Sram RED AXS review - worth the money?

Thanks to Paul from Mapdec for lending me his rather nice Look for this review.
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[@PeakTorque]

Just want to clarify a few things, it seems I did not discretise enough: 1. Longer reach - I am talking about where the hand position lies, as if you were in a bike fit, relative to the BB. These hoods felt long, increasing the bike's reach. This is completely different to 'brake lever reach'. The brake lever reach was also set very long by Paul, who has a finger like ET. I didn't have a tool with me that day to adjust it, but the brake lever reach can be dialled in a huge amount, more-so than Shimano, and the bite-point adjust actually has a very good range, unlike Shimano where sometimes you think you are turning a screw connected to thin air. Going back to the 'actual reach' of the hoods - if you are mm perfect on your bike fit, or have smaller hands, and are on a fixed cockpit, this increase may be problematic for you. 2. XPLR - not 'officially' 2X compatible but it does work. I don't know why they did not use a slightly longer case for this mech but regardless, look at that B-screw length, I bet it will handle a 10-40 no issue. Everyone knows the manufactures play it safe! 3. Chain - I did not go into this but the chain on the rings and cassette was silent - i mean ultra silent.

[@Membrillo81]

In this case is not only playing safe. If they can make someone to buy both RD, that's happy days for the company.

[@nigelmcclean4166]

from here on my comp that reach looks long. cant believe noone else mentioned it!

[@SrFederico]

​@@nigelmcclean4166Actually everyone else mentioned the elongated hoods. But nobody spoke about the altered bike fit that occurs.

[@Paganizondaf650]

40t should be no issue, as the original Red axs RD officially could only take 33t but loads of guys run a 36t on that after sram introduced the 36t cassettes and dérailleurs. Finding a xdr 10-40t cassette will probably be an issue though. Think they only make the 44t xplr cassette

[@MP48]

The longer hoods are not a problem. Buy a 1cm shorter stem if it bothers you

[@simonwarmer8777]

Here it is! The first sensible review of the new Sram Red 👌

[@rattila13]

How so? He's complaining about gearing options, while sram does offer them. The levers can be adjusted to have the reach he wants, he just doesn't, and most of that problem comes from the mid 2000s style bars that come on the Look. I couldn't even finish watching this because it's painful to watch people reviewing products that they have so limited information on.

[@diehardbikes]

I agree with him on some things. But the hoods on Shimano suck just as bad. The chainring and cassette options are absolutely down to preference, not everyone wants a 30t cassette, and not everyone wants more or less than that. He fails to understand how resistant to wear these chainrings are too. I've been riding the old Red AXS for almost a year. Even with constant crosschaining, the chainrings are still just fine. Tons of life left. I have the power meter version too, but I can't crosschain on that because it's a 50t front ring and my chain isn't long enough(was cut for the 46/33 and I just swapped the rings anyways). I understand his dislike of moving both his hands to shift. I understand that, but its not an issue for me at all. Again, people will be divided on this. The old AXS was excellent and the new one has its improvements. But I would like to see more people actually try Sram long term before they judge it. Most of the people judging have never even tried it.

[@PeakTorque]

@@rattila13 i was being picky on the front chainset options. A 48/35 and 36 out back isnt low enough in my opinion. You could go for 46/33 but then your top gear is limited. I think they could expanded the total gear range with this group. About the reach, i mentioned many times you can dial in lever reach, hood reach is completely different and is longer than usual. This is a problem if you have a mm perfect bike fit or are sensitive to an increase in reach particularly if you’re on a fixed stem/bar. Cheers

[@dzrdza]

​​@@PeakTorque Don't worry about SRAM paid trolls. There's much more of us who very appreciate your opinion.

[@williwacker2774]

@@PeakTorque Never understood why SRAM reduced the chainring gap to only 13 teeth when they released etap/AXS (which even supports automatic counter-shifting in the back). Because they can't build a proper FD?

[@Lauriieton]

easily the best review of the groupset ive seen yet, touching on everything that cant just otherwise be gleaned from the spec sheet - how it should be

[@user-bq5nl8xf3y]

Sram did a licensing exchange with Shimano for the hood design, including the horizontal piston. In return Shimano can now use derailleur based batteries, so expect to see fully wireless Dura-Ace in the not too distant future.

[@thedownunderverse]

And GRX 1x and MTB Di2

[@michaelnewman4302]

This is the first I've heard of this exchange. Do you have a cite? Shimano won't even allow head unit integration with Karoo (without side-loading). All of the sudden they're playing nice?

[@PeakTorque]

That's either genius level insight or absolutely alluring BS. Either way, interesting.

[@user-bq5nl8xf3y]

The source of the info was a Sram sales rep, so take that with the appropriate grains of salt🤷‍♂️

[@m.talley1660]

Take look at TRP Hylex RS - older model with no shifter. That has to be a horizontal piston layout. Those have been around so long I was wondering why at least a single reviewer hadn't pointed it out. That TRP lever design has what look like a lot of similarities with these new Reds.

