By Jason Sumner June 28, 2016
The first thing you notice about SRAM’s new Eagle 1×12 drivetrain is that it doesn’t feel much (if at all) different from the popular 1×11 systems most of us are already used to. Assuming proper rear derailleur adjustment, shifting is rapid and precise, each push of the shift lever quickly followed by movement of the chain and a reassuring “thunk” that action has occurred. Honestly, in a blind “taste” test you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference… until you jump into that 50-tooth cog.
Indeed, while SRAM has trumpeted a host of non-gearing related improvements between its 1×11 and 1×12 drivetrains, it’s the gearing that will always draw the most attention. With the addition of that dinner-plate sized cog, you now have a full 500% range, which on the bike feels a lot like what you get from a traditional 2x system, just with one less derailleur and shift lever.
That later fact was noticeably important during our first thumb-to-shifter encounter with SRAM Eagle at a recent Scott Bikes press launch in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. While we were impressed with the new Spark and Scale XC bikes, the constant presence of Scott’s dual-lever TwinLoc system on our test bike handlebars occasionally made things feel a little crowded. But when you add a 50-tooth cog to the equation, the front derailleur becomes obsolete, which forever minimizes cockpit clutter.
Get all the tech, weights, and pricing details on the new SRAM Eagle drivetrain here.
The best way to understand the gearing benefit of Eagle depends on past experience. If you’ve spent time on a 1×11 set-up with say a 32-tooth chainring paired to the 10-42 cassette, then making the switch will net you a higher high and lower low if you opt to jump up two chairing teeth to a 34. Or if you’re happy with your current climbing gear, you can jump up four teeth to a 36, which will maintain your current uphill gear, but add some top-end for your next enduro sprint. (Currently SRAM is offering chainrings from 30- to 38-tooth, which is what XC superstar Nino Schurter has been running since making the switch to Eagle.)....
Read the fill article here: http://reviews.mtbr.com/sram-eagle-1x12-drivetrain-first-ride-review
The first thing you notice about SRAM’s new Eagle 1×12 drivetrain is that it doesn’t feel much (if at all) different from the popular 1×11 systems most of us are already used to. Assuming proper rear derailleur adjustment, shifting is rapid and precise, each push of the shift lever quickly followed by movement of the chain and a reassuring “thunk” that action has occurred. Honestly, in a blind “taste” test you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference… until you jump into that 50-tooth cog.
That later fact was noticeably important during our first thumb-to-shifter encounter with SRAM Eagle at a recent Scott Bikes press launch in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. While we were impressed with the new Spark and Scale XC bikes, the constant presence of Scott’s dual-lever TwinLoc system on our test bike handlebars occasionally made things feel a little crowded. But when you add a 50-tooth cog to the equation, the front derailleur becomes obsolete, which forever minimizes cockpit clutter.
Get all the tech, weights, and pricing details on the new SRAM Eagle drivetrain here.
The best way to understand the gearing benefit of Eagle depends on past experience. If you’ve spent time on a 1×11 set-up with say a 32-tooth chainring paired to the 10-42 cassette, then making the switch will net you a higher high and lower low if you opt to jump up two chairing teeth to a 34. Or if you’re happy with your current climbing gear, you can jump up four teeth to a 36, which will maintain your current uphill gear, but add some top-end for your next enduro sprint. (Currently SRAM is offering chainrings from 30- to 38-tooth, which is what XC superstar Nino Schurter has been running since making the switch to Eagle.)....
Read the fill article here: http://reviews.mtbr.com/sram-eagle-1x12-drivetrain-first-ride-review
But it's mostly flat here and speeds were very high and you were mostly gearing for wind and minor hills. And at the end of the day, on the more serious hills, I'm doing 6mph. So you still need that very low gear....or you're walking..at least I am... 
