckers expect a £90-odd rear mech to work reliably without imploding and possibly destroying their rear wheels.

Quick question without derailling (sic) the thread’s topic. Like most on a 1×11 I use a medium cage mech – handles up to 42T OK but struggles with 46T. How much lower is the bottom of the pulley cage than say a Shimano medium cage mech?

whitestone: They still kinda worked but I decided to get new ones which happened to be red as uberbike had an offer on. I only do about 1200 miles a year so deemed £33 ok for that. I did 3000 miles on an old retro 10 speed Sram mech if it helps to know and they were still fine.

My GX jammed in a race with the old style design.

Fixed with this

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263049005047

Shame SRAM silently fixed the problem and never admitted the design flaw.

I’ve had the old version and new version and no issues with either. As a bike mech I’ve seen hundreds of Eagle derailleurs and never seen this issue that people have on here, so maybe there is an element of set up issues, chain length etc to blame.
You certainly don’t want the chain too long as in high gears the derailleur sits at a pretty horrific angle so I can see how this problem could happen when pedalling in top gear over rough terrain. Having the derailleur stretched in first gear but just enough left so one doesn’t rip the derailleur off under full compression is better.
The NX derailleurs are weak, GX better but not great. They certainly don’t like being hit too much. It’s not like the old 8sp days when your derailleur can be bent / beaten up but still work pretty well.

LBS have sent the mech back to SRAM.

I did wonder how the longer mech would manage over rough terrain with rocks and bolder etc whilst in the top cogs as it seems to hang down a lot further than my 11 speed did. Guess I’ll find out once its back from SRAM.

My old style Eagle jockey wheels are fine. I think they will break at some stage. Do the Uber Bike ones solve the issue?

Uber don’t have the ridge around the edge like the new SRAM ones…. So, in theory…. they don’t solve the “issue.”

THanks. i Have ordered some new style Sram ones from SJS. Annoying to have to shell out £33, but more annoying mech died mid ride…

Once the bearings get bad in the new jockeys you can press in some new ones.

But yes, they are expensive. That’s where I bought my new type jockeys from.

A good thread and a reference for me when I get to use mine.

Despite my reservations because of the replacement costs I’ve had an Eagle X01 drivetrain on my Bronson from new in March 2017. Absolutely love it and it’s been totally reliable except for the screw axle on one of the jockey wheels coming undone and losing the jockey wheel. I’ve done 3 Alps trips and innumerable Rocky Scottish descents so the mech has taken a serious rock beating with no complaints. I did not even need to replace the chain until July so double my normal chain life. I am happy enough to have just replaced the drivetrain on my fatbike with a complete Eagle GX setup

I have to agree Cap, I really like Eagle. Only time I had issues was when I thought I had bent the GX Eagle mech in a slomo off. Turned of the mech was fine, it was the hanger.

Shifting is so crisp and the range is fantastic.

My gx mech shit it’s self after 500km sent it for warranty replacement. While I waited I went nuts and replaced it with xtr. No more problems sold the replacement so will never know if it was any better.