We spotted a new Shimano GRX mechanical 12-speed gravel groupset at Unbound 2023 on the Pivot Vault of Shimano-sponsored rider Taylor Lideen.
While we only saw a mechanical groupset in a 1x drivetrain arrangement, that was enough for us to hazard a guess as to the direction Shimano may be heading in.
The new Shimano GRX groupset on Lideen’s bike featured a larger 10-45t XTR M9100 cassette running on a MicroSpline freehub , updated brake calipers with separate bleed ports as per Shimano’s latest road calipers, and a redesigned rear derailleur that looks strikingly similar to its Deore M6100 effort.
Shimano remains tight-lipped, and there are still plenty of things we don’t know at this stage, such as if the Japanese brand will continue to support 2x drivetrains or if there will be an electronic groupset version. We suspect that’s a yes on both fronts, but for now, it remains to be confirmed.
However, with a new, mechanical drop-bar groupset now out in the wild, let’s ponder what the 12-speed GRX might mean for the future of Shimano’s road bike groupsets . Shimano still believes in mechanical
Mechanical is no more on either Dura-Ace or Ultegra. David Caudrey / Our Media
Shimano seems to have all but abandoned mechanical shifting on its latest top-tier groupsets, with Dura-Ace R9200 , Ultegra R8100 and 105 R7100 all electronic-only.Might the sighting of a 12-speed GRX groupset hint at a new mechanical groupset for the road? We have good reason to suspect a 12-speed mechanical version of […]
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