SRAM RED AXS Review - Biggest Upgrade Ever, But is it Worth it?

So I've been riding the brand new SRAM RED AXS groupset for a while now and here's a detailed overview of all the changes and my first impressions of those changes. It's not a radical revolution instead a nice evolution of the company's flagship groupset.
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This video is NOT sponsored by SRAM
Content
00:00 Intro
1:29 Weight savings
2:39 Backwards compatibility
3:10 New Hood ergonomics
3:46 Shimano hood comparison
4:51 Improved braking performance and feel
6:09 Bonus buttons!
6:43 Reach adjustment
7:32 Upgrading to hoods?
7:48 New front mech
9:09 Easier front mech setup
9:47 Comparison with Shimano front mech shifting speed
10:03 One-piece cranks…
11:00 Updated brakes
11:49 First ride impressions
12:35 Ergonomic benefit
14:39 Using the bonus buttons
14:55 Front mech shifting
15:23 Same gear ratios
15:54 As good as Shimano Di2?
16:40 Summary
16:58 Should you buy it?
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[@jmurphy3350]

People saying it’s too expensive don’t understand business. SRAM have to have a top shelf product for pro riders to use and accountants to buy. Nobody on the average wage is going to go out and buy new red for their current bikes. If you have to buy red or dura ace you don’t need it. I think it looks amazing and I’m sure it’s amazing to use. The technology will trickle down in a couple years and we’ll have the same brakes in force and rival. Great review. Love the channel.

[@miklm]

You get it. Every company has a halo product. Just like the $14k S-works Tarmac. Sure they sell a few of them but mostly it’s marketing to sell the $5k models down the line.

[@cmeast100]

That new FiftyOne Sika looks great! Looking forward to the review

[@conniesometimes]

Nice! Hoping to see some trickle down to other AXS groupsets! Especially the hoods

[@gregbianchi2689]

I still have the 2019 ETAP on both my bikes and still love it !!

[@miklm]

Same. I built a Tarmac with Red ETap in 2018. Rode it today in fact. It’s been bulletproof all these years. Still a few years before I pull the trigger on a new road bike, I ride more gravel these days with Rival/GX AXS.

[@jamiewilkinsracing]

That FiftyOne looks beautiful. I can't wait to hear how it rides.

[@n22pdf]

Looks like a good set of updates from SRAM especially the brake feel, Im a mechanical Campag dude but some nice improvements here.. Pete

[@abcdefghijk5095]

Really appreciated this in-depth review.

[@davidarthur]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@tony5269]

@@davidarthur I have sram force axs I thinking🤔 about swapping out force hoods for the new red because of the ergonomics and keeping the rest force. 😁

[@gregkane8635]

Looks good altho do you think the reach is now much longer?

[@honestreviewer3283]

I want the levers! I have Dura Ace 9100 on my road bike and had my first experience with SRAM AXS on my new gravel bike (Cervelo R5cx). I like the Force group my bike came with, but I hate the lever design compared to the Shimano levers (aesthetically, at least, call me shallow). The looks don't matter enough for me to shell out for Red levers, but if the design trickles down to Force I will definitely order a set.

[@Bobinthebasementband]

Really like the in-depth review. Looking forward to the long term review. Does anybody know which jersey from castelli he is wearing and where to get it?

[@spyder_man]

Love this, some great innovation.

[@MikeSgro]

How do these shifters compare to the latest force shifters.

[@entdmII]

If doing as you suggested, and upgrading the hoods and brake calipers, would you recommend using the new rotors as well? Any benefit there?

[@jmurphy3350]

Nobody is going to update the hoods. They’re ridiculously expensive on their own. You’d buy a full ultegra group set for the price of the red hoods and brakes.

[@Cycle.every.day.]

I hope people who have the current Sram red axs don't rush out and buy this, it would be a sidegrade not an upgrade.

[@TnFruit]

On a technical high speed descent you should always grip the drops. The extended reach should not be forgotten also. So the benefits are not in all cases a benefit, because you might be need a shorter stem or other handlebars. Two new bikes, one with shimano, one with new red are not so easy to compare.

[@julianallen515]

I'll be upgrading the levers/brakes and FD from my D1 Force for sure. Do you know what double chainring options will be available?

[@marklydall8635]

i'm just glad i'm unable to afford it............happy with my old cable operated stuff that is easy to maintain 'n always works,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@JK-wl5bx]

The clearance on the brakes is a big issue with sram surprised they not sorted that

[@MisterE331]

When can we get a list of Daves all time top 10 favorite bikes and/or components???!

[@curtisgoodwin8962]

Lever ergonomics are brutal IMO - I’ve handled them at my LBS and am not interested in giving up my Shimano DA mechanical anytime soon. Shimano ergonomics are the gold standard for me.

[@userdjee834]

Wasn't it said that SRAM FD shifts slower because of the delay, where the system is waiting for 'left/right only' or 'both sides' input? Is that delay now gone, I suppose not?

