The XX1 chain weight is one of those details that looks small on paper but matters when you are trimming grams from an XC build or comparing Eagle drivetrains side by side. SRAM’s current XX1 Eagle chain is listed at 239 g on a 114-link reference build, and that number only really makes sense once you know how it is measured and how it stacks up against X01, GX, and older 11-speed XX1 options. In this article I break down the spec, the real-world context, and the few things that matter more than the headline figure.
Key facts that matter before you compare chains
- The current XX1 Eagle chain is published at 239 g on a 114-link basis.
- The older XX1 Hard Chrome 11-speed chain is listed at 246 g on the same basis.
- X01 Eagle matches XX1 at 239 g, while GX Eagle is 244 g and NX Eagle is 252 g.
- SRAM’s number is a reference weight, so your actual build changes with chain length and condition.
- If you care about weight alone, XX1 and X01 are effectively tied; if you care about value, GX is only a few grams heavier.
The official number behind the XX1 Eagle chain
On SRAM’s current service listing, the XX1 Eagle chain is published at 239 g, and that figure is based on 114 links. That is the number I would use as the clean baseline when comparing it with other Eagle chains or when judging whether the upgrade is worth it for a race-focused bike.
If you are comparing legacy drivetrains, it helps to separate the current 12-speed Eagle chain from the older 11-speed XX1 Hard Chrome chain. SRAM lists that older chain at 246 g on the same 114-link basis, so it is heavier even before you account for the different drivetrain generation.
| Chain | Official weight | Weight basis | What I take from it |
|---|---|---|---|
| XX1 Eagle | 239 g | 114 links | Premium lightweight option in the classic Eagle range |
| X01 Eagle | 239 g | 114 links | Same mass on paper, so the choice is not about grams alone |
| GX Eagle | 244 g | 114 links | Only 5 g heavier, which is a tiny penalty for most riders |
| NX Eagle | 252 g | 114 links | Heavier, but still a normal weight for a more budget-oriented chain |
| XX1 Hard Chrome 11-speed | 246 g | 114 links | Useful if you are comparing an older bike or a legacy drivetrain |
That table gives you the cleanest way to read the spec: XX1 is very light, but it is not dramatically lighter than X01 in the current Eagle family. The real story is less about one magical number and more about where the chain sits inside SRAM’s drivetrain hierarchy.
How SRAM measures the figure
SRAM’s own weight methodology uses defined component configurations, and for chains the reference build is 114 links. That matters because the published number is not a random workshop weigh-in on an arbitrary length of chain; it is a controlled spec that gives you a fair baseline for comparison.
| What changes the reading | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Chain length | More links mean more material, so a longer chain will weigh more than the reference spec. |
| Drivetrain generation | 11-speed XX1 and 12-speed Eagle are different chains, so their weights should not be treated as interchangeable. |
| Condition | Dirt, old lubricant, and wear can change what a real scale shows. |
| Installation state | A chain that is cut, installed, and ridden is not the same thing as a fresh factory spec. |
In practice, that means I never treat the published weight as a promise that every bike will read the same on my scale. It is a reference point, and a good one, but once you shorten the chain for a specific frame, the final number moves accordingly. That leads straight into the more useful question: what does XX1 actually buy you over the other Eagle chains?
How XX1 compares with X01, GX, and NX
If you are choosing a chain purely by mass, the current Eagle lineup is more interesting than many riders expect. XX1 and X01 are both listed at 239 g, so there is no weight-based reason to pick one over the other. GX is only 5 g heavier, which is a very small jump in real terms, and NX adds a bit more again at 252 g.
That is why I would not make the decision on grams alone. The lighter chains use higher-end construction details such as hollow pins, while the heavier ones lean on simpler, more value-oriented builds. The weight difference is real, but the design trade-off is what you are actually paying for.
For a race bike, I would look at XX1 and X01 first. For a trail bike, I would usually ask whether GX already gives enough performance for the money. NX sits in a different lane again: it is heavier, but it still does the job if the budget matters more than shaving a few grams.
The real question is not which chain wins by the scale, but whether the difference is meaningful enough for the way you ride.
When the lighter chain matters on the trail
For an XC rider, a lighter chain can make sense because the whole bike is already built around efficiency. If the rest of the build is dialled, the chain becomes one more place to save rotating mass without changing fit, handling, or suspension behaviour.
For trail and enduro riding, I care less about the last few grams and more about how the chain shifts after muddy rides, how it wears, and how predictable it feels under load. In wet UK conditions, I would rather have a drivetrain that keeps working cleanly through winter grit than chase a tiny spec advantage that I will never notice outside the spreadsheet.
- Choose the lighter option if you are building a race bike and every gram has already been considered.
- Choose the middle-ground option if you want the best balance of weight, price, and performance.
- Choose the heavier option if budget, availability, or durability expectations matter more than shaving a few grams.
That is the practical part: chain weight matters, but only after the bigger decisions are settled. Once that is clear, the last step is making sure the chain you buy is actually the one your bike needs.
What I would check before buying or cutting the chain
Before I order or fit any Eagle chain, I check three things first. They sound basic, but they are the ones that stop costly mistakes.
- Speed compatibility. The current XX1 Eagle chain is 12-speed, while the older XX1 Hard Chrome chain is 11-speed. Those are not interchangeable in the way many riders assume.
- Required length. SRAM’s published number is based on 114 links, but your bike may need a different final length once the chain is routed through the derailleur and sized correctly for the frame.
- The drivetrain family. If you are comparing classic Eagle to Transmission or another platform, do not mix the weight figures as if they described the same system.
I also keep one simple rule in mind: compare new chain to new chain, clean chain to clean chain. A dirty used chain can make a tiny spec difference look bigger than it really is, and that is how people end up overthinking a gap of 5 to 13 grams.
The simple takeaway for a clean Eagle build
The clean answer is straightforward: SRAM’s current XX1 Eagle chain is 239 g on a 114-link basis, and that puts it right at the top of the classic Eagle range without separating it from X01 on the scale. If you are building a light XC bike, that number is genuinely useful; if you are choosing for a trail bike, I would treat it as one spec among several rather than the deciding factor.
My own test is simple: if the chain choice changes the way the bike rides on paper more than it changes the way the bike feels on the trail, I do not overpay for the extra grams. If it helps you finish a race build, or it keeps a premium drivetrain fully matched, the XX1 figure is worth knowing. If not, GX and X01 are often the smarter place to land.
