SRAM Rival black (2nd style) derailleur

This SRAM Rival was released as part of SRAM's first road range, in late 2006. SRAM's own history was entirely as an ATB and leisure brand, so a move into the road market was a big deal. SRAM's initial road range only included the, high-end, SRAM Force and this, mid-range, SRAM Rival. The, very high-end, SRAM Red did not appear until 2007 - I remember seeing it for the first time at the Tour de France Grand Départ in London in July of that year.

This first generation SRAM Rival is a very tidy and surprisingly lightweight unit. Typically for SRAM, it has a composite p-knuckle - something that Shimano would not contemplate at the time. It also features something called 'Exact Actuation'. As I remember it, this is very slightly different (do I mean improved?) from the classic SRAM 1:1 actuation. Whatever the actual geometry, I believe that you have to use Exact Actuation levers with Exact Actuation derailleurs etc. etc. Do I hear the unmistakable gushing sound of profit margins rising?

This example has the following features:

It has a black finish.
It has a short (55mm) pulley cage.
The inner pulley cage plate has a cut-out at the guide pulley end.
The pulley wheels have cutouts, presumably to make them lighter. Although I have to say that the cut-outs rapidly fill with black oily gunk - which may well be denser than plastic.

This example has a split in its tension pulley - which is something that I have seen in a number of these derailleurs. Perhaps those glamorous cut-outs introduce unwanted stress-raisers.