New SRAM Red AXS leaked

It was an open secret that SRAM was going to renew its Red AXS throughout the current season, however, none of us thought it was as advanced as the images leaked on Twitter by a Japanese account show, which appear to be photos of a future assembly on a Specialized bicycle and confirm some of the assumptions we had made for the new group.

More ergonomic and lighter. This is how the new SRAM Red AXS will be

Explosion on social networks after the publication on a Japanese Twitter account, X as they now call it, of leaked photos of the new SRAM Red AXS in what appears to be a definitive version of an assembly for Specialized something that allows us to guess that the official presentation of this new group could be imminent. In fact, if we look back, the current Red AXS was presented in 2019 at the end of January with a launch that meant that most brands included bikes with the new group from that same date, creating a brutal expectation that made it the talk of the town for months.

#roadbike
new SRAM RED pic.twitter.com/TjqQqv6dA5

— Baohua@TCR&TARMAC (@MoBaohua) January 19, 2024

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SRAM seems to want to repeat the move since, the leaked photos give the impression of being a definitive version of the group despite showing us only a lever, the rear derailleur and the new brake calipers and disc.

As we had already ventured with the prototype photos that we had been seeing some time ago and the patents presented by the brand, the brake and shift levers are much more stylized than their predecessors, which supposedly will make them lighter and more ergonomic as a solution to the main criticism that was raised about the current SRAM Red AXS, not to mention its developments that have not ended up liking.

The new levers are much less bulky, as a result of moving the brake fluid reservoir to the body of the lever as we already could guess after a patent on this was known several months ago. In fact, the shape of the lever is practically identical to the one pointed out in that patent and, on the other hand, it has an ergonomics that reminds a lot of the levers of the GRX gravel groups from Shimano. Something can be seen on the top of the brake lever that could well be a simple cover to protect some adjustment screw or, perhaps, an auxiliary button. In any case, the levers are also smaller which, without a doubt, will reduce the weight of the set.

Lightening that also seems to have suffered the rear derailleur, now with a much more hollow and minimalist central structure. The batteries and the motor area seem to remain similar to those of the current derailleur, while the wheels also have larger holes.

Here the forecasts have failed since the frame attachment continues to be conventional despite speculation that SRAM could incorporate its direct attachment system UHD. In any case, this does not mean that there will be changes with this system, something we will not know until the new Red AXS is presented, or more images are leaked.

By the way, the cassette seen in the photo still has 10 teeth, a bucket of cold water for those who criticized the current developments of the SRAM Red AXS. You can also see the redesign of the chain, which continues to maintain its Flattop concept but seems to have lightened and now has holes in the plates of its links.

Finally, the brake calipers also seem to have received a significant slimming cure and now also look minimalist. Something that also happens with the disc itself whose central structure has been reduced.

We will have to be attentive in the coming weeks as we will surely not take long to know all the details of the SRAM Red AXS. For now, what we see we like since ergonomics and greater lightness were the main drawbacks we put to the, otherwise, excellent current group.