The Orbit Fluid Damper provides chain retention using fluid resistance. Small vision with great execution. The Vitesse EVO Red eTap AXS is easier to ride up hills than similar bikes. Think of pushing your open hand through water slowly as opposed to as fast as you can and how the resistance increases. Expect a full test of this new Orca soon, but Ill just say its a bike thats every bit as impressive as the gearing its running. The 13-teeth jumps were first used in their XX MTB gruppo. Shimano 12-speed cassettes are backward compatible with its 11-speed freehubs. 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. Rival uses aluminum brake levers and crank arms, while Force uses composite brake levers and solid carbon crank arms. Yes, those crank arms are homely. Scope of delivery With setup tool, without battery. The difference to Red eTap AXS is 541 grams. 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. At first glance, the "new" SRAM Force AXS groupset looks shiny and completely new. It's also allowed Shimano to separate the upshift and downshift levers a bit more widely, reducing the risk of mis-shifting which was an issue particularly when wearing heavier winter gloves. In reading each review of VXS, I have waited and waited for any kind of comment on shift speed. All Shimano's cassettes are backward compatible with wheels with 11-speed Shimano freehubs despite having a different flange arrangement. Also like SRAM, Shimano's shifters communicate wirelessly with the derailleurs. With 48/35t chainrings, 175mm cranks, a 10-30t cassette, and hydraulic disc brake calipers, the claimed weight of a complete Rival eTap AXS group is 2,783 grams. The SRAM Red eTap AXS Shift-Brake Levers uses wireless electronic shifting to get the job done. This is something most of us do manually anyway, but now SRAM will do it for you. SRAM Red eTap AXS XPLR drivetrain review The gravel variant of SRAM's top-tier shifting Our rating 4.0 USD $1,610.00 Rear derailleur, cassette, crankset By Warren Rossiter Published:. 2023 SRAM Force AXS & XPLR groups updated with lighter, better tech. The Rival rear derailleur, for example, has steel bearings, steel hardware, and an aluminum pulley cage. Out of Stock. Similarly, aftermarket groups should be shipping now, too, and you will need the complete groupsadly, nothing from the original eTap group will work here. The reason why is because there is a host of different wire length + junction options and weight will fluctuate with setup. This refers to the number of times the back wheel rotates for each full turn of the pedals. Both brands' disc brakes are designed to work with either 140mm or 160mm rotors. Which means it could be a complete folly for us to describe SRAMs new eTap AXS shifting system in such terms. SRAM Red eTap AXS 12-speed Wireless electronic shifting Rim brake and disc brake options 10-tooth smallest sprocket requires XDR driver freehub body Orbit Fluid damper rear derailleur Power. Shimano's shifting is also faster than SRAM's and significantly faster than the old 11-speed Dura-Ace. There are two variants of the SRAM Red eTap; rim brakes (dual pivot and direct mount) and hydraulic disc brakes (commonly referred to as HRD, or Hydraulic Road Disc). Wolf Tooth is working on one but its a little further out. The larger clearance to the middle of the bottom bracket also benefits very wide tires. The difference between Shimano and Sram is that SRAM accepts compromise in order to innovate. Other aspects? Its rather odd that sluggish shifting was the biggest complaint that a lot of people had about eTap v1, and it seems like SRAM hasnt addressed it to any significant degree. They use a CR1632 coin cell each with a similar battery life of around two years. Front derailleur cable routing wireless. Rim brake fans arent being left out in the cold either as SRAM will be offering eTap AXS in that format. So I wanted to take a minute to process all that before writing my first ride impressions of the new groups. X-Range gearing compatible with 10-36t cassette. I dont mind it until Im at race wattage and then its a first world problem because the shifting is noticeably slower than di2 of any gen. Ive got 7970 still and it shifts faster than AXS. Why cant shimano be wireless yet? 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. If you want to ditch the front derailleur altogether or fit even wider tires, there is also a single-ring Rival 1 wide crankset. 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. Crankset weights will vary depending on size and length. Ummmm no, they just downsized things. There are two mens world teams on SRAM, Trek Factory and Katusha Now, a more affordable little brother has joined the AXS family. Let's take a look: Derailleur weight is the only functional difference in SRAM's AXS line. 