new sram red axs 2024 price weight features everything you need to know
When the first edition of the RED eTap AXS launched, it introduced SRAM's new gear ratio philosophy, which has spread throughout their road bike groupsets as they've been updated to 12-speeds, from the Force to the Rival and even up to the Apex.
Some of these groups introduced new features, with the Rival's updated handlebar shapes eventually making their way to the Force. Along the way, their racing handlebar groupsets also branched into the gravel world with XPLR variants.
With the new RED AXS, they've taken all the feedback from those groupsets, their top Pro Tour riders, and current RED owners, then whittled it down into a newer, simpler, faster RED groupset that sits at the top of the pack. category. To do this, they followed two objectives:
Make it easier to use.
Make it lighter.
Initial setup is faster, SRAM says they wanted to make setup effortless. From switching to pairing to updating with the app, the group should only ask for your performance as input. If you're setting up from scratch, you'll still need to pair the rear derailleur to the front derailleur and shifters before connecting them with the AXS app. But once you pair the group with the app, everything seems to appear more quickly and all together in the app.
SRAM knows that bikes have become faster, gear ratios have become wider and cyclists' expectations have become higher. So, the new RED makes ownership simpler and easier, while offering all the modern options.
A front and rear derailleur handle all gear combinations, so you can mix and match chainring and cassette combos however you like without worrying about whether the derailleurs can handle it.
To do this, they ditch the 10-26 cassette that no one was buying anyway and offer four options. Choose between 10-28, 10-30, 10-33 and 10-36 cassettes. Both the 10-33 and 10-36 are new to RED tier groups.
Secondly, everything here is backwards compatible with every 12-speed AXS groupset currently on the market, from Apex all the way up to RED.
"The lightest electronic band ever."
The original RED group was the lightest ever. And now they're regaining that title in the electronic age. Each component is lighter:
-83g from brake levers and brakes
-23g from the crankset arms
-29g from crankset set
-13g from the chain
-16g from the rear derailleur
This means it is 153g lighter than the original RED eTap AXS. That group was 2,649g before, and now it's 2,496g with a power meter.
So what exactly is new?
Beyond weight, SRAM has made major aesthetic and functional changes to nearly every part. Here's what's changed for each component...
Controls and Brakes
The RED has more comfortable grips with a thinner surface and smaller diameter. But these are all new designs, not a re-branded version of what came with the Rival and Force. They say it provides a better grip and reduces hand fatigue.
Compared to the original eTap model, the new brake levers have a higher pivot point that is also further forward. They say it requires an incredible 80% less effort when braking from the handles.
It also switches to a "push piston" design, similar to how mountain bike brakes work, which simplifies the internals. Not only does this mean a more direct tube installation without requiring a second wrench, but it also works with the new lever pin placement to give you more leverage and less force for a very light feel.
These changes also significantly reduced weight, which SRAM says results in a noticeably lighter "swing weight" when moving the handlebars while standing and climbing.
These levers work with a new, stiffer two-piece caliper with many cuts and a very large pad slot. This offers abundant airflow and minimal weight, and abundant pad clearance for chafe-free performance.
The new brake discs have a new lighter central support and will be available in sizes 140 and 160, Center Lock only.
The crankset arms feature a refined layer of hollow carbon fiber that is 29g lighter than before. They are available in lengths of 160 (new), 165, 167.5, 170, 172.5 and 175 mm.
The one-piece 2x chainring combinations have a little more subtracted material machined away on the top and bottom edges (at 90º to the crank arms). They are available in combinations of 50/37, 48/35 and 46/33 when purchasing a complete crankset, as well as larger combos of 52/39, 54/41 and 56/43 for the aftermarket.
Front derailleur
The new front derailleur has a front cage pNarrower, which means less space to travel for faster and more precise shifts. They can afford this without chain rub for two reasons. First, the new RED is only available as a disc brake groupset, no more rim brakes, so the cage is designed specifically for chain lines on disc brake bikes. Secondly, it has improved automatic trim to eliminate hiss at the ends of the cassette, making its own subtle adjustments as you shift through the rear gears.
Rear derailleur
The rear derailleur has more material subtracted for a weight loss of 16g. The lower pulley is larger, both for aesthetic reasons and for marginal performance improvements in terms of smoothness and reduction of friction and noise, and gets ceramic bearings. Fits all new cassettes, from 10-28 up to 10-36. The only thing that isn't backwards compatible across the entire bunch is that this won't work with older 10-26 cassettes.
SRAM RED chain
The new RED E1 chain is the lightest ever, reducing 13g by adding cutouts to both the internal and external plates. Holds hollow pins, which they say are sturdier than their solid pins. It is optimized for road, not MTB, although it resembles T-Type MTB chains.
All groups have now dropped the "eTap" branding, it's just AXS now. This new SRAM RED AXS is the "E1" groupset
There's also a new Hammerhead Karoo GPS bike computer that integrates with this groupset to offer easy on-bike customization, without apps.
You can set up your group with the AXS app. Or you can simply fire up the all-new Hammerhead Karoo, which is included in all complete band sets at launch. It was developed together with this RED group and will automatically connect and pair all devices. It also lets you configure controls and show battery charge for each component.
SRAM RED AXS weights, prices and availability
Complete SRAM RED AXS E1 groupsets are available at launch (now) with the new Karoo included. Individual components will be available in June and July for riders looking to upgrade individual parts.
The complete SRAM RED AXS E1 groupset, with Karoo, costs €4,100.