[@Gufolicious]

finally someone talking real! thank you sir! and one small addition: for me in middle europe (austria), i can buy dura ace for 2800€ while the sram costs 4300€ (both non powermeter versions because i use assioma) right now.

[@batbawls]

A rare voice of reason. Thanks for putting in the effort to do these for us.

[@PeerensClement]

Refreshing to see a non sponsored video on a new piece of tech. Thanks!

[@harrymaybourne8667]

Appreciate the honest review PT. I just got to put my hands on the groupset a few days ago myself. I didn’t get to push the brakes that hard so I can’t speak to that but I think your other points are spot on. I did like the extra space on hoods and the ability to brake with one finger though. I expect the new Dura-Ace will have something similar when that comes out in the next year or so. I still think Shimano beats out SRAM though. Even if it just in terms of refinement. It always feels like SRAM is almost there but not quite. Dura-Ace and Ultegra are the best on the market IMO and I’d argue nothing beats Ultegra from a cost performance perspective. Really, the only area I see Shimano behind right now is the Di2 battery and from what we’ve seen on patents it looks like the new Dura-Ace is going to be fully wireless. I recognized Paul’s 795 right away. Great looking bike. I’m waiting on my 795 frame to arrive as I write this. I’m sticking with Shimano for it. The right brake lever for the front brake is indeed correct and always has been. lol.

[@PeakTorque]

I hope you enjoy the 795. I just hate T47. Overcomplicated, added weight and unnecessary if you can achieve a good round pf86. T47...so little width for a tool to grab on, and stupidly large threads mean much reduced axial load for a given torque.

[@PeterSdrolias]

I agree Ultegra di2 is the hang for your buck groupset. Literally half of Dura Race in Canadian dollars.

[@adamkenny5673]

I'm surprised no one seems to be commenting on that cheeky cut away to a PT rotor, most exciting part of the video if you ask me. A preview of things to come?

[@watto65]

Fun fact: there’s actually a second position on Shimano rear derailleurs (or at least 8000/9000 series) to increase the spring preload and therefore chain tension. Requires disassembly/reassembly to configure but the option is there from factory.

[@MrMattie725]

4:49 "Y'all Americans" he says, whilst the whole of Europe and every pro also has the rear brake at the right :D

[@PeakTorque]

😂 true. I’ll change it to RoW next time.

[@harkat16]

We have the cursed ...'standard' in Ireland too 😅

[@harkat16]

Unfortunately. Almost threw myself off a cliff on a rental in Spain before when I forgot for a moment. Went around the switchback sideways

[@thomasschragen4446]

Same in Japan, quite surprisingly at times...

[@PeakTorque]

I just hope to God that none of you ever try riding a motorbike then

[@ciprian7]

Great review, so refreshing when you watch someone knowledgeable and experienced doing a independent review , compare that with The Nero Show where Jesse reads informations from the websites and make stuff up as he goes .

[@Al.2]

Thank you so much for the rant about low gears. To spin at 90 rpm in a 1:1 gear on a 10% gradient, you need to put in 4 W/kg, which is more than the FTP of most decent amateurs.

[@PeakTorque]

Absolutely. Address this in a coming video. None of us are actually riding z2 :)

[@Frankthegravelrider]

Spot on

[@feedbackzaloop]

well, on 10% you are meant to go above the FTP. And allowed to grind below 70 rpm... Now, when you translate same logic towards 15+%, problems occur.

[@TheFeatInk]

Yeah idk, I’ve got a good ol classic 39/53, with 28 on the back, and while it’s not super fun to go above 10-12%, I can still slowly make my way up a steep pinch and not be huffing and puffing getting all red in the face. Im not quite sure what the problem is?

[@feedbackzaloop]

@@TheFeatInk same setup on a spare bike I sold last year. Similar issues too: doable, not great. Not a deal breaker if there were no other options, but definetely not worth keeping in the grand scheme of things. But I guess if you run the numbers for that effort you might realise your fitness is greater than average to allow not getting red in the face🤷‍♂

[@Cycle.every.day.]

A good rule is 'always skip a model'. That's everything, frames,groupsets,head units.

[@ImranWorldCyclist]

Glad you mentioned and criticised lever reach as visually speaking it looks a right gap between brake lever and bar! Every other reviewer mentions this as a feature saying you can put four fingers comfortably under the levers…that’s actually excessive and unnecessary to the point you may have to get a shorter stem! Shimano however is spot on for most hand sizes!

[@michaelclements4664]

You know it's 2024 when people say a 1:1 low gear is too tall. Back in the 1980s my first racing bike's lowest gear was 2:1 (42-21). And that was common!

[@galenkehler]

I've been riding a 2:1 ratio as well, 60x30 and it's plenty if you're not on a touring bike with loaded panniers

[@JulianKent]

Come to the Alps and say that again.

