DISRAELI GEARS

SRAM Red eTap (RED-E-A1)

SRAM Red eTap (RED-E-A1) main image

Shimano released its first electronic derailleur in 2001. It could be argued that, by 2014, it was on its fourth generation. Despite starting so much later, this, very first, SRAM electronic derailleur was technically interesting in a number of ways:

  • It was fully wireless.
  • It used an easily swapped li-ion battery that was used throughout the system.
  • SRAM mounted all the motors etc. in the p-knuckle. Shimano placed all the action in the b-knuckle and Campagnolo chose to mount the actuator diagonally across the parallelogram.

it was called 'SRAM Red eTap'. The word 'eTap' implies that it uses an 'e' (electronic) version of SRAM's mechanical 'DoubleTap' system. DoubleTap has only a single blade on the brake lever. A short push changes to a higher gear, a longer push changes to a lower gear.

This is a reasonably clean, relatively little used, SRAM Red eTap (RED-E-A1) with a short pulley cage. In many ways it's an old-fashioned racing design, perfect for a close ratio sprocket cluster. Some of its attributes are:

  • The b-knuckle has the b-pivot bolt very close to the top of the parallelogram plates.
  • The pulley cage is 55mm long.

  • Derailleur brands: SRAM
  • Categories: SRAM - the derailleur in Red
  • Themes: Electric Avenue
  • Country: USA, manufactured in Taiwan
  • Date of introduction: 2015
  • Date of this example: manufactured 2014? (serial number starts 1421... possibly indicating week 21 2014?)
  • Model no.: RD-RED-E-A1
  • Weight: 239g including battery
  • Maximum cog: 28 teeth (SRAM)
  • Total capacity: 28 teeth (bikeshop folklore)
  • Pulley centre to centre: 55mm
  • Index compatibility: 11 speed
  • Chain width: 3/32”
  • Logic: top normal
  • B pivot: unsprung
  • P pivot: sprung
  • Materials: largely aluminium with a composite p-knuckle and a carbon cage

Ref. 1658

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