Wireless shifting sounded like vaporware until SRAM shipped the Red eTap rear derailleur in 2015. No cables stretching over time. No housing to route. No wires running frame length between components. The derailleur talks directly to the shifters via encrypted wireless protocol, and the system just works. Ten years later, the original eTap platform remains in service on race bikes and weekend riders alike because the core engineering holds up.

The battery mounts directly to the derailleur body and pops off in seconds for charging. Same battery fits the front derailleur, so you carry one spare for both. SRAM rates each charge for roughly sixty hours of riding or around one thousand shifts, which translates to multiple weeks of commuting or several long training blocks between charges. The LED on the derailleur blinks when you shift and changes color as battery depletes, so you get warning before anything goes dead mid-ride.

Shift logic on eTap works differently than cable systems. The right lever shifts to harder gears, left lever shifts to easier gears, and pressing both levers simultaneously shifts the front derailleur. There's no dedicated front shifter paddle because the system handles front shifts through that dual-press combo. Takes about one ride to internalize, then becomes second nature. If you want additional shift buttons for aero bars or sprint positions, Blips plug directly into the derailleur for remote actuation.... Read More