Sram Red VS Campagnolo Super Record Wireless | Cycling Weekly
Campagnolo released the update to its Super Record groupset and the new components do seem to share quite a lot in common with Sram's RED AXS eTap groupset.
So the question stands, how do they really compare and which is best?
Sam Gupta has been hands-on with both groupsets and has judged them both across ten categories.
These include: weight, practicality, braking performance, shifting quality, aesthetics, ergonomics, features, gearing options, power meter and price.
What do you make of the results, and which would you buy?
So the question stands, how do they really compare and which is best?
Sam Gupta has been hands-on with both groupsets and has judged them both across ten categories.
These include: weight, practicality, braking performance, shifting quality, aesthetics, ergonomics, features, gearing options, power meter and price.
What do you make of the results, and which would you buy?
Category
🥇
SportTranscript
00:00 Campagnolo recently dropped the update to its flagship groupset, Super Record Wireless.
00:05 In the words of none other than son of the founder, Valentino Campagnolo, the pathway
00:10 of development was paved with patterns.
00:12 It's not out of the question to assume that many of those pre-existing patterns will have
00:17 stopped Campagnolo from creating the groupset that it really wanted to.
00:23 This may play into the reason why the groupset generally received a rather lukewarm response
00:28 at launch.
00:29 So since this groupset does seem to share quite a few similarities with the SRAM Red
00:34 groupset, I'm going to play a little game of Top Trumps to see how these two really
00:39 stack up against each other on paper.
00:47 First off, we're going to start with a pretty easy category, and one which lands in a bit
00:52 of a tie.
00:53 That being weight.
00:56 The claim weights are remarkably similar.
00:59 Super Record Wireless comes in at a claimed 2,520g, while Red comes in at 2,518g.
01:08 Just two grams of difference.
01:10 The only caveat to make in the case of Red is that in the power meter version of the
01:14 groupset, it will weigh an extra 36g.
01:18 Of course, these are just claim weights, and the Cycling Weekly Scales of Truth may tell
01:23 a different story.
01:24 But until that day comes, comparing claimed weights has resulted in an early tie.
01:33 Up next is the practicality of owning and using each groupset.
01:37 Happily, charging on both groupsets is very easy.
01:41 The batteries can be removed and charged within the home.
01:45 And with Super Record, you also have the option to charge the batteries in situ without removal.
01:51 Charge times also look to be pretty similar.
01:53 Both claim to be able to reach a full charge in an hour when connected to an AC power source.
01:59 Both groupsets also have accompanying apps, which allow you to update, customise and just
02:04 take ownership of your groupset.
02:07 From a maintenance point of view, the new Campagnolo doesn't need any new tools, which
02:11 is a great relief.
02:13 And the tools needed to maintain the SRAM groupset are generally no different to what
02:17 any normal workshop would have.
02:20 Again, I'm going to call this round a tie.
02:26 On to braking performance, and I think Campagnolo takes this one.
02:30 The brakes didn't actually see any radical changes over the previous generation, other
02:35 than some aesthetic updates and a few changes to the internal components.
02:40 It was one aspect that Campagnolo didn't really feel the need to greatly improve upon,
02:44 as what they already had was already pretty good.
02:47 And I'm inclined to agree.
02:50 They feel smooth and progressive, while still maintaining a really high level of power and
02:54 control.
02:55 SRAMs aren't bad by any means, but they don't possess the same level of feel and modulation.
03:02 So this one goes to Campagnolo.
03:08 Shifting performance is a huge part of what makes a good groupset, and both deliver lightning
03:14 fast shifting at the rear.
03:16 I found on my short test ride with the Super Record Wireless groupset that it was slightly
03:21 more prone to a mis-shift compared to red.
03:24 There were a couple of occasions when it felt like the gears were slipping, or that the
03:28 changes wasn't properly engaging with the cassette.
03:31 But over 90% of the time, the shifts were fast, smooth and reliable.
03:36 SRAM has a higher hit rate, and it's only on the very rare occasion that you might feel
03:41 something out of the ordinary.
