When the primary version of RED eTap AXS launched, it launched SRAM’s new gear ratio philosophy, which trickled throughout all of their highway bike teams as these had been up to date to 12 speeds, from Drive to Rival and even all the way down to Apex.
A few of these teams launched new options of their very own, with Rivals’s up to date hood shapes ultimately trickling as much as Drive. Alongside the best way, their drop bar teams additionally branched off into gravel with XPLR variants.
With the brand new RED AXS, they took all the suggestions from these different teams, their high Professional Tour riders, and present RED riders, then boiled it down into a more recent, less complicated, and quicker RED group that sits on the very high of the class. To do this, they chased two targets:
- Make it less complicated to make use of
- Make it lighter
Within the course of, in addition they gave it the most effective drop bar brake levers ever. Right here’s the way it all comes collectively…
KISS: Preserve It Easy, SRAM
Chances are high you’ll purchase a motorcycle with the brand new SRAM on it and gained’t need to pair something apart from your laptop and the AXS App. However as somebody who’s put in fairly just a few SRAM AXS teams over time, I recognize that they’ve made the DIY set up simpler. And a few of that interprets to what you’ll see as an finish shopper shopping for a whole bike, too, so bear with me.
Preliminary setup is faster
SRAM says they wished to make setup easy. From shifting to pairing to updating with the app, the group ought to require solely your efficiency as an enter. If you happen to’re putting in from scratch, you’ll nonetheless have to pair the rear derailleur to the entrance derailleur and shifters earlier than connecting them with the AXS app (right here’s how). However then when you pair the group with the app, all the pieces appears reveals up extra rapidly and all collectively within the app.
Simpler gearing choices & backward compatibility
SRAM is aware of that Bikes have gotten quicker, gearing has gotten wider, and rider expectations larger. So, the brand new RED makes possession less complicated and simpler, too, whereas delivering all the trendy choices.
First, there’s no “Broad” derailleur variant (but…?). One entrance derailleur and one rear derailleur handles all gearing mixtures, so you possibly can combine and match chainring combos and cassettes nonetheless you want with out worrying about whether or not the derailleurs can deal with it.
To do this, they lose the 10-26 cassette that nobody was shopping for anyway, and provide 4 choices. Select from 10-28, 10-30, 10-33, and 10-36 cassettes. Each the 10-33 and 10-36 are new for RED degree teams..
Second, all the pieces right here is backward suitable with all 12-speed AXS teams at present in the marketplace, from Apex as much as RED. Which is nice, as a result of it’s possible you’ll solely need to improve to the brand new brake levers & brakes after studying this, ultimately changing the drivetrain elements as they put on.
The sum complete of those updates means you possibly can merely deal with the journey and enhancing the general expertise, not worrying about element compatibility and pairing…which is the best way it must be.
“Lightest digital groupset ever.”
The unique RED group was the lightest highway group ever. And now they’re reclaiming that title within the digital period. Each element is lighter:
-83g from brake levers and calipers
-23g from crankarms
-29g from crankset as a complete
-13g from chain
-16g rear derailleur
That’s 153g lighter than the unique RED eTap AXS. That group was 2,649g earlier than, and now it’s 2,496g with an influence meter.
So, what’s new precisely?
In addition to the burden, SRAM made huge aesthetic and useful modifications throughout nearly each half. Right here’s what’s modified for every element…
Controls & Brakes
RED will get extra snug hoods with a slimmer floor and smaller diameter. However these are all-new designs, not a rebadged model of what got here with Rival and Drive. They are saying it supplies a greater grip and leads to much less hand fatigue.
Textures and grooves on the perimeters and high of the hoods assist with alignment and preliminary setup. Level the highest ones ahead and get the aspect ones degree and also you’re off to a superb begin, then effective tune as you want.
Brake lever attain adjustment is accessed straight from the entrance of the lever by eradicating a small plug. The plug has a leash so that you gained’t lose it, too. If you happen to’ve ever needed to regulate your lever’s attain, you’ll recognize simply how huge of an enchancment that is.
A separate pad contact adjustment is on the aspect of the hoods, accessible by peeling again the quilt.
All that’s good, however the greatest enchancment comes from the redesigned brake levers themselves. In comparison with the unique eTap mannequin, the brand new levers have the next pivot level that’s additionally farther ahead. They are saying it requires an unimaginable 80% much less effort when braking from hoods, and 33% much less effort when braking from the drops.
In actual world phrases, it means you possibly can actually one-finger brake from the hoods.
It additionally switches to a “push piston” design, much like how mountain bike brakes work, which simplifies the internals. Not solely does this imply a extra direct hose set up with out requiring a second wrench, it additionally works with the brand new lever pivot placement to offer you extra leverage and decrease power for a really gentle really feel.
These modifications additionally shed numerous weight, which SRAM says leads to a noticeably lighter “swing weight” when your flicking the handlebar round whereas standing and climbing.
These levers work a brand new, stiffer two-piece caliper with numerous cut-outs and extensive open pad slot. This offers it loads of airflow and minimal weight, and loads of pad clearance for rub-free efficiency.
New Paceline X rotors have a brand new, lighter middle provider and can are available in 140 & 160 sizes, Heart Lock solely.