[@michaelclements4664]

@@JulianKent Haha! I find that with my 50+ year old legs, a 1:1 ratio is good for sitting in the saddle while pedaling up a 15% grade, but not a 20% grade. For that I need to stand. If 1:1 is plenty for an old fart like me, I can see young strong cyclists going with something taller like 1.5:1 or 39/26.

[@whynotride327]

I am even older and started racing in '73. Standard gearing was 42x52 up front and 12-18 in the rear. If it was a REALLY hilly race you went to a 21. If you used a 23, you were all set for touring. Very little other than this was available. Don't get me wrong, as I got older, lower gears are nice. However I see zero reason for a consumer bike to have a 10, 11, and maybe even a 12 tooth cog. We simply can't use them efficiently. IMO, 1x is a stupid idea brought to us by manufacturers to sell different product. BTW, I don't live in the Alps so that is lost on me.

[@stibra101]

It looks so cheap compared even to Shimano Tiagra

[@leeharding8306]

It’s all new and shiny but Shimano Dura-Ace is still the gold standard 👌🏼 the lack of refinement in some areas is piss poor for a new group set. The price and including a Hammerhead unit in the package is also ridiculous 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Gregory_tottie]

An actuality informative review

[@Pragmatist101]

As long as hydraulic hoses have to be routed through stems and headsets.....Shimano DI2 cables are less of an issue.

[@WhaJMc]

It's even less of an issue now as 12 speed Di2 has wireless shifters.

[@Pragmatist101]

​@WhaJMc totally agreed. Plus the long battery level is great with Shimano.

[@lolbubs11111]

Yeah the annoying part of the semi-wireless di2 groups these days is the hydraulic hoses. Running di2 wires from the derailleurs to the seatpost is trivial.

[@PeakTorque]

True

[@tom_er8359]

Routing Di2 cables is one of the easiest parts of assembling the bike. And bonus you dont have those ugly boxes on the derailleurs.

[@CG-99]

So many reasons here not to buy this vs Shimano. I can't see why so many reviewers have raved about this grupo. This is the best review I've seen so far on this launch.

[@Kittyjesus503]

Money = rave reviews.....

[@realmagnetics799]

The reason I bought SRAM over Shimano was the cassette options and power meter. I rather have a tighter cassette over a wider range cassette. Shimano selling an 11-30 makes 12 speed not worth it. I can own 11 speed and switch between an 11-23 and 11-28 and get better range for the riding that I am doing. With Sram they have four different options. Additionally, the Shimano power meter is exceptionally expensive. Most of the aftermarket power meters have built in batteries instead of the 2032 coin cell. Those internal lithium ion batteries are going to fail from all the vibration and then you are going to have to buy a new power meter. I agree that replacing the chainring is a bit annoying, but its a tradeoff.

[@PeakTorque]

Id personally go DA di2 + Favero. Easy

[@bingbing3464]

@@realmagnetics799there are many better powermeter cranks that you can fit a shimano chainring on to still enjoy the flawless hyperglide shifting. Some aftermarket power meter comes with carbon cranks to make the setup even lighter.

[@mikicastan]

You can run quarq,with shimano chainrings...jesus

[@Di2_GP]

Finally!!! The first proper review of SRAM RED. It looks like the pistons are still the same material that gets sticky after few hard braking's, and the pad return spring is still made of cheese. One point on the derailleur range. Derailleur range is dictated by the parallelogram length. Cage only job is to remove (address chain slack). On Shimano it is about 5-6mm difference between SS and GS. if you use medium/ling cage on small cassette, you top jockey wheel may hit chainstay when you shift to 10t, or 11t.

[@PeakTorque]

Ive never had that problem with long or GS cages in any gear! I ride a GS cage on all my bikes now. from 11-30 to 11-40. No issues.

[@Di2_GP]

@@PeakTorque It won't affect everyone, you may use derailleurs beyond manufacturers recommend range without any issues. But the fact is SS, GS, and SGS derailleurs are physically different, and not only the cage, physical dimensions of inner link, parallelogram , gear box, gear ratio, etc... I'm not saying it can't be done, people are doing it, but SS/GS conversion significantly reduces longevity of Di2 (I can only speak for Di2).

[@antefilm]

awesome video as always, easily the best sram red review so far!

[@MehrPower]

The downside of the XPLR is that it will not perform as good on a small cassette compared to the normal derailer. To handle bigger sprockets the parallelogram of the derailer is a little bit more steep. If you use it on a smaller cassette it will move away more from the sprockets when shifting to bigger sprockets then it would need to, creating a bigger gap between the sprocket and the upper pulley wheel. You would have to test how big the impact will be, but that is the downside in theorie.

[@PeakTorque]

Good point yep. Realistically, i have never had a problem using a mech extender (similar principle) for a big cassette and then using a wheel with a smaller cassette. Genuinely could not tell the difference with di2.

