SRAM Eagle - first thoughts

[Don1]

So, I have Eagle on the my Foxy.... First ride thoughts, if anyone is interested or considering it.

So first impression - shifting is like butter. Insanely smooth. The ratios seem much better judged than x11 speed - I always span out downhill, on the one ride thus far, I chickened out....

Despite being ill and working hard, I still bagged a number of PBs on Strava. So I'm happy! However if I were just looking at the drivetrain cost, I would me 'meh'. But as the LBS is swapping my X01 to the new winter bike, and thus the Eagle is a 'free' upgrade (man maths at its finest!), it's a bargain.

Some pics

[neenaw]

It's kind of tempting but I'm not sure I can justify the cost of an Eagle drivetrain.

Nice to hear that the shifting us smooth though, I bought an XX1 drivetrain when it first launched and was somewhat disappointed with the shifting quality. In the end I kept the XX1 cassette but switched to XTR mech and shifter and it was much smoother.

[missing the VR6]

Surely Hope Orange floating rotors would be required?

[Don1]

Thought the Hope orange 4-pots would be enough....

[Pablo16v]

Nice. The cassette is a lovely bit of kit, and my wallet is thankful I don't need the range.

[P-Jay]

I'm glad you like it, I suspected it would be good, but for £1200 or so for a drive-train (inc crankset, but not fancy hub driver) it needs to be bloody perfect. I'd weep the day the £300 cassette wore out - no wonder you've got a winter bike!

I'm really glad stuff like this exists and there are people Mad/Wealthy/Committed enough to use it, I'd love too myself, but I just can't justify it when XT or GX drive-trains are so good for £150 - I look forward to when your commitment and investment trickles down to my level, I quite fancy 12 gears - as I stands I'm looking forward to the XT 11-46 cassette so I can go up a size on my front ring for a bit more top-end.

[daddy cool]

Corrr - pretty soon you might as well have teeth on the side of the rim!

[vwsurfbum]

P-Jay said:

as I stands I'm looking forward to the XT 11-46 cassette so I can go up a size on my front ring for a bit more top-end.

This

[missing the VR6]

Don1 said:

Thought the Hope orange 4-pots would be enough....

To be fair it looks mint, I just have a Hope addiction!!

[Herman Toothrot]

1x10 is still fine for me, anything less than 11T at the back is pointless in the uk unless you only ride on dry dusty days, 11T is bad enough once a bit of mud appears. Hope agreed, their new cassette doesn't go little as during testing the little cogs wore to fast and too much chain skipping so they abandoned that route.

[Don1]

I had none of the above, and ride in a sandy/muddy area of the UK. This was used all year round - there was some wear to the original chain ring, but everything else was fine.

The real test of this will be when I get over to a more challenging part of the country....

[coltonbob]

Nice foxy, similar colours to my eagle equipped new steed -



Just wanted to second the op's thoughts, I'm loving the eagle too, easily the smoothest shifting drivetrain I've used when under load. Great range for a 1x setup. It's surprising how easily it hops up onto the 50 tooth ring also, feels just like any of the other changes.

The £70 chains and £300 cassette's are pricy for what is essentially a consumable. A bit of a fly in the ointment at the moment! Hopefully these will reduce once they've been out a while longer!

Edited by coltonbob on Wednesday 7th September 12:44

[Woody]

It does look pretty cool.
Also getting good reviews.

But the fact that the cassette and chain cost more than I paid for a complete SLX drivetrain and brakes means it'll be a very long time before I consider it.

[anonymous-user]

It'll soon come down I would think, my 1x11 was circa £300 for a cassette and chain when first launched.

Recently paid £75 for a cassette and £20 for a chain.