A day after Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) debuted the new SRAM HydroR hydraulic rim brake system at the 2013 Tour de France, the American manufacturer has suggested more riders could follow suit in the next three weeks.
Yesterday Cavendish, the new British champion, told a SRAM technician the new brakes – which supposedly have enhanced stopping power and better modulation than their mechanic counterparts – saved him from going down in a big spill as the peloton came to the finish in Bastia.
Michael Zellmann PR and media manager told BikeRadar that “there is more to come…we have three teams in the Tour, so if anything’s going to happen it’ll be with them.”
While Cavendish was the only rider on the Omega Pharma QuickStep squad to use the system – integrated into a 10 speed Red groupset – the presence of a SRAM technician to assist team mechanics means more bikes at Cannondale, Saxo-Tinkoff and Omega Pharma QuickStep could be equipped with technology during the race.
SRAM's new HydroR rim brake on Mark Cavendish's bike
"We introduced this technology not too long ago," Zellmann said. "Re-equipping a ProTour team with a new groupset is a large undertaking - it’s a very complex thing.”
He originally cited the complexity of training team mechanics to fit the new technology as a reason why the brakes wouldn’t appear in the peloton for the foreseeable future in May.
“The fact that were able to do this for a rider like Cavendish who draws global attention is a perfect representative as he’s a guy who is quite particular about his componentry,” he said.
The brakes were unveiled less than three months ago as part of the launch of an all-new SRAM 11 speed groupset.