In lockdown wondering I’m talking myself into moving from Sram GX 11 speed to 12 speed Eagle. I have Code / Guide RE brakes and love both – and so staying Sram seems better than going shimano for the match maker. Plus, I like the Sram levers for thumb pushing gear changes both ways and both the zee and deore feel pony that I’ve got on a hybrid bike.

GX is like £280 for a full group including crankset – but the gx rear mech seems to be a weak spot so X01 seems a worthwhile upgrade there. The X01 group is massively more expensive at just over £80” and I’m not high roller enough for that (Di2 on my road bike was a few hundred cheaper for comparison).

In terms of which bits are better is it really just the rear mech? In which case perhaps gx all the way with just x01 on the rear is a useful option.

I do like the gold xx1 chain just because shiny…..

Go GX, if the mech blows up then think about getting an X01 or XX1.

I had an NX mech that shed half the cage and the jockey wheels, replaced with a GX and it’s been fine for 8-9 months. It’s not had an easy time either as I’m not the most graceful rider out there, admittedly there’s a bit of wobble in the mechanism but it still works fine despite a few battle scars .

Yeah, it’s funny, there must be some inconsistency in gx Eagle mechs. You read loads that explode or disintegrate, yet I know someone whose entire bike went swimming in the docks and basically got launched down a cliff and the gx mech survived fine (unlike the chainstay of the bike)

Maybe just buy the gx group and add the bling gold chain (or oil slick one) because it’s shiny.

If/when my GX mech dies (currently 12 months and counting) it’ll be replaced by Shimano.

The GX mechs are a bit fragile in my experience, but then I wouldn’t say the Type 3 mechs arn’t that great full stop, the clutches don’t seem to be great on any of them (have had all 3 on different bikes). Now I run a hybrid set up of XX1/X01 everything, apart from an XTR mech, which is great, although I really, really miss the cage lock thing, which is brilliant.

The shifter, can’t tell any difference, and the GX one is the lightest of the lot anyway. Cranks are obviously different, as they are carbon or aluminium, but the GX ones are actually great anyway.

If it were me, if it was a sensible budget build i’d probably just do GX all through, sell the mech & buy an XT 12spd one.

I’ve gone X01 cassette as it’s the full CNC one and is a bit lighter/nicer than the GX pinned one, GX mech and shifter as it’s 95% as good as X01 and I may upgrade to AXS at some point, and XX1 (rainbow) chain as having a better chain is supposedly meant to make the cassette last longer. Plus, rainbow. 😀

My GX Eagle mech had zero issues despite 18 months of occasionally filthy use. Was still shifting fine when I sold the bike it was on. I had gone to GX Eagle from 11-speed X01 and it didn’t shift as smoothly and without-complaint as the older groupset. But it was fine. I’m running 12-speed XT now and that *is* as smooth as 11-speed X01, as long as the chain isn’t dry. In short, do what @baldiebenty said.

GX mechs seem delicate. I have gone xo1 after breaking two gx mechs in six months and seeing two others go on friends bikes. We are all East Anglian xc riders so hardly bike smashers!

Xo1 has been good for the last 18months.

Hi Joe,bit weird the sram thumb push/push thing.I can do the same with shimano but i can drop two at a time if required (which is all the time) and also use index finger to drop gears without changing my grip.I’m sure your aware of this.
Just saying.

Is it really worth deciding just on the basis of the handlebar clamps?

I’d go 12sp XT in a heartbeat.

I bought the GX groupset when it came out and I found the rear mech to be the weak point. The first 10 months it was brilliant, but then got sloppy (I think the jockey wheels went, also it was a little bent). Bought a new GX mech and it was ok, but I couldn’t get it to shift as nicely. Managed to bend that too on an easy xc ride somehow. I like the shifter compared to a Shimano shifter and I bought a Shimano XT mech to go with the GX shifter and it works fine. It’s hard to compare to the GX mech because it’s been so long since I had a nice shifing GX mech, but the XT one just works.

I have been using the GX chain and only getting around 700-800 miles per chain (to 0.7 wear). So I’ve gone for the X01 chain which I have read lasts about twice as long (and is also about twice the price).

Edit: I use a Problem Solver mismatch to connect the Sram GX shifter to my Shimano brakes, so if you go Shimano there are options to connect a Shimano shifter to Sram brakes.