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. Sign up to receive BikeRumor content direct to your inbox. A Force eTap AXS group with a similar set-up weighs 2,600 grams, a difference of 183 grams. 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. I could never willingly pay money for shimanos mehcanical mtb shifting over SRAMs. The group introduces a new spindle-based Quarq power meter, plus 2x and 1x crank, chainring, and cassette options for road and gravel bikes. Meaning, you no longer have to make front shifts, you simply press one side to go easier and the other side to go harder, then it shifts front and/or rear for you to run through the gears in the most appropriate sequence. After experimenting with both automation settings, I was impressed with the sequential operation, where you can forget about front mech operations and just let the bike take care of it. shipping country: language: [email protected] om (+49) 351 811 975 90 . We were lucky enough to get our hands on Orbeas Orca a few months ago in the new eTap AXS spec and its this bike Ive used for my testing. Note: Mechanical weights do not include cabling. For one, you could put ETAP 11 on basically any frame and an 11 speed wheel set. And it's still wireless. In the case of eTap XRS, the sprockets make up two blocks pinned together to produce the whole, but on many designs sprockets can be individual, particularly as they get smaller. Most of the downsides with AXS clearly arent going to be present with a brand new drivetrain. Shimano is rolling out special editions for gravel and road. 124K views 1 year ago Is Shimano Ultegra Di2 the best electronic groupset to buy in 2021, and how does it compare to its main rival, SRAM Force eTap AXS? Perhaps the most enticing feature of the Rival AXS group is the new, more affordable, spindle-based Quarq power meter. All rights reserved. From ingredients to timing, dosage to frequency, heres a quick masterclass in ride fueling and recovery that goes far beyond their products, talking through the science to help you ride harder, longer & faster! The Flattop design allows for a narrower chain without compromising strength or durability. Still seems a little rich for my blood especially when ultegra di2 shift groups can be found for 800 bucks new and the replacement parts are cheap for when you crash. Then they trickled down to the X9, X7 and X5 dual chainring cranksets. Shimano gives you more flexibility with how this is configured, although this does increase the chances of getting a configuration that doesn't work well. What is the shift speed like? Arguably a modular PM is much more elegant. Overall, the group offers a not just a refreshing new take on what a road bike drivetrain can be, but also opens the doors for some pretty amazing things in the future. The move to 12-speed could have been just another trinket to get people to part with their hard-earned cash, but what SRAM has achieved with eTap and its fresh approach to modern bike drivetrains could well be the shape of things to come. They are compatible with 135mm, 142mm, and 148mm Boost rear axle spacing. So far the only cranks that fit are 24/22mm ones. SRAM RED eTap AXS 12-speed and wireless, it's the ultimate in modern shifting Specifications Shifting: Wireless Braking: Disc, dual pivot rim Speeds: 1x12, 2x12 Weight: 2101g 2x rim /. The brake/shift levers are bloody awful too. Thanks for the thoughtful response. Shimano doesnt release duds and sram does? 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. The days of riders pushing huge gears with a tiny rear block are well and truly over, as ideas and beliefs over physiological efficiency change. Note:SRAM HRD shifter weights include the cables, brake hose and caliper. It's set to cost. Shimano Dura-Ace vs SRAM Red eTap AXS: The two leading groupsets head to head. Learn how your comment data is processed. Such is the design of eTap AXS, the clutch isnt needed. You can slow it down via the app if it's too fast for you. But of course the reduction in weight and improvement in aerodynamics comes at the penalty of increased friction, wear, and incompatibility out the wazoo. Newly formed Denver Disruptors NCL team to make its debut at Tucson Bicycle Classic and tackle a full season of NCL and domestic racing, By Anne-Marije Rook Real weight for the 1x Red eTap AXS full crankset including the 40T chainring is 510g. Liam Cahill / Our Media Would you question the quality of something if EVERY one of your friends was using it and lauded it? I think lots of the coverage is skipping the cost of this new group set. Even the current RED E-Tap is a pretty rare thing to find