[@austienbryandemesa5841]

as long as the b tension is properly tuned, the difference is unnoticeable.

[@Hexsense]

@@PeakTorque When 1x is the only option. You can stop doing slant parallelogram and only rely on offset top pulley to set the distance between cog and top pulley (called horizontal parallelogram design). Then at that point, the derailleur truly doesn't care if you use cassette smaller than they intended.

[@m.talley1660]

My first thought was - there's an after market product waiting for someone to develop. Then thought nope it's covered by some Interchangeability like discussed. Now I'm imagining a longer cage with additional optimized pully location. That or drop-bolt method for doing so with less effort. A cage of course can be given some kind of bling-factor to capture sales to those who can't help themselves.

[@DJMSydney]

Thank you! Thank you for a truly independent review. Your time and opinion is greatly appreciated; especially when there is nothing in it to do these type of reviews. The Sram RED hood covers are deal breaker for me!! What’s the point of excellent breaking ability when one of your contact points are holding on to loose rubber garbage.

[@michaelnewman4302]

You've convinced me to follow through with a plan I've been hatching. I'm going to be putting a Transmission setup on my new gravel frame, moving most of the components over from my old frame. The disused XPLR rear mech and cassette will be going on my road bike, or alternately, I'll keep the Force rear mech on the road bike and fit a longer cage to it. This would likely be the new one coming from Ratio, as the Garbaruk is much more expensive. Where I fall on your rider spectrum, I can definitely use the 44 on my road bike!

[@MrMars121]

Nice watch! And great review. More like this please. Especially on the topic of great ratios between the brands. Interesting point you made about ppl who like to stay in zone 2 and the respective drive train set ups for them.

[@davidgeorge9233]

Great honest review 👍 Very little here to get excited about from SRAM, and that front mech I find rather cheap looking for a top of the range groupset. I’m using Ultegra Di2 12spd and honestly think Shimano have it right regarding gear ratios, 52/36 and 11/34 is such a great combination for most riding, you can easily replace the chainrings and the hoods are fantastic. I’ve got etap gen 1 on another bike and it’s always struck me that SRAM are a bit odd ball with their choices, it’s been reliable but I had to switch to Shimano cranks for it to shift properly, and Shimano brakes to stop caliper movement.

[@kurtleitch5240]

Left a like and comment cuz Nero Cying told me so. Good advice, it's a great video! Keep up the good work 👍

[@burgess_and_his_bike]

Good to see all the shit cut out and just a good honest review. This is what they all should be like. I get why they’re not, but reviews shouldn’t be ads. Keep up the good work brother.

[@PeakTorque]

They have to shill. Its how they feed themselves!

[@burgess_and_his_bike]

@@PeakTorque totally, and I get that, but it’s not a review then really is it, it’s an ad.

[@JulianKent]

Photo of Benji from LRCP as the beginning cyclist ^^

[@steezzee]

did him dirty

[@LLPB778]

This is a useful review. Thank you for mentioning the hood cover slop. It's been an issue for me with Red D1 and Force D2 levers. I know it seems small, but this kind of thing drives me nuts with expensive equipment. Not sure why this has never been mentioned anywhere before. Hoping this will be the start of raising the signal to SRAM. The material of the hood covers is super nice, but I am constantly fiddling with it to eliminate poor fitment. Happy to hear about the quality of the brakes and lever-pull. That might have convinced me to upgrade just those components.

[@klein-concept]

Great to see and hear your take on the new Sram. Will wait for them to fix the rubber on the hoods and upgrade my previous gen red with these for that extra breaking power you mentioned. 🤜🤛

[@punter11235]

Good point about gearing being not low enough. One advantage of 10t tooth is that SRAM could have beaten Shimano in the gearing game by offering something like 48-33 with 10-36 cassettes but they have decided to have the worst of both worlds instead - the 10t, bigger jumps and not really that much range advantage.

[@elbowspeak]

Thanks for the review, PT!

[@antoinedoinell]

+1 on mineral oil. Also would have been cool to hear thoughts on lever feel.

[@PeakTorque]

Was genuine fantastic. Favourite part of the test for me was the brakes and their feel. I actually had fun beaking, and could get the fork to flex and steer the front wheel!

[@pieterullersma2544]

Did they when from to dot to mineral oil with this sram red?

[@noahhalbfoster6892]

It's DOT fluid....

[@PeakTorque]

No. still DOT fluid. Which is odd because they just released Sram MAVEN brakes with mineral!

[@pieterullersma2544]

@@PeakTorque that clears my confusion.

[@abbeylives]

Great review. Thanks for keeping it real.

[@RAP4EVERMRC96]

XPLR has different parallelogram which is why it is 1x only. Dont ask me why but apparently using the xplr with 2x doesnt feel that great according to forum threads but it works

[@PeakTorque]

Word is it works just fine 2X. Or, they could have just released this red AXS with a slightly longer cage.

