With three new 12-speed drivetrains to choose from, updated brake levers and a wider gear range, Shimano’s latest generation of the gravel-oriented GRX groupset ticks a lot of boxes. But is it enough? Launched in late summer 2024, the new GRX makes use of Shimano’s existing mountain bike technology to add an extra cog in the rear, yet maintains its shift cables. “We feel strongly that about 75% of the gravel market is mechanical,” said Shimano’s road brand manager, Nick Legan.
“We love electronic groupsets, we helped pioneer them, but we wanted to focus on the bulk of the market first,” he said, hinting that an electronic Di2 version of the 12-speed gravel group will be released next. In the meantime, what this broad-based strategy provides, first and foremost, is choice. Unlike SR AM’s 1x-only approach, Shimano’s new GR X lineup includes two 1x and one 2x build kits, serving both the 800 (equivalent
