The two biggest differences from Di2 are that Red eTap shifting is wireless, and the AXS incarnations has 12 sprockets on the rear hub, with a significantly different approach to gearing centered on its 10-tooth smallest sprocket. SRAMs RED eTap AXS will also be available on a whole host of 2019 bikes with brands such as Specialized, Trek, Canyon, Orbea, BMC, Giant, Liv, Scott, Cannondale, Cervelo, 3T, Open, Rose, Parlee and Koga all confirmed. Plus the cost of consumable parts like the chainrings? The picture shows that the RDs weight is 297g and not 247g (and that would be closer to the claimed 303g). 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. Thats all they had available at the launch, but Ive pulled the left arm and cassette off our demo bike and added those weights to the post. Small gains in aerodynamics here or weight loss from a bikes chassis there are often breathlessly described as game-changing, when in fact theyre merely reasonable, expected gains brought about through refinement by clever sorts. X-Range gearing compatible with 10-36t cassette. 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. You can also run a 10-36 cassette with a specific, compatible wider-range Red derailleur. 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 a road 1x setup with a 10-51 rear block is a real option for those mad enough to try! Its not just the wider range where AXS seems to have an advantage on the competition, but in smoother progression between gears, with more single tooth jumps across all three cassette blocks (Fig 2). The 13-teeth jumps were first used in their XX MTB gruppo. There are more teams riding Campy than Sram. Keep in mind that no one makes a Red AXS chain compatible chainring yet except SRAM, and only for their proprietary BCDs and direct-mount 8-bolt arms. I hope that puts it into perspective. And it certainly looks bulky and clunky even compared to Ultegra di2. Front derailleur cable routing wireless. 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!). After a few months of testing, eTap AXS has surpassed my expectations. Wide crankset and front derailleur options for gravel bikes. Turn them on in the app, and the derailleurs will dance together to keep you at either an optimal cadence* or optimize gear steps. Some of their mountain drivetrains are so sensitive to cable tension its annoying as hell. Agreed. Hes been cycling for a lot longer than that though and his travels by bike have taken him all around Europe and to California. 36T: 36T=5mm / 33T=5mm / 30T=10mm / 28T=12mm (chain in largest sprocket) Cycling activity Bidex Code 202110 Category Road Main . Not so much. I dont think its a limitation of wireless. The SRAM Red AXS chainset has the two chainrings machined out of one block of material instead of being held together by chainring bolts like Shimano's groupsets. Just dont pretend that either have been hitting the others nail on the head. 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 rear mech on the AXS has also had an upgrade. Red uses carbon brake levers and hollow carbon crank arms. 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. Both SRAM Red eTap AXS and Shimano Dura-Ace are performance groupsets, both are each brand's top-end products and both are used by the pro racers on the international stage. Honestly I would not, because the existing system is still so good. You will find snaps of Warrens daily rides on the Instagram account of our sister publication, Cycling Plus (@cyclingplus). The action is smoother, quieter and arguably quicker than the first generation, and its adaptability, in that you can run it 2x, 1x, or combine it with any of the new AXS mountain bike gearing launching soon, is impressive, making this an electronic groupset you could run on the road, gravel, cross, mountain and downhill. Shimano R9200 brakes use Servo Wave tech, again ported from its MTB range, that gives you progressive brake action that is more aggressive at the end of the stroke and lighter when you're just feathering the brakes. Is there anything worse than fumbling around for bits and bobs that just wont be found? Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. They use a CR1632 coin cell each with a similar battery life of around two years. Shimano Dura-Ace vs SRAM Red eTap AXS: The two leading groupsets head to head. This increases the tension in the lower segment of chain and stops it falling off the chainring. Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. Enter the roll-up tool bag. Weight according to the manufacturer: kA. Winning my award for Most Improved Front Derailleur category isdrum roll pleasethe front derailleur! SRAM Red eTap AXS rear mech and flattop chain. Once the bike is configured, wires dont necessarily matter, though wireless if obviously superior in concept. 