[@Mapdec]

Glad you enjoyed the bike. Just to be clear, I had the brakes set up with reach fully wound out and the contact fully out as well. Ie the very tightest bite point possible. I have a short vid that shows the reach for small hands. Those hood covers really are poor. I have heard a whisper that someone at SRAM has heard the multiple complaints and is apparently working it. 😂

[@harkat16]

I'm not a mech. Does 'contact fully out' increase the chance of brake pad rub? And the solution to that is backing it off? (Still on rim brake so idk)

[@Mapdec]

@@harkat16 yes. Contact out means that the contact point is further from the bar, ie less free stroke. Contact point wound in, would increase the free stroke because the lever wouldn’t be closer to the bar before the brake bites. How far the pads are from the rotor depends a bit on what position everything was in during the bleed and how the bleed was done. I explained to Alex there was a few things I was experimenting with. This, and the chain length. I am running the chain a bit too long so I can fit a 10-34 as soon as possible.

[@PeakTorque]

Paul you must have a massive index finger like ET! Only he could grab those brakes. Unfortunately I didn’t have the tool to adjust on the ride but the hood length for me was excessive compared to Shimano!

[@feedbackzaloop]

@@harkat16 there is a bit of confusion here. Contact point adjustment (or free stroke adjustment) and reach adjustment change the mechanical kinematics of the lever. The hydraulics don't move at all during that. Meaning, "contacts fully out" is making the pistons start moving the moment you touch the brake lever. Otherwise you can squese the lever a bit with nothing happening hydraulic-wise. Pistons in the caliper move the same distance irregards the lever setup. Also, feature is rarely used and absent on lower tier brakes, road or mtb.

[@channul4887]

@@feedbackzaloop I wouldn't waste any time trying to explain that, mapdec is known for his "knowledge", lol.

[@krzysztofkolodziejczyk4335]

finally a real review

[@joe4624]

First independent review, I'm happy you weren't sent one so at least we have a better chance you're being honest 😂

[@MicoMoTv]

Sram is a pain in the ass here in UAE. Now it’s summer and the brakes are touching due to hot temperature. The rubber hoods also is rubbish

[@camilobedoya94]

after trying these, which rotors do you recommend for a r8100 groupset? campag AFS 03, Sram or CL800?

[@Nikica358]

Hey, great video! I got my red installed today, 60km ride I can agree on few points for now as its still fresh. -Lever upgrade is best feature, =Breaks do feel really good( even tho they will still bed in) -Hood rubber material is the same as old RED so ye "wizards" sleeve is inevitable i do ride in hot climate( South of Portugal) and my old hoods did hold ok not as tight as shimano -Top aux button placement would prefere it to be bit lower like 5mm lower and to have less button travel( might be modifiable with some tape??)| -Hoods got slimmer only on top(reservoir section) but still are big(I don't mind as i have big hand) -Reach adjustment is massive ( around 20mm from furthest to closest position) -I did not notice any change in bike fit with that 6mm change (I'm not sure what points are used to measure (maybe reservoir to stem bolt?) -Brake rub is present as disk will get hot but when it cools down back to silent ride -Less(NONE) chain slap with new clutch Ps. I noticed the brake line is different ID of tubing is much larger(i would say 1mm) hance probably more fluid pushing the pistons so more power but OD was kept the same, not sure how that will work long term.

[@PeakTorque]

Great feedback! Yes there really is no chain slap! At what cost of efficiency…probably minor

[@michaelroe6007]

Great review and good comments about the rear derailleur range. If suitable as XPLR cassette it would be great as a new 1x groupset

[@davemellor4697]

Its funny how everyone else says the lever actuation and position is fantastic!

[@kevinthepark]

When the lever reach is properly adjusted… I think he should have adjusted them before reviewing. Not sure why he didn’t.

[@borano2031]

More space behind the lever?? When I´m on the hoods, I keep ALL fingers on the brake levers, none ( possibly the pinkie ) behind the lever. When I push the shifting lever behind the brake lever, I use my ring finger. What am I doing wrong, what have I missed?? Rgr

[@borano2031]

@@kevinthepark The idea is when you have "normal" hands, no adjustment should be necessary. Small hands, yes adjust. Hasn´t this always been the case?? Rgr

[@PeakTorque]

Yes i mentioned the reach adjust of the lever - theres a good range. However, the longer reach of the hoods you cannot change and IN MY OPINION smaller female hands will really struggle. They are two very different things!

[@kevinthepark]

@@borano2031 No, not for as long as levers have been adjustable. The adjustability is there for a reason. Would you ride with the saddle height it’s set at from the factory or the mechanic who set it up? No of course not, unless it was a perfect fit for you. It’s designed to be adjusted. It looks like the levers in the video are set to the max distance, which would obviously be too long for most people’s hands.

[@michaelsanders3395]

Incredible content PT!

