SRAM’s current generation 12-speed groupsets hit the road in early 2019 when the company launched its Red eTap AXS group. Usually, I wouldn’t get antsy for a new generation of parts to replace a groupset only about to turn four years old, but recent developments suggest that we might see something new in 2023.
SRAM and Shimano (generally) stick to a predictable four-year(ish) cycle of new groupset launches, meaning it’s roughly that time again for the Chicago-based brand. If you follow World Tour racing and who is riding what equipment from year to year in the peloton, you might have heard that Jumbo-Visma will switch component sponsors from Shimano to SRAM come January.
If SRAM were getting ready to launch a new groupset, making sure the best team in the world, a safe bet to have time in both the yellow and green jerseys at the men’s and women’s Tour de France next summer is riding these parts would be a good plan.
While most people were focused on Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Pidcock duking it out in the sand of the December 4th Cyclocross World Cup round in Antwerp, Belgium, I noticed something different on the bikes of Baloise Trek Lions team riders. Both Lars Van Der Haar and Shirin Van Anrooij used SRAM levers on their bikes that did not match anything currently offered by the brand.
The new levers closely resemble the updated shape of the Rival eTap AXS levers. These are more angular compared to the current generation Red and Force levers, which are very rounded. The rest of the drivetrain on these bikes looks like currently offered SRAM products.
So here is what we know so far, and it’s not much. Recently, SRAM made some marketing moves that would align with an upcoming product launch. Product cycle timing would also suggest this is in the works. Plus, looking around the web, there seem to be a lot of eTap AXS drivetrains on closeout. But so far, the only new parts we’ve spotted in the wild are an updated lever shape on what we presume is a Red level groupset that brings it more in line with Rival's lever shape.
We reached out to SRAM's Global Road Communication Manager, Michael Zellmann, and he confirmed that "These are SRAM's newest shifter architecture, featuring a custom carbon lever and pro race graphics."
This small crumb of new SRAM sent the Bicycling Gear Team (Matt Phillips, Tara Seplavy, and myself) down a pretty deep speculation rabbit hole about features we'd like to see SRAM include with a new road groupset. Matt immediately jumped in with the obvious, a change to 13-speed. If SRAM can add the extra gear without changing the current XDr freehub body, I don’t foresee too many complaints. No one wants to source and update their wheels with a new freehub body. Hopefully, SRAM sticks to existing standards with whatever new groupset is coming.
Other things on Matt’s wish list are:
- Faster shifting and improved battery life — Both would likely be accomplished through updated motors, batteries, and firmware.
- Better adjustability of brake lever engagement — This can pose a big problem for folks with smaller hands, as the levers can bottom out on the bar before fully engaging the pads.
- Minimizing throw-away components — Matt hopes SRAM moves away from power meters integrated into chainrings that wear out and disposable blip shifters that aren’t rechargeable.
- More brake pad retraction to minimize rubbing and noise in wet and dirty conditions.
- An oversized pulley and cage design to reduce drivetrain friction.
- Finally, reduced weight and pricing that's more competitive with Dura-Ace and Ultegra.
Tara’s list of new Red features was very close to Matt's. This isn’t too surprising; Faster shifting, better battery life, and improved brakes are likely on everyone’s short list at SRAM since the launch of the Shimano 12-speed road systems.
But Tara did have some interesting thoughts:
- An adjustable clutch so riders can dial in chain hold if running 1x vs. 2x or simply want a bit of extra protection on rough terrain.
- Deeper integration between SRAM’s Hammerhead brand computers and the drivetrain. It would be nice, for example, to change shift settings or micro-adjust the derailleur via the head unit rather than needing to do it on the phone.
- SRAM working with its portfolio sibling Zipp to produce an elegant and standardized solution for integrated cockpits that competes with the FSA ACR system.
The top item on my wishlist for the new SRAM groupset is more buttons on the levers. SRAM hoods and levers have so much unused space where function buttons could be located. Plus, it would be nice not to need two hands to do things like shift a rear derailleur in either direction while I’m taking a drink of water.
- Besides having simply more buttons, I’d love to see them be programable to customize functionality and let riders set up how they want their bikes to work.
- From a low friction and aesthetics perspective, I would love to see SRAM ditch the 10T cog and the weird chainring sizes or allow riders to opt for larger ones if they so choose.
- Speaking of chainrings, it would be nice if riders could purchase 2x chainrings separately. In the case of a crash where a single ring is damaged, I would prefer to replace the damaged part rather than both chainrings.
- Perhaps, SRAM will shrink the profile of both derailleurs. Compared to their Shimano counterparts, the SRAM units are downright huge.
- Hopefully, SRAM can unify their road and off-road drivetrains under one chain. It makes no sense for two 12-speed drivetrains to need two different chains.
- I realize this might be a long shot, but if SRAM goes to 13-speed, backward compatibility would be helpful to riders. New derailleurs compatible with the previous generation AXS shifters (and vice versa) would allow riders to keep using perfectly good parts for longer and reduce waste.
It’s unlikely that SRAM will fulfill all of our wishes, especially as some of them go against development tracks that SRAM has been on for a long time. The 10T cog, for example, combined with the smaller chainrings, feel like they are crucial to SRAM’s approach to road and gravel drivetrains. Still, it’s fun to theorize as we await what SRAM cooks up next.
What would you like to see in the next-generation SRAM groupsets?
Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.
