Customer Review: Sram GX Eagle Cassette

In this review, our customer Mark Harris tells us about having two different wheel sets setup and ready go for different types of riding. On one wheel set, Mark is running the Sram XO1 Eagle XG-1295 cassette and on the other a Sram GX Eagle cassette. Let's see how the different cassettes compare out on the trail!

I was an Eagle skeptic, but am a now believer. The SRAM GX Eagle cassette brings 12 speed to the masses. This review focuses on how the GX Eagle compares to the higher end XO Eagle 12 speed, and other observations about wheels, tires and items pictured. My previous bike was 1x11 Shimano and seemed to have all the range I needed. I hated the dropped chain on back pedaling but figured no need to go Eagle. My new bike came with Eagle and can say it’s all it’s claimed to be and with the new GX group worthy of considering a drivetrain upgrade.

Nothing shifts like brand new, freshly tuned factory equipment. Having been running 1x for years, I have tried various aftermarket add-ons with various degrees of success. I knew the benefit of a 1x, but only with Eagle have found perfect shifts, no dropped chains when you back pedal, and no hodgepodge of b-limit screws. Eagle just works! I was skeptical about the need for the 500% range, but living in Colorado, you seem to use it all. I'm running a 30t chainring upfront, and both the 10t cog and 50t cog get frequent use.

So, as you can see I have the SRAM XO1 Eagle Cassette on my ENVE M70 wheels and GX Eagle Cassette on the DT Swiss XM481. The weight difference in the cassettes are obvious when you hold them in your hand and have been well documented (GX XG-1275 cassette is 450g / the X01 XG-1295 cassette is 355g). With shifting, I can’t say there is a notable difference and actually kind of prefer the all black look of the GX versus the XO1 though the pins on the GX don’t look as nice as the one piece machined XO1 cassette. Personally I think this is true for the entire GX line; I know the GX chain is $30 cheaper than the XO1 chain, but it looks cheaper in a noticeable way. Chains and cassettes are consumable items and saving some money is great, but with a high end mountain bike, the XO1 matches the look of a high quality bike much better than the GX group set.

So to finish, I bought the cheaper SRAM GX Eagle cassette for my 2nd wheel set because it doesn’t get as much use and it works as expected. Why a 2nd wheel set when I run the ENVE M70 nearly all the time? Mostly to be able to have a quick change in tire choice for lift serve/shuttle riding that seems to destroy tires. The wheels with the GX cassette have Maxxis DH or Double Down casings, where the carbon wheels with the XO1 cassette are setup a little lighter. In the end, it seems I will end up running at least EXO protection on the ENVE wheels, as they get used on just as rocky of terrain as the other wheels with downhill casing tires. Right now I have Maxxis Double Down Aggressors on both sets pictures. It’s also just really convenient if you tear a tire and want to ride again the next morning, a spare wheel set is already set up and ready to go with rotors, cassette, etc. That's what I'm after.