SRAM's New NX Eagle 1x12 Drivetrain is the Most Affordable Yet 17

Available this September, the new NX Eagle drivetrain is compatible with all levels of Eagle and comes at a great price.

bturman
6/14/2018 8:41am
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With a price of just $375 for an entire drivetrain, SRAM has done a great job of bringing many of their 1x12-speed technologies to their most affordable "NX" level. They've done this in part by making some material changes and using less costly manufacturing methods.

We love that the individual components can mix and match with any of the higher-priced XX1, X01 and GX Eagle drivetrains. Keep in mind that the cassette range is slightly reduced from the 500% to 455% (10-50 tooth vs 11-50 tooth on NX) and requires a standard freehub body, not the SRAM XD driver most often seen with SRAM drivetrains. It does keep that hill-crushing 50-tooth cog, however, which is important for many riders.

Dig into the specs and SRAM's claims, below. We've also provided key comparisons to the $495-545 GX Eagle drivetrain, which is the next step above NX.


NX Eagle Rear Derailleur

This new NX Eagle derailleur features the proven SRAM 1X-specific X-HORIZON design. The larger, 14-tooth X-SYNC lower pulley easily facilitates 11-50 and 10-50 tooth cassette capacity, and also adds to NX Eagle’s overall smooth-pedaling feel. The Type-3 ROLLER BEARING CLUTCH provides quiet, consistent performance and durability.

Rear Derailleur Highlights & Specs

  • Completely new rear derailleur incorporating our proven X-HORIZON design and Type-3 ROLLER BEARING CLUTCH technology. 
  • Eagle ecosystem-engineered mounting system and CAGE LOCK positioning add robustness. 
  • Eagle pulley technology provides greater efficiency, crisper shifting and quieter operation.
  • Material: Aluminum, steel, stainless steel hardware
  • Colors: Black
  • Technologies: X-HORIZON, X-ACTUATION, X-SYNC2, ROLLER BEARING CLUTCH, CAGE LOCK
  • Weight: 339g
  • MSRP: $107 USD / €119

Compared to GX Eagle rear derailleur: 48g heavier, $3 less expensive


PG-1230 Eagle Cassette

Ride anywhere with the wide-range PG-1230, 11- to 50-tooth Eagle cassette. The NX cassette gives riders every bit of the climbing range that the Eagle ecosystem affords with a simple upgrade to splined-drive body wheels. The PG-1230 is the only Eagle cassette designed to be durable enough to withstand the increased demands of E-MTB applications and a perfect solution to heavy-duty use and abuse. 

Cassette Highlights & Specs

  • Compatible with 8-, 9- and 10-speed splined driver bodies. 
  • This PG-1230 cassette is an integral part of the SRAM Eagle drivetrain Ecosystem. 
  • Wide 11-50t gear range—a perfect fit for any ride with optimized gear steps across entire range.
  • Technologies: Power Glide
  • Material: 8 lightweight, stamped steel cogs and 4 high-strength steel cogs pinned onto an aluminum spider
  • Speeds: 12
  • Colors: Black
  • Weight: 615g
  • MSRP: $100 USD / €110

Compared to GX Eagle XG-1275 cassette: 170g heavier, $95 less expensive, 45% less range

NX Eagle Trigger Shifter

New NX Eagle trigger shifter means on-demand gear selection throughout the entire wide range Eagle cassette. The massive range means you never have to worry about having the right gear for the terrain. NX Eagle means easy, intuitive shifting every time for every rider. 

Shifter Highlights & Specs

  • Eagle Technology creates a smoother and more precise shifting system with exceptional reliability. 
  • Also available as a E-MTB specific Eagle shifter option limiting the pull lever to a single engagement. 
  • Compatible with Matchmaker X clamp.
  • Speeds: 12
  • Technologies: X-ACTUATION, ZERO LOSS, MatchMaker X Integrated
  • Material: Aluminum/Plastic, Stainless steel hardware
  • Colors: Black
  • Hardware: Stainless steel bolts, MatchMaker X
  • Weight: 112g
  • MSRP: $42 USD / €38

Compared to GX Eagle trigger shifter: 10g lighter, $2 less expensive


NX Eagle Crankset

The SRAM NX crankset delivers Eagle styling and performance to the newest addition to the Eagle ecosystem. Designed for SRAM’s X-SYNC2 chainrings, the NX crankset is engineered for complete chain control—each tooth’s profile is precisely engineered to work quietly, efficiently and securely with the Eagle chain’s inner and outer links. DUB technology features a better-engineered bottom bracket and a new spindle design, which together allows for a more uniform approach to bottom bracket fitment, better sealing against contamination and forward and backward compatibility. Now everyone can benefit from a new measure of performance and durability. 

Crankset Highlights & Specs

  • 6000 series forged aluminum arms. 
  • DUB technology features a uniform approach to bottom bracket fitment, better sealing against contamination and is forward and backward compatible.
  • Arm Material: 6000 series forged aluminum
  • Arm Lengths: 165mm, 170mm, 175mm
  • Chainring: Steel, direct mount
  • Compatibility: All major bottom bracket standards
  • Technologies: X-SYNC2, DUB
  • Weight: 705g (175mm, 32-tooth ring)
  • MSRP: $105-121 USD / €116-135

Compared to 175mm, 32-tooth GX Eagle DUB crankset: 84g heavier, $30-64 less expensive


NX Eagle Chain

The basis of every Eagle drivetrain is its chain—and the NX Eagle chain is designed and manufactured using genuine SRAM’s Eagle architecture, so it is fully compatible with every other component in the Eagle ecosystem. The NX Eagle chain features solid pin construction, Eagle PowerLock and smooth, efficient shifting that you can count on every time out. 

