Bikes Blog
Prototype SRAM Purple highway shifters noticed – is a brand new high-end groupset coming quickly?
Dec
Movistar Staff riders have been seen utilizing unbranded highway shifters with a special form to the current-generation SRAM Purple eTap AXS shifters at a coaching camp in Alicante.
In a video posted on its YouTube channel, a number of riders from the WorldTour group are utilizing the brand new shifters, whereas the remainder of the group are on the current-generation model.
Shirin van Anrooij, a Dutch cyclocross rider, was additionally seen utilizing shifters with hoods comparable in kind to these seen on SRAM Rival eTap AXS, however with a carbon brake lever and enlarged ‘professional’ branding.
In each circumstances, the bikes with the prototype shifters in any other case use current-generation SRAM Purple eTap AXS parts.
May SRAM be trialling plenty of totally different new shifter designs forward of a refresh to its top-of-the-range highway bike groupset? It definitely seems so.
Let’s take a look at what we will decipher from the pictures now we have to date.
SRAM is trialling at the least two new shifter types
Van Anrooij’s Rival/Purple shifter hybrid suggests SRAM could have merely explored taking the up to date shifter physique form from Rival, and making use of its finest weight weenie know-how to that kind issue. This can be to fulfill the calls for for ever-lighter parts from skilled riders.
Whereas it does appear to be a completed product, it’s additionally conceivable that is one thing of a stop-gap.
Van Anrooij could merely choose the slimmer and shorter form of the Rival eTap AXS shifters, prompting SRAM to make customized fashions with carbon levers to avoid wasting weight and outsized branding to take care of their prominence in pictures.
The shifters noticed on Movistar Staff bikes, nonetheless, look fully new.
The shifter our bodies seem to have been slimmed down in comparison with the present variations, with a smaller bump on the highest.
The DoubleTap shifter paddles have additionally grown in dimension considerably, now reaching a lot additional up the brake lever than earlier than.
We don’t count on SRAM to alter from its DoubleTap shifting logic (proper button for a more durable gear, left for simpler, each to shift on the entrance).
As a substitute, we count on this to easily be a refinement of the system, making it simpler to succeed in the shift paddles with totally different hand positions.
The brake lever additionally seems barely elongated, curving out just a little extra in direction of the highest of the blade, earlier than swooping again in after which out once more to create finger hooks when driving within the drops.
One blurry picture additionally suggests there could possibly be a brand new auxiliary button on the within of the shifter hood.
This could possibly be supposed to operate equally to the buttons on the highest of Shimano Di2 shifters, that are typically used to regulate bike computer systems with out shifting your palms from the brake levers.
Actually, this shifter design shares a putting total similarity to Shimano GRX Di2 shifters. Maybe no dangerous factor, as a result of our tester, Warren Rossiter, known as these “the star of the present” in his first experience overview.
What may this imply for a brand new SRAM highway groupset?
Given the present era of SRAM Purple eTap AXS was launched 4 years in the past, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think about an up to date groupset is on the horizon.
As already famous, the bikes utilized by each Movistar Staff riders and Shirin van Anrooij have been in any other case constructed up with current-generation parts.
Nevertheless, given the tech-obsessed group right here at BikeRadar (and different journalists) are always scouring social media for brand spanking new package just like the Eye of Sauron, it wouldn’t be stunning if SRAM is being extra cautious about preserving any new drivetrain components below wraps.
Since shifters are such a vital contact level in a highway groupset, nonetheless, SRAM probably desires to assemble suggestions from its sponsored skilled riders earlier than committing to a remaining kind issue.
General, although, it seems to be as if 2023 could possibly be an enormous yr for SRAM.
We’ve already seen some particulars of what could possibly be a brand new Apex eTap AXS groupset leak, and reigning Tour de France champions, Jumbo-Visma, are switching to utilizing the American model’s parts for the upcoming season.
SRAM final gained the Tour with Andy Schleck in 2010, in its pre-digital groupset days. May a primary Tour win for eTap be on the playing cards in 2023? Little question SRAM is hoping so.
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