Fantasy Cycling: game [at] road.cc What is the ASTM standard for bicycle wheels? Shimano GRX Gravel - Bikecomponents.ca Shifting is mechanical only. Each has a chainline that has been shifted outwards by 2.5mm compared with existing road components for increased tyre and frame clearance. Advantages and Disadvantages. Two people rescued after car drives into river Before I bought an 11sp bike, I had a 10sp one and I bought an 11sp crankset which ran with the 10sp rear derailleur no problem. The RX810 derailleur shown here is meant for 2 setups, has a total capacity of 40t, and is designed for a maximum chainring difference of 17t and cassettes that top out between 30t and 34t. COMPONENT Gravel Your Way: GRX Drivetrain Options. 1 More posts from the bikewrench community 180 MANUALS & TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS GRX cranks have a chainline thats 2.5mm wider than that of Shimanos road cranks. On a freewheel system, that spline will remain stationary when the sprockets are spun backward. The inline hydraulic sub-brake lever (BL-RX812, pictured above) is an interesting option. Rather than unveil a standalone groupset, with GRX, Shimano has developed a whole new groupset ecosystem with three levels of performance on offer. Shimano GRX cranks use a four-arm spider to match existing options. This means that for 2 setups youll need a GRX front derailleur a road one wont work properly. While rare, you should also beware of outliers. SHIMANO 10-Speed 11-36T MTB Cassette Sprocket Weve noticed youre using an ad blocker. If your bike currently has 10-speed road components, you must use 10-speed GRX components. No. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. I didnt feel compelled to fiddle with this (and switching it off has no discernible effect on shifting), but you can actually adjust the amount of friction in the clutch if you want to, via a bolt underneath the outer cover. The following is a summary of the differences and how to select the right one. The only exception is the new GRX front derailleur and 2x cranks have to be paired, meaning you can't use an Ultegra crank with a GRX front derailleur or vice versa. Theres only one 11-speed mechanical GRX front derailleur, and its the Ultegra-level FD-RX810. Like Shimanos HG freehub, Campagnolos freehub was also limited to an 11T sprocket as the smallest size. Summary of Shimano wide ratio sprockets for road bikes. And so Campagnolos entry into the 1x-specific gravel space with 13-speed Ekar brought along a new and shorter freehub body design that created room for a smaller 9T sprocket. Shimano offers dedicated GRX STI (combined shift and brake) levers, mechanical and electronic, which use what the brand calls a "gravel-specific ergonomic" lever design. A freehub is a part of the rear bicycle hub and serves two key functions. As it's Shimano, many Hyperglide-compatible cassettes are possible, including Ultegra and 105, which helps to keep running costs down. But I'm not taking bets. New Shimano GRX Gravel Groupsets - Ten Things to Know - BikeExchange You can have a GRX groupset with either a mechanical or electronic front derailleur. Firstly, there was a short time frame (roughly 2004-2007) where Shimano introduced a 10-speed road-specific freehub design with a shorter body and deeper splines, in an effort to both reduce the chance of the cassette cutting into the freehub body and to increase the spoke flange distance. Having ridden both variants, the difference isnt noticeable once youre used to the braking, and those levers that lack the feature still offer excellent power and modulation. But gravel riding isnt a new concept. The chain is rubbing FD frame when on the largest or smallest cog (it is related to the initial setup). Compared to Shimanos glossy 105 road levers, the RX600s also have a more muted, grippy finish that feels a bit like the soft-touch plastic you get in modern car interiors. Mar. Options abound. Matthew Loveridge (formerly Allen) is BikeRadar's former senior writer, an experienced mechanic, and an expert on bike tech who appreciates practical, beautifully-engineered things. > Welcome to the latest edition of road.ccs buyer's guide to Shimano's GRX range of components for gravel bikes. This is the identical size spacer that is used for spacing down Shimano HG 11 freehubs even the splines match. If youre unsure whether your bike features a freehub or freewheel, then take a look at the rear sprockets and give them a backward spin. Derailleur-shifters compatibility Shimano GRX. With the addition of a 1.85 mm washer behind the cassette, the 11-speed freehub bodies are backward compatible with the full list of cassettes covered above in HG Mountain.. Shimano doesnt want to pigeonhole the way you ride, or decide for you what the best solution is for your riding style. