SRAM GX Eagle Trigger Shifter & Rear Derailleur: Rider Review (Cheap But Not Junk)

I bought my SRAM GX Eagle trigger shifter and rear derailleur as the final pieces I needed to complete a 2018 Surly Karate Monkey build. I had previously purchased the SRAM GX Eagle rear cassette and chain, a Truvativ Descendant crankset, and an Absolute Black oval chainring to compliment these items in my drivetrain set up. I chose the SRAM GX Eagle trigger shifter and rear derailleur because I wanted the massive gear range coverage that they provide, at the best quality and price points I could find.

From the moment I took these items out of their boxes, I realized what a step-up it was from anything I had previously run. Even though they aren't SRAM's top of the line Eagle shifter and derailleur, I have yet to be let down by them. I had an experienced mechanic friend help me out with the set-up process and, once we figured out a few things, it ended up being a breeze. Unfortunately, at first, we used the B-Gap adjustment tool without the correct amount of chain tension. No matter what we did, we couldn't get it to shift smoothly. Once we took a break and came back to it, and re-measured the B-Gap with the tool, we figured out we were way off and adjusted it accordingly. I had read that the derailleur adjustment needs to be absolutely perfect, so it took a bit of time, but we had smooth sailing for the rest of the process

Since finishing my build, I have been very impressed with the smoothness and reliability of my shifting. The shifter itself has the perfect amount of responsiveness and snappiness. The derailleur is a well-built piece of equipment that I expect to get many, many miles out of. Overall, I am very pleased with these pieces and would recommend them to anyone looking for a high-quality Eagle shifter and derailleur, at a budget-friendly price.