SHIMANO GRX RX815 DI2 2X GROUPSET £1,529.91 | 2.762G

James Stout gets to grips with a Di2-equipped 2x gravel-specific groupset that splits the difference between road and mtb

- James Stout

The formative years of gravel riding were defined by the merging of technology from both road and mountain bikes. This was especially true with groupsets, which never quite offered the range and robustness that gravel racers were looking for. For years I’ve run all kinds of converters and compromises in order to run a mountain bike rear derailleur and cassette with road shifters and crankset. When Shimano first released its Di2 mountain bike gears I, and probably hundreds of others, bombarded them with requests for a double-chainring set-up with an XTR rear derailleur and STI brake levers.

We were told to wait patiently. Then, with their late 2019 release of GR X, our prayers were answered with a bodge free option that isn’t just great for gravel, but is a wonderfully practical groupset in its own right for most cyclists, most of the time.

I got my hands on a Di2- equipped Moots Routt gravel bike just days before setting off on a mixed-terrain version of the Hadrian’s Wall cycle route. Riding across northern England in November is always going to be a character-forming experience, but it doubled up as a great opportunity to test the wet-weather performance of the electronic off-road groupset.

GR X essentially takes the best of both road and off-road groupsets and combines them.

It offers a wide range of gears (my bike had 48/31 front chainring and an 11-34t cassette but the rear mech clears an 11-42), improved braking ergonomics, a clutch on the rear derailleur to keep your chain in place, and a robust finish that promises to stand up to the sort of abuse gravel riders throw at their bikes.

Shifters