Road bike enthusiasts who want the best quality groupset, generally choose one of three brands that already have big names, namely Shimano from Japan, SRAM from the United States and Campagnolo from Italy. Their famous flagship product such as Shimano Dura-Ace, SRAM Red or Campagnolo Super Record. The product of these three brands have already recognized the high quality by a road bike enthusiasts.
Even the newest products from Shimano, opened the era of electronic shifting with Dura-Ace Di2 plus Ultegra Di2. With this technology, then the bike will be easier to shift gears as easy as pressing the lever.
Meanwhile, Campagnolo don’t want to miss the release of electrically flagship product in two levels at once, namely Record EPS and Super Record EPS. Intense competition groupset makers are seen when Shimano releasing their new product Dura-Ace 11 cassette version. These products are produced because Campagnolo, which are their competitors are able to apply 11 rear gear system in the majority of their production groupset. So far, Shimano and SRAM always focus on 10 cassette systems on their productions.
As for the SRAM, it seems they are still not interested in competing in the electronic system. So far they still focus to develop a manual system. SRAM product development focus is to make the lightest and responsive groupset .
In the earlier of this month, SRAM release their latest edition of the SRAM Red. The plan is this groupset will color the bike in the next 2013. The advantage, of course its weight is very light. In fact, so far SRAM Red groupset is the lightest known in the market. By taking on the BB30 crank, its weighs only 1798 grams. The standard version is also ranged between 1900 grams, equivalent to the best Campagnolo products.
While for the newest product SRAM Red 2013 claimed will have more lighter weight, which is only 1739 grams. In addition, SRAM also claim that their latest product has other advantages which are improvised from an old version of SRAM Red.
Here the list of lightest bike groupset:
- SRAM Red 2013 = 1739 gr
- SRAM Red BB30 = 1798 gr
- Campagnolo Super Record 11 = 1899 gr
- Campagnolo Record 11 = 1957 gr
- SRAM Red = 1968 gr
- Shimano Dura-Ace = 2045 gr
- Campagnolo Chorus 11 = 2050 gr
- Campagnolo Super Record 11 EPS = 2100 gr (electronic)
- SRAM Force = 2114 gr
- Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 = 2145 gr (electronic)
- Campagnolo Athena 11 Carbone = 2146 gr
- Campagnolo Record 11 EPS = 2200 gr (electronic)
- Campagnolo Centaur Carbone = 2224 gr
- SRAM Rival = 2240 gr
- Campagnolo Athena 11 = 2242 gr
- Shimano Ultegra = 2313 gr
- Campagnolo Centaur = 2326 gr
- SRAM Apex = 2358 gr
- Campagnolo Veloce = 2411 gr
- Shimano Ultegra Di2 = 2441 gr (electronic)
- Shimano 105 = 2517 gr
- Shimano Tiagra = 2700 gr
- Shimano Sora = 2800 gr
The most prominent is the front derailleur (FD or the next shift). The FD will be made stronger and smoother. So far, FD SRAM Red is considered a weak point of their products. Titanium components used will be replaced with aluminum and steel which is more rigid and responsive.
Lever also made more ergonomic. Wrapping rubber parts now textured like Campagnolo and Shimano Dura-Ace style. Levers are slimmer and longer making the system shifting and braking easier. The system used was DualTap which is only one lever to reduce or increase the gear.
SRAM also made major changes in the brake system which does not use dual pivot system, but using cam-actuated system which is drawn only at one side. The effect is going to make a brake feel lighter while adding power and increase the clearance between the brake and the rim. This brakes are called AeroLink. This form purpose is to help split the wind when mounted on the frame.
On the rear cassette, SRAM Red has always been wearing 10 gears system, which is made from chunks of metal intact. For SRAM Red 2013 version, the gear that made of chunks of metal intact only eight central gears. Meanwhile, the largest and the smallest gear get connected and on the sidelines of the gear paired with rubber dampers.. The shape would be expected to shift smoother. During this time one complaint for the SRAM Red is rough shifting.