[@fzipoli]

You can also have 46/33 in front which, combined with 10-16T, gives a good 33:36 lower than the 34:34 you can get with Shimano. It helps normal people on steep hills.

[@jonathanwoo6597]

The RD needs an offset upper pulley to handle a cassette bigger than a 10-36. This is to keep a consistent B-gap across gears. It's possible to for a RD to handle a wide-range cassette in a 2x setup but the front chainring tooth count gap needs to be small. So the RD cage length isn't the only design consideration on the RD.

[@n22pdf]

Great honest review dude 😊👍 Pete 🚴👍

[@lukasgeukens4822]

When are the PT rotors coming to the shop?

[@tsj8762]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the LOOK too!

[@treyquattro]

I knew it had to be one of Paul's (Vousden - Mapdec) when I saw it. Who else has them? (In north England, that is)

[@PeakTorque]

It was great apart from the creaky BB which turned out to the be the T47 threads.

[@Onigure]

​@@PeakTorque It was the threads, but because he was testing PTFE tape instead of normal assembly grease. Just clarifying! BB standard purists cling to everything.

[@channul4887]

@@Onigure lol, mapdec did something not per manufacturer's spec and it didn't work? Colour us surprised.

[@Carftymk]

isn't there a good reason road mechs exist instead of just having long ass mtb cages? something to do with capacity not shifting as well?

[@feedbackzaloop]

roadies like tight ratios (small gaps between cogs) and you can fit only that much onto one cassette. So then for a full range you still get a front derailleur. And when you do, you can optimise the cassette even better. So much so the difference to mtb or trekking becomes worth changing the rear derailleur too.

[@PeakTorque]

Not in my opinion. Its the top pulley that servos the gears. Whats going on beneath that is entirely passive and only tensions the lower chain. Cheers

[@harkat16]

I'd say no. Just weight weeny brain rot

[@Di2_GP]

@@PeakTorque Maybe on mechanical derailleurs. However on Di2 derailleurs (I know this is SRAM video), although the motor is the same you have different gear ratio between SS and GS. When you move to XT/XTR or RX817, beyond 36t, the gearbox is completely different. That is because when you shift to larger sprockets the jockey wheel is moving further away from the fulcrum point, as a result increasing the load on the servo motor. I have seen plenty of 'converted' Di2 SS derailers with stripped gears inside the servo, because someone just slapped a GS cage on.

[@yukiko_5051]

No non beginner roadies need cog bigger than 36t, so there's no point in having long cages

[@glennicol1361]

I'm still on mechanical 105...not sure that is good or bad thing. Still can't decide if should get an electric groupset... For cost of this groupset I'd expect it to be flawless.

[@marcinstyle85]

If you planning switch to electric on road bike then only Shimano !

[@lonymous]

I have a bike with mechanical 105 and also rival axs. I would say what I appreciate the most going electronic is the ability to see my current gear combo, gear ratio and also the sequential shifting. Performance wise, I would say going electronic is just a tad better but 105 is one hell of a good groupset. And I also appreciate that electronic groupset is kinda set and forget. Mechanical groupset requires adjustment relatively more frequent adjustment compared to the electronic groupset.

[@lolbubs11111]

The new Look 795 is pretty sexy

[@Zylas_DJ]

Would you still recommend the old Sram Red D1 over the new Sram force?

[@feedbackzaloop]

48/35 is 13 teeth difference. Shimano have 16 in compact or 14 in standard setup - yes, simpler job for a FD, from marginally to substantial. Considering the 10 tooth cog, it is equivalent to 53/39 (52,8/38,5 precisely) - a bit easier than standard Shimano, bit greater range than standard. Mind you, 50/34 is a compact! So that's what it means to be smart in heuristics, because top gear is a descend bailout one not needing great efficiency (and when you are a sprinter you have custom ratios anyway and your job is rather to show power numbers and get media coverage than to dance around a 10t cog)

[@morellish]

I get they save weight by machining the brake calipers that much but I see it collecting all kinds of grime. Liked the old design, looked solid.

[@colecoleman1499]

They don't make 10t cog to ride it. It's simply an addition so you can have a perfect straight chainline on mid gears.

[@voidsofold]

Love your vids mate

[@MP48]

I'm using an Eagle XX1 chain on a DA 9100 crank for a few years. Over 20,000km and the chain rings arebarely worn because the chain has hardly any wear. I reckon those RED chainrings will last a long time

[@global_nomad.]

always good to hear your views on things, though i've never had an issue with using two hands to shift 😉 i guess the positives about the wireless system and inter-changability is that we are moving to a wider set of options for users to mix and match to suit their needs and ergonomics. gone are the days when groupsets within the same brand wouldnt work seemlessly with each other.

[@varfolomeev_d]

Hello! Thanks for the review! Can you share your opinion about that bike? I'm struggling in choice of look 795 blade or s-works sl8.

