Shimano GRX

[thirdgenbird]

I kind of want to convert an old road bike to a 1x10 commuter using this drivetrain and a 10spd dura ace downtube shifter (if compatible)

[jc031699]

Reminds me a lot of old Shimano OEM strategy with RX100 and endless different Exage and Deore groups. Mix and match, plug and play, differentiate the price points.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jsafran]

Is no one else disappointed that a new groupset from Shimano is not 12-speed?

I guess I am somewhat relieved because I have slowly been piecing together an R8020 replacement for my Traildonkey with RS-685/Ultegra that I finally am installing this upcoming weekend. At this point I will need a new groupset again before Shimano 12-speed road is not only announced, but actually able to be purchased.

[Bentley]

So my question is where does this fit in the hierarchy? I assume below 105, but it would seem like they would have created a group that had a tie to one of the more elite groups. I mean they have a clutch derailleur for Ultegra, so why not just add a few more bits at that level and call it a day?

Ray

[dddd]

Campag, SRAM and Shimano are able to offer less costly gruppos in part by using earlier gear counts, so this one would seem to be a good example of that.

Looking at their part series numbers tells one where in the price-point hierarchy that the pieces are slotted in.

I believe the lower gear count helps with the price by reducing the tolerance requirements as well as by getting more mileage out of older tooling and facilities.

At this user's level, I am finding 9s equipment to be versatile and economical, mainly because the ever-changing grade of my local roads doesn't much require any 1-tooth gear shifts to remain efficient.
So 9s MTB cassetes having 12-34t gear spread work out perfectly with my gravel wheels/tires and compact (50-34t) crankset.
Going back decades, I found the same to be true when racing cyclocross, as I was one of the few who used an 8s mtb cassette as it was ideal for the near-constant accelerations of cx. I stole countless holeshot starts simply because I wasn't having to shift as often.

[scharny]

Originally Posted by jtbadge

Weird that it didn't work with the R8000. I (and some other members of the forum) have used them with the plain ol' 6800 RD with great results.

Sorry that was a bit misleading. I meant that the RX definitely feels more solid on the upper range than the R8000, especially in the crossring (i.e. big ring up front largest in back). It did work OK though.

[simplemind]

I am running the Shimano Ultegra RS685 mechanical hydraulic shifters mated to M7000 SLX derailleurs. Not seeing the difference.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by simplemind

I am running the Shimano Ultegra RS685 mechanical hydraulic shifters mated to M7000 SLX derailleurs. Not seeing the difference.

Don’t you need a tanpan or shift mate to make the rear work? And I’ve seen no solution for Shimano road shifters mated to front derailleurs. Your setup sounds cool, how does it work?

[simplemind]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Don’t you need a tanpan or shift mate to make the rear work? And I’ve seen no solution for Shimano road shifters mated to front derailleurs. Your setup sounds cool, how does it work?

No tanpan, and stock SLX components. Really works well. It's probably geared a bit too low, but thats easy to correct.

Just got back from some wet gravel and here is my SLX system running a 10-42 SRAM XX1 cassette. The XX1 doesn't shift as quick in the middle gears as my SLX 11-42, which has flawless shifting.




I run a 2x, although this is really overkill with a 10x42 cassette.

[TheseGoTo11]

Originally Posted by Jaybee

Don’t you need a tanpan or shift mate to make the rear work? And I’ve seen no solution for Shimano road shifters mated to front derailleurs. Your setup sounds cool, how does it work?

Shiftmate 7 allows Shimano road shifters to mate with MTB front derailleurs. I've got 6700 levers operating XT FDs on two bikes with this...works a peach.

[TheseGoTo11]

My two cents...if I was going to run 11 speed Shimano on a gravel bike, I think I'd prefer a 6800/R8000 crankset with 46/34 rings combined with an XT 11-40 cassette, gearing wise. Even if it means using a Road Link or MTB RD, that would mitigate the big drop between rings on the front. IME, two tooth cassette jumps are less of an issue as rings get smaller. I've been running 48/34 up front with an 11-34 cassette on my road bike for over a year. I don't ever think about it.

[XXtwindad]

It looks like the RX812 can handle a 42t cassette. Don't have to worry about using a Wolf Tooth, etc. What's not to like about that? Wonder what took Shimano so long.

I do find the marketing a little disingenuous, if understandable. They really can't market the new components as "this will really help get your ass up a steep hill." So they call it "gravel."

I have no intentions of using one of my "gravel" bikes for actual gravel or dirt.

[efixler]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

I do wonder how much of the gravel thing is people just not wanting to buy a hardtail mountain bike.

Is the country really covered in that many unpaved fire roads?

For me, it's more about wanting to be able to ride the whole ride, which feels more possible/enjoyable on a bike with a little more road zip, at the expense of of some technical capability.

'Gravel' is a bit of a silly word, but whether you're riding a gravel bike/rando bike/hardtail/whatever, versatile multi-surface riding is really fun.

[rePhil]

There is some info on the velo news podcast with some Shimano guys that among other things addresse's Why 11 and not 12.

https://www.velonews.com/2019/05/new...vetrain_493384

[Safepants]

Originally Posted by dddd

Campag, SRAM and Shimano are able to offer less costly gruppos in part by using earlier gear counts, so this one would seem to be a good example of that.

Looking at their part series numbers tells one where in the price-point hierarchy that the pieces are slotted in.

I believe the lower gear count helps with the price by reducing the tolerance requirements as well as by getting more mileage out of older tooling and facilities.

At this user's level, I am finding 9s equipment to be versatile and economical, mainly because the ever-changing grade of my local roads doesn't much require any 1-tooth gear shifts to remain efficient.
So 9s MTB cassetes having 12-34t gear spread work out perfectly with my gravel wheels/tires and compact (50-34t) crankset.
Going back decades, I found the same to be true when racing cyclocross, as I was one of the few who used an 8s mtb cassette as it was ideal for the near-constant accelerations of cx. I stole countless holeshot starts simply because I wasn't having to shift as often.

I'm a big fan of the 12-36 9 speed on my commuter and my "gravel/monstercross" bike. The deore shadow rear derailleur is rated to handle the 36t ok. I have the dura-ace 9 speed bar ends shifters on two of my bikes. One has a triple 53/39/30 Sugino crankset, the other is an older Tiagra 4500 50/39/30 (found a 50t 130bcd ring).

The bar end shifters are great for dumping down the whole cassette after cresting a hill, or accelerating after a stop light.