Im sure I’ve said this before in response to a previous video BUT these just get better and better! So conversational. I almost cracked a beer so I could enjoy a cold one with you at the end, just like we were at the finish line together. Thanks as always Ben!
Math says 48x11 on a 40c tire is just about the same as 50x11 on 25-28c road tires. There wont be much spinning out unless one is a really fast guy, or in a pack, or with a fun tailwind. I just got the non Di set of this 2x12. Putting it on a Ritchey this week. Will see you out there around boulder some day. Keep the goodness coming, love the practical application testing!
The lack of lowering gearing means I'll have to keep my 11-speed GRX Di2 longer. Loving my setup with the 11-40 cassette. With a wider range cassette I end up shifting the FD a lot less. It's like having two 1X systems.
Went from the Garmin to the Assiomas and the pedals feel like Shimanos and they DO NOT SQUEAK!!!!!! I have had them since late April and I am completely sold on them. I will not miss the crazy squeak and looseness of the Garmins.
The Silca crew has me well taken care of! In Nevada, the Shimano crew handed me the bike decked out with all the PRO bits, which work just fine. Now that I have the bike home I gave it the full Silca spa wax treatment to prep for Unbound.
Really appreciate your candid thoughts Ben. Very informative, and love your format where you mix talking about the group and supporting the experience of it. Real talk
Nice Time ADHX. I'll be honest Shimano isn't selling me on the GRX over Rival or Force. The GRX lineup has always confused me, the naming conventions and such were never clear. If I buy any SRAM it works with anything from Apex to Red in any variation without issues.
Shout out to JOM, the Gravel Cyclist cameo in the background of the debrief. Great feedback on this new set, Ben, thanks! (and the race looks like a blast too)
absolutely distracted by that time frame, almost forgot about the groupset lmao, just superior quality and this is coming from a colnago owner. how does it ride?
Thanks for the insight! Look forward to hearing your review of the Time ADHX45. Been admiring the Time bikes online. Will you be at FoCo Fondo this year? I'll be checking off another bucket list ride there this year.
Nice review Ben and great to see Stetina’s race doing so well. Looks like an excellent event. ...You did well coming 13th old fella! :) ….It feels like Shimano has missed a big opportunity. Perhaps they’re still working on a fully wireless solution, given SRAMs patents, but this mild upgrade could still have been better. The vulnerability of that little derailleur wire has always been a concern, as has the lack of chainring and cassette options. A third option, say 10-38/40 cassette and / or a larger front chainrings option would make a big difference. Does Wolftooth offer chainrings for Shimano 2x? Looks like only 1x. Their goatlinks extend GRX rear derailleur capacity. Though I haven’t tried one. …An independent review of aftermarket options and alternative cassettes / cranksets compatible with GRX would be very interesting.
Nice to see the 12 speed Di2 grx option. Love the cassette range. Used with a compact crank and a couple shims makes this super viable option for full on racing.
Good point about the compact crank - that and the 52/36 are definitely the options you see folks like Pete and Alexey running to swing a bigger hammer. Just note that you're recommended to use a road FD if you use a road crank for the 2.5mm difference in chainline.
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney very correct. Currently running Ultegra 8100 with 50/34-11/34 cassette plus 2 mil spacing on my revolt. Perfect for me for nearly everything. I would love to have the GRX levers to use on my set up.
It's not the main point of the video, but hot damn, that TIME frame is a thing of beauty. The GRX crank however, ugh. The whole thing feels like the minimal update - add extra gear, that's it. Well, the extra button is cool, I guess.
I love Shimano cranksets. The steel spindle leaves lots of room for bearings in the BB and the pinch bolt attachment is easy to service without needing a giant breaker bar.
Assioma now offers an off road/gravel pedal with power meters. The road pedals they offered for years are the go to for dependability and accuracy. Plus, they can be easily moved from bike to bike. Better option than crank power meters? Perhaps.
Tough call on this one. Sram has the full wireless, control center higher up out of ground strikes just in case, better gear range with options, power meter/computer, and ease of set up. Shimano has the shifting, braking, regular hg/ near universal free hub. Too bad you can not combine them both. To make a group set of both groups best parts of each.. Grx di2 is a refinement where needed using older parts to save development costs with some rebranding of other parts. Grx is behind road and MTB for development cycles from shimano. For me: 2x go with grx di2 to save rear tire clearance; 1x is sram due to gear range and overall package for cost. But for now going ratio technology sram 1x11 mechanical modifications to 1x12 mechanical disc with possible Trp hy/rd calipers as it is what I can afford as match grx or apex mechanical for less. Then one day go full electric shifting with hydro disc.
Thanks for the run down Ben. Compatibility with Dura Ace/Ultegra? Say, Dura Ace levers with GRX 12 Di2 derailleurs? Me, I am a dedicated 1x person, and am using the GRX 12 1x with an XTR 10-45 cassette and a SRAM RED crank with power meter (yes it is possible with the right aftermarket chainring), would love to go electronic when the 1x comes along... I prefer Shimano shifting and braking to SRAM... As to bigger gearing, I would guess that as long as ones gravel frame set is not too wide, one could fit a Dura Ace or Ultra crank, right?
