In the report it was said the Wheeltop TX did 7-14 speed, it in fact does 3-14 speed cassettes and also they give a 2 yr guarantee. I got a 2 yr guarantee, if bought from Wheeltop, not AliExpress etc where your at the mercy of the supplier on their sites. Also batteries are part of the guarantee or can be purchased from Wheeltop directly, no need to throw away any part of the groupset! I'm really happy with my upgraded groupset.
I paid £560 for my discreet version had it on the bike over a month now using it on a gravel bike done nearly 400 miles so far been absolutely fantastic
Just bought a mtb and gravel set for my main bikes. This is what I've literally been wishing for from the big duopoly but their greed is stronger than their willingness to give the people what they need AND want. Ive held off on electronic shifting for over a decade and can finally jump in with EDS.
As a Campy 10sp rider this has been tempting to both get electronic shifting and to go to a wider range cassette. My current cassette is 13-29 and is the widest my standard cage can take. By using the Wheeltop I can put an 11sp or 12sp($$$$) 11-32 wide cassette on the existing Campy wheel since their freehubs are all the same. I'd keep my UT 50-34 crank and voila, a much wider range. I do like that the Wheeltop allows any number of gears and also has a rim brake version. The only thing that is holding me back is that I find my Chorus still shifts perfectly, quietly and quickly. I had a dream (really) that I met up with someone that had this on a ride and I challenged him to a shifting contest. Who could go the fastest from small to large and back. I'm guessing I could, that was always the Campy advantage. It is actually a comparison I'd like to see.
Shop: your Shimano/Sram/Campagnolo components? Give'em to us for repair and service. Your off-brand internet stuff? Your "service" is the dumpster in the backyard.
I love this video! This is great! So British! Loving the stick being used as a pointer! And after all the moaning everyone does about Jamie wearing sunglasses in videos! He wears them again, cos he just wants to and he doesn’t care what we think of him! Keep up the informative videos guys! Well done!
It's good upgrade kit , if you have a crankset , cassette, and chain already , It looks really nice also proper versatile groupset , well done wheel top 👏
I like the idea of being able to use my tubular wheelset (9sp) instead of my 10sp clinchers without having to bother getting another wheelset. Also, going from Shimano to Campagnolo, and back... Great! All of a sudden, all the different stuff I have got much more useful.
The NERO Podcast dropped the LTwoo groupset from their Chinese build. Jessie Coyle says he gave it an honest try, but it’s not up to the job and he’s going to Shimano.
@@petersouthernboy6327 " . . . it’s not up to the job" YET! Remember when everyone used to laugh at Japanese products? Well guess where Shimano is from?
I'm looking at this and thinking if there's a rim brake version then it could also work with mechanical disc brakes, and so I could fit it to my Sora equipped bike even though (at RRP) just the groupset upgrade is £100 more than I paid for the bike. 😂 It'll be interesting in a few years though, as like all tech it will get cheaper and better as time goes on.
As a EDX user, it's great, though I wish they'd invest a bit more in the user interface/app as it can be frustrating sometimes, but it has not let me down yet - I own both the Rim brake and disc versions, modulation could feel a bit better on the discs but maybe I am just used to shimano ultegra shifters, but that being said, the stopping power is great also. Hopefully this will drive a bit of competition from the big three
I'm happy stuff like this is coming into the market because Shimano needs a reality check when it comes to pricing. It's not just about wanting to give electronic shifting a try, but most people won't even consider it when Shimano puts their Di2 stuff out of their price range. I have Dura-Ace 9170 Di2 and four years later the components are still selling for the same price or higher. Not cheap.
I was going to buy, I will hold out until the next iteration of the product where hopefully the company will take on board points made and introduced as an upgraded product
Bingo! I do rides longer than the battery life without charging options. If I went electronic the SRAM works best for me, but even then, I would stick with mechanical.
@@markjthomson Agree👍 even if the battery had a fighting chance of lasting. On any multi day tour - The belt & braces within me would want to carry a swappable spare 'just in case' I am how I am 😅
@@ethanw9434 That's good to know. If the battery dies at any point, at least you have the option to replace it (with your fingers crossed 🤞😊) & get some more life out if it.
Assuming the quality is awesome (and I refuse to accept it is till maybe gen 2 or 3)...the greatest selling point is multi speed groupset making it futureproof...and inso...making the cost of it automatically cheap if you're someone that chases the latest most speed groupset put out.
Really happy with my rim brake version, setting up front and rear derailleur on apps can be challenging but once setup not had any reason to readjust.😊
The battery is a dealbreaker. All batteries fail, all of them. And when that one fails so does your entire rear mech. Doesn't matter how cheap it is, I don't want to have to bin all those working parts just because of a dead battery.
FWIW, the manual says you can replace the battery in the derailleur, but you need to have it serviced by a professional (i.e. they don't want you cracking open the cover yourself).
Do SRAM and Shimano offerings work for other speeds? As far as I know, they don't. In which case the total cost goes up if you ever decide to upgrade in future, whilst the wheeltop just gets configured in the app.
No remote shifter buttons option - and wheeltop told me no plans to make one when I asked - so I went for old sram red etap 11 speed bits from ebay to upgrade my old cannondale rim brake frame instead.
Thinking about building a bike with the Wheeltop because I want to be able to use the same wheelset on another 11-speed bike. As far as I see, the new SRAM as well as Shimano only come in 12-speed. So that might be another reason to prefer the Wheeltop, or am I getting something wrong?