[@Caffeinatedtechnerd]

Still there

[@kellrockets101]

you always have to wonder how bad the front shifting is, and how much it really impacts what you're expecting. Visma world tour team have a sprinter out there killing it this year and last year. Wout sprints on it....and honestly it seems to be doing fine for the best of the best at the highest of levels in cycling. So how bad do you think it's going to be for you? I am not a world tour level rider, and have both AXS and Di2, and think they are both wonderful groups...and shift great

[@userdjee834]

@@kellrockets101 Oh I agree, easily. My comment wasn't negative, just neutral, basically just a question/observation that if SRAM FD shifts ever so slightly slower than Shimano, it's not because of the mechanism but because of said system wait delay

[@glennoc8585]

SRAM definitely slower to di2

[@kellrockets101]

@glennoc8585 point must've went right over your head

[@gaza4543]

The only part im interested in, is the levers and maybe the rear cluster if its a little quieter in operation the rest is basically a restyle and or refinement and I think thats giving it a little more credit than due. The front mech is the same design as the newest force iridescent so nothing new there. Glad it backwards compatible and should last a good 10 years when used with the other trickle down parts.

[@davidarthur]

the front mech design is all new and different to Force, despite looking similar. Agree lots of the changes are refinements the hoods are the most drastic change really and great that it's backwards compatible

[@kellrockets101]

Refinements are a good thing though...and the front mech is definitely new. Everyone complains when something gets upgraded that it is too drastic....now SRAM has done refinements and improved on a system that is backwards compatible, and people still complain lol

[@user-sr5lp6qb5p]

Does the original Battery🔋 & Battery Life🪫 keep as original or re-design?❤🎉

[@mattcarter2902]

Same exact battery

[@Simon-Simon-Simon]

i like it but probably would get another crankset

[@kippen64]

As a woman with smallish hands, I might struggle to reach the levers when on the drops.

[@davidarthur]

There is reach adjustment which might help?

[@chrisscott8362]

I want Sram 12sp mechanical.

[@davidarthur]

They offer that with Apex

[@ozgurinsan]

Shifters seems odd to me. I dont know maybe its just me.10 grams lighter than dura-ace.

[@magnusschroeder9806]

Comparing Red vs Ultegra? This only talks good things for the last 😅

[@garagesale5948]

Other reviewers stated the brake gap was increased. Please verify.

[@PeakTorque]

From my testing it is not. Still pretty tight and i got disc rub when hammered the front brake hard.

[@soapowejazz]

those hoods are as long as a stem...not sure you can call this a performance improvement ;-)

[@davidarthur]

did you see the Shimano comparison with the tape measure?

[@soapowejazz]

Yes, and they are longer. Shimano are already long as those are even longer. The reach of the whole bike just keeps on getting longer

[@aliinayat12]

@@soapowejazzI think the reach is the same… just less space taken up by hoods from the rear (since smaller)

[@batbawls]

Jealous of that FiftyOne bike.

[@AARON818818]

$3000 🤑 🤦‍♂️ 😂

[@neilrobinson7965]

£4600 for the full groupset. Madness.

[@user-dz2rn1iq4l]

Too cheap imo. Who is going to spend only 1-2k on a 15k bike?

[@WerdnaLiten]

@@neilrobinson7965 It's not even worth half that price.......Cyclists are absolute mugs for buying this stuff......

[@chrisscott8362]

For $4000 I can buy a motorcycle and have change for gas.

[@KenSmith-bv4si]

If the group set is 4k while the motorbike you wanna buy is 4k , how do you have change for gas, if all you have is 4k?

[@user-dz2rn1iq4l]

But your motorcycle can't be used to shift gears on bikes right? You can say you can spend 500 for 105 mechanic and still have money for other random thing but still it's not SRAM red axs

[@jamiewilkinsracing]

And it would be an old and/or shitty motorcycle. $4000 can buy many things that are not a cutting edge groupset.

[@OM-sb2bd]

They also have some fancy pens you can buy for 4k apiece.

[@JibbaJabber]

Yep. But you'll then have a motorcycle, when you really wanted a bike. See how that goes down in your next group ride.

[@bigfoot6449]

What a clickbait title, OMG :( I can't understand how you have came to the conclusion mentioned in viedo's topic "Biggest Upgrade Ever". Rly? where is the BIG upgrade? Overall design is the same. Gear number didn't change. Still 2x12, still hydraulic disc brakes, same batteries. Just minor upgrades here and there - do they ma a difference, probably yes, should we call them "Biggest Upgrade Ever" - oh come on.... None of the improvements is BIG, not to mention BIGGEST (no new technology here, eg. introduction of Di2 by Shimano).

[@davidarthur]

Disagree, clearly not clickbait if you watched the video. Yes while most of the changes are minor the new hoods are a big upgrade and a big step forward imo, based on actually you know riding the groupset

[@reinholdachleitner2069]

Excellent groupset but the Shifter/Hoods/brake levers look hideous.😏

[@oOoACFREEMANoOo]

Your channel is cool, but go back to the odd stuff off topic and builds. I am kind of sick of the new stuff every 12 hours

[@JibbaJabber]

Looks like a hot mess;)

[@kellrockets101]

easiest group to set up and use..anything but a hot mess

[@JibbaJabber]

@@kellrockets101 Absolutely agree with you on the setup. However, that logically does not negate the terrible aesthetic contradictions.

[@kellrockets101]

@@JibbaJabber I actually think it looks great!

[@JibbaJabber]

@@kellrockets101 Respect 👍 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder:)

[@njm3211]

Please, let's stop at 12 speed.