SRAM GX Eagle 12-Speed Group [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. 

Want to give your mountain bike a facelift? Then swapping out the old drivetrain parts will have a massive impact on how your rig feels. One of our customers shares his experience with the SRAM GX Eagle 12-Speed Group with Shifter, Derailleur, Chain & SunRace 50t Cassette. Check it out!

Overview

In the biking world, it seems like there is always some debate about size, weight, amount of gears, gear range, and if any of it really matters. I found myself entangled in these debates and am always finding reasons to rationalize my setup. For the past 3 years I have been riding an 11-speed drive train, always making excuses to not upgrade, but deep down inside I was 12 speed curious for a long time. Well I finally gave in to my curiosity and purchased the SRAM GX Eagle 12-Speed Group with Shifter, Derailleur, Chain & SunRace 50t Cassette.

I have been riding bikes since I was 8. Despite this, I don’t really enjoy pedaling uphill and have often found myself asking “why do I suffer this?” I ride bikes because I like going downhill but living in the Valley of the Sun Arizona there are no bike parks nearby which means we must earn our descents. Having this 12-speed groupset on my 170mm bike makes the uphill a little less painful. I have used SRAM components on my bikes for many years and know that SRAM means quality.

The GX derailleur, shifter, and chain are smooth, crisp, and dependable plus the option to run a matchmaker with the shifter leads to a cleaner cockpit.

The SunRace 11-50T cassette weighs less than the NX cassette, installs easily onto a Shimano freehub, and most importantly shifts well. Previously I ran a 10-46T cassette and the 50T on the SunRace Cassette makes climbs much more enjoyable. One concern many have with this cassette is that the smallest cog has only 11T. I too had this worry but rarely find myself wishing for a higher gear. I am, however, always grateful to have that lower gear to help me on those climbs.

Installation of the cassette is like installing any other cassette on a Shimano freehub body. You need a chain whip to remove the old cassette, a cassette tool, and a good wrench. All the other parts require various Allen keys to install. The chain has a Powerlink for quick sizing. To install the shifter, you will need either a SRAM matchmaker, if running SRAM brakes, or to remove your grips to slide it onto the bars.

I may be one of the fortunate few, but after installing the drivetrain onto my bike it immediately shifted smoothly and the only adjustment I had to make was adjusting the derailleur chain gap, which was a breeze with the included SRAM chain gap tool.

Final Thoughts

I have had this product on my bike for over a month now and have climbed 1000’s of feet with it. It is holding up well, shifts smooth, and has endured multiple rock dings. Most importantly I am walking less and riding more. For a budget price point, this package offers premium performance. It is well worth the cost, easy to set up, and has increased the fun factor that I am having on my bike. If you are 12 speed curious like I was, then this is the product for you.