I’ve been out of the game for a while and lost touch with stuff like this, in my day it was all “XTR=X0, XT=X9” etc. Now Shimano seem to be as they were, but SRAM have S’s, N’s and G’s, with Eagles bunged in for good measure.

So, could someone give me the idiots’ guide for how the levels of the two hierarchies compare?

GX is XT now, NX more SLX and SX more Deore, but I think SLX and Deore are actually better than SRAM.

It’s not as direct as it used to be but I think…

XO1/XX1 = XTR trail/race
GX = XT/SLX
NX = SLX/Deore
SX = Deore/nonseries

Eagle is just SRAMs name for 12 speed.
AXS means wireless leccy.

I have no evidence to back this up, but aftermarket SRAM (and RS) stuff seems expensive vs Shimano when you compare to OEM bikes spec’d with each brand.

I.e. when buying a full bike, GX seems to sit between SLX and XT (E.g. Canyon where you can get either a SRAM/RS build or a Shimano/Fox build of the same bike) whereas aftermarket GX is mostly more expensive than XT.

I don’t have loads of experience of current drivetrains, but GX feels ‘nice’ – comparable to XT in terms of feel (IMHO). Weight is the other big thing which I haven’t looked up.

As above, OEM pricing appears to be vastly different.

NX is sub Deore in terms of build quality/function.

SX is an abomination.

My mate has loads of trouble with his SX – just doesn’t shift well. I have told him to get decent cables first !

Just get XT and be done with it!

NX (or a Shimano 12 Spd) mech will fix it. SX mechs often don’t work from new.

Agree with the above.

GX has always been really nice, XT equivalent.

SLX and Deore, give very little away, small increases in weight, minor performance change but still really, really nice kit. Current Deore is superb.

However, NX and SX particularly are absolutely dump. Feels more like shimano shopping bike spec. awful.

NX = SLX/Deore
SX = Deore/nonseries

NX = Tourney TX

SX = TY300

agreed with last 2
XT SLX and Deore are all great, you’d be hard pressed to notice much difference between them all, except a few grams, cosmetics, and the ability to single click dump multiple gears
GX is good, i personally don’t like it as much as shimano, but it has a nice positive feel on the lever, i wouldn’t put it on a parallel with XT myself
everyone i know who has had under GX hasn’t had much positive to say

NX = Tourney TX

SX = TY300

Could you send me a link to the shimano 12speed versions of those groupsets?

Could you send me a link to the shimano 12speed versions of those groupsets?

I can show you how my amp is better because it goes up to 11 if you like?

I can show you how my amp is better because it goes up to 11 if you like?

But that doesn’t apply here. The joke there is that 10 and 11 give the same volume.
NX eagle has 12 gears and 50-11 range, tourney has 7 gears and a max of 32-12. NX is definitely louder.

You may prioritise the reliability or cost of tourney over the functions of NX, in that case can I recommend you try out a fixed single speed? It’ll blow your mind.

Or you could just say ‘I think all SRAM is shit, regardless’, but you wouldn’t sound quite as clever.

NX is definitely louder

Because it’s clanky and shite?

You have to look at the equivalent priced bikes it appears on rather than the price of it in shops, because Sram seem content to charge higher prices through shops than Shimano for equivalent products. I’d say it goes-

XX1/XO1 – XTR
No equivalent for XT
GX is definitely SLX, it’s pretty cheap and nasty compared to XT
NX is Deore
SX is Alivio

NX eagle has 12 gears and 50-11 range, tourney has 7 gears and a max of 32-12.

Tourney has 21 gears.

It depends on the component.

If you’re talking rear mechs, GX is SLX, all the lower ones are sub Deore.

For cassettes, the GX is probably XTR level.

Shifters, GX is XT.

Sort of.

Price wise, GX is XT level (and not just aftermarket).

Cheers all.

And, stupid question alert, I assume there’s no inter-operability between the Shimano and SRAM stuff?

kelvin

For cassettes, the GX is probably XTR level.

GX is lighter than XT, last longer than XT or XTR, but 12 speed Shimano supposedly shifts better (not ridden it myself)

X01 is lighter than XTR. XX1 is X01 in a more expensive colour.

IHN

Cheers all.

And, stupid question alert, I assume there’s no inter-operability between the Shimano and SRAM stuff?

For 12 speed, you can actually mix and match shifters and mech between SRAM and Shimano, lots of people say it works fine.

Shimano mech on SRAM Cassette & chain, or SRAM mech on Shimano Casette and Chain both fine too – some folks say there’s a slight spacing difference, lots say it works fine

Shimano chains may not work well on chainrings not designed specifically for Shimano 12s – some work OK, some can be sticky. SRAM chains work fine on regular 10/11sp narrow wide rings

Shimano chain on SRAM cassette, or SRAM chain on Shimano cassette, maybe not ideal.

And, stupid question alert, I assume there’s no inter-operability between the Shimano and SRAM stuff?

As above but simplified – don’t let a shimano chain touch anything that doesn’t have shimano written on it (or is specifically compatible such as aftermarket rings). Otherwise have at it. Pull ratios aren’t quite perfect so staying one brand will generally give a crisper shift, but it all works.