The Front derailleur wears fast with the chain rubbing through and the guide screw makes no difference on the back its to short, the grip covers for bleeding the breaks wait till you get round to that! Do not use plyers! You will need them but don't use them! Heat the rubber up first with hairdryer then fold back youll snap the rubber! Break pads change them to shimano road, the breaks are good just poor pads! Jockey wheels are impressive on the rear it's all going to be down to the battery life! They spend alot on quality just hope not saved on the battery!
Yes you can, and one comment on another review mentioned Wheeltop will replace the battery FOC as/when it dies (which should be quite a few years for most, if their hardware matches their figures). We shall see
I have been considering them (including Ltwoo ERX), problem for me is the weight (about 300 grams more) and features in comparison to Shimano 11 Speed Di2(Ultegra or Durace). At this point it just makes more sence to buy the 11 speed as not only a value play, but it also has more features than these Chinese alternatives. Have also heard experienced riders point of Shimano 11 speed shifts better than theiir 12 speed
I have both 11-speed and 12-speed Shimano Di2 (Ultegra) and don't notice a difference in shifting. A lot of reviewers said 12-speed was much faster, especially on the front, but if it is I haven't noticed it. The only thing I have noticed is that the 12-speed rear mech seems to take longer to wake up when setting off on a ride - the first shift doesn't seem to do anything, and I assume that's because the mech is in sleep mode. 11-speed Shimano is great IMHO and I'd probably stick with that for cost reasons. The 12-speed should be better not requiring cables from the shifters, but in order to update the shifter firmware you do need to run a cable from the battery which is a total faff (and you have to buy another Shimano cable, or make that $$$himano cable)
They cant use removable batteries because of a patent by SRAM. Wheeltop says they would build it this way, but it would costs too much because of this patent.
@@youtubesafename123 Still wondering how a swappable battery system as a feature itself could be approved as patent, there must be something specific such as the connector
I have 2 LTwoo sets that work great,lookin at this for my rim bikes BUT I wanna find out if they sell replacement batteries,seen other vids where the batteries use screws & not quick release,if they sell the batteries then its a go if not this is expensive throw away which is a NO GO
Hey, what’s your research came up with? Usually any battery in the world is standardized. Unlikely that a groupset manufacturer will design and produce its own battery. Apple can do it, Samsung can do it but Wheeltop most certainly took a battery that is already in production.
Getting this much right on the first go is amazing honestly. And the fact that sram and shimano have failed to make multispeed compatibility even with multimillion dollar "R&D" budgets is kind of hilarious. (And the batteries are replaceable, bit of bad info in the video)
Interesting, would the price comparison have been the same if, instead of taking piece by piece from Shimano/SRAM groupsets, you would just have added crankset + cassette to the price of this new one? since we could buy bike frames, it would be a scenario to consider
It would depend a lot on what cassate etc. you pick. If you chose 10s options this would be much cheaper. If you chose 12s dura-ace stuff, it would be a bit pricier (I think, I didn't actually check).
@@squngy0 i feel like you’re missing the point. If we compare this shifter (that gets sold without a cassette) to a 105 in terms of value for money, it would be appropriate to use a 105 cassette since it would be the same quality as the cassette you get when you buy the whole 105 groupset
@@lelo8744 The only reason why 105 was picked is because it is the cheapest electronic system from shimano. In that sense, it does make sense to pick all 105 parts for comparison, since that is what you would get in a 105 groupset. I have not done the math, but I think WT would still be slightly cheaper with 105 parts, in which case I would personally pick shimano, due to being a more established company that will definitely have support for many years to come. If WT was a bit more established, I would instead pick WT since they have an upgrade path, but where WT really shines IMO is the ability to re-use parts you already have.
I've replayed the "you do get a little light though" section many times and I can't see a light! I'm not even sure what the point of a light on a shifter would be other than for trouble shooting, perhaps, if things aren't working. In normal use I can't see how a light would help, even if it was visible... As a Di2 aficionado/zealot I think I'd definitely give it a whirl on a currently mechanical shifting bike.
I only focus on the material they use on the GS. Material are important for power transfer. Crank, cassette, chain, pulley....an efficient drivetrain will use less watts. Electronic shifting is just secondary.
Assuming it does all you showed, I would stick with my first gen sram etap. I do own axs, di2, and Fsa WE. I like pairing it with my Garmin and showing the shifts and gear I’m in. I hope his group can introduce people into the electronic cycling world. Hence, they get a good experience using that unknown product. I like rim brake and do own disc brake as well. He issues I can see from this is the brake caliper maintenance is unknown and brake pads is not mentioned. Battery seems to be a failure since it is built in and cannot be removed. Having owned all three known electronic groupsets I am fine with sram etap over the three I own. Each groupset brings a uniqueness I like.
@@Pablo_Coach main thing: wireless.. di2 is great still. But I don’t really like how the wiring is.. I’ve had my FSA WE cable stripped at the crank when installing.. same wouldve been applied to di2.. Etap wireless makes it easier. Also, hey have larger rear derailleurs if you wanted to run a mtb derailleur (same gen)
Just watched a video where it was mentioned that SRAM might have leaned on Wheeltop over removable batteries due to Patent issues. This is a piss take given that SRAM ditched rim brakes, leaving many of us that love our old bikes with no SRAM option. All this was done disregarding the fact that many have invested in SRAM products for years. All I’ll say is look at the resurgence of vinyl
I can get a new Sram GX now for £200 cheaper than the wheeltop today! The original RRP of the wheel top if £650 its on offer for £410 nearly the same as Sram GX upgrade set! Just now new its a difficult decision!
