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 since followed suit and now offers its MTB drivetrains from the XTR to the Deore as 1x12 setups with a 10-51 cassette. Now Sram is going one better 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. Sram thus 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, and e-bikers will be able to choose between the two variants in future. Sram has replaced the 50-tooth sprocket with a 52-tooth sprocket, while the rest of the cassette gradation remains the same. Does this make sense on an e-MTB? If you like hunting for range in Eco mode, you can pedal at efficient, high cadences on long, steep climbs. And the additional gear can also be useful for lovers of extreme uphill play. 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 chosen a finer and more even gradation for the larger sprockets. With Shimano, the largest three sprockets have a gradation of 39-45-51 teeth, 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. (Exception: electronic AXS rear derailleurs, more on this later.) However, all Eagle components are compatible with each other, so you can still ride individual parts of the different groupsets together. If you are riding a current mechanical Eagle drivetrain and want to upgrade to the new cassette with more gear range, you will have to buy a new rear derailleur and the new cassette. Depending on the length and wear, the chain may also need to be replaced.
The new Sram Eagle on an e-mountainbike
All new Eagle components are approved for use on e-mountainbikes. The only difference is that, as was previously the case, only "single-click shifters" are used. This means that only one gear can be changed at a time by pressing the gear lever. This makes perfect sense with the additional power of the electric motors. This is because shifting across several sprockets increases the load on the chain and sprockets. The risk of chain tears and bent sprockets increases.
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. Here is an overview of the weights and prices, you can read the ride report and a first test in BIKE 8/20.
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
Sram Eagle AXS with 52 cassette possible?
Unlike the current mechanical Sram groupsets, the wireless, electronic AXS circuits already 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 is needed 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 bandwidth upgrade. The new XX1 and X01 cassettes with 10 - 52 teeth both weigh the same, namely 379 grams.
