He has been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for 14 years. 2023 SRAM Force AXS & XPLR groups updated with lighter, better tech. A geartrain without friction? The intuitive simplicity of SRAM RED eTap with an added performance of hydraulic road disc brakes (HRD). To obtain a copy of the manufacturer's or supplier . To pair with the Rival AXS 12-speed chainrings and cassettes, there is a matching Rival AXS Flattop chain. Similar bikes won't keep up with the Vitesse EVO Red eTap AXS while riding downhill or sprinting. The simple fact that quality is considered on par with each other is an exaggeration in my opinion. Gear ratios arent a new thing and 10t cogs have been around for a while.The XD driver was a great innovation. Continue with Recommended Cookies, At the official SRAM AXS launch, there was a LOT to learn. FWIW, Ive asked several times when the mechanical 12-speed groups are coming and only getting radio silence, so Im guessing they simply dont want to spoil the surprise. Whereas the previous generation Dura-Ace's levers were a miracle of miniaturisation, the R9200 ones have actually grown a bit so they're just slightly smaller than SRAM's. Battery-to-tire clearance was a known issue with the 1st gen eTap group when running anything larger than a 70040 tire. Even better, theyre now available consumer direct and in select shops in the U.S. and Canada. SRAM for innovation, Shimano for execution. For one, you could put ETAP 11 on basically any frame and an 11 speed wheel set. Who has the answer? At first glance, the "new" SRAM Force AXS groupset looks shiny and completely new. The effortless shifts, easy installation, user-friendly customization, and clean, cable-free cockpits have made them a must-have for high-end road and gravel bikes. All these sites are paid to promote therefore we cant expect them to be BRUTALLY honest because that means a blacklist from the sponsors in future. the gap between the next sprocket up and next sprocket down is bigger. They are compatible with 135mm, 142mm, and 148mm Boost rear axle spacing. Both SRAM RED and Force crank arms are carbon; SRAM RED having direct mount chainrings for 2x, and both SRAM RED and Force having a 1x spider that works with 1x 107mm BCD chainrings. Anyone willing to spend thousands on this mess will soon discover that SRAM completely missed any opportunity to develop/refine the many awesome features of ETAP 11. Note:SRAM HRD shifter weights include the cables, brake hose and caliper. Rival AXS shifters pair with any other component in the AXS line-up, including Eagle AXS rear derailleurs, for riders interested in a wide-range mullet set-up a 10-50T cassette with a single chainring. Theres also an all-new motor with more power and faster signal transfer, to go along with the groupsets overhauled chipset thats running things. I could never willingly pay money for shimanos mehcanical mtb shifting over SRAMs. Scope of delivery: 1x SRAM RED XG-1290 rainbow 12-speed cassette. As with all products in the AXS ecosystem, the AXS app allows riders to adjust shifting modes, personalize their controls, and gain insight into how they use their drivetrains. I think lots of the coverage is skipping the cost of this new group set. SRAM seems to be kicking Shimanos butt across the board- mountain and now road. Now, a more affordable little brother has joined the AXS family.
