The difference in front derailleur technology is a crucial point of distinction between Red and Force. The most important details are on the other end of the shifter cable -- at the left DoubleTap shift lever. Unlike Force, Red allows for micro-adjustment of your front derailleur in both the small and the big chainrings. (Force only allows for micro-adjustment in the small ring.) This is a huge upgrade for a simple reason: On race day, may of us cross-chain like hell when we climb (think 53x23 or 53x25) since it's too strenuous (because we're already anaerobic) or too risky (chains like to drop when you shift under serious power) to shift from small-to-big ring once we crest the hill. We play it safe by leaving it in big as much as possible. But without front derailleur trimming ability, you get serious chain rub between your chain and the inner plate of the front derailleur. It's a nasty noise, and we wonder, too, what it does to the long-term health of our chain and our derailleur. With Red, your days of cross-chaining chain rub are over.

From a structural standpoint the one distinct change between Red and Force is the new, hardened titanium cage for the Red front derailleur. This makes the Red derailleur 30g lighter than Force, and allows for quick and smooth shifts and adjustments. The braze-on version weighs 58g, while the clamp-on versions weigh 72g. Like Force, the Red front derailleur works equally well whether you're using a compact crankset (50/34) or a standard one (53/39). Please note that SRAM makes this derailleur in a Braze-on style only. If you require a 31.8mm or 34.9mm derailleur, we will send you a Braze-on derailleur with the appropriate clamp.