Like the new shifter / hood shape….
4 Likes
I’m interested to find out the reasons SRAM decided to redesign the hoods given how recently they did it for the lower groups.
Didn’t you just answer your own question 
So “Red” are different (better than those below.)
No. This is the first time SRAM has done the reverse cycle where Rival saw a redesign first before Force. Now it appears SRAM is going back to the normal way and Red will trickle down again. Releasing a new product for the novelty of something new from the existing products is not an interesting reason considering every company in every industry does it.
What everyone was expecting was for the Rival/Force hood design to come straight to Red, we were even seeing teams for the last two years running non-series shifters of that shape with their Red groups. Probably safe to assume those were Force hoods or some other prototype.
1 Like
thanks, no leaks on power meter. This one:
requires 107 BCD chainrings, and its really hard to find them.
My wild guess is that when the Red update rolls out, the power meters for 1x cranks are going to have direct mount chainrings with integrated PM.
That explains why we keep seeing Red sales
3 Likes
But that was pure speculation and was never confirmed or indicated by SRAM.
And honestly, it never made much sense to me…rarely do you see designs “trickle up”. There have been a few examples of it over the years (105 getting the original dual pivot brake calipers being one great example), but for the most part, designs trickle down.
In theory, this gives SRAM a fresh platform to trickle down to Force and Rival over the next 2 years or so…which is about when those groups will need a refresh.
3 Likes
Same
2 Likes
All the people who bought Red on sale and hoped to have the latest and greatest…
4 Likes
In retrospect the design was a stop gap measure because the Red/Force AXS shifter design dated back to 2016. I guess they just didn’t want to bring it to Rival and Apex.
Same with the designs we are discussing in this thread. This design was in photos from over a year ago, I guess we’ll see in a few months if it’s the final design or not.
1 Like
trickle up vs trickle down reminds me of the Nikon vs Canon camera tech progression (atleast what it was a few years ago when I was heavy into photo).
Some saw the best features at the highest end for the typical reasons, others saw the newest features at the lowest end in order to perfect it by the time it trickled up etc
2 Likes
I’m betting there’ll be a UDH-only RD option. Weird that the Tarmac 8 doesn’t have UDH; I wonder how much adoption we’ll see of that standard on high end road frames in the next few years.
I like the look of the hoods, reminds me of GRX Di2. A higher pivot and a bulge just below make for a really nice positive braking grip when on the hoods. Also like the more rounded top of the hood, the flat/angular top of the current Rival/Force levers is kinda annoying when resting your palms there in the “invisible aero bars” position.
What’s the over-under on cost for a new pair of shifters/brakes? Over $1k?
I hope you are wrong, but you may be right.
1 Like
My first reaction was the FSA K-Force shifters…which are still the most comfortable shifters I have ever wrapped my mitts around.
and only up to 46T from SRAM, I’ve seem rumors on other forums that nothing is changing with regards to PM, will continue to be integrated with chainring. I wish they would come up with something similar to the threaded chainring we have on XXSL transmission, but seems like over 46T 1x or 2x PM will be with integrated chainring
1 Like
wouldn’t the be the new sram transmission style where the ring portion of the chainring/Power Meter is detachable? A new type of screw on interface IIRC
Me whenever anyone mentions the word SRAM
2 Likes
whoa, super rare to have someone who has actually tried the FSA system. I’ll probably go the rest of my life without ever having run into them.
Those FSA shifters are giving me more campy-ekar had a baby with sram red mechanical vibes though, whereas the new red is def GRXDi2esq imo.
It was an awesome group…but I ditched it after the clamp for the RD wire got broken during transit. Small bit of plastic killed a $500 derailleur. Worse, I was screwed for the trip because no one stocks FSA stuff.
So went back to Shimano…but from a functionality and fit perspective, nothing but positives from me.
Funny you mention that as I am probably gonna slap Ekar on my new gravel bike.
2 Likes