I've ridden mine in puddles etc and few wetter rides akin to the UK, seems to be sealed pretty well so far, also washed my bike a few times since and no issues so far.
Everytime Shimano and SRAM are mentioned in the gruppo conversation and not Campag it hurts. I hope the new gruppo manufacturers do well, the consumer will only benefit from more competition.
Anyone had problems with archer components electronic shifting its not same as here but mine the motor burned in the shifter after one season and no warranty only a deal on a new kit and now the cie went down is this wheeltop be the same ! Anyone with a bit of longer review
@@philadams9254 That literally says everything you need to know about where Chinese electronic groupsets are at this point in time. Long term test, couldn’t get satisfactory performance
@@FT__Bicycling_____-sc7yv for the sake of following along - let’s concede your point that Wheeltop is awesome and works perfectly fine. If I can get online to Merlin’s storefront and buy a 105 Di2 groupset for $200 more - why should anyone outside of China even remotely consider buying Wheeltop?
@@petersouthernboy6327 man, it appears you have some problems with using basic logic and might benefit from professional help. I didn't write anything about Wheeltop being awesome. I was further clarifying the point that @philadams made - that the performance of an LTwoo groupset is irrelevant related to assessing the performance of a Wheeltop groupset. About both of the groupsets - yeah I wouldn't buy either. I have the last mechanical 105 groupset now and I strongly prefer it vs. anything from Sensah, LTwoo, Wheeltop, etc. It is important to review them as it's likely they will improve and in 2-5, most certainly one or some of them will be competing well vs Shimano and SRAM
The established component makers are gonna worry ONLY if/when bike brand product managers start spec'ing this stuff on complete bicycles they sell, especially at the lower price points. Aftermarket (non-OEM) sales #'s don't concern them at all. Example? Campagnolo Potenza = created to gain OEM spec. An excellent groupset (like Centaur) but with zero OEM spec it died. The entire Asian business model is based on one thing - VOLUME. No matter how much profit there might be in a group of parts like this, unless they can sell a whole lot of them, they'll find something else to make that will sell in volume.
Check your math. Charging from zero to 100% EVERY SINGLE DAY for 3 years gets you 1000 chargers. Who runs so many shifts in a day, 330 days a year.? Realistically these batteries will last 5+ years for people who drive a lot.
You can pretty much buy old SRAM Red AXS for about £250 more if you shop around. This isn’t a groupset for £700 it’s shifters, calipers and derailleurs. You can get full ultegra inc cassette and chainset for £1200 and full 105 for £750 again with everything included. You’d need your head read to spend £750 on this
Rise of Chinese products is inevitable. More competition is always good to consumers. My question is, would Campagnolo survive in the next decade? I hope so.
Finally I can kill two birds with one groupset: 1. Retrofit my older rim brake Ti bike without drilling holes for wires or going flat broke from the SRAM?Shimano greed-pigs. 2. Continue riding with hand arthritis, as it is hard to shift normal levers.
I don't know why they don't have a calliper free version. Most people upgrading are going to have brakes on their bike already. Reducing hte price...increasing the amount of uptake
@@squngy0 hmmm..yes I imagine so...just dont understand how selling stuff that isn't needed benefits anyone..other than them in making margin on something else...but at the cost of perhaps loosing sales because the cost is too much for people that just want the FD/RD and levers
whatever you do, do not setup NOT in the small (i.e. 11t) big (i.e. 53t). OMG...disaster....it will assume whatever gear you start in is the 11t and has no reset (in my case the 28t...it was a 2 speed!). it is a painful hour(s) long haul to get out of that hole.
not only 'rim brake' option, but the said option may work with any count of rear cog. imagine someone upgradin a friggin roadbike frame with downtube shifters. sacrilege yes, but it can be done
Why noone is talking about ltwoo erx which i think is much better and already on the market for two years? Is it widely organised Wheeltoop advertising campaign? Except TraceVelo noone is doing hinest reviews here, just advertising this groupset which makes me believed it's sponsored.
If you want reliable, not too expensive components which you can even service yourself, go for mechanical shifting! Way better than (not even really) cheap electronic parts that have to be individually shipped from China, that do not have a network of shops which can service them, and that you throw away when the non-removable battery cannot be charged anymore.
Yeah I don’t get the hype around these groupsets. They’re the same price or more expensive than the third tier Shimano/SRAM groupsets when you consider that they don’t come with cranks, cassettes, chains or rotors. SRAM Rival or 105 Di2 components would be the same price as these. The only advantage is the fact that they’re compatible with lower speed drivetrains and you can change the number of speeds in the software.
At RRP it is much cheaper, that’s what we base all of our reviews off of but yeh as we said in the video if you can find a deal on sram or shimano then that’s probably the best bet
This is for people who dont need those extra parts,I have cranks & cassettes why should I buy these if I dont need them,waste of money for people like me
I agree, if you are after a full groupset then perhaps 105 di2 might be the way to go for value at this moment, but as an upgrade user this is priced competitively
The BIG "S" brands should lower the price of their e-groupset - Wheeltop is a decent alternative for the price It will definitely eat a chunk of the pie 💯
Even makers of reliable parts such a Microshift which had a chance to emerge when they could supply during the epidemic as Shimano and Sram could not are unable to break Shimano's near-monopoly.
