Shimano GRX 12-Speed: At the Finish
I’ve been riding the new 12-speed Shimano GRX groupset for a few months now, so I have a good feel for how it performs in real world riding conditions.
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I’ve been riding the new 12-speed Shimano GRX groupset for a few months now, so I have a good feel for how it performs in real world riding conditions.
They aren’t flashy, but they will get the job done reliably and with a high degree of performance.
But before we get too far into the weeds on aluminum’s value propositions for the gravel rider, let’s step back a minute and examine what the heck is really going on here.
I am a fan of alloy wheels. And by that I mean wheels built with aluminum rims.
The GRX Carbon wheel set is a definite contender in its price-point for carbon wheel sets meant for all-road riding.
I like the inner rim width and the stance that this allows my Touaregs to have. The wheels look great, albeit maybe too generic!
Today news comes from a company called Logos Components regarding new wheels in carbon fiber featuring a recent open standard technology many of you might be familiar with.
And here is a thing to consider and debate over a flask of whiskey around a campfire: “When it comes to gravel bikes, smoother is faster.” True or?
I had a sneaking suspicion that I was going to find this to be a firm riding set-up, and once I got into the dirt, I was right.
This week, Eurobike is happening after being muted or cancelled due to the pandemic the last two years. That means a lot of news is coming out this week.
Opening the box and looking at a 25mm internal rim, they sure look wide, especially with the hookless rim design.
Shimano has chosen this week to announce new GRX level components in conjunction with the lead-up to this coming weekend’s Unbound Gravel event.
Today we have news about a new wheel set from Atomik and how Continental Tire and Trail Forks have partnered up to share gravel ride routes. Let’s go!
Campagnolo has made the new Levante wheel set with carbon fiber rims, of course, but stuck with a bit more traditional based bearings using a cup and cone set up …
Maybe what we want is a wheel to cross a county on. Or a continent on. Or a world. And so flash is second to longevity, value, and solid, long days in the saddle. And I do think that the Wanderlusts hit that mark.
I give the CZR wheels a ‘highly recommended’ score here. While certain singular features on competitor’s products may seem more appealing, the CZR wheels have a complete feature set, are a part of a systemic tubeless range, which not many other choices in wheels can lay claim to, and a wheel set which performs at a very high level in very demanding conditions.
There have been a lot of recent reports and discussions on how much of a difference ‘better’ wheels make on a bicycle and if they are worth the cost of the upgrade. Do lighter wheels actually matter? Is aero everything? Are red hubs really faster?
The WTB CZR wheels not only are light weight, very competitively priced, and super-subtle in looks, but have excellent lateral rigidity which enhances handling and reduces rider fatigue.
Our look at the new Dura-Ace and Ultegra 12 speed and what- if any- implications it may have for a future GRX offering, and gravel tech in general.
The CZR range will include trail bike wheels and these gravel/road wheels which we have in for testing. Focusing then on the gravel side, the WTB CZR wheels will feature an internal rim width of 23mm, reinforced spoke hole beds, and WTB’s “4D” spoke holes which aim each nipple and spoke out to the hub at an angle which removes stress on the spokes which typical straight holes in rims cannot do.
Today in Gravel Grinder News we have views on the new SRAM XPLR group, news of a carbon drop bar from Easton, and a new sealant from Finish Line. Let’s go!
HED Wheels, the Minnesota U.S.A. based maker of wheels, perhaps best known for their aerodynamic qualities, has released a new wheel in their Emporia range today. Dubbed the Emporia GC3, it features design cues from HED’s Vanquish RC Pro and Vanquish RC Pro Performance Series wheels and has a 30mm rim depth.
Today Roval announces two new wheel sets based off their flagship Terra CLX wheels. The goal was to bring carbon fiber wheels and Roval’s design ethos down to price ranges which should be a bit easier on the budget for many more riders than the range topping CLX wheels. Additionally, Roval has a new flared drop bar made in carbon fiber to talk about.
I can see these as wheels you upgrade to which you ‘just ride’ and not give much thought to. In other words, perhaps the perfect wheel set for most people’s needs.
