Hydraulic road brakes have come a long way from the mushy first-generation setups, and the SRAM Red AXS E1 Brake-Shift Lever with Caliper is the current top of that food chain. The latest SRAM RED AXS debuted in May 2024, and both the hood shapes and the brake levers themselves took a leap forward in power and ergonomics compared to prior generations. Whether you're building a Red AXS bike from scratch or replacing a damaged lever on an existing setup, this is the integrated lever, hose, and flat-mount caliper — sold per side.

The headline change is braking power from the hoods. SRAM claims an 80% reduction in braking effort from the hoods, and reviewers have confirmed it — full braking power from the very top of the lever. That matters more than it sounds. If you spend most of your ride on the hoods and only move to the drops for hard descents, you no longer have to reposition your hands just to slow down for a stoplight or a rough section. The lever blade shape carries a slight outward flare that lines up with modern flared bars, and there's a more pronounced hook at the bottom of the blade for security in the drops.

Ergonomics on the hoods have been reworked as well. The hood and lever architecture is designed to fit a wider range of hand sizes, with independent reach and contact point adjustment for personalized setup, better finger wrap to reduce fatigue on long rides, and Bonus Buttons that let you shift or control ANT+ devices with your thumbs. Lever reach is easier to adjust than on prior models thanks to a front-facing adjustment bolt rather than the hard-to-find bolt underneath the previous lever. ... Read More