03:43 Now, as I turn my attention to the front mech shifting, it's clear that they both have their
03:48 problems.
03:49 While neither are especially bad, neither are as fast as Shimano.
03:54 Super Record Wireless did also carry that same vagueness of feeling across to the front
03:59 mech, as occasionally, when the cadence was a little bit slower, it did take a little
04:04 bit longer to change.
04:06 I'm going to give this round to SRAM, as on the whole, my experience has been better.
04:11 But I will be happy to eat my words after spending more time with the Super Record Wireless
04:16 groupset.
04:20 Aesthetics is really down to personal preference, but to me, SRAM Red looks like a top of the
04:26 range groupset.
04:28 Super Record doesn't.
04:29 The mechs are much bulkier on Super Record, and it doesn't have one standout feature or
04:35 aspect of design language that appears to be carving out a future for the brand.
04:40 It looks more like the affordable version of the groupset that you really want.
04:45 To my mind, you want your flagship groupset to be bold and daring in design, so that you
04:50 can then rein in the design for the groupsets that sit below.
04:54 However, with Super Record, it already looks like it's been reined in.
04:58 I worry how tame, or similar to Super Record, the second tier record will end up looking.
05:06 On the other hand, there is a very clear design language in the SRAM line-up, with Red looking
05:11 very bold and very sleek, with Force taking on a more subdued look.
05:17 This round goes to SRAM Red, but you might disagree.
05:24 Ergonomics were something Campagnolo were very keen to improve upon, which is why the
05:29 shifters are a complete ground-up redesign.
05:32 And it's something which the engineers themselves are particularly proud of.
05:36 SRAM too has been working on its shifter design, and we're now seeing the same hood shape
05:40 pop up on Force, Rival and Apex.
05:44 And I would not be surprised to see the same appear on Red in the future as well.
05:48 However, as it currently stands, there are a couple of key points which differentiate
05:53 the two.
05:54 While the Super Record hoods were comfortable when just riding along casually, when I started
05:59 to ride a bit more aggressively, especially up a climb, as I was pulling on the shifters,
06:03 the gap behind the brake cleavers in the main shifter body dug into my fingers and it was
06:08 quite uncomfortable.
06:09 I believe that these hoods will suit those with larger hands, as I felt they just dwarfed
06:14 mine to some extent.
06:15 Conversely, SRAM's hoods have softer curves and fit in my hands rather well.
06:20 The softer edges, grippier compound of rubber and simple one-button actuation make it an
06:26 easier shifter to interact with.
06:28 Now, that's not to say that I wouldn't love to see the brake reservoirs shrink on a future
06:33 generation, but with what we have today, Red just feels better to me.
06:42 The number of features is an area where Super Record really falls behind.
06:46 For example, as it currently stands, Campag doesn't offer any satellite shifters, which
06:52 SRAM does.
06:53 And you can't swap the batteries between the two derailleurs, which you can on SRAM.
06:59 It's clear that SRAM has beaten Campag to the punch on many aspects, and it does start
07:03 to show up here.
07:05 Campagnolo has built in the ability to manually turn off the groupset via a couple of buttons
07:10 on the shifters.
07:11 This is so the batteries don't drain whenever the bike is in motion, as it'll just wake
07:16 up every time it's moved.
07:18 But this is less of a feature and more something that's just needed so that battery life is
07:23 maintained.
07:24 So, really, this round goes to SRAM.
07:31 One of the big updates that Campagnolo made to the latest generation is the change in
07:35 gear ratios.
07:37 It claimed that it wanted riders to always be able to find the perfect cadence, and this
07:42 resulted in the brand joining SRAM by only offering cassettes that start from 10 teeth.
07:48 It's unlikely that the resulting increase in chain actuation resistance will be on the
07:53 minds of the Campag customers, as refining cadence is arguably a more tangible improvement
07:59 to ride quality.
08:01 So how do the two brands go about it differently, and more importantly, who does it best?
08:06 Well, I used a gear inch calculator to tell me.
08:10 While both groupsets offer the same hardest and easiest possible gear, it's the bits in
08:15 the middle which are of more interest.