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions. Modified at: This section summarizes why disc rotor distortion occurs and how to correct the distortion. In addition, only the top-level gets Servo Wave braking, a concept borrowed from Shimanos mountain bike brakes that makes the relationship between lever and pad travel non-linear. In its stock format, only Campagnolo Ekar 13-speed cassettes can fit an N3W freehub. > Shimano 12-speed mountain bike cassettes are not compatible, either. Shimano GRX was designed from the ground-up to meet the rugged demands of gravel riding and racing. How to raise the bead on tubeless tires. TIAGRA is easy to choose as a 10-speed grade, one step down from the current higher grade of 11-speed, but you need to be careful when choosing components for compatibility. Links below go to Freewheel, part of Shimano importer Madison and therefore the channel they're likely to appear in first. Campagnolo deserves big points for such component fitment longevity. Choose between 10-speed and 11-speed, 1x11 or 2x11, and mechanical or electronic shifting. Riders choosing an XT, SLX or Deore-level 11-40/42 cassette need to use the longer cage Di2 RD-RX817 (pictured above) or mechanical RD-RX812, both of which come with a pull ratio similar to Shimanos road derailleurs. The reason you have seen those articles/videos is that a 40T large cog is indeed possible with GRX; the Shimano RD-RX812 GRX rear derailleur can handle an 11-40 or 11-42 cassette. The latest R8100 series has a 12-speed shifting system, which is currently incompatible with GRX. *When using GRX brake parts, only ULTEGRA hydraulic compatible parts are compatible. These are lighter by a claimed margin of just 43g, so weight probably isnt sufficient justification. However, newer 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12-speed cassettes cannot be fitted to old and narrower 7-speed freehub bodies. Each rear derailleur has a stabiliser on/off switch that allows you to change the chain tension and minimise bounce. BMXs, single-gear, entry-level adult, and kids bikes may still feature freewheels. Help us to make it better. SHIMANO GRX, with its gravel specific ergonomics, optimized gearing options, rugged reliability, and quiet and stable drivetrain, sets itself apart from the rest of the component world. If you use the Di2 system and fit satellite shifters, you'll be able to change gear with your hands on the tops too. It is the lowest gear currently on offer for premium road drivetrains (aside from Shimanos own GRX 2x10 30-36 offering), perfect for climbing loose, dirt and gravel surfaces. 1. If you're in the market for a new gravel bike or want to replace your current drivetrain completely, a full GRX groupset is an ideal place to start. "The change is more pronounced on the Di2 shifters. Shimano's GRX for gravel and ULTEGRA for road bikes are compatible with the ULTEGRA R8000 and 6800 series. Good to be back . The bead won't come up! Shimano Microspline freehub bodies are only compatible with Shimano 11 and 12-speed mountain bike cassettes that feature a 10T smallest sprocket. For a long time, picking a freehub body was as simple as deciding between Shimano or Campagnolo, but sadly, things are no longer so simple. It offers a lowest possible gear of 38/44 or 23.6in while not sacrificing the top end thanks to cassettes that start at nine or 10t. Like this site? Is it 9, 10, 11, 12, or even bigger? Advantages and disadvantages of torque management. Tubeless is reassuring to have! The GRX is available in the following three lineups. Here's some more information on how road.cc makes money. CS-HG50-10. Put your hands on the hoods and, provided youre familiar with Shimanos current groupsets, youll notice theyre quite different. If you live in an area without sustained or steep climbs, you might love the smaller gear steps of that same 1x11 front chainring with an 11-34 cassette. SHIMANO GRX SERIES LINE-UP SHIMANO GRX, with its gravel specific ergonomics, optimized gearing options, rugged reliability, and quiet and stable drivetrain, sets itself apart from the rest of the component world. As ever with groupsets, it should be noted that real-world pricing often bears little resemblance to RRPs. A nice benefit your wife gains with this bike is that the RD-4700 rear derailleur can handle up to a 34T rear cog. Shifting feel is largely defined by the levers and the RX600s are much like