Not just handlebar clamps, also the XD driver and that I’ve not liked any of the shimano shifters I’ve tried in recent years. Plus I like the Sram direct mount chainrings / cranks and I believe shimano need dedicated rings to work well with their different 12 speed chains.

If I had all gx Eagle and the mech died is replacing it with XT 12 speed actually a goer? Is it the shimano shifters that are ever so slightly different in terms of cable pull to match the slightly different shimano cassette spacing?

Not just handlebar clamps, also the XD driver and that I’ve not liked any of the shimano shifters I’ve tried in recent years. Plus I like the Sram direct mount chainrings / cranks and I believe shimano need dedicated rings to work well with their different 12 speed chains.

If I had all gx Eagle and the mech died is replacing it with XT 12 speed actually a goer? Is it the shimano shifters that are ever so slightly different in terms of cable pull to match the slightly different shimano cassette spacing?

I believe they are really close now on 12 speed, I bought the XT mech on the back of this thread:

Can I use a SLX 12 speed mech with a GX eagle shifter and cassette?

I prefer the 5 upshifts and 1 down than the 4 up and 2 down of the XT shifter. Plus I didn’t need to buy another adapter to mount the shifter to the brakes.

Edit: Also there is a lot of choice on chainrings for Sram, I’m running a superstar one and it’s been great.

Hi Joe,bit weird the sram thumb push/push thing.I can do the same with shimano but i can drop two at a time if required (which is all the time) and also use index finger to drop gears without changing my grip.I’m sure your aware of this.
Just saying.

Not really, the downshifter is in a horrible place compared to SRAM shifters. I had to force myself to use my index finger to shift instead as it was ‘easier’ to reach than contorting my thumb to reach the paddle.

It’s probably because I’ve been on SRAM since 10spd days. I’m just used to it.

If I had all gx Eagle and the mech died is replacing it with XT 12 speed actually a goer? Is it the shimano shifters that are ever so slightly different in terms of cable pull to match the slightly different shimano cassette spacing?

Yes, it works fine – there are loads of people doing it now.

X01 cranks are significantly lighter than Gx. About 150g IIRC. So I’d splurge for that I think.

What’s the weight difference / price difference for x01 vs gx cassettes?

What’s the weight difference / price difference for x01 vs gx cassettes?

It’s not great – 90g lighter, and £240 vs £120 from r2-bike.

I’m not sure the cassette is worth upgrading for the weight – so unless it’s got better longevity it’s out. I think the difference is gx is pinned and pressed steel, but the X01 is milled from a block of steel.

Good point on the cranks – although X01 dub cranks are typically £300 which is painful.

I’m now 28 months on a GX Mech and other than it feel a bit “loose”, its fine.   The XT mech is more expensive to what’s the reason for replacing it – because its generally more reliable and easier to index?

This was my prior understanding:

If I had all gx Eagle and the mech died is replacing it with XT 12 speed actually a goer? Is it the shimano shifters that are ever so slightly different in terms of cable pull to match the slightly different shimano cassette spacing?

I believe they are really close now on 12 speed, I bought the XT mech on the back of this thread:

I’s that definitely a thing now?

Joe,my reading comprehension was poor re.your first post.Apologies if what i posted was annoying in any way.
As an aside i just replaced a sram NX rear mech with a SLX one for my son and it works fine with the GX shifter.The mech has been crap from day one and its a relief all round to have reliable shifting at last.

I had gx mech. It was woeful. Went to xo1 and it’s been good so far. The gx shifter works well if not a bit. Lucky compared to xo1 shifter on my other bike

Ogri – I rarely get bothered by comments on a forum. I often read back things I’ve posted and wondered if I missed the point a bit. So no drama!

Seems like gx might be the initial way to go as you get rear mech / cassette / cranks with alloy chainring / shifter / chain for £280 ish. If the gx mech fails then it’s best to replace with either X01 or maybe Shimano XT. Would defo keep the Sram cassette / cranks / shifter / chain though as I find Sram gears last me a long time.

My old 11 speed stuff can be kept spare as my other bike is also gx 11 speed so as stuff wears out I can swap it onto there.

I’ve had no issues with my GX 12 speed tbh, it feels a little worn but it still works fine. Not really sure exactly how old it is, got it when the price first crashed below £300 so it’s been a while.

Obviously i’m now going to go out to teh garage and find it’s gone on fire