SRAM GX Eagle XG-1275 Cassette [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. 

SRAM's drivetrain components have proven time and time again that they are the gold standard. Their GX cassette blends smooth shifting and durability but doesn't totally break the bank. Our friend, Shan, has been running the cassette. See what they think!

Overview

I recently needed to replace my worn Sram Eagle GX Cassette. My old Sram Eagle GX Cassette had 17 months of fairly hard use and was beginning to show signs of wear that was apparent when shifting and had some visible signs of wear. I had approximately 2616 miles on the old cassette and had changed the chain 3 times but on the third chain, it was skipping so that is when I chose to replace the cassette.

I considered going to XO1 Cassette because I had heard it may last longer due to the construction of the cassette. The GX weighs about 94 g more than the XO1 from what I have read. I am not too much a weight weenie but I do consider my options. To me, the selection between GX and XO1 was really about price and performance. I would say that I definitely got some good use out of the GX cassette and it had minimal issues while I ran it for the last 17 months.

I think I could have extended the life on the cassette if I had been better at changing the chain more frequently and cleaning my drive train more often but even with that being said I was pretty pleased with the results.

The cost difference between GX and XO1 was about $170.00 with fairly minimal weight gain (in my opinion) which was my main driving factor in this purchase.

I would like to know more about which cassette actually would run longer under the same conditions and mileage that I have run in the last 17 months. I am curious if the extra cost of the XO1 translates into longer wear times and if it so what the cost analysis would look like.

Installation:

GX Eagle Cassette installation was easy as usual it took about 5 minutes and went on smoothly. You just need a chain whip and cassette tool. It was easy and seamless.

Ride:

Once installed (and with my new XO1 Eagle chain) it has performed flawlessly thus far. The skipping and shifting issues are a thing of the past. I also installed a new GX Eagle front chainring as well so I basically feel like I have a new drive train now. I will check my chain more frequently now and do a better job of cleaning my drive train to see if I can get more miles out of it this time.

Final Thoughts

Overall, GX performs very well and I am satisfied with this level of SRAM components thus far. I have had pretty good luck with SRAM Drivetrains so I am going to keep using them. I will continue to purchase SRAM drivetrains.