Everything in this video was bought by us for stock. SRAM had no say in this video.
17th June 2025, SRAM Launch the update Force Road, Rival Road, Force XPLR and Rival XPLR groupsets. This is our first look at the range, and we discus how it fit with the current and potential future offer from Shimano and Campagnolo. I am critical at how they have choosen to trickle down the tech from the Red range.
The video concludes with my opinion that SRAM Red and Campagnolo Super Record dominate the top tier.
SRAM Force and Shimano Dura Ace are a close match up
Then Shimano dominate the mid tier with Ultegra and 105 being no match for anything else on the market.
SRAM Rival and Apex, is too heavy and over priced to be a compelling choice.
00:00 Intro
02:14 SRAM Force 2025 Road
04:53 SRAM Rival 2025 Road
06:56 Levers
11:02 A look at Gravel
12:39 Conclusions
22 Comments
What you need to consider is the bike and the rider as a single unit. The easiest and cheapest way to reduce the unit weight is for the rider to loose weight down to an optimum riding weight. Then and only then should you consider buying higher end bike components. One of the lads from Wheelbase recently beat a load of pros while using 105, so it just goes to show that it really doesn't make a difference for the average rider.
Canyon Ultimate CFR with DA and RED (Same wheels, same finishing kit) both have the exact same price AND weight. If you look at other bike brands, where do you find Force equipped bikes with same prices then DA equiped bikes within the same bike range? I get your reasoning, but its just showing DA/Ultegra/105 is getting "old" and is one generational step behind and therefore a bit cheaper and lacking the latest and greatest.
With regard to the comparison of groupset tiers based on price, it would be interesting to revisit this when new DA is released. I think they will align more closely than they do now.
"parallelogram type assembly"?
You mean trapezoidal, right?
bro nobody is buying Campy
those cranks look cheap as fuck
First review video that does more than just shilling for the release, thank you for that. Also, I'll keep riding my Chinese groupset with carbon crankset and full steel cassette that's lighter than DA, thank you very much 😀
I would like a discussion on the reach on the hoods rim brake and di2 are similar, mechanical shimano are huge, sram hoods are also different in model years
You lost your marbles even comparing Sram to Shimano ,Its like chalk and cheese. Shimano quality is far more superior to "fu5king Sram".
Campagnolo is the best, but overpriced.
sitting hear with my all mechanical 105 rim break entry lvl endurace roadbike and still hitting the 6000 km/year and getting closer and closer to the 30kmh average. Already doing 31 on some 60km tours but its still a hustle.
and my whole bike has costed me 750€ thats half of the groupset only xD
where was the point where cycling became so € or $ focused? arent cheap and reliable bikes no priority anymore. why does every bike have to cost 4k minimum.
i tested some 4k and 6k bikes a week ago. after testiny i cycled home on my own bike and felt not that big of a difference. tbh it felt better to ride my bike again xD
i wanted to upgrade to a better road bike but after that i really consider getting a second bike for gravel instead of upgradeing something i already can be happy with.
Really hope Shimano do a fully wireless, rim brake option…. So much room to upgrade older bikes, steel frames etc….
What is really good news is the XT M8200 Di2 launch and the soon to be launched DEORE M6250 Di2!
I feel like this video was rushed, with very little basis to any of the arguments or thoughts
What is usually a great youtube channel has really let itself down over a 17 minute video…. A real shame
I wonder what Campagnolo is going to do with their road offerings.
Excellent cross-manufacturer review that really helps in comparison. Bring on wireless Shimano road groups
Damn, this is my only time disliking your video. It is just not right.
Check SRAM meaning in polish language, is spot on translation. Campag, Shimano that's the right choice.
Excellent video Paul, thanks for the content! You really offered a few opinions I haven't heard elsewhere.
You english people cant say "campagnolo" properly 🤣. It's 'Campaniolo' and not 'Campag Nolo"
do the front derailleurs work reliably yet 😂
Force is the Ultegra competitor – RIGHT ???
Sram on a road bike has never made sense to me its ugly and the battery's just look hideously clunky ,way too industrial in comparison to the slicker shimano
On mtbs its untouchable