This article was produced in association with SRAM and was published in Rouleur Issue 137.
Effortless. That single word was SRAM’s goal when nine months ago it launched a new version of RED, its flagship groupset. In the 2000s the US brand reinvented mechanical shifting with its innovative DoubleTap system, then became the first to introduce wireless shifting in 2015, and in 2019 revolutionised shifting with AXS – so why a single-word concept this time instead of an extra sprocket, a new protocol or some other head-line-grabbing tech? SRAM’s philosophy is that performance on the bike must represent 100 per cent of what the rider puts in, and its groupsets are designed with that goal. “One-finger braking, refined ergonomics, faster shifting, and lighter weight add up to an effortless ride,” says SRAM simply.
SRAM product manager Dan Stefiuk continues: “RED was initially introduced to the WorldTour for pro riders but now we’re reaching thousands of new RED AXS riders and that’s due to that effortless experience that we wanted to deliver. We think the fewer decisions a rider has to make thanks to simple shift logic, the perfect gear range and ultimate braking control, that’s the experience we want to deliver to the rider and we feel like that’s where we’re winning.”
With the instant success of RED, SRAM is expanding its ‘effortless’ philosophy to Force and Rival, bringing all the benefits of the latest version of the flagship group to a lower price point. Additionally, each will introduce features of its own, bringing the best drop-bar experience on the market to a wide range of budgets. What all three have in common is their focus on comfort and control, and they’re all lighter than their predecessors – but they’re still backwards compatible with the previous generation.
Braking is of course the principal means of control. Says Stefiuk: “Whether you’re riding elbow to elbow or pushing on that descent, effortless braking gives riders an even wider range of functional performance, both Force and Rival will deliver the same level of braking performance that’s celebrated in RED.” Both new groupsets feature a completely overhauled brake fluid and lever design as well as an updated caliper. Riders can custom-adjust reach so that they have the brake levers and shift paddles perfectly at their fingertips. Additionally, there’s signifi- cant weight reduction. Force with its carbon-fibre brake lever saves 75g over the previous Force lever, and now Rival for the first time has a carbon lever, which saves 64g over previous generation.
In the hands, the shifters of new Force and Rival deliver the same ergonomics of RED and, like the flagship groupset, they feature moulded hood cover textures that are designed not only for rider comfort and control but also to ensure that they can be set up and orientated correctly at the seven-degree angle that SRAM’s design team settled on for its factory builds. “There are so many handlebar shapes, reaches and drops that really by positioning the lever the way we designed it helps create consistency and places it in the most accessible position,” says Stefiuk. “We wanted ‘effortless’ to extend to the setup as well as the performance. In addition to the textures for vertical orientation, he explains, “When you’re looking top down there’s a line that you position at 90° from the handlebar and that creates a really neutral wrist position... now Force and Rival have that too.” Additionally, the Force hoods gain the integrated Bonus Buttons introduced with RED last year. These can be used to shift with the thumbs while in the aero hoods position or reprogrammed through the AXS app to control a Hammerhead Karoo or other device so that you don’t have to take your hands off the bars for a moment.
“We improved front shifting performance for RED and now we’re doing it with new derailleurs, new chainrings and all-new crank arms for both Force and Rival while saving a significant amount of weight,” says Stefiuk. Starting with the front derailleur, Force and Rival both borrow from RED’s narrower cage that improves speed and precision and they auto-trim for rasp-free running and are designed for 46/33T, 48/35T, or 50/37 chainring combinations.
The new Force power meter crankset saves 33g over the older power meter crank and 92 grams over the previous generation of non-power meter crank. Stefiuk explains: “The weight savings come not only from the chainring design but we were also able to pull weight out of the overall crank design. New Force is a carbon-fibre crank arm, stiff, lightweight with sculpted appearance. The crankset is offered in 160mm to 175mm lengths so that both bike fit trends and riders of different sizes can find their perfect setup.
Similar to SRAM’s mountain bike and RED XPLR pow- er meter, the new Force power meter crankset includes chain- rings that thread on and off so that riders can choose the right ratios for their needs – 46/33, 48/35 or 50/37. For those not looking for a ring-based power meter, SRAM is providing a second price point of power via a spindle-based left-hand-only unit that still offers accuracy and stability. There’s a Force 1 option using the same crank arms with aero chainrings, in power meter and non-pow- er meter options.
SRAM is celebrated for its reliable, dependable and quiet chain management: through the Spring Classics we saw how this worked for the Lidl-Trek team. Although cobbled sectors at 45 kilometres per hour are not generally on the average rider’s route, everyone benefits from effective chain management, and the new Force and Rival rear derailleurs with the architecture ported from RED deliver a secure drivetrain through a clutch that ensures clean shifts whatever the terrain or wherever the chain is on the cassette. Thanks to this technology, the same derailleurs can be used in a 1x setup and they cover the whole spectrum of cassette sizes from 10-28 to 10-36. Material was machined where possible and SRAM was able to save 12g in the Force rear derailleur, which has a carbon-fibre cage, slightly oversized pulley wheels and a spring clutch.
SRAM highlights the versatility of the rear derailleur: owners of a Force or Rival bike have access to all the cassette options with one derailleur, from 10-28 to 10-36. “Pairing a bike with three chain-ring offerings means it’s capable of any type of riding or gradient,” says Stefiuk. ”Each rider can truly make their bike their own.”
The two new groupsets’ chains have the same strength and durability as before, and the same Flattop technology, but now Force will have holes in inner and outer links, like RED. The difference here is that RED has hollow pins whereas Force has solid pins. The chain is 12g lighter with the rainbow version available as before, but now SRAM is also introducing a Prince-inspired purple option. Purple chain, purple chain...
“Removing barriers is the essence of SRAM’s innovations,” concludes Stefiuk. “When we select one technology over another we always question whether it’s delivering a better experience. If it’s not, we have to question whether it’s the right decision for us. So, with all our questions answered, we’re excited to deliver this ef- fortless experience for Force and Rival.”