Chain Highlights & Specs

  • Eagle PowerLock chain connector with FLOW LINK technology provides better chain-guiding and increased longevity. 
  • Unique features and design also provide significantly improved wear resistance on Eagle cassettes and rings.
  • Technologies: FLOW LINK, POWERLOCK, X-SYNC2
  • Closing Link: Eagle PowerLock
  • Material: Steel
  • Speeds: 12
  • Colors: Grey
  • Weight: 278g (126 links)
  • MSRP: $26 USD / €29

Compared to GX Eagle chain: 15g heavier, $4 less expensive

In Action

Visit www.sram.com for more details.

Photos by Adrian Marcoux

Related:
Drivetrain
SRAM
Chains
Cranks
Rear Derailleurs
Shifters
First Look
1x12
17 comments

View replies to: SRAM's New NX Eagle 1x12 Drivetrain is the Most Affordable Yet

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Roots_rider
6 years ago
I don’t understand the point of making everything other than the cassette honestly. You save $2,3,4 here and there for lower quality parts and manufacturing processes. Compare the build quality of an 11sp nx der to a gx der. The nx literally falls apart. If this crop of nx is anything like the last, it’s just more consumable parts to throw in the trash...
Shimano atleast believed in making a der that can survive multiple seasons of hard use without rattling itself apart.
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onenerdykid*
6 years ago
It's to get the whole group price down so that it can be specc'ed on lower end bike models. Product managers are looking to save $1 here, $0.50 here, $2 there so this helps them achieve that when putting together a low end bike.
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Roots_rider
6 years ago
Of course. But when you’re buying in bulk it’s easy to get those additional points. The cranks and cassette are the big ones here that will bring the eagle gruppo to lower end builds. The previous 11sp gruppos, gx vs nx, at least had $20-$30 differences which helps the aftermarket consumer and shops get people onto a reasonably priced 1x drivetrain with varying budgets. If they truly used cheaper materials and processes, that shifter could be $25-$30 and the der should be $80ish. This would better reflect the “levels” that brands have built over the years. At the end of the day we’ll still be selling gx shift/der on a nx cassette.
I’m just bitter I guess, inventory is already a nightmare in the bike industry, where we’re flooded with thousands of small parts that are continuously changing. To have what’s essentially duplicate parts with different skus is frustrating.
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casman86
6 years ago
11 speed has more than enough range as long as you're not going much slower than walking speed. 10 speed or less would be more practical for mtb to be able to get up and down through the gears faster. I'm usually shifting 2-4 gears at a time on 11 speed already.
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andrew.macnaughton
6 years ago
Does anyone really want that cassette at that weight on their back wheel? Eagle just seems completely unnecessary to me
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rokkitan
6 years ago
Regarding weight of the cassette; I'd take 1x any day for a hard tail as long as total price/weight/performance is about equal to 2x, and might even for a full suspension bike (with increased un-sprung weight) due to function and simplicity.
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Nic Cotton
6 years ago
Having ridden 12 speed Gx for the past few months, I'd personally not be in any rush to upgrade if I was on 11-speed. It is a bit easier on really steep climbs in that lowest gear, admittedly. However the shifting is not as smooth and the rear derailleur cage has a design flaw that causes it to shit itself after a few months of use. The rear cage is incredibly thin where the screw comes through to attach the upper jockey wheel in place. Mine, and I think every other person I know who owns Eagle, have all found that this junction snaps, at best leaving you without a derailleur and and worst sending it into your wheel to mash that up too. I'd be pretty cautious about buying anything eagle until they get that sorted. I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has had similar problems.
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rokkitan
6 years ago
I'm totally opposite. Having ridden Eagle GX for 9 months (but I'm not putting as many miles as others might) I'd take it every time (coming from X0 2x10 and earlier 3x groups). My wife had X01 on her bike and it was noisy and never shifted great whatever I did to adjust it. Eagle GX has shifted great and been very silent since day one, and the added range is nice.
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ccolagio
6 years ago
i appreciate that they're making this standard freehub compatible but a 615g cassette is a bit of a monster. could drop ~0.4lbs on cassette alone with an XT 11speed offering. but of course, lower cost comes with less expensive materials so it's understood. a smaller large cog or something else to get the weight down would be excellent.
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MiSo11
6 years ago
I really like the comparison to the GX Eagle group, nice touch @bturman
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ur_pal_al
6 years ago
Shimano: we are finally joining the wide range game with a 500 dollar alloy crankset and a proprietary free-hub body that will only be licensed to DT Swiss.

Sram: Here's an eagle drivetrain group for 375 bucks that will work on just about any wheel.
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rokkitan
6 years ago
SLX could compete, but if Shimano follows their usual release schedule, it's 2 years before release. It is probably going to be very good, but Shimano will loose (some) sales to Sram until then. Current SLX isn't too far off with the 11-46 cassette, ~9% difference from Eagle NX in range, but the 9-tooth jump from 37 to 46 looks like they took the easy way out. Also 12 > 11 for many consumers.
Last Eagle eTAP is coming, while Di2 is not coming this year it seems. I think Sram is ahead currently, but competition is good.