SRAM GX Transmission
Crispy cool shifting.
You can add sprinkles and gumdrops to ice cream, but when the base elements of a delicious crème glacée are already there, why bother with the extra toppings? SRAM’s GX gives you exactly what you want in the new-fangled Transmission (T-type) drivetrain: electronic shifting, one-piece easy-install cassettes, plus durable and serviceable derailleurs, minus the sugar coating.
T-type components offer two major benefits, the construction of the derailleur and shift actuation. The system offers serious robustness to a derailleur and gear changes that can be made under the full power of an eMTB.
SRAM’s GX Tranmission is 30% cheaper than the X0 series and includes all of the same features. Skid plates can be mounted to all T-type cranks too (your chain thanks you).
The derailleur eliminates the need for a hanger by bolting directly to UDH-friendly dropouts. When I first heard about this, I wondered how this would impact frames, quite literally. A typical derailleur hanger is an engineered failure point to save the derailleur and the frame, but that can often lead to the dangling mess tangling into the spokes. They’re not totally indestructible, however components of the derailleur can be replaced individually. Finding replacement parts for other derailleur types consisted of tearing through scrap bins and performing a mechanical surgery.
When it comes to the shifting performance, it’s outstanding. Even Shimano die-hards, like Henry Quinney, were shocked – you should have seen the honest look of amazement on his face after a few rides. Syncing the shifting with the ramps on the cassette is a profound execution of the electronic controls.
Weight savings can be gained by moving up to the higher T-type series, and with vaguely quieter shifts, but the main selling points are retained in the GX kit. In a blind test between GX and X0, I doubt the majority of riders could tell the difference. At 30% less than the X0 series, it’s both high in value and performance, which is why it claims Pinkbike’s Product of the Year for 2023.