I am quite disappointed with road cc lately. It seems like road cc does not follow the industry at all. They suggest this EDSTX as a price attractive alternative to 105di2 and SRAM Rival whilst it is not. Of course I am giving road cc a benefit of doubt that they just do not know what they are talking and do want to jump to a conclusion that they are doing it on purpose because of financial gain from those companies. I well remember road cc suggested people to bu yVitus road bike well after Wiggle/chain reaction went bankrupt without mentioning that fact! I bought a pair of shoes from the sale when they went bankrupt and had a problem with shoes. Contact them for warranty related claims and they returned to me months later just to tell they can not help me as I am not their responsibility anymore. Imagine buying multiple thousands worth of bike based on road cc "advise" and ending up in the same situation.
@@roadcc nobody buy those at RRP! Come on now! the excuse is worse than the mistake. How about comparing real world prices? The way your did it only mislead people, which is a very poor implementation of cycling media/news task of rod cc
@@muratmustafa4532 Even if you're disappointed, you still have the power to decide for yourself if you want to buy or not because you're the consumer with the money. Now, with regards to this drivetrain from China, there's an upside to Road CC's coverage. By making such a recommendation, there's the potential for the incumbent brands to take notice. We've always settled with only three brands when it comes to drivetrains, and these brands seem pretty comfortable with the way they set their prices at the moment. It does not hurt anyone to have more competition in the market. We all love to see a little price war and it's about time we get some decently priced items from the brands we love, and they can only do this if there are brands out there to make them sweat.
In the report it was said the Wheeltop TX did 7-14 speed, it in fact does 3-14 speed cassettes and also they give a 2 yr guarantee. I got a 2 yr guarantee, if bought from Wheeltop, not AliExpress etc where your at the mercy of the supplier on their sites.
Also batteries are part of the guarantee or can be purchased from Wheeltop directly, no need to throw away any part of the groupset!
I'm really happy with my upgraded groupset.
Fair play for making a non-sponsored review (unlike some other ex-Road cc presenter vids)
tsk tsk
I bought a rim brake version for my tandem for under $600 US. Works very good. And I was able to use it on an 11-40t cassette.
I paid £560 for my discreet version had it on the bike over a month now using it on a gravel bike done nearly 400 miles so far been absolutely fantastic
i would like to ask is still good now?
i have a giant contend and i wanna slap this groupset
Just the fact that it can run with SRAM or Shimano cassettes makes it worth the $$ IMO. Might get this for my son's bike.
Rim Brakes option? Yessssss!
Stay away with rims, it will eventually die unfortunately, probably next 5 years
Just bought a mtb and gravel set for my main bikes.
This is what I've literally been wishing for from the big duopoly but their greed is stronger than their willingness to give the people what they need AND want. Ive held off on electronic shifting for over a decade and can finally jump in with EDS.
Best decision I ever made buying this groupset.
As a Campy 10sp rider this has been tempting to both get electronic shifting and to go to a wider range cassette. My current cassette is 13-29 and is the widest my standard cage can take. By using the Wheeltop I can put an 11sp or 12sp($$$$) 11-32 wide cassette on the existing Campy wheel since their freehubs are all the same. I'd keep my UT 50-34 crank and voila, a much wider range. I do like that the Wheeltop allows any number of gears and also has a rim brake version. The only thing that is holding me back is that I find my Chorus still shifts perfectly, quietly and quickly. I had a dream (really) that I met up with someone that had this on a ride and I challenged him to a shifting contest. Who could go the fastest from small to large and back. I'm guessing I could, that was always the Campy advantage. It is actually a comparison I'd like to see.
Me: I need a groupset
SRAM: Give me $4000
Shimano: Give me $5000
Campagnolo: Give me your savings account
EDX: I'll take $700
That’s not true at all. Like for like SRAM Red would be $1800.
EDX (true voice): I’ll take $700 but need your Shimano as a base anyway
Shop: your Shimano/Sram/Campagnolo components? Give'em to us for repair and service. Your off-brand internet stuff? Your "service" is the dumpster in the backyard.
Customizable speed count, individually adjustable offset for each gear should have been a thing when electronic shifting is a thing.
I love this video! This is great! So British! Loving the stick being used as a pointer! And after all the moaning everyone does about Jamie wearing sunglasses in videos! He wears them again, cos he just wants to and he doesn’t care what we think of him! Keep up the informative videos guys! Well done!
i would be suprised if it has a hidden speaker just to tell "the bluetooth device is ready to pair" JKKK
It's good upgrade kit , if you have a crankset , cassette, and chain already , It looks really nice also proper versatile groupset , well done wheel top 👏
I like the idea of being able to use my tubular wheelset (9sp) instead of my 10sp clinchers without having to bother getting another wheelset. Also, going from Shimano to Campagnolo, and back... Great! All of a sudden, all the different stuff I have got much more useful.
I said many moons ago, that the Chinese will fill-in any void made by abandoning rim brakes tech. I was RIGHT!
The NERO Podcast dropped the LTwoo groupset from their Chinese build. Jessie Coyle says he gave it an honest try, but it’s not up to the job and he’s going to Shimano.
Oh boy they’ll go ahead and dominate that ever shrinking market of rim brake bikes!
@@RyonBeachner Theres more rim brakes out there than disc,remeber how long disc has been out compared to rim,no comparison,I have 2 disc & 8 rim bikes
@@petersouthernboy6327 " . . . it’s not up to the job" YET! Remember when everyone used to laugh at Japanese products? Well guess where Shimano is from?
