SRAM has poured almost all of its flagship RED tech into the cheaper Force and Rival AXS groups for 2026 — including an integrated Quarq power meter, near-RED braking, and a new 13-speed Full Mount XPLR drivetrain just for gravel.
What SRAM actually launched for 2026
For years SRAM's wireless AXS hierarchy ran top-down: the halo RED group got the clever bits first, and everyone else waited. For 2026 the company has compressed that gap dramatically, handing the mid-tier Force AXS and the value Rival AXS the same shift logic, lever shape and braking architecture as the latest RED — plus a power meter option on every group.
The split is simple. The 12-speed Force AXS and Rival AXS are the road groups. The 13-speed Force XPLR AXS and Rival XPLR AXS are dedicated gravel groups. Cleverly, whether you run 12 or 13 sprockets, it's the same flat-top chain — so SRAM isn't asking shops to stock yet another consumable.
By the numbers
Source: BikeRumor
12-speed road, 13-speed gravel, and 'Full Mount'
The headline 13th sprocket is gravel-only. Road Force and Rival stay 2x12, while the XPLR gravel groups gain a 13-speed 10-46T cassette (a 460% range) built around SRAM's Full Mount interface. Full Mount bolts the rear derailleur straight to a UDH-equipped frame, ditching the traditional bolt-on hanger to hold the tight tolerances a 13-speed block needs.
That precision is the point — but it's also the catch: the XPLR groups require a UDH frame, so they aren't a drop-in upgrade for an older gravel bike. SRAM has also borrowed RED's thread-on chainrings for the power-equipped 2x Force, letting you swap rings (or add power) without binning the spider. Road chainring choices run 46/33, 48/35 and 50/37T (Force) and 46/33 and 48/35T (Rival).
Force AXS vs Rival AXS (road 2x, with power)
| Force AXS | Rival AXS | |
|---|---|---|
| RRP, 2x with power | GBP2,528 (~R55 000) / $2,842 (~R46 900) | GBP1,721 (~R37 400) / $1,929 (~R31 800) |
| Group weight, with power | 2,776 g | 2,993 g |
| Crankset material | Carbon | Aluminium |
| Power meter | Spider, L/R balance | Spindle DUB, left-leg only |
| Rear-derailleur clutch | Fluid damper (RED-style) | Mechanical spring |
| Bonus shifter buttons | Yes | No |
| Power upgrade cost | GBP215 (~R4 700) | GBP170 (~R3 700) |
View data table
| RRP (GBP, 2x w/ power) | |
|---|---|
| Rival AXS | 1721 GBP |
| Force AXS | 2528 GBP |
| RED AXS | 4090 GBP |
In Rand (approx, @ today's rate): Rival AXS: ~R37 400 · Force AXS: ~R55 000 · RED AXS: ~R89 000
Power for everyone: the Quarq trickle-down
The biggest democratiser here is power. Both Force and Rival now offer an integrated Quarq power meter with a claimed ±1.5% accuracy — measurement that used to be reserved for the priciest builds. Force gets the better implementation: a spider/chainring-mounted meter that reads true left-right balance. Rival uses a cheaper spindle-based DUB meter that estimates total power from the left leg only.
On the gravel XPLR groups the meter lives in the spindle, with a quoted 400+ hours of runtime and a waterproof (IPX7-class) build for filthy days. Crucially, each group ships in both power and non-power flavours — the upgrade adds roughly GBP215 (~R4 700) on Force and GBP170 (~R3 700) on Rival — so power is a box you tick, not a tier you're forced to buy into.
What the reviewers say
Three outlets, three angles
Independent verdicts from across the cycling press — follow each link for the full review.
Force is the new RED
“If you blindfolded me and asked me to identify the groupset... I wouldn't be able to tell you.”
Read the full reviewFull Mount's best use case
“The adoption of Full Mount for these road and gravel groupsets feels like the ideal use of the UDH design.”
Read the full reviewIndistinguishable on the road
“Both groups' internal technologies are the same, so performance on the bike will be indistinguishable.”
Read the full reviewThe honest balance
- Near-RED shifting, braking and ergonomics for hundreds less
- Integrated ±1.5% power meter now an option on mid-tier groups
- One-finger braking; Force shifters add bonus ANT+ buttons
- Thread-on chainrings simplify ring swaps and power upgrades
- 13-speed 10-46T XPLR delivers smoother, well-spaced gravel jumps
- 13-speed XPLR needs a UDH/Full Mount frame — no retrofit for older bikes
- Heavier than RED (Force XPLR ~241 g more; Rival heavier still)
- Rival's power meter is left-leg estimate only
- Some reviewers question whether gravel really needs 13 speeds
- Still premium money — these are not budget groups
Tap to vote — see how readers lean
Buyer questions
Do the new road Force and Rival go to 13 speeds? +
No. Thirteen speeds is XPLR gravel only; the road Force AXS and Rival AXS stay 12-speed 2x. All four groups share the same chain.
Do I need a special frame for the 13-speed gravel groups? +
Yes. The XPLR groups use SRAM's Full Mount rear derailleur, which bolts directly to a UDH (Universal Derailleur Hanger) frame, so an older non-UDH gravel bike can't take them.
How accurate is the power meter, and does it measure both legs? +
SRAM claims ±1.5% for both tiers. Force uses a spider meter that reads genuine left-right balance; Rival's spindle DUB meter estimates total power from the left leg only.
How much heavier are these than RED? +
Noticeably. Reviewers weighed Force XPLR at 2,673 g versus about 2,432 g for RED XPLR — roughly 241 g — and Rival is heavier again. You pay for the saving in grams, not performance.
Can I get power without buying the most expensive version? +
Yes. Every group comes in power and non-power versions; the power upgrade adds about GBP215 (~R4 700) on Force and GBP170 (~R3 700) on Rival, so you choose it rather than buy up a whole tier.
Sources & further reading
- SRAM 2026: New 12 & 13-Speed Force and Rival AXS (original report) — Cyclonline
- New SRAM Force & Rival AXS 12, XPLR AXS 13 prices and actual weights — BikeRumor
- SRAM Force AXS XPLR review: Force is the new RED — BikeRumor
- SRAM Rival XPLR AXS review: where Full Mount truly shines — The Radavist
- SRAM road and gravel groupsets 2026 explained and compared — Cyclist
- SRAM gives Force and Rival the full RED AXS makeover — Rouleur
This is one of the most aggressive trickle-downs SRAM has done. If you ride the road, Force AXS now gives you RED-grade shifting, braking and an optional left-right power meter for roughly a third less than RED — the reviewers can barely tell them apart. If you ride gravel on a UDH frame, the 13-speed XPLR groups are the more interesting story, trading a weight penalty for tighter, smoother gear steps. The honest caveats: you'll pay in grams, the XPLR groups demand a Full Mount frame, and Rival's power is a left-leg estimate. For most South African riders the deciding factor will be local pricing and stock — watch this space.
