The wet, muddy and salted winter months in particular demanded a lot from the XX groupset with just under 2000 kilometres. Apart from the occasional rust film on the chain and the extremely durable steel cassette, and with one defective bearing on the crank, the premium groupset delivered what was expected of it: flawless performance. Incidentally, we didn't notice any more wear than with a 9-speed drivetrain, which is in line with our chain test in Bike 5/11. However, it is noticeable that the chain produces slightly more noise than a 9-speed drivetrain, even when perfectly adjusted in one or two gears. Even if an XTR groupset lasts a little longer in terms of wear, I would probably go for the XX again due to its super-fast and precise operation.
Function ******
Shelf life ****
(max. 6 stars)
Sram XX: 1775 g, 1474 euros, www.sram.com
