Product Review
SRAM RIVAL Review
By Frank Sarate
Rival is the perfect name for this steller groupset which just entered the market last year. Back in the late 80’s, I used the SRAM Grip Shift shifters, which were the trick components that started the SRAM revolution and paved the way for Grip Shift shifters to be spec’d on several mountain bikes and recreational bike today. Over the past few years, SRAM has been working on a complete road group that would be competitive with Campy and Shimano.
SRAM has definitely done their home work on the R & D. Not only did they enter the market with one groupset they came in with two lines: the RIVAL and the FORCE group sets. I used the FORCE group set mostly over the winter to see if the components would live up to the hype, and they did with flying colors.
Our SoCalCycling.com team had the opportunity to switch to SRAM components, so we made the leap. My riders were a little skeptical in the beginning, but I assured them they would be impressed when we put our new Cannondale Caad 9’s together.
Brake Levers & Shifters
The brake levers /shifters have a unique but edgy look to them. The ergonomics of the hood and levers are spot on for comfort, and the internal cable routing provides a clean overall look. The weight of the levers almost feels like a standard aero lever without shifting because they are so light.
After using the levers for most of the race season the shifting has been awesome with very little adjusting. The shifting is as crisp and accurate as the day I had first installed it. The Rival levers are slightly heavier than the SRAM Force carbon/magnesium levers.
SRAM Double Tap uses one lever for the shifting which is amazingly a simple concept and one for the braking.
To operate the shifting you slightly tap the levers inward for a higher gear and shifting to a lower gear you push the inner lever further which allows you to shift one or more gears at time, up to 3 going up. However, shifting to the lower cogs requires multiple taps.
Shifting on the hoods and the drops are convenient and efficient in any position. There are even other shifting techniques that you can’t do with the other manufacturer’s levers.
Rear Derailleur
The rear derailleur uses SRAM’s Exact Actuation. SRAM uses a 3 to 1 ratio on the cable for a crisp positive shift every time up or down. The cage and body are aluminum and the pulleys have no float due to the SRAM Exact Actuation. The rear derailleur has a clean edgy look to it along with the rest of the components. Some SRAM technology carries over from their MTB groups.
Rival Brake Calipers
Rival brake calipers are dual pivot stoppers with cold forged arms that offer solid stopping power to slow you down when needed. They are very light and slightly heavier than SRAM’s Force brake calipers, but less expensive than their big brother! The brake pads slide in and out for easy replacement. They also have a release lever for easy wheel changes.
Rival Front Derailleur
SRAM’s Rival front derailleur is a pretty strait forward front derailleur system. Rival’s front derailleur uses a steal cage for a solid and positive shifting from small to the large chain rings. Because the front derailleur does not have a fine tune adjustment it may cause slight rubbing when crossing over the gears when in the large chain ring. I haven’t really noticed it myself or it just never bothered me when the derailleur is adjusted properly.
OpenGlide Cogset
SRAM’s OpenGlide cassette uses a different approach to what other companies are doing. They remove a tooth on the lower cogs instead of having ramped cogs. They use steel cogs and aluminum spacers to reduce the weight. Even though it is a steel cog set it is very light and offers solid shifting and should hold up the wear and tear from all of the shifting.
PowerLink Chain
SRAM’s chain technology is unrivaled and has to be the easiest chain to install. Once you cut the chain to the proper length. The chain comes with a PowerLink, which is similar to a link you would use on a BMX or single speed chain but even easier to install. SRAM’s PowerChain uses hollow pins to reduce the weight of the chain but keeps it stiffness for those smooth and accurate shifts.
SRAM Rival Groupset Overall Review
After using SRAM Rival Components for the 2007 season, SRAM Rival offers the biggest bang for the buck. SRAM offers great performing components without sacrificing quality or breaking the bank.
