We have been seeing prototypes out in the wild for several weeks now, but had been told that the hydraulic disc brake version of SRAM’s acclaimed Red eTap was still a long way off. Apparently that long way off is just this fall at the tradeshows, because today SRAM pulled the cover back on the new HydroHC system. Whether or not the UCI and road professionals want to commit to it yet, everyday riders know that disc brakes just deliver more consistent braking across all possible conditions. And we’re pretty excited to give eTap some proper testing racing cyclocross! Whether it is sunny, raining, or muddy, proper hydraulic disc brakes provide the ultimate mix of braking power and consistency, and when designed for road conditions and surfaces they can offer a level of modulation and control that is unparalleled. Take a closer look a the new SRAM levers and calipers with us after the jump…
SRAM’s new HydroHC disc brake platform will be found exclusively on their Red eTap groupset that will be detailed at the end of the summer. HydroHC builds on the HyrdoR brakes that SRAM ironed out after a rocky start and then adds on what they’ve learned developing the recent Level XC mountain brakesets (which themselves build on the success of Guides).
What that means is that besides bringing disc brakes to eTap, HydroHC will deliver more setup adjustability. Riders with smaller hands will be able to use new Reach Adjust to get the levers where they fit best. We’ve heard many riders who thought that the current HydroR lever bodies were too wide, and SRAM is addressing that too. This will be another boost for riders with small hands. Much like the difference between Shimano’s mechanical and electronic shift levers, the new HydroHC lever bodies have smaller diameter hoods for better hand wrap and more comfortable ergonomics.
And for those who want more free flow of the lever, HydroRC gets independent Contact Point Adjustment to truly customize your brake setup.
The new HydroRC brakes will be available in October 2016 (in time for cyclocross racing!) as the newest update to SRAM’s wireless Red eTap groupset. The rest of the eTap group including 11 speed crank, chain, cassette, and front and rear derailleurs will be unchanged. The new brakes will be available in both post mount and flat mount calipers.
Complete SRAM Red eTap HRD spec details, along with final pricing will be available at Eurobike, and we can assure you that we will get our hands on a set as soon as possible to review…
