SRAM Rival eTap AXS £1,314 | 3205kg
SRAM’s Rival eTap AXS burst onto the scene in April this year, bringing wireless, electronic, 12-speed shifting to a new audience, and simultaneously helping to quench the thirst of a component-parched industry.
The American brand’s previous entry-level electronic groupset was Force eTap AXS, costing over £2,000. The Rival offering sets consumers back £1,314 for a 2x set-up (or £1,102 for 1x).
“Nothing good comes for free” is a saying that’s rarely exempt from product development – the use of more cost-effective materials means that Rival eTap AXS is heavier than the Force iteration, but only by around 200g. The functionality, however, holds a mirror up to Force and asks its bigger brother: “why so expensive?”
The controls: shifting and braking
One of the greatest difficulties slowing down hydraulic groupset development on the road has been how to embed the system into a slimline road lever. The Rival hoods are more compact than their