@@savagepro9060 Go ahead and buy the garbage. There is zero equivalency between Japanese manufacturing and Chinese manufacturing prowess.
I'm looking at this and thinking if there's a rim brake version then it could also work with mechanical disc brakes, and so I could fit it to my Sora equipped bike even though (at RRP) just the groupset upgrade is £100 more than I paid for the bike. 😂
It'll be interesting in a few years though, as like all tech it will get cheaper and better as time goes on.
I'm not throwing away my rim brake bike, so this it then...!
As a EDX user, it's great, though I wish they'd invest a bit more in the user interface/app as it can be frustrating sometimes, but it has not let me down yet - I own both the Rim brake and disc versions, modulation could feel a bit better on the discs but maybe I am just used to shimano ultegra shifters, but that being said, the stopping power is great also. Hopefully this will drive a bit of competition from the big three
Rim option is good.
Buying one now.
I'm happy stuff like this is coming into the market because Shimano needs a reality check when it comes to pricing. It's not just about wanting to give electronic shifting a try, but most people won't even consider it when Shimano puts their Di2 stuff out of their price range. I have Dura-Ace 9170 Di2 and four years later the components are still selling for the same price or higher. Not cheap.
"without to re-mortgage a house" = BANG ON :D :D
I was going to buy, I will hold out until the next iteration of the product where hopefully the company will take on board points made and introduced as an upgraded product
Looks pretty good. No removable batteries is a total deal breaker for me. They're making it a bit toooo disposable.
Bingo! I do rides longer than the battery life without charging options. If I went electronic the SRAM works best for me, but even then, I would stick with mechanical.
They are removable and the battery can be replaced, however the risk is resealing it and maintaining the waterproofing. I've got one on my bike.
@@markjthomson Agree👍 even if the battery had a fighting chance of lasting. On any multi day tour - The belt & braces within me would want to carry a swappable spare 'just in case' I am how I am 😅
@@ethanw9434 That's good to know. If the battery dies at any point, at least you have the option to replace it (with your fingers crossed 🤞😊) & get some more life out if it.
@@markjthomson If you do such long rides you will probably have a battery bank with you in any case.
Assuming the quality is awesome (and I refuse to accept it is till maybe gen 2 or 3)...the greatest selling point is multi speed groupset making it futureproof...and inso...making the cost of it automatically cheap if you're someone that chases the latest most speed groupset put out.
Currently £546.00 for the rim brake version, perfect for a Moulton. Might be worth a try.
Really happy with my rim brake version, setting up front and rear derailleur on apps can be challenging but once setup not had any reason to readjust.😊
@@ChrisParkes-cs9zu that’s good to know, thanks. I might give it a go.
I paid £433 on aliexpress. So far so good.
Angular design, would look great with BMC.
Are the battery's replicable, think thats been answered bellow
The rubber grommets seen better than the flimsy hard plastic ones on Dura Ace.
The battery is a dealbreaker. All batteries fail, all of them. And when that one fails so does your entire rear mech. Doesn't matter how cheap it is, I don't want to have to bin all those working parts just because of a dead battery.
FWIW, the manual says you can replace the battery in the derailleur, but you need to have it serviced by a professional (i.e. they don't want you cracking open the cover yourself).
In my opinion, they should release a cheaper hydraulic version but without the brakes calipers.
@OleBihso what? We want disc brake version but without brake calipers
Does your weight comparison take into account the fact that the Rival AXS groupset includes chainring and cassette?
Do SRAM and Shimano offerings work for other speeds? As far as I know, they don't. In which case the total cost goes up if you ever decide to upgrade in future, whilst the wheeltop just gets configured in the app.
Would be interested in a TT / Triathlon version, still no inexpensive options
think Megane or Ltoo is making one cant remember which one LOl
Durabilities? My Shimano Di2 battery from 2018 still working well!
If SRAM offered multispeed shifting (10, 11 and 12 speeds) I'd have put it on my 11-speed bike when I upgraded recently.
Great review!
No remote shifter buttons option - and wheeltop told me no plans to make one when I asked - so I went for old sram red etap 11 speed bits from ebay to upgrade my old cannondale rim brake frame instead.
Thinking about building a bike with the Wheeltop because I want to be able to use the same wheelset on another 11-speed bike. As far as I see, the new SRAM as well as Shimano only come in 12-speed. So that might be another reason to prefer the Wheeltop, or am I getting something wrong?
The Front derailleur wears fast with the chain rubbing through and the guide screw makes no difference on the back its to short, the grip covers for bleeding the breaks wait till you get round to that! Do not use plyers! You will need them but don't use them! Heat the rubber up first with hairdryer then fold back youll snap the rubber! Break pads change them to shimano road, the breaks are good just poor pads! Jockey wheels are impressive on the rear it's all going to be down to the battery life! They spend alot on quality just hope not saved on the battery!
Kinda sucks when the battery dies you have to replace the whole derailleur? Can't even disassemble it and install a replacement battery m
Yes you can, and one comment on another review mentioned Wheeltop will replace the battery FOC as/when it dies (which should be quite a few years for most, if their hardware matches their figures). We shall see
Rim brake support \o/
Ok but that tarmac sl6 looks good😅
How do you get the thumb controller to change gears instead of micro adjusting?