[@vadouvan]

Oh, dang! Did not expect Benji and us ‘Mericans to be catching strays in a Peak Torque group set review. LOL Jokes aside, I appreciate the consideration for those of us who have small hands and short limbs in the review. For instance, I’ve yet to find a set of over the ear headphones that I can wear comfortably even when adjusted to the smallest setting. Alas, the struggle is real when you’re fun sized.

[@johncarlson2255]

All that room in the lever and 20 years later they're making it a master cylinder, what the flying trick.

[@rmcneil12]

Thanks for the review.

[@rallyden7684]

Great review, again! You do know the Sequential Shift Mode option right? No need to push both shifters at the same time. Front mech operates automatically...

[@alexswift2263]

What a fantastic review. The good and bad. Question regarding chainrings. Would you be able to use an after market rings with them and go a 54/34? Or would that need to be a 54/36?

[@tobiasbouma4071]

I'd love to see stats on how often the front ring was really replaced when looking at all sram axs users since the date of release of the old axs. I'm running the now old red axs and the chainring wear has been the least of my worries by a country mile. Btw it does also feel like this group set is for people going for a new bike, such that there is no original reach of the hoods (since you're coming from nothing), and then you can build around the new lever hood. The advantage from perspective of the UCI ruling about bike position (at time of writing*), will provide more lower arm support thus supporting a full aero hoods position for longer, at least that's how I think about it.

[@TheFusfusfus]

According to SRAM, the XPLR rear mech is not compatible with a front mech because of the jockey wheels. It has been done ofc. Maybe its not as smooth...

[@BJKeane-mc6bm]

Thanks for the independent review

[@pierrex3226]

The extra reach on the hoods of 6mm. That's more than half a size between frames. Like from a 52 to 54 or 54 to 56, very often, there aren't 2cm in reach, often it's 10-12mm. So the new group is great if you want to be more aero and stretched out, but if you don't...

[@javiersmith2216]

The pros years ago said brakes were meant to control your speed not stop. When and how did the paradigm change. When the peloton went from center pull to side pull no one said we cant go into corners as quick. They said side pulls are lighter and you can climb faster. What the heck?

[@johnnydarko8031]

I agree with this concept of a review on KZbin.

[@scharnley12]

You can actually put 10-28. 10-30 10-33 10-36 cassette om the rear . It's compatible.

[@RyonBeachner]

As much as I hate to defend SRAM, the hood rubber being baggy like that is likely a reaction to the DOT fluid from initial setup/bleeding. It swells when exposed to DOT fluid in my experience and then is just shit and needs to be replaced. When it’s brand new, it fits as well as anything.

[@tom_er8359]

Then they should change the hood material so it doesnt react to DOT. You will pretty much allways spill some in the process.

[@RPaton]

Mineral oil damages rubber. FMVSS 116 DOT fluid is fluid that does not damage rubber.

[@taylorvant6908]

Great review. Appreciate it

[@5amba]

1) additional reach : not a fan... but the recommended lever angle is also more upright (makes it shorter again) 2) hoods rubber: where are the 3rd party hoods? why is no one doing this? 3) gear ratio: well not everyone is living in the mountains I can easily run 10-28 one-by with 48T where I live. Even when I visit my parents 1:1 is enough Also there is a 46/33 chainring option, which is the compact equivalent. The old XPLR Version officially only supports down to 10-36. No idea if there is really no downside, if you use 10-30 for example. And the new Version doesn't use a hanger anymore (like Transmission). 4) powermeter: at least the chainrings from SRAM last longer than Shimano and with a waxed chain it's nearly zero wear And there is also a spider based powermeter.

[@paulstuart9465]

I assume the baggy hoods are a consequence of weight saving. But it is totally unacceptable for the premier groupset. I wouldn't pay for such a crappy fit and finish.

[@JibbaJabber]

@5:58 Lol. PT Inc: Preview. Under Embargo so stay tuned👍

[@michaelnewman4302]

Subliminal moment!

[@garysladek9110]

Still Shimano for me please. Cheers.

[@alexandreboisselet8336]

There is always a small downside by having a bigger cassette though. The step stize increases so you will sometimes just not have the exact gear ratio you are most comfortable with at certain speeds...

[@PeakTorque]

if the stairs don't reach the top floor, the steps are redundant :)

[@charliecook6909]

Love your honest reviews 👌 every had just been saying now good it ,but don't show you are the bad bits , iv got the last red axs and struggle with reaching the brakes in the drops , would need finger extensions with the new red 🤣

[@philipk4475]

The new Look Blade RS! Sick bike dude, love the little Mondrian colour accents. Seems like an incremental upgrade where you get far better brakes, but with the drawback of longer reach. I don't like the DOT fluid either and I'm not sold on fully wireless either - I don't want to have to travel with a charger for my derailleurs.