their road counterparts, with a light snick from gear to gear thats somewhere between metallic and plasticky. But, as the Gravel Cyclist learned, you can actually run as high as a 40T cassette. Therefore the 10 speed Tiagra and GRX 400 can use 11 speed rear derailleurs and vice versa. (Your choice will be dictated by your frameset.). NEWS By comparison, SRAMs 11-36T 11-speed cassettes (PG-1170) are a pure road product and therefore require an HG-11 freehub body. The following is a summary of what a torque wrench is and the advantages and disadvantages of torque management. Campagnolo also offers an adapter kit (#AC21-N3W) that allows older 9-12-speed Campagnolo cassettes to fit an N3W freehub. Unlike past groups with short- and long-cage options, there is just a single Dura-Ace . Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. Your subscription will help us to do more. What to do when you get a flat tire with a tubeless or tubeless ready tire. In addition to the standard levers, GRX also offers the option to fit cyclocross-style inline hydraulic levers that allow braking from the bar tops. Difference between 700C and 650B, advantages and disadvantages. Dave Arthur used the RX810-F front derailleur, road.cc's Dave Arthur rode both mechanical and Di2 versions of GRX, Here's some more information on how road.cc makes money, in: Council bans peak deliveries at notorious Oxford roundabout, in: Kensington council ignored advice and manipulated data, in: Gran, 84, to ride 1,000 miles in memory of her late children, in: Driver who killed cyclist spared jail after widows plea. Park Tool offers a good guide for differences between freehubs and freewheels. Gearing for these bikes typically relied on road components, but soon riders started increasing gear ranges by mixing and match road components with mountain bike derailleurs and cassettes. Mar. It is possible to upgrade your rim brake bike with select GRX drivetrain components; however, you must use Shimano road shift/brake levers designed for rim brakes. GRX front derailleurs use the same compact design weve grown used to on the road side, which includes a built-in cable tension adjustment, so you dont need to fit an inline barrel adjuster elsewhere. Secondly, a freehub is what the cassette (rear gear sprockets) is attached to. Unlike the road cranks, which feature a closed-off axle, GRX uses an open design, with a hole in the driveside. What is a Through Axle? As long as you maintain your current drivetrain speeds (10-speed versus 11-speed), the following GRX components are fully compatible and interchangeable with your existing parts: Shift levers, chains, brake calipers, bottom brackets, cables and housing, and Di2 batteries and accessories. (Chainline is the distance from the centre-line of the bike to the middle of the chainring on a 1 setup, or to a point halfway between the two chainrings on a 2 crankset.) For example, Shimano wheels are typically locked into the style of freehub body they were initially supplied with, and the company doesnt offer replacement freehub bodies for use with Campagnolo or newer SRAM cassettes. These wide-range cassettes will not fit. The availability of N3W-compatible wheels is improving all the time. What is the ASTM standard for bicycle wheels? Years before the first gravel bike was introduced, riders tinkered with cyclocross bikes or touring rigs, creating drop-handlebar bikes with wide tires. Sitting atop the hierarchy, RX810 is said to align with Ultegra, whereas RX600 and RX400 are destined for the OEM market and sit alongside 105 and Tiagra. The GRX crank is designed to go into a 68mm wide bottom bracket shell so I presume that's what your bike has. road.cc reviewer Mike Stead tested the GRX RX810 chainset (pictured above) with a 40-tooth chainring and said, "The combination of the [rear derailleur] clutch (see below) and alternating chainring tooth profile meant no matter what I tried, the chain stayed put and was almost totally silent.". Branding aside, GRX brakes are almost indistinguishable from their road counterparts. Shimano GRX a long time coming but finally something to get excited about2/3 tiers of spec. Mixing and matching components is an endless topic as drivetrain manufacturers continue to progress their respective technologies. Please note that the information in this article should be relevant to all common bicycles purchased from the 90s and onwards. It attaches to the top section of your handlebar and connects to the main hydraulic line running to the front and/or the rear caliper to give you a second braking position. Bead raising" is an essential task with