SRAM Rival eTap AXS review | Cycling Weekly The only / or last one I can remember that looks decent are the original XX double MTB cranks. Both of those features make the best fit possible for any rider. Package Quantity: 1. Is there even a pro world tour team riding Sram anymore? There are similar, less visible material choices other components. In the world of bike tech game-changing is a hyperbolic phrase that gets bandied left, right and centre. It's a beauty! Everything from the overall AXS system that would control future wireless components from SRAM, Rockshox and more, to the actual new RED eTap AXS road group and its Eagle mountain bike counterpart. Real weight for the 1x Red eTap AXS full crankset including the 40T chainring is 510g. And its nice to have options. SRAM says that this ability to absorb water is an advantage if you do get damp in your brakes, as it means that it's less likely there will be free water droplets in the hoses than with an oil-based system, where it would boil at 100C and so potentially impact performance. The rear mech will work with either a 1x or 2x system and to get around the need for a clutch on a 1x system, used to retain chain tension on rough terrain, SRAMs come up with a clever alternative, called Orbit. Thanks! Once the rear mech reaches a pre-defined point on the cassette the next shift will initiate a front mech shift with the rear mech making a corresponding shift in the opposite direction to give you the next gear ratio up or down the cassette. Rival takes advantage of X-Range gearing, which uses tighter jumps between the chainrings and 12-speed cassettes to give riders more gear range and smoother gear progression. Plus the cost of consumable parts like the chainrings? Heres all of our tech stories from the SRAM AXS launch event: Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. And it's still wireless. Shift speed, to me, is a critical determinant in any drivetrain, and Red failed in my view in that regard. SRAM RED eTap AXS Replacement Hydraulic Shift/Brake Lever - Left/Front, Black $446 When purchased online. And it certainly looks bulky and clunky even compared to Ultegra di2. Sprockets make up the cassette on your rear wheel, which is attached to the freehub and held in place by a lockring. If I do go down the AXS path this year, I think an Easton crank might be the way to go. Designed without wires or cables the eTap wireless drivetrain is paired with SRAM's advanced HydroHC technology to provide a simpler shifting and better braking system with improved control and ergonomics. The rest of it looks great but I find the cranks really unattractive. You can also check battery status in the SRAM AXS phone app (see below). 2023 SRAM Force AXS & XPLR groups updated with lighter, better tech. In Shimano's case these are wired to the levers while SRAM has both wired and wireless options. > Ive ridden the group and theres no friction to be found. Wouldnt besurprised if were waiting a while, they probably need to make some money back on axs. The brake levers are aluminum, and the lever reach is adjustable so you can personalize your fit. Each shifter operates on a CR2032 coin cell which should last for around two years. As traditional freehub bodies are too big to allow anything smaller than an 11, SRAM chose to use a variation on the aforementioned XD Driver it pioneered on its 1x mountain bikes (and which has already been seen on 1x groups on road, cyclocross and gravel bikes). on the other hand, a spider-based unit reads total power, so it is more accurate. The reduction in the chains size has meant that it has more clearance than the previous model when its sitting on a sprocket i.e. Scope of delivery With setup tool, without battery. The SRAM RED eTap AXS rear derailleur is AXS enabled for easy personalization and designed for both 1x and 2x systems. With the new 12-speed RED eTap AXS groupset, out go traditional gearing ratios and in comes something entirely new: As you can see, the chainring sizes are reduced and the cassettes look broadly similar, but what you actually get is harder and easier gears at both ends of the spectrum, across all combinations (Fig 1). New 10-36 cassette and crank with 30/46 rings make Force eTap AXS more gravel and fondo friendly. The upside is that all new products moving forward (at least for the next couple years) will be built on this platform and be cross compatible.
SRAM Rival eTap AXS vs Force vs Red | The Pro's Closet Spotted: A New XC Race Bike from Specialized 2023 Epic? Firstly, it can operate sequentially, where you just shift up or down. Ive come to expect great ideas with mediocre execution from SRAM. The higher boiling point should make a DOT fluid-based system more stable, says SRAM, leading to longer periods between brake system bleeds. eTap is the next generation, electronic shifting system from SRAM, replacing their famous mechanical shifting, the Double Tap. The Rival AXS front derailleur is optimized for X-Range chainrings and uses Yaw technology, so theres no need for trim to compensate for extreme gear combinations. Its only when all of the improvements come together that it all starts to make sense. SRAM Rival eTap AXS brings all the benefits of the earlier (and much more expensive) releases - at a fraction of the outlay. No mention of the throw-away crankset + power meter when you need or want new rings, no mention of the need to replace your hubs to work with XDR, coin batteries in the shifters, 10 tooth cog.the list goes on. Shimano Dura-Ace and SRAM Red eTap AXS both have very distinctive designs, but both are very functional.
