There are plenty of rumours swirling around the bike industry about an upcoming update to SRAM's top-of-the-line Red AXS groupset. There have been patent filings, early prototype testing and leaked images, but one thing that's missing is the groupset being spotted in the wild beneath one of SRAM's sponsored teams.
But today that changes, as Lidl-Trek's Simone Consonni was photographed by Getty Images photographer, Luc Claessen, at the start of stage 1 of the Tour de Romandie carrying his Trek Madone sporting what is clearly a new version of a SRAM shift/brake lever.
Consonni was also captured using the new groupset the day before during the stage's short but fast opening prologue around Payerne.
So far, the available images are few and far between, and details of the rest of the groupset aren't forthcoming, but these pictures give a clear indication of three things.
Firstly, it gives a clear look at the design of the hood, shifter and brake lever. Compared to the outgoing model, it appears smaller and features more pronounced shaping to the lever itself. It looks as though the pivot point for the brake lever is higher, and there's a small indentation near the top, presumably to help with braking from the hoods.
The shifter button is also smaller than the previous model. There's only one of them on each side, which all but confirms that SRAM will be sticking with its shifting process which uses the left paddle for shifting to an easier gear, the right paddle for shifting to a harder gear, and both together to operate the front derailleur.
There also appears to be a small button on the inside of the hood near the top. Given the diminutive size of this button, it's unlikely that SRAM will be taking on the Campagnolo thumb-shift method. More likely is that this will work as an auxiliary button to control things like bike computers or lights. With that said, SRAM is known for its customisation options, and given Shimano's similar hidden button on its Di2 groupsets can be used to shift, there's nothing to suggest this won't be able to function in a similar way.
The brake lever bears the large 'SRAM' logo on the lever blade, but this design is often reserved for the pro team components. It's likely that consumer-ready models will use a different finish.
Second, it confirms the legitimacy of previously leaked images. Those leaks, which came back in January, were from an unverified source on Twitter, so the authenticity of the photos was always a potential doubt. Given the shifter in those leaks is exactly the same as seen here used by Consonni, it's evidence to suggest the rest of those images are likely to be accurate too.
Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, Lidl-Trek using the product in a WorldTour race, rather than just a training ride as was the case with Movistar in December 2022, suggests that the new Red Groupset is nearing its launch.
Exactly when it is launching and how much it'll cost are both unknown at this stage, but as always, as soon as we find out, we'll be sure to share it with our readers.
