https://www.sram.com/stories/introducing-sram-red-etap

begin chaos.

One nice advantage is the easier shifting interface. Right harder; left easier.

Shimano should take note. Electronic shifting systems don't need to mimic cables. Once manufacturers get that, then the shifting interface can be improved.

https://velonews.competitor.com/2015/...s-sense_382493

Being wireless...I wonder if like Mektronic it'll do cool things around high voltage powerlines

You would hope that, sooner rather than later, the manufacturers would give consumers an easy way to change between conventional (mimicking cables) and simplified shifting options.

^ the one thing is dislike about Di2 is that you can mistake the up for the down.

And they're backwards from left to right. There was a physical reason that cable actuated derailleurs work like that. But now the shift "levers" are just switches.

You can make them do whatever you want, (and you can reprogram Di2) but Shimano is still just aping mechanical shifting instead of making the best interface for an electrical system.

Allegedly not. And you would think with a year in the Pro Peleton, they would have seen that and corrected it.

Sram started with a clean sheet and probably asked a non-cyclist about the controls and this is what they got.

Just like Duo-Tap... they lead, not follow.

Since sram is mainly used by weight weenies, they should make a race-day battery. Instead of shifting for 700 miles per charge, limit it to 125 miles and save some grams.

how many batteeries are there?

Leading would imply they got it done first. Still, it would have been easy to just replicate the mechanical systems so they got a bit creative. It took me a while to get used to double tap but now I can switch between shimano or sram without any difficulties. I wonder if the new method will cause any angst for people (me)

Almost $3,000 for a group though, yikes.

I want one but I think I will wait for the Claris version.

The video said 4 batteries I believe. One in each shifter like a watch battery that lasts a year. Then interchangeable, rechargeable ones in the DR's that last 1000km/620 miles.

The cool thing they hinted at is if your RDR battery goes dead on a ride, you can pick a front ring, then move the battery to the RDR and get home.

As soon as it trickles down to Force, I'm upgrading my bike. Sounds like you can run whatever crank you want, btw.

You can pair the RD with your Garmin to display the gear your in. Gear indicators! It will make that transition from Claris to etap seemless

Stand by for UK pricing

Depends how you qualify FIRST.

While not the first electronic or the first 11 speed, it is the first wireless and first with non-conventional controls.

Second usually learns from "first's" mistakes and short comings.

I find Sram DuoTap more intuitive and it sounds like eTap is also.

Yep, I like that SRAM is thinking past the limitations of cables. I always did wonder why Shimano had an The one concern I have is that the chainring shift method precludes use of the system for adaptive cycling by athletes who lack the use of both hands, and will make shifting on the repair stand a little annoying. And what happens if you throw a chain? Okay, I guess that's three things. But Di2 is already there with the programmability and demonstrated ability to hack into unforeseen functionality. It's pretty usual for SRAM road to be focused primarily on quote-unquote normal users in the performance-oriented market.

Personally, I think having to deal with 4 different batteries instead of one, (even if you only have to change 2 of them infrequently) is about a wash, with the advantage of getting rid of wires.

There's obviously an initial setup advantage to wireless, but once you've got wired setup, the wires are extremely unobtrusive. So beyond a cool factor, I'm not sure wireless is that much of a step forward.

yeah too much battery for my tastes.

Di2 essentially accomplishes the same result. If you forget to recharge it, the FD, which takes more power, is disabled, but you retain the ability to shift on the rear, until the battery's gone. It will work I this mode for at least 40 miles (don't ask me how I know this.)

I'm not up to speed on Di2, but isn't there a box or two that has to be connected to the frame somewhere? I assumed the carbon makers were putting them inside the frame. I don't see the same thing on the SRAM stuff. Looks a little more self contained and easier to port over to older frames.

Since SRAM is wireless, it does not have a central battery - which would require wires. Each item has a self-contained battery.

Definitely easier to port over to old frames.


With Di2, and a frame designed for it, you can route the wires so the only exposed parts are a junction box, the size of a small cycle computer, typically obscured under the stem, a wire from the junction box to the frame, which runs with the rear brake cable, so no additional clutter, and a wire out the frame to the RD about a foot long.

So you're trading easier setup, and avoiding 18" of wire exposed, and a junction box, for keeping up with 4 batteries.

unless you're retrofitting an old frame I don't see that to be terribly compelling either way.

Question will be how well it shifts, and how reliable.

Also aesthetically, Dura Ace Di2, with a seatpost battery is sleeker than having batteries on each derailleur.

How well would this work with lets say 50 people in a group ride all using this wireless tech? I don't want to be shifted by or shifting for someone else.