SRAM Rival AXS review: This is the wireless setup you - CyclingTips Other aspects? SRAM Red eTap AXS and Shimano Dura-Ace are both now 12-speed and electronic only and both have wireless comms between the shifters and the derailleurs. This directly impacts the stiffness of the chainrings, which itself has a big bearing on how well the front mech will shift as well as other performance benefits for the racers. Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access, Enjoy your first month for just 1 / $1 / 1, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. AXS might be the perfectly executed product to change my mind. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. So SRAM Red cassettes are offered in four options. One thing we did notice in our testing was that the SRAM groupset was significantly more silent than its Shimano Dura-Ace rival. Groups are 239-352g heavier. The pistons also retract 10% more than the previous generation callipers to help reduce the likelihood of brake rub. The brake/shift levers are bloody awful too. If it's good enough for the likes of Peter Sagan and Mark Cavendish it's good enough for us. With Rival, more riders can upgrade their ride with a fully wireless design, X-Range gearing, and an integrated Quarq power meter. Their shift ramps are super clunky (not a feature btw as some people suggest). So, the short answer is, it didnt feel any faster, but I liked the speed of the original eTap (and this new one) just fine. Yes, those crank arms are homely. Orbit is a fluid damper contained within the pivot at the top jockey wheel axle. After three years riding the original eTap in its various rim and disc brake guises Ive been very impressed.
SRAM Rival eTap AXS Review | Best Drivetrains - Bicycling A couple of advantages to this are that it's easy to take the battery off and recharge it somewhere convenient with SRAM's recharging cradle and that if one battery goes flat (usually the rear) you can swap them about and keep going. In his time as a cycling journalist, Warren has written for Mountain Biking UK, What Mountain Bike, Urban Cyclist, Procycling, Cyclingnews, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike and T3. The first ten sprockets are machined together, as are the largest two. The Durable Unifying bottom bracket (DUB) is SRAMs answer to creaky press-fit bottom brackets. Doing so without affecting its strength is a challenge, which led SRAM to rethinking its chain design. Visit our corporate site. Most of their parts in general are aesthetically acceptable, with the exception of their crank arms. In the wake of a tragic accident thats garnered national attention, a cycling community looks to pick up the pieces. You can also run a 10-36 cassette with a specific, compatible wider-range Red derailleur. The roads we used were mostly dirt, looping in and out of Saguaro National Parks western district (check out our Where To Ride guide for more on this sweet winter training area!). Over the years, Warren has written about thousands of bikes and tested more than 2,500 from budget road bikes to five-figure superbikes. . Will that luster hold up? The lack of any real critical analysis here is disappointing and lacks any credibility. The new chipset and connectivity built into the eTap AXS system has allowed SRAM to build a dedicated app so you can take advantage of its custom features. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Shimano researches products until there is no compromise in performance. The levers havent really changed in shape, but the finish looks impressive with carbon levers finished with chrome graphics and a new softer and textured grip that feels good and offers a solid connection even in heavy rain wearing winter gloves. SRAM RED eTap AXS offers wider range and closer progression, so you're always in the right gear. This groupset shifts from a more traditional 11-speed cassette arrangement to a 12-speed cassette configuration. SRAM 12-speed cassettes will only fit on wheels with SRAM XDR freehub bodies. With SRAM ostensibly leading the way with their fully wireless 12 speed eTap AXS groupsets, Shimano made steps in the same direction with the release of semi-wireless models in 2021.. You will find snaps of Warrens daily rides on the Instagram account of our sister publication, Cycling Plus (@cyclingplus). Specifically, the battery. It's not a lightweight choice, but it compares extremely well with. In contrast, Shimano has stuck to cassettes that start with an 11-tooth smallest sprocket, as it claims that this is less prone to wear as a greater number of teeth are in contact with the chain. Most of the downsides with AXS clearly arent going to be present with a brand new