In 2016, Sram launched the XX1 and X01 Eagle, the first 1x12 switching groups on the mountain bike market. The Schweinfurt development department of the US company then added further 12-speed drivetrains for inexpensive entry-level bikes with the GX, NX and SX. Shimano has now followed suit and offers its MTB drivetrains from the XTR to the Deore as a single setup with a 10-51 cassette. Now Sram is following suit and presenting its three mechanical groupsets XX1, X01 and GX in a new design with a wider range. The centrepiece is the cassette with 10-52 teeth and a gear range of 520 percent. This means that Sram trumps its competitor Shimano by one tooth.
Eagle 10-52 - other gradations of the Sram cassettes remain the same
In addition to the familiar Eagle cassette with 10-50 teeth, the new Sram groupsets will have a 10-52 tooth cassette. Sram has replaced the 50-tooth sprocket with a 52-tooth sprocket, while the rest of the gradation of the cassette remains the same. This means that in future you will have one more small climbing or mountain gear for steep ramps or long, steep Alpine climbs. Nevertheless, the new Eagle does not come close to the bandwidths of the old triple drivetrains or the 623 per cent total gear ratio of the current 2x12 groupsets from Shimano. At the same time, the 52-tooth sprocket also means that the jump from the 42-tooth sprocket to the 52-tooth sprocket is even greater. You can read about how harmonious this is in practice and how the shifting function of the new GX Eagle changes in BIKE 8/20 - in stores from 7 July. If you compare the new 10-52 Eagle cassette with the Shimano sprocket packs, you will notice that Shimano has achieved a much more harmonious gradation for the larger sprockets. With Shimano, the largest three sprockets have a 39-45-51 tooth gradation, while the new Sram cassettes have 36-42-52 teeth.
New Eagle rear derailleur compatible with both cassettes
Sram has redesigned the XX1, X01 and GX rear derailleurs so that the drivetrain can shift the 10-tooth jump cleanly and cope with the 520 per cent gear range. A new cage and a harder spring distinguish them from the old Eagle rear derailleurs. The offset of the derailleur pulleys, the length of the cage and the shape of the housing have been changed. The new rear derailleurs are compatible with the 10-50 and 10-52 cassettes and are therefore backwards compatible. Old rear derailleurs, on the other hand, cannot be used with the new cassettes. There is also no upgrade kit. However, all Eagle components are compatible with each other, so you can continue to use individual parts of the different groupsets with each other.
New Sram GX Eagle moves closer to X01
The GX - the middle of the five mechanical Eagle groupsets - benefits the most from the bandwidth upgrade. Compared to the Shimano Deore XT groupset it now has more range in the single setup and is lighter. In addition to the 620 gram aluminium crankset, Sram now also offers a carbon crankset for the GX. The GX carbon crankset with 32 t chainring weighs just 553 grams (BIKE measurement) and costs 290 euros. The complete GX groupset with aluminium crankset costs 555 euros. We were able to test the new Sram GX Eagle with 10-52 cassette on the scales and ride. Here is an overview of the weights and prices, you can read the ride report and a first test in BIKE 8/20.
Carbon crank (incl. chainrings) 553 gram / 290 Euro
Cassette (10-52) 452 gram / 220 Euro
Rear derailleur 299 gram / 124 Euro
Shifter (without cable) 112 gram / 41 Euro
Chain (116 links + link) 250 gram / 20 Euro
Total (with carbon crank) 1666 gram / 555 Euro
Sram Eagle AXS with 52 cassette possible?
Unlike the current mechanical Sram groupsets, the wireless, electronic AXS circuits compatible with the new Eagle cassettes with 10-52 teeth. The Beginner groups NX and SX On the other hand, you can't ride with the larger sprocket set, as they stop at 50 teeth. As part of the bandwidth upgrade, Sram has also revised its "Chain Gap Tool", which you need to adjust the gears. The latest version is suitable for all Eagle groupsets and is attached to the 42 sprocket to set the correct distance from the upper derailleur pulley to the cassette.
The two top mechanical groupsets from Sram - XX1 Eagle and X01 Eagle- also come in a new look thanks to the cassette width upgrade. The new cassettes with 10-52 teeth both weigh the same, namely 379 grams.
