SRAM X01/XX1 Eagle Boost Groupset [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.

Looking to take your bike to the complete next level? Adding a SRAM X01/XX1 Eagle groupset will have you sitting pretty. Just check out what our customer Brad did to his Evil. After throwing on a new drivetrain he had this thing dialed. Check it out!

Overview

Where to start? Well, once you get past the sticker price, pull the trigger, and get your package in the mail, you will not regret it! It all comes in it’s own neat boxes, and you will want to stare at them on the kitchen table, until your spouse tells you to find a new home for them. That’s when the fun begins.

Install is very straightforward with videos from SRAM and many YouTube peeps to help with it if needed. There is also an online manual if that’s more your bag. Took about 10 minutes to get it all set up, plus another 30 or so to run to LBS for some housing. Covid really putting a damper on LBS shopping as I couldn’t browse! Grab some housing when you make the purchase, it’ll save you a trip if you don’t have a plethora laying around.

On Trail Performance

Was able to hit the trails after a quick lube job and I gotta say, it is a ton of fun! Sure, they cost as much as some frames, but hopefully they will last for many seasons so it won’t be an issue. The 34T ring helps with maintaining and gaining speed without making climbs a pain in the ass. I was told by some buddies I wouldn’t make it up a long climb with it, always fun to prove those closest to you wrong!

Usually when I would see a long stretch of up, a sense of dread would come over and I would always be looking over my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t holding anyone up, not anymore, well probably... plus, with any up comes a down, and that makes it all worth it.

The 170mm cranks are also quite noticeable to me. On some trails near me, they love to install rock gardens and there are known spots of catching pedals. Didn’t have that issue on the trails with that little bit of extra clearance. Might need to switch out some cranks on my other bike as well. I’m not saying it has magical properties, maybe it’s just because it’s a new toy, but I didn’t want to stop pedaling. Water breaks seemed to be just really annoying the first few times.

Final Thoughts

I went with the stealth black, gold is just too showy for me and I’m not a fan of this new oil slick fad we are in. Go with whatever your heart desires. You’ll definitely get some oohs and awws with the gold bling cruising into the lot after your ride though! It’s a solid group set, from the kitchen table to the garage, to the trail. I would recommend anyone looking to buy themselves something great this season. Trust your gut, if it’s something you’ve been eyeing, or had on your wishlist, just do it. They keep printing money, so skip some Starbucks in the morning (something I heard from my Econ professor years ago, it stuck with me, but it’s a great defense mechanism for large purchases like this to make sense in your head).