Again to the controls – A brand new bonus button on the within of each hoods comes out of the field mimicking the shifter paddle on that very same aspect. However, you possibly can customise its operate to reverse the shifting or have it management suitable ANT+ units paired with the group. Set it up with the AXS App, or with the brand new Karoo (extra on that beneath).
Cranks, Chainrings & Powermeters
The crank arms have a refined hole carbon fiber layup that’s 29g lighter than earlier than. They arrive in 160 (new), 165, 167.5, 170, 172.5, and 175mm lengths.
The one-piece 2x chainring combos have a little bit extra materials machined away on the high and backside edges (90º from the crankarms). They’re accessible in 50/37, 48/35 and 46/33 when shopping for a whole crankset, plus larger 52/39, 54/41, and 56/43 combos for the aftermarket.
The 1x aero chainring will get new graphics, however is in any other case the identical. It comes solely in 50T measurement when bought with the crankset, however smaller sizes can be found aftermarket. All 2x chainring combos and the 50T 1x can be found with or and not using a Quarq energy meter, which carries over unchanged. All connect with SRAM’s 8-bolt mounting sample.
Entrance derailleur
The brand new entrance derailleur has a narrower entrance cage, which suggests much less distance to maneuver for quicker and extra exact shifts. They’ll get away with this with out chain rub for 2 causes. First, the brand new RED is solely accessible as a disc brake group, no extra rim brakes, so the cage is designed particularly for chain traces on disc brake bikes. Second, it has an improved auto trim to remove rasp on the acute ends of the cassette, making its personal slight changes as you shift throughout the rear gears.
It now comes with one help wedge pre-installed behind it, two others are included in field. They’re now adjustable from a front-facing screw, too, which makes set up and adjustment a lot simpler than earlier than, even with the rear wheel nonetheless on the bike.
Each Excessive and Low restrict screws at the moment are labeled, so you already know what you’re doing. And all of it comes with a brand new entrance derailleur setup information software that slides over the chainring. Strains on the highest match up with the information marks on high of the cage, which you line up with the massive chainring, making all of it very simple.
Two mounting holes on the entrance allow you to regulate its place on the bike to suit any of the six accessible chainring combos.
Rear derailleur
The rear derailleur will get extra materials chiseled away for a 16g weight reduction, however retains their Orbit fluid damper for good chain administration. The decrease pulley is bigger, each for aesthetics and marginal efficiency positive aspects when it comes to smoothness and decreased friction and noise, and will get ceramic bearings. No, it’s not a Magic Pulley like on their T-Kind derailleurs.
It matches all the new cassettes, from 10-28 as much as 10-36. The one factor that’s not backward suitable about your entire group is that this gained’t work with prior 10-26 cassettes.
SRAM RED chain
The brand new RED E1 chain is their lightest ever, dropping 13g by including cutouts to each internal and outer plates. It retains the hole pins, which they are saying are stronger than their stable pins. It’s optimized for highway, not MTB, regardless that it seems to be much like the T-Kind MTB chains.
It’s suitable with all different SRAM 12-speed highway teams, however they don’t advocate it for MTB or e-bikes. The Rainbow “oil slick” completed chain and cassette can be found aftermarket in all sizes.
However wait, there’s extra…
All teams have now dropped the “eTap” moniker, it’s simply AXS now. This new SRAM RED AXS is the “E1” group, so should you’re ordering on-line, search for that designation within the half quantity.
There’s additionally a new Hammerhead Karoo GPS biking laptop that integrates with this group to supply simple on-bike, app-free customization.
You may arrange your group with the AXS app. Or you possibly can simply activate the all-new Hammerhead Karoo, which is included with all full groupsets at launch. It was developed at the side of this RED group, and it’ll robotically join and pair all units. It additionally enables you to configure the controls and present particular person battery cost for every element.
SRAM RED AXS weights, pricing & availability
Full SRAM RED AXS E1 groupsets can be found at launch (now) with the brand new Karoo included. Particular person elements can be accessible in June and July for riders who need to improve particular person elements.
Claimed weights
This chart compares weights for the brand new SRAM RED AXS with and with out energy meters to the unique eTap model and the brand new and prior Drive teams. The underside part lists the specs for the elements weighed.
Pricing
A whole SRAM RED AXS E1 group, with Karoo, is $3,000 (€3,350 / £3,000). Particular person element costs are:
- Cassette – Normal: $390
- Cassette – Rainbow: $410
- Chain – Normal: $89
- Chain – Rainbow: $99
- Fast Hyperlink Connector: $18
- Crankset w/ Normal Chainrings: $700
- Crankset w/ Energy Meter Chainrings: $1,200
- Crankset w/o Chainrings: $400
- Chainrings w/ Energy Meter: $800 (1x or 2x, all sizes)
- Chainrings – 2x Normal: $300
- Chainrings – 1x Normal: $135 – $240
- Shifter/Brake Levers w/ Caliper: $675 (per aspect)
- Paceline X rotors: $70
- Entrance Derailleur: $450
- Rear Derailleur: $700
- Hammerhead Karoo: $475
Keep tuned for first impressions with set up notes and precise weights, and take a look at the brand new Karoo and new Zipp x Goodyear tires, too!
