GX Eagle - shitty shifting solved!!

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
That’s the one. A few pennies saved on fleabay.

And yes that’s my conclusion as well... GX is the volume seller, they spend maybe $5 per unit for material differences to X01 and charge the 200 premium. Got to applaud the cynical marketing, but doesn’t endear them as a company!!
From memory, Sennheiser used to do something similar with a cheaper headphone. There was a model that had a piece of black tap inside cans to stop it sounding as good as the more expensive model, when the drivers etc were all the same. Think it was cheaper to make them the same and downgrade one model than redesign a cheaper model.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
That’s the one. A few pennies saved on fleabay.

And yes that’s my conclusion as well... GX is the volume seller, they spend maybe $5 per unit for material differences to X01 and charge the 200 premium. Got to applaud the cynical marketing, but doesn’t endear them as a company!!
Cheers mate. Might invest in one methinks. The fact that you tried an X01 shifter and it made little difference supports our cynical view. The X01 derailleur is about 11g lighter than GX from memory, so that's about $18 per gram lost and outrageous for all but the fanatical weight weenies.

Do you think it could be possible to get a thin piece of plastic and a couple of little o-rings and shim around the existing B bolt for pretty much the same outcome?
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Cheers mate. Might invest in one methinks. The fact that you tried an X01 shifter and it made little difference supports our cynical view. The X01 derailleur is about 11g lighter than GX from memory, so that's about $18 per gram lost and outrageous for all but the fanatical weight weenies.

Do you think it could be possible to get a thin piece of plastic and a couple of little o-rings and shim around the existing B bolt for pretty much the same outcome?
I have a sliver of plastic wrapper from something, cut a strip laid it in the bore of the derailleur body and jammed in the B bolt - that was the proof of concept and worked perfectly for a 3 hour session at Stromlo. It wont last though, so I have the X01 part in the mail. I am not sure my jammed in plastic solution is not marginally mucking with the hanger alignment as it were.

Its always the accepted wisdom that shift feel is in the shifter, hence thats what I got after I eliminated dodgy cables... Next time I need a cable i might put the GX shifter back on and see - from having the GX shifter apart it is identical apart from the adjustable downshift lever. GX Eagle even uses the bearing instead of a bush which used to be the upgrade X01 had. Sigh.
 
D

Deleted member FN2187

Guest
Hey @Haakon, confirming you’re referring to play between the derailleur body/knuckle and the hex bolt that holds it to the hanger? That ebay link looks like this kit from mtb direct as well.

I noticed the exact same thing on a GX 12-speed derailleur of mine, but didn’t know you could swap it for an X01 B bolt and eliminate the play. Betting SRAM didn’t save much money with their GX B bolt, but wanted the sloppier fit to ensure it didn’t shift as well as XO1 to justify the ludicrous price difference.
Jesus SRAM!!! It looks like you're intentionally selling an inferior product and then expect your customers to buy hop up parts to make your crappy parts do what they were intended to do. $40 for a bolt kit...... No thanks, I'll be buying my $80 SLX derailleur instead.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
Jesus SRAM!!! It looks like you're intentionally selling an inferior product and then expect your customers to buy hop up parts to make your crappy parts do what they were intended to do. $40 for a bolt kit...... No thanks, I'll be buying my $80 SLX derailleur instead.
Its worse than that - they really want you to ditch the whole thing and spend $400 on a complete X01 mech...
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I’m confident I’m done with SRAM too, now that you can’t get their stuff at reasonable prices anymore. Tempted to try the Box stuff that Dozer reviewed.
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I’m confident I’m done with SRAM too, now that you can’t get their stuff at reasonable prices anymore. Tempted to try the Box stuff that Dozer reviewed.
This has my attention.


But I’ve never stopped missing the multiple upshift XT/XTR Shimano provides... :(
 

tkdbboy

Likes Dirt
Never had an issue with my Sunrace 11-46 cassette and XT combo on the old bike.
Every month I have something go wrong with my current GX Eagle setup. o_O
 

Haakon

Keeps on digging
I’m confident I’m done with SRAM too, now that you can’t get their stuff at reasonable prices anymore. Tempted to try the Box stuff that Dozer reviewed.
I've seen a couple of Box systems in the wild out at Stromlo, they look pretty decent and chatting to the owner they've all given it the thumbs up.
 

born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
Just had a look at my GX mech. It didn't seem to have much play when I wiggled it with my hand.
Does the chain need to be off to check it?

Anyone know the length of the bolt? .....and assuming it's definitely M4 & 0.7 pitch ?
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
So $40 for a M4 bolt and a little bit of plastic? I bought a box of 20 M4's from Bunnings for $6, and a dab of locktight has seen it not move...
I think you're referring to the wrong bit. @Haakon is referring to the B bolt (circled red below), not the B limit screw (circled blue) that adjusts upper jockey wheel clearance from the cassette. The B bolt is a bit more bespoke with a fine M10 thread and 5mm hex drive. $40 is for the whole kit, but it if gives you X01 like shifting crispness from a GX derailleur...

354418
 

damo666

Likes Dirt
Yeah apologies - that'll learn me for skimming before opening my big mouth...

I still cant believe how much SRAM (or Shimano?) gouge customers for little parts like these, ridiculous!
 
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