As the details slowly trickle out, it seems that SRAM is very close to putting the RED hydraulic recall behind them. Clearly a major inconvenience for both consumers and dealers alike, SRAM has done a commendable job in handling the recall and seems to be continuing that trend by getting the new product out to the dealers first. Most dealer began receiving replacement product as of last week which is why Art’s Cyclery was able to bring us initial coverage of what’s changed. As it should be, SRAM is focusing on those who have already purchased the product to make sure anyone who is waiting on warranty replacements is sorted.
For an overview on what’s changed, read on…
New Lever Body Design
If you’re going to rework the internals, you might as well rework the entire lever body. At least, that’s how SRAM saw things. Using feedback from testing of the initial shifters, the lever body has been redesigned to improve ergonomics for better hand wrap, comfort, and control. The changes are also said to have a positive effect on material placement around the internal bore, shifter alignment, cable routing, and shifting action as well. As a final added bonus, it’s reportedly lighter too.
New Bleed Port Design
Pretty straight forward – the revised bleed port is all about making the bleed process easier.
New Master Cylinder Piston
As the original Achilles heel of the system, the new master cylinder piston has been reworked and tested ad nauseam to ensure that the brakes hold up to extreme temperatures like those found in cyclocross racing.
New High Capacity Bladder
The bladder is what holds the additional brake fluid, so that when your pads wear and move inwards, the system continues to function properly. To improve on the bladder’s performance, the system is given a new reservoir cover, bladder seal, and lever body interface which should all add up to more consistent braking.
New Caliper Spring
Yes, even the caliper spring is new, with a version that claims to spread the pads more effectively for consistent retraction and to help the pads clear the rotor. Since the brakes are expected to withstand high speed downhills in desert heat to freezing muck in cross races, the spring has been reworked to provide consistent performance in all conditions.
New Shifter Paddle
Finally, the levers have a new, smaller shift paddle which offers better finger clearance. This again goes back to the cold weather performance when riders are using thicker gloves so that the fingers can properly shift the lever.
That’s it for now, for all of the current technical info check out SRAM’s site, and stay tuned for more.
