I had a '14 Rune that kept for three years riding it 3-4X+ a week. The only thing I ever had to do with it was swap the bearings out (easy). It was bombproof.

Then there is the brand that no one likes to talk about...Evil, with their low shock placement since forever.

"Fair point, a lot of my sentiment is based around the fact my Eagle stuff has been damn near invisible (I don't think about it - it just plain works) to me. That said, it does seem picky with respect to b-tension, and of course if something gets "beat up" all bets are off to whether or not you can keep it running smoothly. I'm not sure I'd want to vouch for a beat up anything in the bike world!"

Exactly. I have listened to riders bitch about wide range drivetrains since they first arrived 6+ years ago. In my personal experience I think they have performed fantastically especially compared to what preceded them. Regarding issues with Eagle, it has remained trouble free for me over the last several years. Yeah, it takes an additional minute or so adjust it (bfd) and may not work as well when it gets thrashed (if that's the biggest issue then ride a single speed). I agree with @jeff.brines in that I am sure XTR 12 (and XT, SLX) is swell, it isn't really breaking any new ground. That's okay though as it provides another option and gives Shimano fans a comparable kit to Eagle. Some will like it and some will not. So what? Ride on.

By that evaluation XTR loses due to it costing and weighing more than SRAM's XX1 Eagle. Otherwise, if you like Shimano's feel/performance now you have a high end wide range alternative. Is it better than SRAM's offerings? Maybe, but that depends on where you are standing. SRAM Eagle not only works at all levels/price points, but now has multiple seasons behind it's success. As in the past however, Shimano's XT and SLX ranges are where you'll see most of the action.