I have been considering them (including Ltwoo ERX), problem for me is the weight (about 300 grams more) and features in comparison to Shimano 11 Speed Di2(Ultegra or Durace). At this point it just makes more sence to buy the 11 speed as not only a value play, but it also has more features than these Chinese alternatives. Have also heard experienced riders point of Shimano 11 speed shifts better than theiir 12 speed
I have both 11-speed and 12-speed Shimano Di2 (Ultegra) and don't notice a difference in shifting. A lot of reviewers said 12-speed was much faster, especially on the front, but if it is I haven't noticed it. The only thing I have noticed is that the 12-speed rear mech seems to take longer to wake up when setting off on a ride - the first shift doesn't seem to do anything, and I assume that's because the mech is in sleep mode. 11-speed Shimano is great IMHO and I'd probably stick with that for cost reasons. The 12-speed should be better not requiring cables from the shifters, but in order to update the shifter firmware you do need to run a cable from the battery which is a total faff (and you have to buy another Shimano cable, or make that $$$himano cable)
Is it compatible with 3x front derailleurs ?
They cant use removable batteries because of a patent by SRAM. Wheeltop says they would build it this way, but it would costs too much because of this patent.
but Campagnolo also has full wireless swappable batteries...
@@lelo8744 Maybe, Campagnolo pays for it... I don't know.
@@lelo8744 Because campagnolo can pay for it (well not them, they end up charging you the customer for it in the end).
@@youtubesafename123 Still wondering how a swappable battery system as a feature itself could be approved as patent, there must be something specific such as the connector
@@maniac0303 More likely Campag are licensing some of their own patented tech to SRAM in return
I have 2 LTwoo sets that work great,lookin at this for my rim bikes BUT I wanna find out if they sell replacement batteries,seen other vids where the batteries use screws & not quick release,if they sell the batteries then its a go if not this is expensive throw away which is a NO GO
YOu can buy from them or the 3rd party you bought from. Arguably someone will come up with an AM battery.
@@out_spocken Just got the Wheeltop today,aliexpress has a $80 coupon so I couldnt resist
Hey, what’s your research came up with? Usually any battery in the world is standardized. Unlikely that a groupset manufacturer will design and produce its own battery. Apple can do it, Samsung can do it but Wheeltop most certainly took a battery that is already in production.
Dammit! Why can't they do removable/swappable batteries? That's SRAM's killer move.
The rim brakes version is great apart from battery life and can’t recharge the batteries on the road .
Getting this much right on the first go is amazing honestly. And the fact that sram and shimano have failed to make multispeed compatibility even with multimillion dollar "R&D" budgets is kind of hilarious. (And the batteries are replaceable, bit of bad info in the video)
Can it use a 12 speed cassette with a 11 speed crankset?
Interesting, would the price comparison have been the same if, instead of taking piece by piece from Shimano/SRAM groupsets, you would just have added crankset + cassette to the price of this new one? since we could buy bike frames, it would be a scenario to consider
It would depend a lot on what cassate etc. you pick.
If you chose 10s options this would be much cheaper.
If you chose 12s dura-ace stuff, it would be a bit pricier (I think, I didn't actually check).
@@squngy0 Since he compared it to a 105 Di2 12 speed i would expect nothing but a 12 speed 105 cassette, don't you think?
@@lelo8744 The good part of this product is that you have more choices.
If all you want is 105 then I would just get the full 105
@@squngy0 i feel like you’re missing the point. If we compare this shifter (that gets sold without a cassette) to a 105 in terms of value for money, it would be appropriate to use a 105 cassette since it would be the same quality as the cassette you get when you buy the whole 105 groupset
@@lelo8744 The only reason why 105 was picked is because it is the cheapest electronic system from shimano.
In that sense, it does make sense to pick all 105 parts for comparison, since that is what you would get in a 105 groupset.
I have not done the math, but I think WT would still be slightly cheaper with 105 parts, in which case I would personally pick shimano, due to being a more established company that will definitely have support for many years to come.
If WT was a bit more established, I would instead pick WT since they have an upgrade path, but where WT really shines IMO is the ability to re-use parts you already have.
I've replayed the "you do get a little light though" section many times and I can't see a light! I'm not even sure what the point of a light on a shifter would be other than for trouble shooting, perhaps, if things aren't working. In normal use I can't see how a light would help, even if it was visible... As a Di2 aficionado/zealot I think I'd definitely give it a whirl on a currently mechanical shifting bike.
It’s there! We’re also not too sure why Jamie found it so exciting…
I think it's a great deal 500+ quid for electric
I only focus on the material they use on the GS. Material are important for power transfer. Crank, cassette, chain, pulley....an efficient drivetrain will use less watts. Electronic shifting is just secondary.
GS ?
@@Pablo_Coach GS = GroupSet
Assuming it does all you showed, I would stick with my first gen sram etap. I do own axs, di2, and Fsa WE.
I like pairing it with my Garmin and showing the shifts and gear I’m in.
I hope his group can introduce people into the electronic cycling world. Hence, they get a good experience using that unknown product.
I like rim brake and do own disc brake as well.
He issues I can see from this is the brake caliper maintenance is unknown and brake pads is not mentioned.
Battery seems to be a failure since it is built in and cannot be removed.
Having owned all three known electronic groupsets I am fine with sram etap over the three I own. Each groupset brings a uniqueness I like.
Why do You prefer AXS over DI2 ?
@@Pablo_Coach main thing: wireless.. di2 is great still. But I don’t really like how the wiring is.. I’ve had my FSA WE cable stripped at the crank when installing.. same wouldve been applied to di2.. Etap wireless makes it easier. Also, hey have larger rear derailleurs if you wanted to run a mtb derailleur (same gen)
@@chaahmongcyclist1066 Ok I understand. What do You think about mix Shimano crank, cassetes and chain with SRAM derallieurs end levers?
