The American component manufacturer SRAM has big plans for the Rival groupset. It is set to challenge Shimano's Ultegra, by far the best-selling road bike groupset in the world. The goal sounds ambitious - but on the other hand, the Americans have long proven with their successful mountain bike components, especially with the X0 rear derailleur, that they can take market share away from Shimano. Why shouldn't they be able to do the same with their road bike groupsets?
Right off the bat, the Rival scores against its Japanese competitor in an important discipline: it weighs a good pound - exactly 259 grams - less than the Ultegra. Remarkable for a debut model, and not a weak argument in the notoriously weight-fixated world of road bikes. More importantly, however, the Rival works very well right from the start. The brakes and gears are in no way inferior to SRAM's top "Force" groupset.
SHORT & SHORT
The Rival groupset was a reliable companion for 13,770 kilometres. Only wearing parts had to be replaced. The brakes and gears worked consistently well thanks to the robust mechanics and sealed cables, while the sprockets and chain proved to be durable. Chainrings, bottom bracket and the guide rollers on the rear derailleur, on the other hand, were worn out at the end of the test. Many bad weather rides at the beginning of the test caused the brake pads to wear quickly. At the same time, the rim flanks were heavily abraded. TOUR will clarify whether this is an isolated case in a laboratory test in one of the following issues.
You can find the full test on SRAM and its competitors Shimano and Campagnolo in the free PDF download.
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