New entry level SRAM/Rockshox

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    • #270223

      I’m curious what everyone’s experience has been with the new entry level SRAM/Rockshox stuff. Specifically, Eagle SX and NX and Rockshox 35.

      I know we are seeing these on many base model. I’m sure they are heavy but are they a good value or they just cheap?

    • #270224

      I have a Trek Stache 7 (2019) with a SRAM NX Eagle shifter, deralieur and cassette (crank arms are not SRAM) and I happen to love it. It does everything I ask of it; I just clean the chain every ride or so (when I come in off a trail I clean it but if I’m just pedaling around the community w/ my kid . . . not so much.) I have a Yari front fork, so I can’t help you with the 35 from first hand experience.

      However I have to ask if your concern is geared toward weight/racing or if you’re just curious. My bike is built for fun . . . not KOM or anything. I personally doubt I could tell the difference between the two while I’m pedaling through my local woods.

    • #270226

      I’m just curious. For no apparent reason, I have a very negative impression of the NX Eagle but a positive impression of the Rockshox 35.

      For drive train, I will probably go with Microshift Advent or a mix-and-match Shimano 10-speed on my next build. I don’t need the range that Eagle offers.

    • #270265

      I’ve been using the Sram Eagle GX drivetrain (with the 500% range 10-50 cassette which requires Sram XD hubs) for about 18 months and it has performed almost flawlessly.  The Eagle NX and SX drivetains (with the 455% range 11-50 cassette which requires Shimano HG hubs) perform nearly identical to the Eagle GX but they just have less range.  I suspect that Sram came out with Eagle SX drivetrain so that they could compete with the new Shimano 1×12 SLX drivetrain (with the 510% range 10-51 cassette which require Shimano Micro Spline Hubs) on price.  You’ll notice that SX and SLX are almost the same name.  I think Sram did that on purpose.  Overall, I don’t think that there is much difference between Sram NX and Sram SX except the price.  Sram just wanted a 1×12 drivetrain that was cheaper than the Shimano SLX 1×12 drivetrain.

      In the end,  I think the Eagle SX drivetrain is an excellent value.    However, if I had a choice, I would choose the Shimano 1×12 SLX drivetrain because it has the most range at 510%.  I think it’s worth spending about $50 more to get the extra range of the Shimano SLX 1×12.

    • #270286

      I’ve had longevity issues (lack thereof) with NX and GX circa 2018-2019. Derailleurs kept breaking on me with NO impacts. Switched back to Shimano and no problems since.

    • #270309

      I have an Eagle GX on my bike. Had it for a year and nine months, no issues. From what I understand, the NX is identical to the GX except for some plastic parts that are not plastic on GX and up. It was a little difficult to get adjusted correctly the first time, since then I have had to make one minor adjustment. Shifts very nice. All my previous shifters have been lower level Shimano, and it works better then they did, but I have never had an upper level Shimano set up. I do miss the push/pull of the Shimano. I still, after this long, occasionally will push the wrong lever when shifting.

    • #270935

      I’m not the most experienced MTBer around, and I lack many technical reference points (I have not ridden many different MTBs). Anyway, here are my views based on the entry-level hardtail I bought at the beginning of the 2019 season, especially about reliability, robustness after 3,000km on the bike

      The bike is a basic Decathlon bike that came fully kitted out with SRAM/rockshox/truvativ components

      . GX shifter: still works fine. No play. Feels as new with good indexing

      . GX rear derailleur: has developped a lot of play around all pivot points, especially the derailleur cage. Clutch still works OK despite no maintenance. Indexing is still OK. Not smashed by chance, but overall design is design feels very cheap (i.e. plastic pulley and pulley support for cable alignment), and design does not allow for any repair. Overall, works well but should be considered a throw-away item. The much-cheaper Shimano Deore 10-speed derailleur on my touring bike is much better designed, engineered and built.

      . Truvativ cranks: details on my opinion here: https://www.singletracks.com/blog/forums/topic/srams-bottom-bracket-preload-ring/ The cranks themselves are OK, and the chainring is not fully worn out after 1 season. But the design of the bearing preload ring (used on all modern SRAM cranks) is just plain awfull: Cheap self-tapping screw, and plastic ring to support all axial load. My conclusion: use Shimano

      . NX cassette (11-50 on Shimano-style freehub body).  Setting the upper derailleur jokey wheel very close to the cassette give good shifting on the smaller cogs. Setting the upper derailleur jokey wheel very far form the cassette give surprisingly good shifting on the larger cogs. I was usrpised that the large jumps between cogs did not prevent good shifting. However, I was unable to get a good shifting at both ends of the cassette with the same b-tension setting. The NX has no/few ramps on the 6 smaller cogs despite the large jumps in gearing. My conclusion: It’s cheap for a reason

      . RockShox Reba RL (32mm) fork: stiffness is pretty good (much better than the Fox 32 I tested. the smoothness is pretty good. No play has developped is the bushings over the season of use. The spring holds well the pressure over time. The rebound damper works well, though i only use it in its most open setting. The Motion Control damper (compression damper) didn’t work well from the start (details here: https://www.singletracks.com/blog/forums/topic/2019-rockshox-reba-rl-damper-upgrade-hack/) . The main valve in the compression damper has so much play/leakage that I have no hope that the damper could work consistently and reliably. My opinion: the fork overall is pretty good except for the Motion Control damper (fitted to most entry-level SRAM forks), which is hopeless. My conclusion: my next bike will be fully rigid

      . SRAM Level T brakes. These are rebranded AVID Elixir. I understand that the Elixir were famous for their unreliability and inconsistent braking. From my experience the rebranded SRAM Level T are exactly the same. I wrote in the post here my first impression on those brakes: ” I clearly noticed a decrease in brake performance as I progressed in the descents, I suspect linked to the pads and discs warming up. Typically, after 500m-, I’d have to switch from 1-finger to 2-finger braking. And after 1,000m-, I got strong reminders of my cantilever brakes from previous bikes… More alarmingly, and even on the shorter descents, once every 20 or so braking, one of the brakes would fail to provide any kind of power. The lever would feel very spongy, and provide virtually no braking power. Then, the power would could back after a few minutes just as randomly as it disappeared. Anyway, my conclusion is to switch to 200mm rotor front and back, and Shimano 4-pot calipers (Saint or XT 8120). I had heard that SRAM brakes were hopeless (both local bike shops around me rent MTBs and sale them at the end of the season, and both shops told me that they’ve given up on SRAM brakes because they don’t survive a 3-month season on rental bikes)”. My conlusion: I won’t run again any SRAM brakes

      Overall, based on my limited experience, I would say: Use Shimano, MicroShift, Tektro, Hope, and only as a last resort, consider SRAM is that’s all you can afford, but don’t expect it to last

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