@@Pablo_Coachyep that’s a good combo I do too. XDR 9-34t on shimano ultegra.. and FSA We with sram red aeroglide is pretty good feel and strong
Just watched a video where it was mentioned that SRAM might have leaned on Wheeltop over removable batteries due to Patent issues. This is a piss take given that SRAM ditched rim brakes, leaving many of us that love our old bikes with no SRAM option. All this was done disregarding the fact that many have invested in SRAM products for years.
All I’ll say is look at the resurgence of vinyl
I can get a new Sram GX now for £200 cheaper than the wheeltop today! The original RRP of the wheel top if £650 its on offer for £410 nearly the same as Sram GX upgrade set! Just now new its a difficult decision!
There is also LTWOO...
Evokes comparisons with how the Japanese took over the motorbike market in the 1970's
If you received it, why this video is not marked as sponsored?
Because it was sent back, it was a review sample
Based on the current situation seems I will be on mechanical for a while...
if you have to order all the stuff from aliexpress, what will happen in case of warranty? this aliexpress thing doesnt look too trustworthy!
Exactly. In case of failure, just throw away and buy new. Cheap for the manufacturer, not cheap for the consumer.
What pads do the calipers use ?
They come with Wheeltops own pads but are compatible with Shimano L04A
Ride it in the rain for a few weeks and come back to us pls.
I've ridden mine in puddles etc and few wetter rides akin to the UK, seems to be sealed pretty well so far, also washed my bike a few times since and no issues so far.
Non replaceable battery = landfill
Everytime Shimano and SRAM are mentioned in the gruppo conversation and not Campag it hurts. I hope the new gruppo manufacturers do well, the consumer will only benefit from more competition.
I ditched Shimano and SRAM on my latest bike. I went with Campagnolo 😎
@atsr I’m guessing you’re an older gentleman?! 😂
Does the app come in Android?
Anyone had problems with archer components electronic shifting its not same as here but mine the motor burned in the shifter after one season and no warranty only a deal on a new kit and now the cie went down is this wheeltop be the same ! Anyone with a bit of longer review
blips and rival axs rear d for me 400 euro!
does the brifter has battery?
@@tn9274 yes, both brifters use a coin cell battery. Mine hasn't dropped it all and I've put about 1000km on so far
Does the brifter have* a* battery?
The NERO Podcast dropped the LTwoo groupset from their Chinese build. Jessie Coyle says he gave it an honest try, but he’s going to Shimano.
That's got literally nothing to do with this
@@philadams9254 That literally says everything you need to know about where Chinese electronic groupsets are at this point in time. Long term test, couldn’t get satisfactory performance
Wheeltop and LTwoo are entirely different companies. China is not a single business
@@FT__Bicycling_____-sc7yv for the sake of following along - let’s concede your point that Wheeltop is awesome and works perfectly fine. If I can get online to Merlin’s storefront and buy a 105 Di2 groupset for $200 more - why should anyone outside of China even remotely consider buying Wheeltop?
@@petersouthernboy6327 man, it appears you have some problems with using basic logic and might benefit from professional help. I didn't write anything about Wheeltop being awesome. I was further clarifying the point that @philadams made - that the performance of an LTwoo groupset is irrelevant related to assessing the performance of a Wheeltop groupset.
About both of the groupsets - yeah I wouldn't buy either. I have the last mechanical 105 groupset now and I strongly prefer it vs. anything from Sensah, LTwoo, Wheeltop, etc.
It is important to review them as it's likely they will improve and in 2-5, most certainly one or some of them will be competing well vs Shimano and SRAM
The established component makers are gonna worry ONLY if/when bike brand product managers start spec'ing this stuff on complete bicycles they sell, especially at the lower price points. Aftermarket (non-OEM) sales #'s don't concern them at all. Example? Campagnolo Potenza = created to gain OEM spec. An excellent groupset (like Centaur) but with zero OEM spec it died. The entire Asian business model is based on one thing - VOLUME. No matter how much profit there might be in a group of parts like this, unless they can sell a whole lot of them, they'll find something else to make that will sell in volume.
I read 1000 charges a battery leaving it a replacement unit every 2 or 3 year's
Check your math. Charging from zero to 100% EVERY SINGLE DAY for 3 years gets you 1000 chargers. Who runs so many shifts in a day, 330 days a year.?
Realistically these batteries will last 5+ years for people who drive a lot.
You can pretty much buy old SRAM Red AXS for about £250 more if you shop around. This isn’t a groupset for £700 it’s shifters, calipers and derailleurs.
You can get full ultegra inc cassette and chainset for £1200 and full 105 for £750 again with everything included.
You’d need your head read to spend £750 on this
Will be great if another review can be given after 10,000 km.
China stuff often work well when new. Thereafter……😂😂😂
Rise of Chinese products is inevitable. More competition is always good to consumers.
My question is, would Campagnolo survive in the next decade? I hope so.
Non removable batteries....no no for me. Next article please.
SRAM Apex AXS is a thing. You should know that.
Finally I can kill two birds with one groupset: 1. Retrofit my older rim brake Ti bike without drilling holes for wires or going flat broke from the SRAM?Shimano greed-pigs. 2. Continue riding with hand arthritis, as it is hard to shift normal levers.
