The lack of a 12-speed 11-40 cassette is the reason why I'm still stuck on the 11-speed on my gravel bike, with the 11-30 cassette. I also prefer the gearing ratios of the 11-speed 11-40 for gravel (large 2T gaps on the higher gears). For my riding I shift less when the gaps are larger. I have the 12-speed group on my road bike and the gearing is fine, but I wouldn't like it for gravel. Shimano really missed a good opportunity for not having the 11-40.
Couldn’t agree more. I’m hopeful they release one. The other thing I hope for is a 12 speed 1x cassette that starts with 11 and fits HG cassette bodies: 11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36-40-45
Agree 100%. Also no crank sizes below 170mm WTF!!! I'm 6ft and much prefer riding 165mm cranks. So that puts your lowest chainring to 34 on 105 or Ultegra.
1x I'd rather have mechanical, 2x Di2. I think if you're going one chainring your bias is toward simplicity/robustness, two chainrings is for efficiency/speed. I hope Shimano continue to offer both.
If there is a 3rd port on the battery, a cable can be attached to it & the front shifters. They will be updated one at a time. I leave the cable covered & secured in my road frame & it's always there if an update is available thru e-tube.
Thanks for the review John. Ben Delaney also noted that he preferred the 11spd shifters for the same reason. I'd add the 11spd look nicer. Shimano claim the 12spd handle area has a rounder profile to improve comfort with flared bars. Have you noticed a change in this area? AirBike do a 12spd 11-42 when it's in stock. I doubt it shifts as well as a Shimano cassette and probably weighs a bit more too. The Ultegra 12spd crank and front derailleur are aesthetically much slicker, IMO. Also lighter, and come in 160 and 165 options. If someone is below 6ft they are better off on cranks 165mm or smaller, the fact that the GRX 820 cranks dont come any smaller than 170mm is kinda nonsensical.
Got this groupset on my new Gravel/winterroadbike, perfect for that, all the high and low gearing I need. It is a bit of an adjustment everytime I switch from my SRAM AXS bike to this, but these electronic groupsets all work so well!
I left Shimano last year for SRAM Mullet and have never looked back. Until Shimano realizes GRAVEL is just as important as road, they will continue to lose market share. The new SRAM Red levers and calipers are simply the best drop bar brakes. I expect Force and and maybe Rival to see the same technology in 2025.
I have seen people use a 10-45T MTB Cassette with a derailleurhanger extender (like Wolftooth roadlink). You might need to switch to the smaller 46T big ring (10-46 is still a bigger gear than 11-48).
@GravelCyclist almost perfect, but not perfect: needed a tiny bump with a rotor straightener in one section. However, doesn't distort when it gets big heat into it.
The lack of a 12-speed 11-40 cassette is the reason why I'm still stuck on the 11-speed on my gravel bike, with the 11-30 cassette. I also prefer the gearing ratios of the 11-speed 11-40 for gravel (large 2T gaps on the higher gears). For my riding I shift less when the gaps are larger. I have the 12-speed group on my road bike and the gearing is fine, but I wouldn't like it for gravel. Shimano really missed a good opportunity for not having the 11-40.
Couldn’t agree more. I’m hopeful they release one. The other thing I hope for is a 12 speed 1x cassette that starts with 11 and fits HG cassette bodies:
11-13-15-17-19-21-24-28-32-36-40-45
Agree 100%. Also no crank sizes below 170mm WTF!!!
I'm 6ft and much prefer riding 165mm cranks. So that puts your lowest chainring to 34 on 105 or Ultegra.
1x I'd rather have mechanical, 2x Di2. I think if you're going one chainring your bias is toward simplicity/robustness, two chainrings is for efficiency/speed. I hope Shimano continue to offer both.
Love your channel, and the video....... and I'll always be a Sram fan until Shimano goes fully wireless.
Thank you! Totally understand your liking of SRAM, fully wireless is very convenient.
10-45 cassette with Wolftooth link, works just fine with GRX 12v for me. With 30-46 crankset.
Did you try it without the wolftooth first to see if it could make the shift smoothly?
With a 30-45 you must be able to pretty much spin up anything!
I love it. It is affordable, sustainable, easy to maintain, and compatible with other components and brands
If there is a 3rd port on the battery, a cable can be attached to it & the front shifters. They will be updated one at a time. I leave the cable covered & secured in my road frame & it's always there if an update is available thru e-tube.
Thanks for the review John. Ben Delaney also noted that he preferred the 11spd shifters for the same reason. I'd add the 11spd look nicer. Shimano claim the 12spd handle area has a rounder profile to improve comfort with flared bars. Have you noticed a change in this area?
AirBike do a 12spd 11-42 when it's in stock. I doubt it shifts as well as a Shimano cassette and probably weighs a bit more too.
The Ultegra 12spd crank and front derailleur are aesthetically much slicker, IMO. Also lighter, and come in 160 and 165 options.
If someone is below 6ft they are better off on cranks 165mm or smaller, the fact that the GRX 820 cranks dont come any smaller than 170mm is kinda nonsensical.
Got this groupset on my new Gravel/winterroadbike, perfect for that, all the high and low gearing I need. It is a bit of an adjustment everytime I switch from my SRAM AXS bike to this, but these electronic groupsets all work so well!
If you adjust your shifting setup similar to mine, it makes the adjustment from SRAM much easier.
I left Shimano last year for SRAM Mullet and have never looked back. Until Shimano realizes GRAVEL is just as important as road, they will continue to lose market share. The new SRAM Red levers and calipers are simply the best drop bar brakes. I expect Force and and maybe Rival to see the same technology in 2025.
I'm shure,looking the lenght of the cage,it will work with 10-45 xt/xtr cassette
I have seen people use a 10-45T MTB Cassette with a derailleurhanger extender (like Wolftooth roadlink). You might need to switch to the smaller 46T big ring (10-46 is still a bigger gear than 11-48).
Thanks, this is worth investigating further, I do have a Roadlink.
I use wider Galfer 2mm rotors with this groupset and the brakes/calipers don't mind the wider rotors.
How are those rotors for straightness out of the box?
@GravelCyclist almost perfect, but not perfect: needed a tiny bump with a rotor straightener in one section.
However, doesn't distort when it gets big heat into it.
ooo its sram red axs hoods.
I really don't need this abracadabra. Looking for a new bike I am going for mechanical shifting.
All good, choices for all.
You’re missing out: simple for a chump to set up,deliciously ergo shifters,superlative shifting,set and forget.