on a shop floor so its difficult for an interested rider to experience. The new brake rotors are the first SRAM has produced that are dedicated to the road, previously adopting designs from its extensive mountain bike line-up. The XD driver had been adapted for the road, wth the XDR driver, which is ever so slightly wider than its off-road equivelant, allowing for a smaller 10-tooth sprocket, which opens up a whole new set of numbers to achieve even bigger gear ranges. Weight 169g. And it certainly looks bulky and clunky even compared to Ultegra di2. Youll regularly find him commuting on an ebike and he longs for the day when everyone else follows suit. SRAM Force opts for a two piece caliper design instead of the monobloc calipers found on RED, which results in weights of 166g and 180g for the front and rear brake respectively with full length hoses, 160mm rotor adapters with hardware, and a pad spacer. You can only applaud SRAM for having the courage to take on decades of accepted standards and come up with something thats not just new, but has purpose with it. Id only add that if EVERY media outlet is reporting nothing but positives, Id say its a pretty good indication of the groups merits. With Rival, more riders can upgrade their ride with a fully wireless design, X-Range gearing, and an integrated Quarq power meter. SRAMs solution comes from its innovation in mountain biking and single ring 1x drivetrain used on road and gravel bikes in recent years. The * means that its not actually checking your power and efficiency to optimize cadence for you, personally. they executed that new xtr real well. Purchased separately, a full 2x group comes in at $1,420, while a 1x group brings the pricing down to $1,190. Theyre all going to select a similar number of riders for product testing. Theyve addressed what few issues the first group had, made it faster and more capable, and its better looking than ever. I really appreciate the push pull on the trigger for shimano. These are then pinned together to create the 12-speed block. FYI Heres a full list of everything you can buy as of February 2019, and theres plenty more coming. doesnt actually have a link connected to it with the list of bikes. Battery-to-tire clearance was a known issue with the 1st gen eTap group when running anything larger than a 70040 tire. To work out the range of a cassette divide the largest sprocket by the smallest and multiply by 100, and looking at the range of AXS the ranges are broader than traditional gearing. Rival AXS provides a more affordable alternative to the Force eTap AXS group and the top-of-the-line Red eTap AXS group. 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. I dont think its a limitation of wireless. Any improvement in the new group with a 212 set up? Its a little reminiscent of a BMX/Track half link, but these are full length links, The new XG-1290 cassette starts from a 10-tooth sprocket and is compatible with XD-R freehubs, The RED eTap AXS shifters are essentially the same shape as the previous shifter but with a carbon and chrome makeover and a new more ergonomic hood cover, AXS means both 1x and 2x drivetrains, but 1x doesnt just mean cross and gravel, SRAM also has this new 1x aero chainset for TT and triathlon with a spider mounted Quarq power meter option, The cross 1x chainset also has a power meter option, If youre not a fan of disc brakes SRAM also offers the new eTap with a rim brake option, A fluid damper built into the rear mech takes care of chain retention meaning eTap is now an option for cyclocross and gravel riders, With SRAMs AXS app (for iOS and Android) you can run firmware updates to the system (and power meter), look at battery levels, and assign actions to the shifters, as well as add-on blip controls and activate the shift modes, SRAMs reworking of gear ratios compared to its Shimano equivalents, SRAMs range of gearing offers a wider spread than we would have imagined, The new rear mech uses the exiting eTap battery as does the front mech, SRAM has finally produced a dedicated rotor for the road, and with its sculpted carrier and stainless (round-edged) brake track it looks the business, The new cassette keeps a close ratio of single-tooth jumps for the first seven sprockets, Ive been riding the new eTap for a few months now on Orbeas new Orca, which is available with the new eTap and Mavic Cosmic carbon Pro UST wheels and FSA K-Force carbon finsihing kit for 7,649. Meet Rival eTap AXS. That doesnt mean they cant be easily anticipated or quickly deduced. |, Buttery smooth shifts, quiet operation, brilliant gear range, The new one-piece direct mount double chainrings for the RED crankset are a serious piece of machining, SRAMs new 12-speed chain looks radically different with its flat-topped profile. A quiet, secure and smooth ride, whatever the terrain. Shimano takes their sweet ass time but releases a finished product. We captured slo-motion film(watch the road video at that link)of the derailleur working its magic, showing off how it managed the chain even over terrain so rough it had the bike skipping off the ground. Dura ace is much cheaper. 