I don't know why they don't have a calliper free version. Most people upgrading are going to have brakes on their bike already. Reducing hte price...increasing the amount of uptake
True, though I doubt the calipers are a big portion of the cost and then they would have even more SKUs, which also increases costs.
@@squngy0 That's what I don't get about consumerism now. It costs less per item to get more. Fast food effect.
@@out_spocken It is more of an economy of scale thing than a consumerism thing.
@@squngy0 hmmm..yes I imagine so...just dont understand how selling stuff that isn't needed benefits anyone..other than them in making margin on something else...but at the cost of perhaps loosing sales because the cost is too much for people that just want the FD/RD and levers
I'm more amaze that your 6800 crank haven't snap yet
Ditto!
It's 3-14 speed, not 7-14
whatever you do, do not setup NOT in the small (i.e. 11t) big (i.e. 53t). OMG...disaster....it will assume whatever gear you start in is the 11t and has no reset (in my case the 28t...it was a 2 speed!). it is a painful hour(s) long haul to get out of that hole.
not only 'rim brake' option, but the said option may work with any count of rear cog.
imagine someone upgradin a friggin roadbike frame with downtube shifters. sacrilege yes, but it can be done
Why noone is talking about ltwoo erx which i think is much better and already on the market for two years? Is it widely organised Wheeltoop advertising campaign? Except TraceVelo noone is doing hinest reviews here, just advertising this groupset which makes me believed it's sponsored.
Wheeltop sent us a groupset, the Ltwoo one is yet to turn up, we're looking forwards to giving a good try when it does
Look again in this app what is the lowest gear number .
Shinamo replace recall crackset also tale a long time ……60 days and counting ! It realy sucks!
... crankset*
Ahhh! Stop sitting on the top tube of that carbon bike!!!! 7:04
What's wrong with that?
@ Google it. Very bad for the bike. Extremely so.
LOL I dont have to watch this to tell you NO it is not lol
If you want reliable, not too expensive components which you can even service yourself, go for mechanical shifting! Way better than (not even really) cheap electronic parts that have to be individually shipped from China, that do not have a network of shops which can service them, and that you throw away when the non-removable battery cannot be charged anymore.
1) It is not cheap
2) works like shit ( puts itself in different positions when shifting from higher gear or from lower one )
budget electronic groupset - horrible idea
Yeah I don’t get the hype around these groupsets. They’re the same price or more expensive than the third tier Shimano/SRAM groupsets when you consider that they don’t come with cranks, cassettes, chains or rotors.
SRAM Rival or 105 Di2 components would be the same price as these. The only advantage is the fact that they’re compatible with lower speed drivetrains and you can change the number of speeds in the software.
At RRP it is much cheaper, that’s what we base all of our reviews off of but yeh as we said in the video if you can find a deal on sram or shimano then that’s probably the best bet
The NERO Podcast dropped the LTwoo groupset from their Chinese build. Jessie Coyle says he gave it an honest try, but he’s going to Shimano.
This is for people who dont need those extra parts,I have cranks & cassettes why should I buy these if I dont need them,waste of money for people like me
105 di2 is not wireless or rim brake compatible.
I agree, if you are after a full groupset then perhaps 105 di2 might be the way to go for value at this moment, but as an upgrade user this is priced competitively
Great for a commute bike fitted with a basket at the handlebars to save taking your car to the local shop for bread & milk
The BIG "S" brands should lower the price of their e-groupset - Wheeltop is a decent alternative for the price It will definitely eat a chunk of the pie 💯
Even makers of reliable parts such a Microshift which had a chance to emerge when they could supply during the epidemic as Shimano and Sram could not are unable to break Shimano's near-monopoly.
Bloody ugly derailleur though
aren't all modern derailleurs ugly? The ones from 40 years ago were works of art (except maybe Huret)
750? You can get full drive train (including those items that are not included in EDSTX) 105 di2 for that. No thanks.. I wont have it.
At RRP you cannot
I am quite disappointed with road cc lately. It seems like road cc does not follow the industry at all. They suggest this EDSTX as a price attractive alternative to 105di2 and SRAM Rival whilst it is not. Of course I am giving road cc a benefit of doubt that they just do not know what they are talking and do want to jump to a conclusion that they are doing it on purpose because of financial gain from those companies. I well remember road cc suggested people to bu yVitus road bike well after Wiggle/chain reaction went bankrupt without mentioning that fact! I bought a pair of shoes from the sale when they went bankrupt and had a problem with shoes. Contact them for warranty related claims and they returned to me months later just to tell they can not help me as I am not their responsibility anymore. Imagine buying multiple thousands worth of bike based on road cc "advise" and ending up in the same situation.
@@roadcc nobody buy those at RRP! Come on now! the excuse is worse than the mistake. How about comparing real world prices? The way your did it only mislead people, which is a very poor implementation of cycling media/news task of rod cc
@@muratmustafa4532 Even if you're disappointed, you still have the power to decide for yourself if you want to buy or not because you're the consumer with the money. Now, with regards to this drivetrain from China, there's an upside to Road CC's coverage. By making such a recommendation, there's the potential for the incumbent brands to take notice. We've always settled with only three brands when it comes to drivetrains, and these brands seem pretty comfortable with the way they set their prices at the moment. It does not hurt anyone to have more competition in the market. We all love to see a little price war and it's about time we get some decently priced items from the brands we love, and they can only do this if there are brands out there to make them sweat.
@@roadccMerlin and some other online vendors will sell you Shimano Di2 for just under $1K. The market is what it is.