drivetrain. Namely, the clutched rear derailleur. While the electronics and all that have been improved to be faster, my experience was that the shifting itself felt the same as prior eTap. SRAM Red eTap AXS This is the option for you if you want no wires Specifications Speeds: 1x12, 2x12 Chainrings: 46/33T, 48/35T, 50/37T, 36T, 38T, 40T, 42T, 44T, 46T, 48T, 50T Cassettes:. . Double cranksets use X-Range gearing, with a smaller 13-tooth gap between chainrings, and are available in 48/35t or 46/33t. Why pay to sponsor a team when new product releases like this are still being talked about long after the initial release. Can its new 12-speed eTap AXS repeat the trick? Force can add one blip per shifter and Red two blips per shifter. Hood included; . Based on SRAM's claimed weights for 2x disc brake groups without a power meter, the Rival AXS is 653 grams heavier than Red AXS, and 223 grams heavier than Force AXS. SRAM competitor Campagnolo might well have got to 12-speed first, but with the wireless, electronic RED eTap getting a wider revamp, which goes far beyond the fabled 12th sprocket, its taken aim at nothing less than a complete rethink of road bike gearing. I just wish a little devils advocacy were present in your review. Similarly, aftermarket groups should be shipping now, too, and you will need the complete groupsadly, nothing from the original eTap group will work here.
First Look: SRAM Force eTAP AXS Component Group Rival uses aluminum brake levers and crank arms, while Force uses composite brake levers and solid carbon crank arms.
SRAM Eagle AXS Wireless Drivetrains Compared: GX vs. XX1 and X01 You've been subscribed to our newsletter. Rim brake fans arent being left out in the cold either as SRAM will be offering eTap AXS in that format. The Rival AXS wide front derailleur is designed for smaller 43/30t X-Range chainrings on wide cranks and provides clearance for 700x45c and 27.5x2.1 tires. This is how you discover new territory off the beaten track. Its set to cost 3,349 / $3,648 / 3,618 for the 2x HRD RED version we have tested over the last few months. Graduations: 10-28 or 10-33 teeth. Also, Ive already built 3 different bikes with the group and have yet to run into compatibility problems. Shimano's shifting is also faster than SRAM's and significantly faster than the old 11-speed Dura-Ace. The fact that the rings are machined together is a huge issue to me. Cassettes are 11-28 (or closest) We've removed bottom bracket weight as these are frame dependant. A remote mount for the battery would give even more clearance at the front derailleur. Cassette weight has been added already. Hes been riding gravel since before gravel bikes existed too, riding a cyclocross bike through the Chilterns and along the South Downs.
What's the difference between Rival and SRAM RED or Force eTap AXS? - SRAM SRAM's hoods house the hydraulic brake reservoirs as well as the shifter electronics. The less pronounced jumps between gears make the best use of your efforts and create a more controlled cadence, as the seven 1-tooth jumps are between the gears you will use the most is better than anything currently available (bar a custom time-trial straight through cassette) and thats the Holy Grail for smoother pedaling. It is compatible with 1x and 2x eTap AXS drivetrains. The 10-26t, 10-28t or 10-33t can run with a standard Red derailleur. Gone is the two-ring design held in place by bolts on a spider. We've removed bottom bracketweight as these are frame dependant. But sometimes people dont have unlimited budgets. SRAM Red eTap AXS 2518g / RRP 3,794 You'll save yourself around 100g by opting for Dura-Ace over Red eTap, although the latest 12-speed Dura-Ace is actually a few grams heavier than. I agree, the mechanical group will really help usher in their new gearing concept to the masses. The Orbea Orca, which Ive been running AXS on, is equipped with two blips mounted under the tape on the underside of the bars top, so you can shift gears when riding holding the tops while on a long, steady climb. I am eager to hear more of your feedback. Personally, Id probably not use this option very much, but its fun to experiment with. If youve been itching to ride AXS technology, Rival eTap AXS might be the group youve been waiting for. It can absorb water from the atmosphere, but even with 4% water still boils at 155C. Another smart move SRAM made was ensuring launch day delivery of parts, with a number of brands ready to go with new AXS-equipped models for road, gravel, monstercross and triathlon. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel to killer riding locations throughout North America. After a few months of testing, eTap AXS has surpassed my expectations.
