SRAM GX Eagle Derailleur and 12 Speed Chain Bundle: Customer Review

SRAM Eagle has taken over the mountain bike industry and it is here to stay. For many of us, that means upgrading outdated technology. Our customer Brian recently made the move to Eagle and hasn't looked back since. In this review, he swaps out his broken derailleur for a brand new SRAM GX Eagle 12 Speed Derailleur and GX Eagle 12 Speed Chain Bundle. Read on!

Overview

I’m a convert to SRAM Eagle. I had previously been riding a SRAM 11-speed drivetrain. Unlike most riders, my motivation for upgrading to Eagle was not to get a granny gear or great-grandmother gear; instead, I was looking for more top end speed. In concert with slapping an eagle drivetrain on my Yeti SB6, I took the opportunity to upsize my front chainring to a Wolf Tooth 32tooth Oval Ring.

This is my second GX Eagle Derailleur. Truth is, I smacked my original on a rock, and figured it was toast. It appeared that the lower cage was twisted beyond correction. When I returned home and started disassembling the assembly, It turned out the derailleur was just fine, the issue was a bent derailleur hanger. Slightly embarrassed, I slapped a new hanger on and was back in business. Thanks to Worldwide Cyclery, I have a stock of no less than 3 of Yeti’s 12x148 Derailleur Hangers at any given time. Ask nice and the boys will order you a Turquoise version of the hanger at no additional charge.

Performance

So now, I have a true spare derailleur. Not a bad position to be in. The SRAM GX derailleur has proven to be robust and on par with the shifting quality of its pricier siblings. In the past, I have replaced pulley/jockey wheels on the derailleur due to missing teeth, but in my experience, this is not unique to this or any other derailleur. The value of this chain/derailleur bundle is unmatchable. I replace the chain on my SRAM Eagle setup when chain stretch is at or near 50% using Park Tool’s Chain Wear Indicator to prevent premature wear to the cassette.

Final Thoughts

Bottom line, sooner or later, this derailleur will be used by myself or loaned to one of my fellow shredders in a moment of need. SOLID VALUE.