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TECH NEWS
Katusha swap from Shimano Di2 to SRAM eTap for 2016 race season
Team Katusha has swapped from Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 to SRAM’s new eTap wireless drivetrain for the 2016 race season.
- SRAM launches Red eTap wireless groupset
The 2016 pro race season is right around the corner and we’re starting to see some of the new race bikes and equipment get its first airing at winter training camps. Photos shared by Team Katusha on its Facebook page (where there also looks to be a new logo as well) show the team getting together in Calpe for the first training camp in preparation for the 2016 season.
- Your complete guide to SRAM 2016 road bike groupsets
While Katusha remains with German bicycle brand Canyon Bicycles for another season, it has come as a surprise that the team has transitioned from the tried-and-tested Di2 groupset to the relatively unknown eTap.
SRAM has given the new groupset, the first and only wireless groupset currently available, a long development period. The AG2R team raced it on and off this year and accumulated many thousands of miles before SRAM was confident enough to officially launch it.
This is certainly good news for SRAM. It has seen its share of the professional peloton dwindle in recent years and Shimano has become the most popular choice for all teams. Will Katusha, and presumably AG2R, be the only teams on eTap, or could we see a few more developments in the coming weeks?
As well as the eTap groupset, it appears Katusha will be using SRAM’s Quarq crank-based power meters and Garmin Edge computers. Finally, Mavic wheels are out and in come Zipp.
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- slappop 44 min 37 sec ago
Hopefully it'll still be allowed for recreational use.
- Bungle_52 1 hour 36 min ago
Well Gloucestershire are getting better. I'm being told whether or not action is to be taken, but not what action, within a few days of each report...
- belugabob 2 hours 23 min ago
Surely Lincolnshire is a prime location for UK cycle infrastructure - after all, it's flat, so should assuage the most common excuse that people...
- KDee 2 hours 36 min ago
Yes! 100% a Pace!
- Zazz53 3 hours 57 min ago
I did my first BC intro to coaching course last year and really enjoyed it. But I am not a member of a cycling club and ride with groups of like...
- DogOfOB 4 hours 2 min ago
Hmm - crashing off the side of a mountain at 48kmh sounds a lot safer than crashing off the side of a mountain at 55. Yeah....
- Surreyrider 4 hours 5 min ago
Churnalism nowadays - mostly clickbait stuff and regurgitation in the local rags/comics and beyond.
- DogOfOB 4 hours 17 min ago
I'm glad the barrier wasn't damaged. Whew, close one there! \s
- bensynnock 4 hours 27 min ago
I repurposed a bent rear derailleur hanger into a keyring. It's very useful, and you can use it to open bottles of beer.
- Secret_squirrel 4 hours 41 min ago
My bum hates Flites. Worse saddle ever for me.
Add new comment
8 comments
Having read all the reviews it seems a good reliable system. Having spoken to people who've ridden it the biggest compliment was "you'd never know there's no wire connecting it" this led me to the realisation that although it's very easy to fit (and swap quickly for pro teams) I can save a lot of money by simply fitting di2 (which was remarkably simple) and I have very similar performance with much better battery life. Simple decision.
Funny how odd those bikes look without the rear derailleur cable.
I wonder what Shimano will do to counter the etap system
Well the women's team Canyon/SRAM will be on Red eTap aswell I believe, but that is never going to make waves in cycling news because it's a womens team......
Well it's a much cooler name than Di2...
They are as confident as possible it cannot be hacked.
How any times have we heard our system is hack proof. ?
You don't need to hack it to cause trouble though, it just needs jamming with broadband white noise and they won't be able to change gear...
Can you imagine some unscrupulous muppet blocking or interfering with the wifi link at a critical point in a race
Please read SRAMs press release.
They have stated again and again that the system used is a SRAM proprietory system, not one on the open market.
They are as confident as possible it cannot be hacked.