tubeless tires. SHADOW Plus revolutionized the mountain bike world and now its been tuned for gravel and rough road riding in GRX. As ever with Shimano, the front shifting includes trim positions, which feel intuitive and natural in use. Likewise, SRAM 10, 11, and some 12-speed (also with an 11T smallest sprocket) mountain bike cassettes fit. The action is light for both front and rear shifts, and the right lever offers single upshifts (to harder gears) and up to three downshifts (to easier gears). When upgrading your gravel bike, keep the following elements in mind to help decipher what parts are interchangeable with your current road components. Similarly, selecting a freehub body for a particular wheel or rear hub can require a high level of technical knowledge. Types of center lock locking rings. For example, an XT 11-46T cassette may just fit into the long-cage GRX rear derailleur, or you could potentially use that same derailleur with a 2x system and an 11-36T (not Shimano) or 11-40T . According to Shimano, the highest cassette you can run on an RX810 derailleur is 34T. As far as possible that means recommending equipment that we have actually reviewed, but we also include products that are popular, highly-regarded benchmarks in their categories. A small inline cable adjuster might make the rubbing less, but will not remove it completely. Both 6 and 7-speed HG cassettes are narrower in width and therefore can be installed on any of the above HG freehub bodies with the addition of a 4.5 mm spacer behind the cassette. To fit it into your bike without side to side movement you will have to add 2.5mm spacer ring behind each bearing cup. The introduction of 11-speed road cassettes required a new freehub with the same spline pattern as Shimano HG, but an extra 1.85 mm of length to accommodate the additional sprocket (now measuring 36.85 mm). With the bottom bracket installed in the frame, installing or removing the crank is extremely easy. On a cassette and freehub system, the lockring spline at the end of the cassette will move with the sprockets when theyre spun backward. Cassette removal and installation tools required for SRAM XD are identical to those used for Shimano HG, Microspline and EV-style freehub bodies. GRX is currently in very short supply because of the same factors that are making many bikes and bike parts hard to find. The 1 RX600 option gets a 40t chainring, while the 1 RX810 crank gives you the choice of 40t or 42t rings. The lever has also been reshaped and is wider, and there are textured ribs on the hoods for more grip in slippery weather. > The SHIMANO DEORE has a steel spider and refined tooth profile for HG-X chain and SHIMANO SHADOW rear derailleurs. Understanding Bicycle Tire Specifications. GRX isnt exactly one single groupset in its own right, but rather its a range of components that sits alongside Shimanos road groupsets. Technical FAQ: Mixing cranks on gravel bikes - VeloNews.com See below for details on those. There are three key differences to consider, though. Shimano GRX and cross compatibility - Equipment - TrainerRoad We have lined up models from major manufacturers and compared them. Thus, you could put on an XT or XTR 11-34 10-speed cassette to get her some lower . Check out 19 Shimano GRX bikes you can buy now from Cannondale, Canyon, Bianchi, Scott, Mason, 3T, Genesis, Cube and more. Already have an account with us? This article focuses on the attachment function of a freehub; the ratcheting purpose is covered in a previous feature about freehub ratchet mechanisms. Just a coincidence, I'm sure. There are two types of disc brakes for road bikes, mechanical and hydraulic, but the mechanical type, which physically closes the caliper by pulling the wire, and the hydraulic type, which closes the caliper by the difference in pressure of the oil filled in the hose, have different structures and cannot be used together. The revenue from adverts helps to fund our site. They also have a shifting feel thats slightly crisper and more metallic than the RX600s, but the difference isnt huge. Shimano was proud to introduce the first gravel-specific groupset with its groundbreaking GRX component range. > Disc brake-equipped road bikes have been on the rise in the past few years. A key change is the higher braking pivot which makes braking on the hoods easier. RX400 Shimano Tiagra level and 10-speed. The integrated cable-pulling system is compatible with cable-operated dropper posts with a 9mm lever throw. Better yet, it's all inner compatible, so you can mix and match. GRX is highly compatible with road-compatible components, Points to consider