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.. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Is this a joke? Now theyre just bringing the model to road bikes. SRAM Red eTap AXS brake/shift levers have a large single paddle each. Also, Ive already built 3 different bikes with the group and have yet to run into compatibility problems. It also eschews any mechanical only version of the setup, going with only their wireless eTAP shifting option. They must be able to deliver the tech at an attainable price point so that the masses can taste the experience. The Rival crankset uses polished aluminum arms that are stiff, tough, and come in a variety of lengths (160mm-175mm). The principle behind the damper is that the faster it moves, the more the resistance builds. Heres all of our tech stories from the SRAM AXS launch event: Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com. SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset options, weights, and pricing are as follows; Force eTap AXS 1X Electronic Road Groupset Rim (1,983g): RRP AU$2099 Force eTap AXS 2X Electronic Road Groupset Rim (2,453g): RRP AU$2,779 Force eTap AXS 1X Electronic HRD Groupset (2,572g): RRP AU$2,779 Force eTap AXS 2X Electronic HRD Groupset (2,812g): RRP AU$3,399 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. Red cassettes are machined out of a single block of steel to minimize weight. 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. A lot to process. Thats an example of real substance whereas much of their lineup is pure marketing. SRAM Rival eTap AXS vs. Force vs. Red - Weight Comparison & More, The Best Carbon Road Bikes Marked Down Now, Best-Selling Bikes of 2022: Road, Mountain, Gravel & More, Get Up To Speed: The Best Road Bikes For Beginners, Read more about the difference between 2x and 1x drivetrains. 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. Bike compatibility: Universal. SRAM Red derailleurs each have their own removeable battery attached to the rear of the mechanism. Note: SRAM eTap component weights includes batteries because batteries all weigh the same. The SRAM AXS app is used to configure its electronic groupsets. Both also let you fit satellite shifters elsewhere on your bars. This is the increased weight of using the hydraulic calipers and hydraulic shifters. SRAM RED and Force AXS rear derailleurs use Orbit Fluid Dampers to prevent dropped chains and chain noise on rough roads. Quarqs crank-based power meters have become legendary for their accuracy and reliability. Heres a full list of everything you can buy as of February 2019, SRAM Eagle AXS Mountain Bike Group Tech Overview, Unboxed! We found that this makes it easier to ride in a tucked aero position due to better grip. While it was some way behind its major competitors Shimano and Campagnolo, whod had electronic systems for years, it jumped ahead of both by becoming the first to dispense with cables and operate wirelessly. The rest of it looks great but I find the cranks really unattractive. It's not a lightweight choice, but it compares extremely well with. That type of publicity is infinitely more effective than being the official drive-train sponsor of some random WT team. A radical drivetrain reinvention that feels every (gear)inch the future, Yes, I might have to learn a whole new set of gear ratios, but it opens up so much potential for experimenting with gear ranges, SRAM claims a 2.518kg complete weight for the group (and add 36g for the power meter), GBP 3,349.00 RRP These are there to please the pros, who were worried about chain articulation over the smaller sized sprockets in SRAM's standard X-Range configuration. Its the strongest chain SRAMs ever produced, apparently. The Force eTap AXS group is slated for April 2019, and while we dont have tech details on yet, its a good bet it, too, will use the revised gearing. We've got full reviews of our experience of riding both SRAM Red eTap AXS and Shimano Dura-Ace R9200, but if you're not sure which is for you and want a more direct comparison read on. Compatibility freewheel: SRAM-XDR freewheel. The cassette is a masterpiece of machining, with the construction using SRAMs one-piece X-Dome design to save plenty of weight. Firstly, it can operate sequentially, where you just shift up or down. Then theyll be cooking with gas.