I have been running SRAM Rival XPLR and do not like the hood ergonomics. On long gravel descents, hands get extremely tired. I really miss the feel and higher pivot point of the GRX, I think it makes a huge difference in braking on the hoods.
never have been the biggest fan of the GRX hoods (too small for my huge hands). guess ill get full ultegra and swap the rear derailleur and cassette. just glad 12 speed grx di2 is finally here
28:21 You can also totally just upload your rides with Di2 onto AXS Web (among other places) and see the shifting stats there. The Garmin doesn't care who makes the groupset when it's recording shift data. It even shows you shift stats on the post ride summary 😅
great video as usual, Ben. As someone who converted his D/A to SRAM Red more than a decade ago, some of this is new to me and I'm shocked that Shimano is adding 12 speed and that they lack so many of the most popular gravel features and options like 1X XPLR gearing, mullet setups, etc.. I see GRX on a lot of production bikes and just assumed that they made the same features that SRAM had for gravel. I will probably stick with SRAM for all my bikes, but for the benefit of the industry and my SHimano friends, I hope that SHimano invests more research and offers more options in the future. They seem to have nailed the shifting smoothness long ago and many, like you, prefer their hood shape, they seem so close to offering a market leading product, or at least equal to the Red/Eagle offerings.
Nice review Ben. I have a 1x specific road bike and with the 12spd clutch RD I see no reason it wouldnt work as a 1x on the road already, or will the lack of FD crash the system?
For this amateur guy, the 48/31 with an 11-36 seems like a great option. My current 46/30 with an 11-34 spins out a bit too early. I'm loving all the changes they made from the previous Di. This may have convinced me to go wireless for my next bike. I'm assuming there is some integration with radar lights and head units with the extra buttons?
The biggest problem is that at this time (2024) Shimano released the GRX Di2 FD and RD, which are almost close to the performance of the 105 Di2. However, at the price of the Ultegra Di2. The only thing that has changed is the shift lever. Maybe it would have been nice if this product had been released two years ago, but now it can only say that it was very disappointed.
Massive fail on Shimano's behalf. That rear derailleur could easily take an 11-40, but because shimano has moved 12spd mountain bike components to micro spline 10 tooth this is not an option. Upfront no options for 160 / 165 cranks which are a better fit for anyone under 6ft tall, which is the majority of the worlds population. The front derailleur is a pig compared to the sleek new Ultegra/Dura Ace.
@@TheRidewithBenDelaney Gravel Locos was fast and fun. It was actually my first gravel race. My wife and I are hooked. Thanks for all of your gravel content. It helped us prepare for the race. Hope to see you there next year.
Thank you. I just put all the gear I use down in the description. Pocket Osmo 3 is the intro - just bought my second one after the first one got smashed. 😳 amzn.to/3wK4eVY The wireless mic that also works with the Action Cam 4 was the clincher for me.
I had grx 815 on my road bike for a while whilst waiting for a pair of ultegra shifters post covid. I copped a few comments from road purists but now I'm regretting swapping them as the lever feel was good for me. Mu only gripe was thr hoods seemed sloppy around the top
Should get a DJI Ben, I've also had problems with batterylife but since I went with the new DJI I can easily film for more than an hour with 1 battery!
I've been waiting for what seams like an eternity for this group set. Sadly, no 50t chain ring or smaller than 11t cog is a no go for me. I guess I'm sticking with my Ultegra a bit longer.
1x electronic won’t be niche for long. And mullet drivetrains right behind. I have used shimano products, bike stuff and fishing reels my whole life. I want to be a fanboy. But they are a step behind. Stump jumper Evo expert with axs, and now Lynskey gr pro mullet axs. Love these electric systems. Shimano is just non existent in the electronic market. Don’t exist on lower end bikes like sram axs. And don’t have the awesome road / mtn compatibility of sram. Sram just makes it so easy.
I receive all shifting data directly into the Elemnt app from my 11 speed GRX Di2 from my Bolt. Could it be the device you are recording on? Nice video, informative and to the point. I’ll stick with 11 speed. By the way, I’m running 11-42 on the rear, standard cage. Just B screw adjustment. Runs great. I prefer fully manual no auto shifting. Cheers, Tim
The 11spd works with computers - if you have an in-line d-fly. That can be tucked inside the bar or frame, or if you have any older one like me, secured to the outside of the frame. So you have one of those - I would guess inside the bike and out of sight.
@@TheRidewithBenDelaneyyes I do Ben, I installed it myself, inline under the battery. Would the 12 speed work in the same manner with this fitted? Assuming yes as this is only effectively a parts swap. Cheers, Tim
When comparing only the ergonomics of the lever and the performance of the brakes, which do you recommend more, the GRXdi2 or the RED XPLR? Since it will be used on a road bike, the rear will each be made up of 105, apex, and rival.
I don't understand dropping the 11-32 cassettes. I think 46/32 front and 11-32 rear is perfect for gravel. One of the many reasons that I will be staying on 11-speed for now.
JFC! I've been riding a bit on GRX cable-operated 1X 11-speed and getting used to it ..and enjoying the simplicity. But obviously I'm far from their target demographic so they won't be selling me anything any time soon.
28:32 actually sram is so awesome that the app/website will tell you exactly how many times you shifted, how long you spent in each gear…. All that stuff. You do not have to have a sram axs bike for this.