Road - RED eTap AXS - r2-bike.com table { }tr { }col { }br { }td { padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-left: 1px; color: black; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; vertical-align: bottom; border: medium none; white-space: nowrap; }.xl63 { text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; }.xl64 { text-align: left; }.xl65 { text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; }.xl66 { text-align: left; vertical-align: middle; white-space: normal; }. SRAM Red chainrings are machines from one piece of material so are lighter and stronger than before. Ever bigger cassettes have been in vogue for years now, not just among committed amateurs like me and you but the pro peloton too. SRAM Red derailleurs each have their own removeable battery attached to the rear of the mechanism. The smaller articulation angle between the chain links as they pass over an 11-tooth sprocket should also lead to lower friction, although SRAM claims that the 12-speed Red eTap with a 10-tooth sprocket is as efficient as its previous generation 11-speed system with an 11-tooth smallest sprocket. Im actually pretty open minded. There's an indicator light on the rear mech that indicates charge level and, like SRAM, you can also check battery status in the Shimano E-Tube app. Compatibility Drive: SRAM Red | Force eTap AXS 12-speed. I rode Force 22 for years before switching to a bike with DA 9150, and Id swap back to Force in a second. However, on the road side it lacks any type of damper or clutch. There's also the option to have a wired connection between the shifters and the derailleurs. Newer Post , Get early access to sales and new products, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands (GS $). Rival AXS derailleurs feature the same shifting precision and reliability as their Force and Red AXS siblings. Hiding under the hood, though, are a big collection of incremental running changes that have been added to both Red and Force groups over the years and finally getting codified here. You should get around 60 hours of riding on a charge, with each derailleur having an indicator light that shows green, red then flashing red to show battery level. The AXS technology allows you to make your shifters do what you want them to, and the brake levers have a customizable reach. Red uses carbon brake levers and hollow carbon crank arms. However, Shimano still attaches the chainrings using bolts, although we've certainly never noticed any amount of flex. First of all, lets talk about that 12th sprocket.
SRAM Force eTap AXS Rear Derailleur 2023 - bellatisport.com The Orbit Fluid Damper provides chain retention using fluid resistance. Enjoyed your comments Tyler. The larger clearance to the middle of the bottom bracket also benefits very wide tires. Honestly I would not, because the existing system is still so good. Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. SRAMs break with traditional gear ratios has meant some radical design changes chainset included. A lot to process. Small vision with great execution. Theyve addressed what few issues the first group had, made it faster and more capable, and its better looking than ever.
SRAM Force AXS first ride review - Road Groupset - Groupsets - BikeRadar Weight according to the manufacturer: kA. Electronic drivetrains are the future of cycling, and for the last two years, SRAMs wireless Red eTap AXS and Force eTap AXS groups have been at the top of the food chain. Both Red and Dura-Ace give you the option to adjust brake lever rest position and bite point to suit your hands' reach. So Dura-Ace runs a 12-speed chain from the XTR groupset. There's a battery indicator LED on the shift paddle to show you when it's running low. SRAM's eTap AXS components, in contrast, are wireless.
2021 Road & Gravel Groupset Weight Comparison - CCACHE Updated Apr-2021 (added Rival AXS 12-speed), Older Post This pushes up the top end ratio slightly to satisfy the ever-increasing speeds of pro racers, but also leads to a more efficient chainline when riding faster. There's also a 54/40t chainset available. All Shimano's cassettes are backward compatible with wheels with 11-speed Shimano freehubs despite having a different flange arrangement. That said, when it comes to replacing my current bike or investing in another road machine then, without a shadow of a doubt, I would be wanting the radical new eTap AXS. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie.