The new Flattop chain is narrower than before, which means it's smoother and quieter and it's stronger, too. The AXS app is used to configure the system, but you don't have to use it - though without doing so you'll miss out on some gearing customisation.
SRAM Red is available on its own still boasting incredible performance , with hydraulic disc brakes, with e-Tap and of course with hydraulic disc brakes and eTap. Now you can get it in AXS format, too. Being wireless, eTap is impressively light, and it won itself a place in our Editor's Choice awards of To shift using eTap, you move into a smaller cog at the rear by pressing the paddle behind the right brake lever. You move into a larger cog by pressing the paddle behind the left lever.
The front mech is operated by pressing both levers together. As denoted by the '22', SRAM Red is 11 speed and the American based brand promises that the symptoms of cross-chaining are minimal so you really can use all SRAM Red groupsets are also on offer with a mid-cage 'WiFli' rear deraillieur, which makes the use of a tooth cassette possible without it your max is 28 tooth , and SRAM Red chainsets can also come available with a Quarq power meter built in.
Force 22 is speed, and when it grew from 10 to 11 speed it inherited design features from its more costly Red sibling. Whilst a little heavier than Red, Force is usually considered on par with Shimano Ultegra. The 1x version can accommodate cassettes up to , and comes with chainrings from 38 to 54 tooth. A Roller Bearing Clutch derailleur helps guard against chain slap - a technology which was previously considered an off-road domain but has become more popular on the road and gravel of late.
The major difference between this and other options above is that the cranks, levers and rear mechs move from being constructed from carbon fibre, to aluminium. Also, when it comes to the hydraulic levers, they've not received the updates seen elsewhere in the range, so are a bit larger compared to the downsized hoods you'll see at the likes of SRAM Red HRD.
The 1x groupset comes with an X-Horizon rear derailleur, which includes a clutch mechanism to reduce chainslap.
The most notable different between SRAM Apex and the rest of the line up is that it's a speed groupset, which means jumps between gears become a bit more noticeable.
You can still accomodate an cassette thanks to the availability of the WiFLi rear derailleur and there's 1x in the line up, too. Not all retailer prices contain every element of the groupset, and you may need to factor in additional parts. Campagnolo, affectionately referred to as "Campag" or "Campy", is a company rich in cycling heritage. The Italian brand can boast of equipping the winning bikes of the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.
Historically it is famous for inventing the rear derailleur and many other key innovations, such as quick release skewers. The entry-level groupset , Veloce starts higher than Shimano and sits above Sora and Tiagra. Super Record EPS is the most expensive commercially available groupset. In May , Campagnolo announced its new disc brake groupsets - with discs available across Chorus, Record and Super Record groupsets.
Then in April , Campagnolo broke new ground, launching with speed versions of Record and Super Record. Campagnolo's shifting system differs from the key competition - with a lever behind the brake on the 'Ergopower' shifters which moves the chain one way, and a thumb lever on the inside of the shifter which sends it the other way.
The other magic trick is 'Ultrashift', which makes it possible to give the lever a longer push to smash through multiple gears on the cassette in one go. The brand's systems are well known for their distinctive 'clunk' - something Campag says dedicated users value so much that the electronic system was developed to provide the same degree of feedback.
Campagnolo 12 speed groupsets. Campagnolo offers speed groupsets on its Super Record and Record configurations - in mechanical and more recentlyEPS format. Campag created the speed option by shrinking the sprockets and the space between them - requiring a thinner chain but meaning that speed models will fit the same driver as the speed version, so swapping isn't hard.
The derailleur is now longer at The derailleur can be mounted via a hanger or direct to the frame, and sits closer the cassette than before, engaging more teeth at once, increasing longevity. The thinner chain also means the cage has been slimmed down, creating more space between it and the spokes of the wheel.
The crankset uses the same four arm spider, though some areas have been reinforced to provide extra strength. The front derailleur now hasan unlinked upper semi-rod that makes for less free stroke on the upshift, with a movement of the lever now having an immediate effect on the derailleur. It allows for more precise positioning, too, giving greater amounts of trim and a thinner cage that should cater better in moments of cross-chaining.
Other changes across the system are subtle, such as a slight increase in lever size and bringing the brake lever pivot inline with the handlebar, while the levers angle slightly outwards and have a deeper curve, making it easy to brake on the drops. Campagnolo H11 Disc brake groupsets.
The lower endPotenza groupset comes with an 'H10' disc brake groupset, which features aluminium shifters instead of carbon. To create the system, Campag teamed up with German brake and suspension manufacturer Magura - who helped develop the cylinder and oil system. The 22mm diameter pistons are made from phenolic resin, which the brand claims offers superior heat insulation and a magnetic spring has replaced a metal approach which is said to add to reaction time and consistency.
There are size specific calipers - you can run mm at the front and rear and mm or mm at the rear. They're designed to fit any flat mount frameset and there's no need for spacers. Campagnolo EPS. The system powers itself via a rechargeable battery which sits in the frame and the update included development of the Power Unit and Interface Unit, making them slimmer and increasing compatibility with more frames - including aero bikes.
The shifting pattern stays the same, but the front derailleur adjusts itself slightly if you're chain crossing, to help facilitate a smoother change. In September , Campagnolo added Eka r - a speed gravel specific groupset, available in mechanical only, disc brake configurations. Given Campagnolo is often known for being a high ticket choice, the prices surprised us at being closer than expected to the likes of SRAM and Shimano's offerings.
It's light too, with weights varying starting at 2,g in the lightest configuration with a cassette. As well as going speed, Campagnolo adjusted the thumb paddles on Ekar, making them easier to reach when riding off-road. A clutch rear mech helps to keep the chain quiet, and narrow-wide tooth design also aims to prevent chain drops.
The speed system comes with new chainsets, front and rear derailleurs, rim and disc brakes as well as shifters - but it's compatible with existing wheels and frames.
There are two cassette options - and - the reasoning being that racers don't need to stick to smaller gear ratios in order to minimise gaps between cogs with the speed system. Being top of the performance ladder, Super Record is loaded with carbon and titanium, allowing for a low overall weight.
The crankset, for example, is carbon, with alloy chainrings and a titanium axle, the derailleurs are predominantly carbon with ceramic bearings used and the body of the shifter is constructed from composite. Alongside the impressive performance of the H11 brakes, we've always found Campagnolo's direct mount rim brakes - available down to Chorus level - quick to react and effective. The performance differences between Super Record and Record aren't huge - there's a little bit less carbon, which reflects in a slight weight increase - for example, the crankset weighs g as opposed to g at Super Record standard.
Record is now available in a 12 speed configuration, too. The rear derailleur uses rubber pulleys as opposed to the ceramic bearings at Super Record level. The crankset has been beefed up to g compared to g for Chorus , and there's similar increases across the group.
Potenza is 'middle ground' for Campagnolo, but it's actually comparable to Shimano Ultegra, so it's certainly not entry level by any stretch of the imagination. One notable difference is a longer inside lever, when compared with that found on the top end systems - this answers complaints that the thumb tab was hard to reach when in the drops.
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You can also find further guides on our sister sites off. Email John with comments, corrections or queries. Mat has been road. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer.
Now pushing 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions. Don't know that it's relevant in this case, but you could probably argue that a video had been edited in such a way as to create a misleading So if I buy one of these then I can claim it on my palmares, right? Should help my next contract negotiations Don't give them ideas around scalability I'm a fan of the graffiti frame, but think I've seen something similar before So basically they killed the Avant and now it's back merged with Orca with wider tire clearance?
COP26 didn't finally recognise cycling, walking and public transport; it was forced to. Until Matthew Baldwin stood up and hassled them, they had We're on the wrong side of the tracks again here.
So if you regularly ride dirty gritty roads think about whether you really need that top of the range Dura-Ace setup. Most of the road we sell use Shimano gears. The mechanical gears use a cable and springs to change the gears. The Di2 gears use electric switches which are much more precise and need less tuning to keep running smoothly. There are also disc and rim brake versions of most Shimano gears available. SRAM gears are less common than Shimano but do come fitted on a number of bikes we sell.
In particular SRAM gears are finding their way onto a lot of gravel, adventure and cyclocross bikes as they make 1x versions of most of their gears. This means using a single chainring at the front and a wider gear range at the back.
The levers on SRAM gears do work slightly different from Shimano with a double-tap system for shifting which take a little bit of getting used to if you are used to Shimano. Campagnolo are the classic Italian gear manufacturers. Responsible for many of the innovations that modern gears are based on Campagnolo still make cutting edge, race winning, equipment.