[@vlado29]

Good review! Pity about the rotor rub and too long reach… But I don’t agree about the gears - you can go 46/33 which combined with 10-36 gives you very low gear and 46x10 is almost the same as 50x11 - shimano has nothing similar for road today, 11-34 at the back if you don’t go GRX and 50/34 (with 48 or 46 big ring you lose much more high gears). Sram also has the 43/30 option for non competitive (my wife uses it), and 43x10 is higher gear than 50x12 (which used to be enough for most of non-racers in the 2x10 era)

[@donjohnson487]

Thank you for an honest review 🫶🏻

[@greggpedder]

Shimano 12 speed disc brakes are pretty powerful too. I can do rolling stoppies with 1 finger with ease. I definitely dont need any more stopping power than I've got with Ultegra 12.

[@CG-99]

Surely you could have shown us how much the reach adjust reduces the excessive reach.

[@PeakTorque]

Yes i mentioned the reach adjust of the lever - theres a good range. Its done by a port on forward facing top of the lever blades. However, the longer reach of the hoods you cannot change and IN MY OPINION smaller female hands will really struggle.

[@feedbackzaloop]

@@PeakTorque those are words. We come here for the video.

[@kellrockets101]

​@PeakTorque if i see them on the female world tour team bikes I'm calling BS on that take

[@TnFruit]

Hi, nice content as often. What lens do you use for filming the detail? Cause there is a lot of color fringe. 😊

[@Hugo-um8nh]

Looking forward for the PT disks !

[@MrJohnnyTN]

the "free hand" comment was gold

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Isn't the jockey wheel bigger? Maybe to compensate for the worsened chain friction from the tight spring? Interestingly, I *think* Shimano's newest groupset also has a bigger jockey wheel. What are they thinking... why all of a sudden both brands think they need bigger jockeys??

[@TheGamingWarrior10]

Great review!

[@tomalbert3299]

Glad there are independent testers with some wits out there. But regarding the two different reach mechs, the smaller one might have a different parallelogram so that the upper pulley wheel can follow cassettes with smaller cogs better.

[@PeakTorque]

Great point! But in my testing with long cage conversions on shimano that are indexed properly, you can’t notice a difference.

[@williamcatt5570]

Well done sir. What size is that Look?

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Surely the throwaway powermeter is a horrible idea. However, being used to direct mount chainrings from the MTB, chainring bolts like on all other spider based systems seem very outdated to me. How would you design a chainring-crank interface with powermeter if you had no constraints?

[@CaptainShiny5000]

I'd love see this with mineral oil as well instead of DOT. I'd like to hear your opinion on this: Even if you bleed DOT brakes regularly wouldn't the hygroscopic nature of it still be an inherent wear factor? Let's go 10 or even 15 years from now with regular bleeding once a year - would there be a chance of the brake system being rusted shut or at least having degraded performance compared to a mineral oil brake?

[@Primoz.r]

No. I ran a set of formulas for the better part of 6 years without ever bleeding it and only started experiencing lesser performance towards the end of the use. And a few years later a thorough service enabled the brakes to be used on a different bike as well.

[@edmundjones1613]

good common sense review with stuff that seemed to be fairly obvious but hasn't been talked about

[@buckcram5908]

What did you think of the 795?

[@PeakTorque]

Lovely bike with lots of nice engineering-y touches, but let down by T47 BB.

[@matthewhuang3092]

The XPLR derailleur has an offset upper pulley wheel which doesn't work as well with a double chainring. The upper pulley will be further out on the big chainring and degrade shifting performance.

[@PeakTorque]

Tested and verified? The XPLR website shows you can use it with 2x! Its listed as a combo! It’s not solely 1x.

[@matthewhuang3092]

I've only done some hacking with Shimano's 1x derailleur (RD-RX812) on 2x systems, but IME the 16t jump messes up the B gap too much on the big ring and makes for sloppy shifting on the smaller cogs. I think that XPLR could be fine on a SRAM 2x because it only has a 13t chainring difference, but Red is a group set designed for world tour pros who don't run big cassettes.

[@bebopman5]

@@PeakTorqueunder “Features” for all the XPLR derailleurs, it says “1x specific use with 10-44 and 10-36 cassettes”. At least on the US website

[@PeakTorque]

True, however I know a few people riding XPLR 2x with no noticeable difference. Or, they could have just released this red AXS with a slightly longer cage.

[@pigupigu]

for my 1x build im going 48T front single deckas ring narrow/wide. it's 106grams. roughly 7 grams heavier than a comparable carbon ti rear gonna be XPLR AXS derailleur with ZTTO lightweight cassette 10-44T Gives me enough range for all setting in auckland without the hassle of infamous sram FD chain drops

[@PeakTorque]

Deckas FTW - i have a quiver of Deckas ready to roll.

[@pigupigu]

@PeakTorque the alloy narrow wide 48T deckas ring measures to be about 6-7grams more than a comparable sized carbonti equivalent. It's a no brainer. Stone rings are legit too