when combining with components for road bikes, Combine parts with the same number of speeds. You can also buy STI levers and brake calipers in sets. Like most sites we make a small amount of money if you buy something after clicking on one of those links. GRX groupsets are only available with disc brake calipers and shift/brake levers. When using a wide-ratio sprocket with a low maximum exceeding 36, choose a GRX rear derailleur straightforwardly. Shimanos components for road bikes are designed for cross-ratio sprockets, so the maximum number of teeth and capacity of the rear derailleur are smaller than those of components for MTB. 1x GRX chain sizing with 42T cassette. Not surprising given GRX's intended use, you get hydraulic disc brakes across the board. Mounting adapters for bicycle disc brakes are essential when changing calipers with different standards or rotor sizes. It's not got No I am not. > Technical FAQ: Shimano GRX and 12-speed compatibility, plus carbon Bottom brackets are shared with the road range, and the crank splits into two parts with the axle fixed to the driveside. Technical FAQ: Compatibility of 12-speed components Also, note that old 8-speed Campagnolo cassettes use a different freehub system and are not a direct fit for the existing Campagnolo freehub design. Shimano GRX cranksets feature a +2.5mm outboard chainline, which improves rear tire clearance, making room for wide gravel tires. Tubeless tires have seen a dramatic increase in the number of users over the past few years. Initially, the pads move quicker to make contact with the rotor, then later in the stroke pad, speed is traded for increased power and control. Mechanical disc brake calipers are easy to maintain and a low-cost way to upgrade from rim brake components to disc brakes. Rotors are again borrowed from the road and mountain bike ranges, with 140mm, 160mm and 180mm sizes available. The AXS 12-speed cassette is 1.85mm too wide for the XD driver; that cassette requires the wider XDR driver. The larger 11-speed cassettes, such as the 11-34 I have here, will fit on a 10-speed freehub (or an 11 with an extra spacer), a bonus if youre upgrading an older bike. There is no GRX 400 series chainset. The following STI levers for road use are compatible with GRX components. In regards to the latest generation of calipers shipping with 12-speed groupsets (i.e. Shimano GRX mechanical isnt daring, game changing or particularly surprising, its just very good at what it does. Bike cassettes explained - BikeRadar However, there are times when it is easy to raise the bead, and other times when it does not raise at all despite your best efforts. Shimano GRX accommodates almost any frame and any budget level while delivering a system-engineered drivetrain ready to tackle the most challenging gravel terrain. One more thing to note is that all GRX series STI levers are hydraulic disc brake only. (38/9 gives a healthy 115.4in). If youre coming from an older groupset, youll need a small adaptor in addition to the standard Shimano bleed cup that you fill with fluid at the lever. The decision to offer three ranges covering both 10-speed and 11-speed ensures it is an accessible proposition too. Introduced with XTR 12 speed, Microspline is Shimanos answer to fitting a smaller 10T sprocket onto a freehub body. If youre looking to change a freehub body, then youll need to find out specifically what brand, model, and even generation of rear hub you have and what spare parts are available for it. Options for multiple handlebar positions allow you to brake with confidence in all conditions. Gravel Your Way: GRX Drivetrain Options - SHIMANO BIKE-US With faultless front shifting and chain security, I never found myself longing for 1 and, with the options Shimano currently offers, 2 is the better option for a versatile bike. The ST-RX810-LA left lever has no shifting ability, but can be used to operate a cable-activated dropper. Compared to regular road front derailleurs, the GRX front derailleurs have an additional 2.5mm outboard clearance to provide space for wider tyres, up to 42mm. Shimano EV freehub bodies are only compatible with Shimano 12-speed road cassettes. If your needs change, it's likely you'll find a compatible alternative for a component at a decent price. For 1x11 setups, the long-cage GRX rear derailleur is necessary if you wish to run the 11-40 or 11-42 cassette sizes. There are three types of chainset to choose from: 1x11-speed, 2x11-speed, and 2x10-speed (there is no dedicated 1x10-speed chainset). 2008present unless otherwise stated. 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