Nicola Rutzou
It’s that time of year when there are numerous new product launches, with everyone trying to outdo one another, and no less than Shimano and SRAM offering new and exciting groupsets.
SRAM’s new Force and Rival
Over the weekend at the Spoken bike show in Sydney, we saw the new ‘hot off the press’ SRAM groupsets. SRAM launched all-new Force and Rival AXS groupsets as well as gravel-specific Force and Rival XPLR gravel groupset variants last week to the world. These new groupsets have been overhauled and benefit from the tech in the Red AXS and the 13-speed gravel-specific XPLR groupsets that were launched this time last year.
One of the great benefits of the new gruppos is backwards compatibility, as well as many other features. These include the updated brake lever shape, bonus shift buttons and a change of brake piston configuration.
SRAM says of the new groupsets, “Our most effortless braking, shifting, and wireless integration is now expanded to Force and Rival AXS, in both 2x and XPLR configurations.
One-finger braking, refined ergonomics, faster shifting, and lighter weight add up to an effortless ride. Force AXS wins with fully wireless technology, refined ergonomics, and further AXS integration”.
To learn more, visit sram.com
Shimano’s GRX 1 x 12-speed wireless
Additionally, overnight, Shimano launched its GRX 1×12-speed wireless offering.
Described as its debut in the fully wireless drop bar segment with the new 1 x 12-speed GRX Di2 gravel-specific components.
By leveraging the wireless cockpit introduced with Shimano’s 2 x 12-speed road and gravel groups and incorporating the completely wireless technology debuted on the M9200-series XTR rear derailleur, the GRX RX827 features a fully wireless drivetrain that Shimano says is designed for performance, durability, and versatility.
With RX827, the GRX lineup now offers a comprehensive range of mechanical and electronic shifting options in both 1×12-speed and 2×12-speed configurations, enabling riders to tailor their drivetrains to their unique gravel riding needs.
Rather cleverly, Shimano can create a new groupset by releasing only two new components: a new rear derailleur and a new left-hand shifter. When combined with current components, these two components create a fully wireless, 1x gravel groupset.
Learn more at bike.shimano.com
