Sneak peeks »
2007 SRAM Road Group
Normally I don’t spend too much time discussing gear for road bikes but I have no problem making exceptions when something catches my eye and looks as though it’ll really shake up the biking scene. SRAM’s road gruppo is a case in point; the component group made waves at the recent Interbike trade show but journalists were sworn to secrecy and not allowed to reveal too much information about the system. However, the proverbial cat is out of the bag and Cycling News has the first detailed look at the upcoming SRAM road group.
The shifting system itself looks pretty standard on the outside, but SRAM took two years and, I’m assuming, a whole lot of cash to develop this product line. Downshifts and upshifts are controlled by a single shifting ‘paddle’, that is separate from the brake lever. What this means is that riders can shift from a number of different positions (from the hoods, from the drop, and even while sprinting with their hands fully on the bars) without having to worry about grabbing a bunch of brake.
The other bits of the group look pretty impressive too. SRAM’s rear derailleur is based on the 1:1 actuation ratio found on their mountain bike components. While the extra bit of tolerance that this system provides (as opposed to Shimano’s 2:1 actuation ratio) won’t be as beneficial on a road bike as it is on a mountain bike, I can’t see it hurting overall shifting ability. Apparently, the performance level of the two rear derailleurs will be similar to Dura-Ace / Record and Ultegra.
Check out the article on Cycling News for more information on parts like the front derailleur and the crankset, as well as a whole bunch of great photos.
Other thoughts on the SRAM road group