[dc]I[/dc]t all starts with some spy photos: blacked out parts, blurry shots of cyclocross races, SRAM team guys with suspicious shift levers and cranksets. Then SRAM made a splash early last year by redesigning their flagship group and releasing it just prior to the spring classics. They have marketed their new group as the best mechanical group on the market, making waves about Boonen winning Flanders and Roubaix on the new gear and have Hammered the media with their successes.
But how is it, really?
Some of you may have gathered that I'm something of a SRAM fanboy, and having ridden SRAM for the past 5 years (starting with the old original Force which is still kicking on my cyclocross bike) I wanted to do this methodically, piece by piece. I've started with the shifters, as they're the most important part of the group (in my opinion) and will compare them to the old model Red shifters that they have replaced.
Design Considerations
SRAM kept things somewhat the same: Red is still mechanical, still features DoubleTap technology and still features Zero Loss technology front and back. What's different? Most noticeably, the shape of the lever body, the length and shape of the lever blade and the design of the hoods are radical departures. Underneath it all is a revised brake lever pivot position, revised shift paddle pivot, easier shift paddle reach adjustment and the disappearance of any trim function (the new system relies on the "Yaw" designed front derailleur to eliminate chain rub.)
Overall the size of the shifter has shrunk and the "hump" on the front of the lever has become more pronounced. The brake lever blade is longer and much less contoured than previously, and seems to be designed for nearly vertical positioning on the front of the bike. All said and done the shape is much more similar to Campy's 11 speed ergo shifters than with the previous SRAM models, which will be a good thing for those with small hands. The only problem may lie in the brake lever design, in that it tends to sit further from the bar then the older SRAM lever designs. People with short fingers will be displeased.
Interestingly enough, recent news from SRAM suggests that the new iteration of Force will be rebranded old model Red parts: this suggests that the new hood and lever shape will be exclusive to Red for the time being.
Something Old, Something New
SRAM claims the new model shifter is only compatible with the new 2012 derailleurs. To this is say "BS." I've been running these levers with my Limited Tour Edition Red front derailleur and older Red rear derailleur for six months with absolutely no issues whatsoever. The same goes for the old model Quarq/Red Black chainrings. It should be noted that I very rarely ever had trouble with the titanium cage Red front derailleur, even with the old levers. I'm lucky in that respect, I guess, but I still have a chain catcher installed just in case.
Shifting Prowess
Performance wise, my impression is that the shifting action is lighter than the older Red. The longer shift paddle and redesigned pivot allows for less effort on both front and rear shifts, and it seems like the throw is shortened as well; dumping four rear cogs seems to be less stress on the hand than previously. Both front and rear shifts are smooth and snappy, with some of the "click/clack" notchiness having been removed from the rear shift. It's still a very positive feedback, but it's been toned down just a bit.
Users with small hands will love the new paddle position relative to the shifter body, and they may find it easier to access the paddle from the drops if it's adjusted far enough in. The adjustment mechanism is very easily accessible and has very noticeable detents in it this go around. The allen key size has also been changed from an off size to a size more likely to be found on a multi-tool.
On the negative side of things, oddly enough the Zero Loss rear shifter seems to be more of a "minimal loss" than zero loss. I have to give the nod to the old Red levers on this one: I'm somewhat disappointed in the amount of slop in the rear paddle before the shift. It's not a deal breaker and it's not hardly noticeable, but it is there.
Braking Performance
Braking performance is a touchy subject: so much of the power in braking is down to the calipers. In this case, I've tested with both Force calipers and Zero Gravity calipers, and I have to say that the levers performed admirably well with both brakes. The revised pivot position and lever body design makes braking from the hoods extremely confidence inspiring: even small hands can grab a handful of lever and haul the speed down quickly. The extra length of the brake lever blade is useful in the drops as well, but again, only if you have longer fingers. Those with stubby fingers should look elsewhere.
An odd consideration that stumped me for a short while early on was the fact that dialing the brake lever blade inward caused the shift paddle to hang up on the return stroke after shifting. I NEVER had this issue with the old Red levers. After fumbling around with it for a while, I reached a compromise that prevented the paddle from hanging up while affording a reasonable brake lever reach in the drops.
Hood Design
Perhaps one of the best things about the new Red design is the size and shape of the shifter body, along with the new hood design. (Warning: subjective comfort opinion ahead!) The design features a very flat portion of the rear of the shifter body along with a prominent "bump" on the front where the brake lever pivot resides. This provides several more hand positions than the old levers and is even more comfortable in the palm of your hand.
The new textured hoods are somewhat tacky and nice and grippy, as opposed to the stock hoods on the old Red. Unlike the tacky Hudz replacements, these don't shift around when cranking the bars out of the saddle either. Big bonus on both fronts. Comfort is also there, with a softer rubber and varying thickness depending on the part of the hood.
The only real problem is getting dirt into those little grooves. It's a pain in the ass to get out, and is accentuated by the white hoods being, well, white. I'd like to dye the depressions in the textured part of the white hood black, if only to make dirt less visible.
Overall Impressions
Are the new Red shifters good? Yes, they are. Functionally they are not much different, but most of the differences are a step in the right direction and solve some complaints I felt existed with the old model. A few things could be done better, like improving the Zero Loss feel of the rear shifter and designing the brake lever blade and paddle interface a little smoother so the shift paddle doesn't get hung up on the brake lever. After paying about $625 for the shifters, would I do it again? Debatable. But I'm overall happy with them.
Next time I'll look at the Yaw front derailleur and see how that compares to the LTE I originally tested the shifters with.
MSRP: $639