Italian road bikes have long been seen as something a bit special, something with a little extra class. If you are going to have an Italian road bike then it needs to come with Campagnolo. My message Close. Electric Road Bikes. Electric Mountain Bikes. Mens Bikes Mens Road Bikes. Mens Mountain Bikes. Mens Hybrid Bikes. Mens Cyclocross Bikes. Mens Gravel Bikes. Mens Electric Bikes. Womens Bikes Womens Road Bikes. Womens Mountain Bikes.
Womens Hybrid Bikes. Womens Cyclocross Bikes. Womens Gravel Bikes. Womens Electric Bikes. Kids Bikes Boys Bikes. There is a new eTap AXS rear derailleur design to accommodate this gearing for each level. One of the most noticeable things about XPLR as a whole package is that it includes components from RockShox and Zipp — two brands also owned by SRAM — including a new gravel-specific suspension fork, a dropper post that provides a small amount of suspension, and gravel wheels.
As such, Campagnolo is often the choice of dyed-in-the-wool aficionados, bike collectors and those who think an Italian bike must have an Italian groupset.
Sitting just below the Record family is the speed Campagnolo Chorus. Campagnolo Record is a premium mechanical groupset from the Italian brand, with speed shifting, and rim and hydraulic disc braking options. Campagnolo also offers an even higher-level groupset in the form of Super Record.
While very similar to Record, it uses even fancier materials to lighten and enhance each and every part. This is the best of the best as far as Campagnolo is concerned and is usually only found on the most expensive pro-level road machines. Campagnolo also claims Ekar is the lightest gravel-specific groupset out there, weighing in at a claimed 2,g for the complete package.
The crankset or chainset is the largest part of any groupset and comprises the chainrings, the cranks and, in most cases these days, the spindle that links the two crank arms together.
For the most part, modern road bikes use dual-action shifters that incorporate the gear levers into the brake levers. Each brand has its own spin on the concept, so how you shift mechanical gears on a Shimano-equipped bike is slightly different to how you shift on a Campagnolo- or SRAM-equipped bike.
Electronic shifting still relies on paddles built into the brake levers but uses small servomotors in the derailleurs to make them move.
Electronic drivetrains offer consistently precise shifting and lower maintenance than a mechanically actuated drivetrain. For a full explanation of how the different systems change gear, read our detailed article on how to change gear on a road bike.
The variety of brakes used on road bikes has also grown more complex in the last few years. In the past, cable-operated, caliper rim brakes were the only type used on most road bikes, but recent years have seen road bike braking options expand to take in direct-mount rim calipers , hydraulic rim calipers these remain exceptionally rare , cable-operated disc brakes and hydraulic disc brakes.
Hydraulic disc brakes are generally considered to be the best all-round option, but which type of brake is best for you is dependent on a number of factors. Understanding how road disc brakes work will help you decide.
The derailleurs are the mechanisms — sometimes mech for short — that move the chain from one gear to the next. The front derailleur does the job for the front chainrings, while the rear derailleur does it for the cassette; both are controlled by the shifters. The cassette is the cluster of sprockets mounted on the rear wheel. So, if there are 10 sprockets, you have a speed groupset; 11 sprockets is an speed groupset, and so on.
Having more sprockets not only provides you with a wider range of gears but also means the jumps between them tend to be smaller. For road bikes with a double crankset, t is probably the most common cassette range, but Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo all offer a huge range of choices to suit your riding. More expensive chains also often have smoother, more durable and more corrosion-resistant coatings than their cheaper counterparts.
Note that a chain is a wear item and should be replaced at regular intervals. Failure to do this will accelerate wear on your cassette and chainrings, but you can extend chain life by cleaning it regularly and only using the best chain lubes for your bike. The bottom bracket contains the bearings on which the crankset spins and it fits into your frame. Threaded bottom brackets screw into your frame on threads. Press-fit bottom brackets, as the name suggests, are pressed into the frame and held in place by friction.
Generally speaking, press-fit bottom brackets are less convenient than threaded ones when it comes to maintenance and compatibility, but many manufacturers favour them for purported weight and stiffness benefits, as well as ease of manufacturing. Does paying more always bring you improved performance? Maybe, but the higher up the range you go, the smaller those performance benefits become, and the increments become less noticeable, while the kit gets a lot more expensive.
Second-tier groupsets Shimano Ultegra, Campagnolo Chorus, SRAM Force are generally as good in functional terms as the pro-level components and considerably cheaper, but they weigh fractionally more and have fewer exotic shiny bits.
Pick two.
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