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Sram NX Eagle12-speed drivetrain for everyone

Ludwig Döhl

, Stefan Loibl

 · 13.06.2018

Sram NX Eagle: 12-speed drivetrain for everyonePhoto: Hersteller
Sram NX Eagle: 12-speed drivetrain for everyone
Sram continues to push down the price of its 1x12 Eagle drivetrain: With the new NX Eagle, entry into the American derailleurless MTB drivetrain world starts at €415 - now also for E-MTBs.

After the GX-Eagle (499 Euro) Last year, Sram launched an even more affordable 1x12 drivetrain for mountain bikers: the new Sram NX Eagle has an official retail price of 419 euros. With this, the Americans want to make shifting without a front derailleur affordable for even more bikers. Currently, bikes with the GX Eagle are available from around 2300 euros, but in the future, the NX Eagle should mean that MTBs under 2000 euros will also be equipped with 1x12 groupsets from Sram. Until now, Shimano drivetrains have dominated the market for affordable mountain bikes and hardtails, but this could now change.

Thanks to the new NX Eagle drivetrain, Sram will also be seen more often on affordable mountain bikes in the future and will compete with Shimano.
Photo: Hersteller

Without XD freehub: Sram NX Eagle compatible with old wheels

As usual, the new shifting group adopts the technologies of the more expensive Eagle versions XX1 Eagle, X01 Eagle and GX Eagle. The most important difference: The Sram NX Eagle fits any wheel with a conventional 8/9/10-speed Shimano freehub body, you don't need a special XD freehub on your wheel. Nevertheless, the PG-1230 Eagle cassette with its 11-50 teeth offers a gear range of 455 per cent. For comparison: The other Eagle groupsets with a 10-50 tooth cassette are at 500 per cent, the new Shimano XTR cassette with 10-51 teeth is even 510 per cent. However, the PG-1230 is the first Eagle cassette to be designed from the outset for the high demands of E-MTBs. The 615 gram cassette consists of twelve stamped steel sprockets, some of which are riveted to an aluminium spider. The NX Eagle cassette is therefore suitable for bikes on which brute forces are at work.

No special XD freehub is required for the Sram NX Eagle cassette. The gradation is 11-50 teeth and the gear range is 455 per cent.Photo: Georg Grieshaber No special XD freehub is required for the Sram NX Eagle cassette. The gradation is 11-50 teeth and the gear range is 455 per cent.

Sram NX Eagle: Weights and prices

Compared to the XX1 Eagle groupset, the Eagle-NX weighs 600 grams more. The crank comes with the current DUB standard from Sram. The 12-speed steel cassette reduces the price of the groupset, but increases the weight. It alone is almost 300 grams heavier than an XX1 Eagle cassette, but also nominally costs almost 350 euros less! All components are compatible with other Eagle groupsets and can therefore also be used as inexpensive spare parts in the event of a defect. With Rose online shop offers the Sram NX Eagle already on sale.

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First ride impression: How the Sram NX Eagle rides

We have already covered a few kilometres on one of the new Eagle NX groupsets and are impressed by its performance. The supposed entry-level drivetrain (groupset price without brakes over 400 euros) does not perform its work as extremely defined as the top Sram groupsets, but is far from a spongy shifting feel. The operating forces are identical to other Sram drivetrains. The workmanship of the individual parts is of high quality.

The friction damper in the rear derailleur keeps the chain in check and prevents chain slap. The latest evolutionary stage of the system is called Type 3 at Sram.Photo: Georg Grieshaber The friction damper in the rear derailleur keeps the chain in check and prevents chain slap. The latest evolutionary stage of the system is called Type 3 at Sram.
To remove the rear wheel, you can release the chain tension with a push button and disengage the rear derailleur - just like with the higher-quality Sram groupsets.Photo: Georg Grieshaber To remove the rear wheel, you can release the chain tension with a push button and disengage the rear derailleur - just like with the higher-quality Sram groupsets. The new NX Eagle crankset with DUB bottom bracket and X-Sync 2 chainrings.Photo: Georg Grieshaber The new NX Eagle crankset with DUB bottom bracket and X-Sync 2 chainrings. If you ride Sram brakes, the shift lever of the NX Eagle sits on the clamp via the Matchmaker X mount.Photo: Georg Grieshaber If you ride Sram brakes, the shift lever of the NX Eagle sits on the clamp via the Matchmaker X mount. In practice, the NX Eagle shifts typically for Sram: crisp and direct.Photo: Georg Grieshaber In practice, the NX Eagle shifts typically for Sram: crisp and direct. After 500 kilometres: The NX Eagle cassette shows only slight signs of wear on the black surface coating. The cassette sits on a "simple" freehub with Shimano standard.Photo: Georg Grieshaber After 500 kilometres: The NX Eagle cassette shows only slight signs of wear on the black surface coating. The cassette sits on a "simple" freehub with Shimano standard.

For E-MTBs: Alternative to the Sram EX1

Thanks to the reinforced cassette, the NX Eagle is the first 12-speed drivetrain from Sram that is also suitable for e-mountainbikes. There is even a special gear lever for e-bikers. The specific Eagle shift lever reduces the shifting process to exactly one gear per click. This means that only one gear can be changed with each press of the thumb. This means that the chain can be 8-speed circuit EX1 defined over the cassette.

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