If trails always leaned towards flat, we'd blissfully rock an effortlessly simple singlespeed setup to our heart's content. However, the world is lumpy, and sometimes gears are essential to enjoying time on the trail. With its Eagle drivetrain, SRAM is making the rest of the industry take notice with 12 speeds of one-by, bridging the gap between clean single chainrings and gear range for days. The SRAM X01 Eagle 12-Speed GXP Direct Mount Crankset moves the chain forward with classy, understated graphics and an updated design. Eagle's X-Sync 2 chainring builds on the OG X-Sync chainring's chain retention ability with a few updates coming with claims of even better chain control. As with the original design, each tooth is CNC-machined with a variable thickness from tooth to tooth, which support the chain's inner- and outer-link widths. This lets the chain and chainring essentially lock together as you pedal and pushes away mud with ease. Where the original X-Sync teeth boasted a boxy shape, Eagle's chainring features aggressively profiled teeth that hold the chain like a hungry raccoon clutching the edge of a discarded leftover container before letting it glide back to the cassette for smooth, friction-free turns. SRAM utilizes its Carbon Tuned technology to fashion the X01 Eagle arms with a proprietary carbon layup that increases stiffness where it's needed and minimizes excess material for an overall reduction in weight. In contrast to its top-tier XX1 Eagle cousin's hollow core construction, the X01 Eagle crank arms feature a foam core that adds a handful of grams while keeping costs down without impacting responsiveness. The direct-mount chainring interface also affords the option of quickly subbing different sized rings for different shapes of terrain, allowing flexibility to adapt to the day's planned route.