08:18 On the biggest possible chainrings and the tightest cassette, essentially your go-fast
08:23 setup, Campagnolo offers a little bit more range as the easiest possible gear is slightly
08:29 lower than SRAM's.
08:31 On the other hand, when looking at the setup best suited for climbing, it's SRAM that offers
08:35 a slightly wider range.
08:37 Sheer gear ratios are one thing, but the jumps between those gears are also very important
08:43 to allow you to fine tune your cadence, and once again, both are very similar.
08:48 Each has opted for one tooth increments at the bottom of the block, and then revert to
08:52 two to three jumps at the top of the block.
08:55 Now, I have always praised SRAM for this setup in this regard, as it always means that you
09:00 can really hone in on the perfect cadence.
09:04 And I really enjoyed this aspect of the Campagnolo groupset too.
09:07 So I'll call this round a tie.
09:14 Our penultimate round is a simple one.
09:17 Power meters.
09:18 Quite simply, SRAM has one, and Campagnolo does not.
09:22 It says that one will be coming in the future, but as yet, we have no idea when that will
09:29 be.
09:30 In contrast, SRAM has some deep roots in the power meter game.
09:33 Since the brand owns Quark and Powertap, it has some great technology at its disposal.
09:39 And this has resulted in a very accurate and clearly integrated chainring-based power meter.
09:46 For now though, if you're an early adopter of the Super Record wireless groupset, then
09:50 you'll need to look at other options for your power needs.
09:54 This one goes to SRAM.
10:00 Perhaps one of the most contentious issues that people had on the release of the Super
10:04 Record wireless groupset was its price.
10:08 Maybe had the price been a little more in line with its competitors, people would be
10:13 more willing to forgive and look past some of the lack of finesse.
10:19 To highlight just how much more the groupset really is compared to SRAM, on screen you
10:23 can see the retail pricing of the standard 2x hydraulic red groupset.
10:28 Below that is the price for the same groupset, but with the power meter.
10:33 And then below that is the price for the Super Record wireless, in its currently only available
10:39 form.
10:40 Here in the UK, the difference between the comparable groupsets is £1,150 or $1,651,
10:49 with it dropping to £705 or $1,141 when comparing the power meter version of red to the only
10:57 available version of Super Record.
11:00 As I often say in many groupset videos, few people are going to go out and buy a groupset
11:06 by itself.
11:07 No, groupsets come on bikes.
11:10 So how do the full build costs stack up against each other?
11:14 Well, here in the UK, the Specialized S-Works Aethos is available for £13,000 with the
11:20 full SRAM Red with power meter.
11:23 The Campagnolo build is being offered at £15,000, an extra £2,000.
11:32 It should be highlighted that this isn't just down to the groupset.
11:36 The bike is also fitted with Campagnolo's own Hyperion Ultra wheels, which will cost
11:40 Specialized more money to fit over and above its in-house Roval wheels.
11:45 But this is a story which I believe is likely to be seen across multiple builds.
11:50 Really, it's safe to say this round goes to SRAM.
11:55 The result of this battle of top trumps paints a pretty harsh picture for Campagnolo, but
12:00 given my experience with both groupsets and the hard facts, it's a reflection that I
12:06 think will keep appearing.
12:08 You may be questioning why I didn't bring Shimano into this video, and that's because
12:13 the current form of Dura-Ace doesn't share quite so much in common as these groupsets
12:17 do.
12:18 But on the surface, pose a rather titillating comparison.
12:23 SRAM Red as we know it was last updated in 2019, so it would not be a surprise to see
12:28 a new version of it very soon.
12:31 Now, if these results are anything to go by, any potential new SRAM Red could be about
12:36 to leave Super Record Wireless in the dust.
12:40 Let me know down below, what do you think of today's comparison?
12:45 Would you be willing to purchase Campagnolo purely because of the name, or do you want
12:50 to adopt more of that modern approach that SRAM takes?
12:53 If you enjoyed the video, then please do drop it a like, subscribe to the channel for more
12:57 content and I will see you again very soon.
12:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]