Sram GX Eagle Groupset [Rider Review]

Our "Rider Review" article series features the honest reviews from verified purchasers of Worldwide Cyclery. They contain the photos, thoughts, feedback & overall review you are looking for. 

Here in this review, one of our customers Brad takes us through his new Sram GX Eagle drivetrain groupset. Brad decided to get the GX Eagle shifter, derailleur, cassette, and chain. Continue reading below to see how Brad is digging his new drivetrain!

Overview

Have you ever wanted to upgrade a bike, but weren’t sure if you should? Then, after you do the upgrade, you can’t imagine not doing it? Upgrading my 2017 Trek Slash 9.8 from the stock 1x11 to Sram's GX Eagle 1x12 system is one of those upgrades.

You might not think that going from 1x11 to 1x12 is a big deal. It was for me since my knees are not what they used to be. The SRAM X1 11 speed that came with the bike wasn’t a bad drivetrain, but I really wanted that 50 tooth ring on the cassette. An XX1 upgrade was out of the question - the Christmas budget was already well and completely blown. Enter the GX Eagle. Fortunately, I was able to use the X1 cranks and 32 tooth ring that came with the bike as well as the XD driver. That meant that all I had to buy was a new shifter, derailleur, cassette and chain. Worldwide Cyclery sold me the set at a reasonable price.

I love the upgrade. Some have wondered if the GX Eagle shifter feels as good as the X1 11 speed shifter that came with the bike, but honestly, I don’t notice the difference. It’s very smooth shifting and my friend who installed it did a great job setting up the rear derailleur.

Final Thoughts

To sum up my experience, I am very happy to have the extra range. Going from 10-42 to 10-50 is huge. My beat up knees (11 knee operations) can’t take the load like they used to. I really appreciate it on the trail when a quick burst up a technical section is needed. You could even throw a 34 tooth ring on the front if you want a little more speed and still reap the benefit of the 50 tooth ring on the back. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this upgrade to anyone. It helps to have someone who knows what they’re doing when installing it. A friend of mine installed it for me and got it set up perfectly.