new Shimano non-series gravel gear?

[d_douglas]

I was speaking with someone 'in the know' who said that Shimano will be releasing some new non-series components directed at the gravel crowd. Not sure what that meant, but wonder if anyone here knows?

Di2 with really low gearing? No mixing of MTB and road gears?

[Gummee]

'Non series; included 785 and 685 stuff as well as RS770 wheels and hubs

Could be a great thing

M

[AngryScientist]

fingers crossed for some sub compact crank options.

[palincss]

Certainly the gear range possible with 34x50 is too high for gravel roads. But dual-control lever indexed shifting requires matched chain rings for best results, so merely switching out a 110 bcd 50 for a 44 or 46 tooth big ring might improve the gear range but would probably give unsatisfactory shifting.

Also, at least around here gravel roads haven't been graded, and there are numerous short but very steep sections - much more so than the paved roads in the area. An inner ring smaller than 34 -- perhaps a 30 tooth -- would provide significantly lower gears without needing sprockets the size of personal pizza pans, and if matched with a smaller big ring would still have a manageable difference and a reasonable shifting pattern.

A 30/44 chain ring set mated with the now ubiquitous 11-32 cassette would give a range of 26 - 110" with a 700x44C tire. That's going to be a major improvement, I think.