As hour 4 approached of a latest gravel fondo, with sleet pelting me, and my quads aching, I hit the final massive dust descent. The perfect of the very unhealthy line selections had been pocked, slick, and rocky. My arms bounced on and off the tops of the brake hoods repeatedly as my numb fingers struggled for buy on the brakes. Proper about then, I certain may’ve used one in all Shimano’s 5 new gravel-specific drivetrain setups, which start to hit shops this July.
Extra on the combo of what’s coming in a second, however first to that particular use case, the place Shimano is just not solely the primary to supply gravel-focused shifting, however can be the primary model to totally deal with the challenges of braking and shifting whereas additionally driving terrain that, till gravel bikes blew up, was principally the reserve of mountain bikes.
And the primary issue that issues most if you’re on the diciest terrain is having the ability to maintain on tight, which is why Shimano’s new brake levers and hoods have been reshaped.
Sure, that’s a refined story, nevertheless it’s fairly key to efficiency.
Constant throughout the complete new unfold of 1×11, 2×11 and a pair of×10 techniques (which vary in value from roughly present Ultegra down via 105 and Tiagra, relying on the way you combine and match) is a redesigned hood that takes lots of the meat out of a too-fat form that was initially designed for pedaling easy asphalt.
So Shimano’s new hoods will not be solely taller on the ends, to forestall your mitts from breaking grip throughout steep descents, they’re additionally textured, to permit you to preserve your sweaty, moist, or chilly palms glommed to them.
Shimano additionally scalloped as a lot materials from the hood shoulders, narrowing the form and permitting for an enhanced attain of your index fingers to the levers. All of which could get you nearer to the identical simple, single-finger braking you get with fashionable hydraulic disc brakes on a mountain bikes.
Simply as necessary as grip, is having the ability to cease.
Levers, in any case, are levers, which means, like a pry bar, your hand has to use drive at one finish to create the impetus required to actuate the brake. Conventional highway levers have largely pivoted extra simply from the drops, not the hoods, however on a steep descent on a gravel bike you’re continuously braking from the hoods, attempting to forestall endo’ing, conserving your ass way back to attainable. Meaning you get much less energy into braking. However in the event you can change the placement of the pivot in that see-saw lever motion, and transfer it up, it takes lots much less stress to brake from the hoods, which is simply what Shimano did, shifting that pivot level .7 inches increased, for extra stopping punch without having as a lot enter on the finish of the lever arm.
Then once more, in the event you really need that from the bar tops Shimano additionally took a stunning step, including the choice of mini-bar-top levers that enable braking from the flats of your drop bars—similar to the wrist place of your arms when you mountain bike. Previous-school touring bikes used to supply bar-top levers, too—they usually sucked. However that’s as a result of they had been cable-actuated and deeply compromised each by the weak spot of these calipers and the challenges inherent in cantilever brake designs. These new bar-top mini-brakes must be much better just because they’re tied to the identical hydraulic shifter/brake system within the hoods—and since Shimano’s hydros have persistently provided the easiest braking efficiency of any model in the marketplace.
On condition that so many gravel bikes lately provide over-wide, flat buy factors on the bar tops, having the ability to brake from, arguably, the easiest steering place (i.e., why mountain bikes have horizontal bars slightly than drop bars) may show a revelation. And definitely for bikepackers who desire a “roadie” place however must struggle even more durable to maintain from toppling throughout gnarly descents, bar-top-actuated hydros are going to be a godsend.
Yeah, yeah, however in regards to the drivetrain?
It’s a superb query, and the reply is we’re undecided that this half issues fairly as a lot to most patrons as to bikemakers. The reason being that essentially the most vital particulars are a bit within the weeds.
If you happen to already personal a Shimano-equipped gravel rig with through-axles, the excellent news is that upgrading to this new drivetrain collection will work positive. You possibly can preserve utilizing the identical 15mm-hubbed wheels you could have, though it’s cool that Shimano’s debuting a brand new, blue-collar priced ($420) wheelset with wider, 21.6mm rims and it’ll be provided in each 27.5/650b and 700c (i.e., “highway”) sizes.
The “weedsie” a part of the equation is that GRX strikes the chain line out from the bike body, the higher to forestall the chain from reducing into the trail of fatter tires, and, Shimano says, combines the extra constant shifting of their gravel-specific RX rear derailleur that debuted final yr with a full set of two×10/2×11/and 1×11 setups.
It will get extra granular nonetheless if you dig into the choices, which embody digital shifting Di2 at roughly Ultegra-level pricing, in each single and double entrance chainring choices. The damaging of the brand new system might be gearing vary, relying on what you experience. Whereas SRAM’s Eagle system runs extremely vast gear ranges, with singlespeed cranks all the way down to 30t and a 12-speed, 10×50 cassette, in 1x configuration, the widest Shimano gearing is an 11-speed cassette at 11×42 with a 40-tooth entrance chainring. Positive, you’ll be able to go together with two rings up entrance to get a bailout gear, however that provides complexity. Eagle grew to become a default for lots of gravel-heads as a result of ditching a entrance derailleur eliminates complexity, and dust provides upkeep points as it’s. If you happen to’ve embraced the grime, working “one-by” grew to become a form of mantra among the many trustworthy.
Kristen Legan and Parker Bloom Gravel Highway biking in Kamloops, British Columbia
Then once more, it’s debatable that the majority of rides don’t name for working the final word granny-ness of Eagle.
One bonus of going 1x with GRX is the lefthand shifter operate is changed by management for an built-in dropper put up, which is a reasonably candy and sensible concept that brings us full circle again to these sensible levers and rewired brake hood design.
This design might also have a lot of uptake amongst cyclocrossers, the place management is essential, and higher braking wins races. If the added leverage of these new brakes means it can save you power and are much less gripped, a lot of racers and even not racers preferring a extra conventional CX cockpit are going to go for this new system.
