SRAM Eagle NX...
It used to be the entry-level 12 speed from SRAM,
but in today's mid market for mountain bikes, this is a common offering.
And this is where I think Shimano Deore is going to be the big competition.
So why don't we take a closer look at this drivetrain that's been used for about a year,
and talk about possible upgrades issues and comparison
with a more expensive Eagle components.
Not to mention that all this is obsolete now that SRAM introduced
their new GX, XO1 and XX1 with 520% gear range!
NX was introduced about 2 years ago as a cheaper GX option,
and that is pretty obvious as you look at the shifter.
This is painted and looks cheap.
They use the same technology ,and you see Eagle written here, however
this downshift paddle is made of plastic and it's flexy, as you can see here.
The other one it's very similar to the GX or X01/ XX1.
Cover is also made out of plastic and
the inner cable entry point is under that little rubber cover.
From a functionality standpoint, this feels like an Eagle shifter, very similar to GX.
I can't really feel the flex in the paddle,
however if you want that double up shift that Shimano offers
you know from my videos that you can just cleanly replace this shifter
with a Shimano 12 speed shifter and that will work just fine.
Cranks are very similar to the GX or SX cranks for that matter,
they all use the new DUB bottom bracket
and the chainrings, X-SYNC 2, these are again the same,
you can use it interchangeably with the XX1 if you want.
Also ,the offset for your chain line here is given by this chainring.
so you can get either the 3 mm or 6 mm for Boost or non Boost frames out there.
I kind of like the SRAM crank sets,
direct mount chain rings, very simple to install,
You can see here an 8 mm hex and 54 Nm to take out/ install this drive side crank.
Here on the non-drive side, you can take out the play from the spindle,
and you can see a press fit BB 92 here.
The value of DUB is that it can be installed on pretty much any frame BB standard.
So if you don't mind the weight, the cranks are just fine.
I would just get a fancier looking or an oval chainring
and just use it like that.
NX chain - I'm pretty sure the Eagle SX is the same, and this is very weak.
If you look here at the outer plate, you're gonna see a crack in there.
Actually there were broken links on this chain before,
that's why you have a quick link over here and you have another one, the original over there.
The beauty of the Eagle chains is that tey are interchangeable,
so I would keep a replacement in hand.
I would not go for a NX guaranteed.
I would probably go for either Eagle GX chain
or even better, get something like an X01/ XX1 that looks nicer and it's gonna last a lot longer.
So if you haven't figured it out, I'm not a fan of the cheaper Eagle chains whatsoever.
Derailleur - aside from the graphics
there area few other differences worth mentioning.
It functions fine as I will show you later
However, if you look here at the top, the two derailleurs are pretty much identical.
The knuckle is the same, it does have a little bit of play in it
which is kind of normal for SRAM Eagle.
If you want to take out that play you can use the XX1 or X01 parts
that I'm gonna post in the description below.
In this middle section, the front plate is the same.
However on the NX the back plate is just stamped metal
as opposed to something a bit beefier with the GX.
If you're gonna catch your derailleur on a twig in the trail
this is what's gonna bent and it's gonna probably deem your neck unusable.
So better build on the GX for sure.
Jockey wheels - even though the shape of them, or the teeth profile
is identical to something that's way more expensive like an X01,
GX and up jockey wheels use bearings that makes them smoother
and also makes them stiff.
You can see there's no side-to-side play whatsoever here,
as opposed to the Eagle NX that has quite a bit of play
because they are built with bushings
very similar to what Shimano does with their SLX and Deore derailleurs.
NX uses the same type 3 roller bearing clutch
that's used by SRAM in all their Eagle components.
However, many argue that the clutch is fairly weak,
one more good reason to replace the derailleur with a Shimano one,
where you can adjust the clutch.
And I have a video on maintenance and all that jazz right up on my channel.
SX derailleur is even cheaper than this.
It is made of steel and plastic and I don't think it's for any serious mountain biking.
I mean, look at the adjustment screws being threaded right into the plastic body of the derailleur!
So if you're having issues with your NX or SX derailleur
I don't think I would recommend upgrading to GX or upgrading the knuckle or anything like that.
I think I would straight-on recommend just getting an SLX or Shimano Deore
derailleur as a replacement because they work just fine and it will be cheaper overall.
And that brings us to the NX and SX cassette which is entirely made out of steel,
hence the over 600 grams of weight .
This goes up to 50, which you could argue that is obsolete these days
since SRAM just introduced their 10-52t cassettes.
However, look at those and you're gonna see that the shape of their 52t
is very similar to what you have here on the NX 50 tooth.
So pretty interesting fact.
This cassette uses the good old Shimano freehub body, the HG or hyperglide.
It uses a locking ring and quite a few loose cogs,
with the exception of the last four which are riveted together.
With the cassette starting with an 11tooth cog,
instead of 500% gear range, you end up with a bit over 450%.
So as long as you're fine with that, this is a perfectly fine upgrade path to 12 speed.
An alternative to this cassette would be the SunRace MZ90 that I reviewed on my channel.
or I think the new Shimano Deore M5100, 11 speed, 11-51t.
But who cares about 11 speed these days when you can enjoy more and more range on 12 speed, right?
What do you guys think?
And here is the shifting on a bike stand with a new GX chain, so new chain.
And multiple gears at a time.
So quite typical for SRAM Eagle performance, similar to something like GX I would say.
Out of the trail, the drivetrain performed well,
but I did notice a little hesitation in shifting between some of the gears.
The gears were there when I needed them,
but it wasn't necessarily the smoothest or the fastest shifting drivetrain that I've ever used.
Okay, so what do I think about with Eagle NX?
Well I wouldn't buy it new that's for sure.
I would prefer it to the Eagle SX though.
Cranks - I'm fine with that .
Chain - how would get rid of it probably right away.
The shifting, as you saw it here is a bit clunky.
It can be because of all that play in the jockey wheels and a knuckle here.
So definitely not as crisp or smooth but otherwise works ok.
So I guess if you get this on a new bike ,
just get a replacement chain ready ,and enjoy it!
As for me, this is the end of my short video.
I hope you guys found it useful
If you have any questions let me know below,
Don't forget to like, subscribe, keep an eye on social media,
and until next time,
I will see you folks on the trails,
hopefully riding some SRAM Eagle drivetrains.
Cheers guys, cheers!