It has been kind of fun to try to source parts for a new gravel build I have coming along - find an odd frame here, new seat there, seat post, handlebars, odds and ends, and cannibalize wheels and GRX mish-mash from old bike to keep the cost low. However, I really wanted to add new GRX 815 di2 shifters to replace my older "unbranded" shifters from 2014. I realize that Shimano has had significant problems with supply keeping up with demand, and one of the factories burned down, but answer me this: there are RIGHT shifters everywhere; there are NO LEFT hand shifters (yes I run 2x). Why is this? Did just the left hand side of the factory burn down? I knew that somehow, they are made in a secret location as there are lots of new production units coming available with LH shifters. I even located 3 (3!!!) LH shifters for sale in Australia but could not buy them because of Shimano geofencing. Cheers!
Kind of interesting as I've been thinking that it seems like it is about time for the new generation of GRX given it is a bit old and DA/Ult/105 have all been updated. One thought I have after reading the above is that maybe the next gen will have a rear hub based 2x version similar to Classified.. Given that some(most?) major wheel manufacturers are now on-board with Classified, I'm assuming it has been well tested. Totally speculating here but that concept of shifting seems pretty sound and it would streamline both their crank and wiring harness inventory sku's. Given Shimano's volume, it may be possible for them to offer a rear hub with that capability for not much more $ than a rear hub + an electronic FD.. They have/do make internal geared rear hubs so it may not be much of a reach for them as it is only one gear change back/forth. I bet the big frame makers would love to rid themselves of the complication of an FD mount from both a simplicity of construction and design restriction perspective. My crystal ball thinks the FD may be doomed; time will tell..
Certainly a possibility, but I have heard zero rumors and that would leave lots of folks like me stranded. Not that Shimano would cry over me. I still have problems accepting that I would have to give up all my current wheel sets to transition to Classified.
[QUOTE username=wanderer userid=4390376 postid=1333301332]Certainly a possibility, but I have heard zero rumors and that would leave lots of folks like me stranded.
Why would that leave you stranded? I would assume that Shimano would continue to offer both types for some period of time. At some point, mechanical shifting is going to go away; Di2 has been around since ~2007 so I wouldn't panic.
Existing front wheels would not be affected/made obsolete..
Again, my thoughts are not based on anything beyond my own imagination..
Shimano ships in fits and spurts. You have to be diligent and rotate back through or get on an email notification and then snag it. I upgraded my dually to 1 x 12 XT and got the only 10-51 cassette in the country when it dropped. I also went through the lever thing about a year ago.
