Mounted on a matte black bike, SRAM’s new Red group certainly lends a stealthy lookJames Huang/Future Publishing
The heavily relieved lever body helps trim weight down to 260g a pair – down 58g from the current versionJames Huang/Future Publishing
Brake lever reach is adjusted via an easily accessible Allen head boltJames Huang/Future Publishing
Textured hood surfaces offer up a more secure grip than before while a bit of padding adds a hint of cushioningJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new SRAM Red DoubleTap levers feature a slightly smaller body girth, a bigger bump up top, and slightly longer brake lever bladesJames Huang/Future Publishing
As before, the shift paddles and brake lever blade reach are independently adjustableJames Huang/Future Publishing
Shift paddle reach is now adjusted via a convenient Allen-head bolt instead of the previous version’s awkward camJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new SRAM Red rear derailleur sheds 12g from the current version but retains the same precise movementJames Huang/Future Publishing
The carbon fiber outer pulley cage plate provides a generous canvas for a big SRAM logoJames Huang/Future Publishing
New pulley tooth shapes help decrease drivetrain noise and will be added to existing Force and Rival groups soon, tooJames Huang/Future Publishing
The cable anchor on the rear derailleur is tucked a little tighter into the body for a cleaner look. Carrying over from last year’s Red is SRAM’s precise Exact Actuation geometryJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new front derailleur stays the same weight as before but boasts a stiffer structure for better shifts plus clever pivot geometry that all but eliminates the need for trimJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new SRAM Red front derailleur is built with a stiffer mixed-material cage (aluminum outer plate, steel inner) that more closely follows the shape of the outer chainringJames Huang/Future Publishing
The parallelogram pivots in the new front derailleur aren’t actually parallel. By angling them relative to each other, SRAM engineers were able to tune in a bit of rotational movement as the cage moves through its range to help eliminate chain rubJames Huang/Future Publishing
Aluminum and titanium adjuster screws and anchor bolts help keep the weight down to a claimed 72g for the new front derailleurJames Huang/Future Publishing
One unexpected addition is this tidy chain catcher, which is integrated into the front derailleur mounting assembly and rigidly fixed in placeJames Huang/Future Publishing
The small adjuster screw just to the left of the mounting bolt both adjusts the position of the chain catcher and fixes it in placeJames Huang/Future Publishing
SRAM have now integrated a Red-labeled Quarq power meter into the group for 2013James Huang/Future Publishing
The standard SRAM Red crankarms feature marginally lighter weights but a much stiffer spider for reduced chainring flexJames Huang/Future Publishing
SRAM stick with the familiar GXP spline interface for the non-driveside crankarmJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new chainrings are noticeably stiffer than previous standard Red rings for improved shifting. The solid outer face is reminiscent of the TT-specific rings that many SRAM-sponsored pros opted to use even on their road bikes. Note the hidden fifth chainring bolt, tooJames Huang/Future Publishing
SRAM stick with their long-running GXP bottom bracket design for non-BB30 cranks. Critics may scoff given past bearing issues but the latest models have much lower friction and their updated Gutter seals have been holding up quite wellJames Huang/Future Publishing
The new cassette is once again milled almost entirely from a single block of steel but it’s much more aggressively cut away like SRAM’s XX unit to shed about 30g. Elastomer rings set in between each set of cogs helps keep things quietJames Huang/Future Publishing
The largest cog is made of machined aluminum and is pressed into placeJames Huang/Future Publishing
SRAM’s familiar 10-speed chains will carry over for 2013James Huang/Future Publishing
SRAM move away from a traditional dual pivot layout in favor of a cam-actuated design for the new Red brakesJames Huang/Future Publishing