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. Force uses 11-26 cassette. It's geared to flat time trials as well as gravel, with larger rings designed to be aero. Why pay to sponsor a team when new product releases like this are still being talked about long after the initial release. SRAM Red eTap AXS is the second incarnation of SRAM's wireless electronic groupset. 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. I added the left crank arm weights, and the cassette, its all here now. SRAM Centerline rotors are road-specific but Shimano uses the rotors from its XTR MTB groupset with Dura-Ace - something the pros were doing at least a year in advance. Let's take a look: Derailleur weight is the only functional difference in SRAM's AXS line. Add custom gearing Learn more about bike gearing Estimated Spec Level The only / or last one I can remember that looks decent are the original XX double MTB cranks. It's a beauty! All rights reserved. The shift buttons get a bit of texture and hood covers are softer and patterned for better grip. SRAM's new wireless RED eTap AXS road groupset has 12 gears, approaches road gearing in a totally new way, is available in either 1x or 2x setups and features a clutch. 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:. After three years riding the original eTap in its various rim and disc brake guises Ive been very impressed. The AXS technology allows you to make your shifters do what you want them to, and the brake levers have a customizable reach. SRAMs new wireless RED eTap AXS road groupset has 12 gears, approaches road gearing in a totally new way, is available in either 1x or 2x setups and features a clutch. So SRAM Red cassettes are offered in four options. The other really interesting part of the new AXS group is the sequential and compensating shifting options. Shimano just has a much bigger market share and marketing budget. It's set to cost. While there were pavement and gravel riding opportunities, gravel was the right choice to drive home some of the key new features of the group. With its 12-speed groupsets, rather than develop new road-specific parts Shimano has used some components from its MTB range, one of which is the chain. BA1 1UA. Even a 52/36 around my local roads seems to frequently leave me cross-chained. SRAMs solution comes from its innovation in mountain biking and single ring 1x drivetrain used on road and gravel bikes in recent years. A complete group. How has SRAM done it? 2023 SRAM Force AXS & XPLR groups updated with lighter, better tech. Also, Ive already built 3 different bikes with the group and have yet to run into compatibility problems. More specifically, the batterys placement, which is now a couple millimeters further outboard. 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. You recharge the battery via a port on the rear mech. I love my shimano road group, and when I have sram on one mtb and shimano on the other. SRAM has a great marketing team and some good innovations but I dont think they respect the end user as much. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Their products are sexy and light but not on par with their price in my opinion. This is the increased weight of using the hydraulic calipers and hydraulic shifters. Many thanks!! In the world of bike tech game-changing is a hyperbolic phrase that gets bandied left, right and centre. Shimano's E-Tube app provides similar lever customisation, but you can also alter the speed of shifts. Now, you should be able to easily clear a 70045 (frame/rim/tire dependent, of course), which is about as big as most of us are likely to run on a 2x setup. Sign up to receive Bikerumor content direct to your inbox. I am eager to hear more of your feedback. Compare them to DA or Ult di2 and Sram should be embarrassed. 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. About this item. So Dura-Ace runs a 12-speed chain from the XTR groupset. A quiet, secure and smooth ride, whatever the terrain. Ive come to expect great ideas with mediocre execution from SRAM. Shimano meanwhile has a single central battery that's usually mounted in the bike's seat tube and powers both derailleurs via wires. SRAM RED eTap AXS Actual Weights Road 2x (48/35 combo) - 419g with powermeter Road 1x (48t X-Sync) - 395g with powermeter Left crank - 156g Front derailleur - 165g with battery Rear derailleur - 247g with battery 10-33 Cassette - 211g Shifters - 233g/234g with coin cell batteries installed Updated Blip Box - 24g If youve been itching to ride AXS technology, Rival eTap AXS might be the group youve been waiting for.