SRAM GX DH 1x7 transmission £198 (mech, shifter, cassette and chain)

SRAM’s GX ranges are a classic example of top-end tech trickling down to lower price points. In the case of GX DH, this means a seven-speed downhill set-up being made more affordable to privateer racers. Hanging a £101 GX DH mech off the back of your bike where it’s in danger of being smashed, is certainly a lot more palatable than doing the same with the £234 X01 DH version. Until now, that’s what’s stopped many riders reaping the benefits of SRAM’s seven-speed system, of which there are several.

For starters, the narrower gear range makes the system more tolerant of cable stretch and general wear and tear than a 10 or 11-speed set-up. Throughout testing, our shifting remained smooth with no maintenance. It also makes for a quieter ride, with less flapping chain, and means the mech cage can be made shorter, which helps keep it out of harm’s way. Our mech stayed solid and didn’t skip gears, no matter how hard we battered into stuff.

Fewer sprockets means less cassette weight too. Because the GX block is made up of individual cogs, not machined from a single piece of alloy like the X01 version, it’s not quite as light, but it only weighs about 100g more and is £206 cheaper, at £31. That sums up GX really – unless you’re really trying to shave off the grams, its solid performance is hard to fault. Ed www.zyrofisher.co.uk

Top-performing transmission that’s brought seven-speed DH shifting within reach of the masses