Huge thank you to Triathlete and Velo for featuring the SP Rival AXS in their latest First Look. If you've been following along, you know that getting coverage from the biggest name in triathlon and cycling media is never something we take for granted — and this one hits a little different because the SP Rival AXS is a build we have been refining for years.
Let's break down what they noticed.
The Value Thing
We know we talk about value a lot. But when Triathlete calls out the SP Rival AXS as a bike that outpaces its price class, it validates everything we've been trying to do since day one.
At $4,999, you're getting a full carbon frame designed by Kevin Quan Studios (the same engineer behind some of the most iconic tri frames of the last two decades, including Cervelo), SRAM electronic shifting, a fully wireless cockpit, and carbon wheels. That combination at this price point basically doesn't exist anywhere else. Triathlete and Velo noticed that too.
We didn't stumble into this price. We built the entire company around it. Direct-to-consumer from the start, no dealer markup, no middlemen inflating what should be a straightforward transaction between the person who's actually going to ride the bike and us.
Everything is Wireless
One thing the article highlights is how the SP Rival AXS introduces riders to the SRAM wireless electronic shifting ecosystem. This is where we get the most "I can't go back to cables" feedback from customers.
The Rival AXS groupset shifts with a tap. No cables. No housing to route. Just clean, precise, electronic shifting that you can customize through the SRAM AXS App on your phone. And with our Leap Components integrated aero bar blips, the entire cockpit is wireless. No blip box, no extra wiring — just a cockpit that looks and functions the way a modern tri bike should.
If you've been on the fence about making the jump to electronic shifting, this is the build that removes every excuse.
A Frame That Fits You
The article touches on something we're genuinely proud of: the SP frame's adjustability. With our SAGS stem and SASP sliding seatpost head, you get 90mm of front-end adjustability, and 120mm of fore/aft adjustability right out of the box.
We designed this frame to accommodate real human bodies — not just the one body type that looks good in a wind tunnel. Whether you're 5'2" or 6'4", the SP is built to be dialed to your position, not a position you have to contort yourself into.
1,250 Grams of Carbon, Designed to Cheat the Wind
Triathlete also calls out the frame weight and aerodynamics. The SP frame weighs just 1,250 grams and uses drag-reducing tube shapes that were developed through CFD analysis and real wind tunnel testing.
But here's the part we care about even more than the aero numbers: the frame rides well. It's stiff where it needs to be for power transfer and compliant enough that you're not getting beaten up on long race days. Because a fast frame that makes you miserable at mile 80 isn't actually a fast frame — it's a fast frame for the first 40 miles and a painful one for the rest.
Why This Matters to Us
We started A2 Bikes because we were tired of being priced out of the sport we loved. Every product decision we make comes back to one question: would we buy this? The SP Rival AXS is the clearest yes we've ever had. It's the bike we would have wanted when we were getting into triathlon — race-ready, adjustable, electronic, and priced like it's actually meant to be ridden, not just admired.
Read the full Triathlete First Look HERE.
Ready to see it for yourself? Check out the SP Rival AXS →