SHIMANO Gravel Goes Wireless GRX 1×12-Speed

We introduced the foundation of this release weeks ago when we wrote about Shimano’s new MTB release and, ever since then, Shimano has been building on its eco system with these product releases.

And now the day has come that Shimano adds the last install for the 2025 year (we think, anyway) of product releases with the new, and improved, Di2 1x GRX release.

The late Steve Jobs once said (of Apple): “We’re not going to be the first to the party, but we’re going to be the best.” In a similar vein, Shimano has been on their heels for a couple of years now in terms of some things that are super important to riders – namely shorter cranks and 1x everything.

One could argue that Shimano missed the boat on 1x simply because they didn’t need to go down that path. It’s safe to say that Shimano hasn’t ever had issues with its front derailleurs, so why the need to get rid of them?

Yet, for the most part, a good chunk of the market has rallied around 1x thanks to the expansion of gravel and the complete tunnel focus on “CDA” (think chain line).

Now that Shimano has finally come to the table with something in the electronic 1x department, let’s take a look to see if they are, finally, “the best.”

The word on the street is that the new 12-speed rear derailleur and front shifter is faster and more reliable, not only compared to the current Shimano ROAD version, but also to all of its competitors. With Shimano taking advantage of the extra time to go to market, they have had the chance to look, listen and act rather than react to complaints and feedback from today’s riders. The ever increasing need to go as fast as possible on gnarly dirt/gravel roads has not only challenged the riders that demand speed to win, but also the manufacturers that come to the table with products that meet those demands and, at the same time, NOT fall apart.

The big key to the success with this launch is the move away from the clutch (which always needed some love that people rarely gave it) and also automatically going into impact recovery instead of “Crash Mode.”

Impact Recovery

In the past, when someone needed to “Reset” thanks to a crash or after hitting something, it was a long process that required getting off the bike, hitting a couple of buttons, and moving up and down the entire gear ratio. Now it’s smash and keep going. (Don’t try that at home.)

The smash and go features are another reason why Shimano has stayed away from UHD and kept the rear derailleur hanger alive. It allows for another layer that helps keep the whole frame and/or derailleur from ripping off. If you’ve ever had a your rear derailleur go completely upside down on you know what I mean. (And, if you know … you know.)

Clutch Be Gone

That thing you used to not really know what it was or how it worked … yeah, you don’t need to worry about it anymore. The clutch has been a major part of Shimano’s drivetrain since they first patented it back in 2009, and it’s been a massive talking point ever since 2012, when it become the norm for both the XT and XTR group sets. The issue has always been that, like most things that are important, many people didn’t know how to use it, let alone maintain it.

So, instead of it being visible and something that the rider needs to deal with, the new design does it all for you internally.

10-51T cassette range for whatever you want to chase.

Wireless

Shimano has decided to place the battery in the unit instead of on the outside and on the back. This allows for a more robust protective covering, but you can forget about seeing those videos of guys swapping out batteries by themselves while riding. The battery is larger and more powerful than its rivals, with an estimated 435 to 621 miles before charge. Although that’s all going to depend a lot on temperature and other factors.

When it comes to the cockpit, nothing is new, really, except the option of the driver side (in America ) lever is now lighter and cheaper. With only a rear derailleur to worry about, you are able to shave a precious 17 grams.

You can still buy the normal set of GRX ST-RX825 DUAL CONTROL LEVERS and use the extra buttons to program things like computers, lights, or even control the gearing.

Last, but not least…

WH-RX180-TL-700C – Tubeless Aluminum Wheels

One of the greastest things that came out of this launch is the not so “SEXY,” but needed, wheel sets.

• Replaceable freehub body – switch between MICRO SPLINE and HG L options 
• 25mm internal rim width 
• Hooked tubeless rims
• Value-packed aluminum rims
• Weight: 2,105 grams with HG L freehub, 2,113 grams with MICRO SPLINE freehub

One of this things I LOVE about a lot of these new product launches is all this great tech is coming around at somewhat reasonable price points. This is super important to the industry. We need to get back to the point where people can get good equipment that they can afford, without having to make a Klarna application.

At less than $300 these are a great, budget-friendly, set of SHIMANO aluminum gravel wheels for anyone to start with.

Did they do it? Did they become the best? I don’t know yet. While they have nailed the integration of their eco system and set themselves up for massive success down the road when it comes to EVERYTHING electric, they still left some things on the table. It’s been over a year since this update should have been released, and with all that time, they still haven’t shortened their GRX cranks below 170 mm. I’m sorry, but when your slogan is “United in Gravel,” and you do all these great things, but you still can’t make a crank smaller than 170 mm in your gravel line, you have missed the mark on what should have been a super-easy fix.

It’s going to be interesting to see what the professionals start doing with all these options, though. Outside of seeing a ton of Dura-Ace cranks on gravel bikes (so they can get 165 / 160 mm options), I can’t wait to see who goes XTR RD with some drop bars up front.

Now I just need to program my digital bike bell to one of those extra buttons I don’t need anymore.

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