FrankTuna

Through some small miracle, I was able to secure the components for either setup on my Salsa Cutthroat. I absolutely cannot bring myself to open the packaging for either!

Option 1 is GRX 1x with an ethirteen 9-46 cassette, vs option 2 Force AXS shifters/GX derailleur/10-50 cassette. On the GRX set up. I might run a tighter cassette for less extreme rides (likely GX 10-42).

Both have a similar range and I understand the gaps are bigger on the 11 speed set up. Barring that, and any general Shimano/SRAM general preferences, it comes down to roughly $1k more for the AXS set up. Value is of course a relative concept I guess! I can afford the AXS setup, but obviously saving money is nice especially if it means nicer wheels or other upgrades.

Pros of the GRX....Im used to working on Shimano, i have back up brake pads, changing cables is no big deal.

Pros of the AXS.... set and forget (no cables), smaller steps between gears, maybe more future proof?

Any thoughts are appreciated!!

tdilf

If it was me: I also am used to Shimano and I don't like remembering to charge stuff before a ride. And like you said, more money towards a nice wheelset.
(having said that, I have never ridden SRAM extensively and have never tried their wireless stuff)

Badger6

Based on what you said, Shimano. You already have spares, and you already know their systems, and their brakes (I assume you are also familiar with) are a bit easier to work on. As for future proof, 11-speed will be around a long time, you'll be ready for a new bike or a new group before you can't source Shimano 11-speed parts.

Chilepines

Have you counted the cost of eTube wires at $27 each ($150), junction A ($115) and B ($30), battery ($125), Bluetooth module ($90) and charger ($125)? That is almost $700.

FrankTuna

I have Di2 on my road bike and the biggest draw for me initially was not having to worry about the front derailleur in full synchro mode! If I go GRX, it'll be 1x mechanical.

GrainBrain

SRAM will be 12s, GRX 11s? SRAM seems to be the pioneer for 1x stuff, and the wireless would be super nice. 1x for gravel/road I'd want as many gears as I could afford.

Personally I'd go with 12s Shimano if I could get it (just Ultegra and dura ace for now?) or Campy Eckar.

I ride 11s 105 so probably should ignore me

That $1,000 saved would go a long long way towards nice shoes/tires/bags!

shelbyfv

I wouldn't count on that with SRAM. Another vote for GRX.

FrankTuna

This is where I'm leaning I think. Thanks all for the advice!

I have no doubt that AXS is nice but I'm definitely having sticker shock With GRX, I know I'll still have a super reliable setup, I can have communal backup parts with my Ultegra Di2 bike (calipers, rotors etc) and it'll play nice with the 11 speed on my trainer.

I do have this impending sense of FOMO though if I don't go AXS, but maybe that'll go away if I buy some super nice wheels!!!!

FrankTuna

I think Shimano 12 speed is going to be all electronic, so I bet there will be a premium once parts are actually available.

If they come out with a semi-wireless GRX 12s Di2, then I wouldn't have this analysis paralysis!! They'd already have my money!

chaadster

SRAM have a beta program going for AXS, so I’m guessing it’s going to be a format which sticks around for awhile. In any case, GRX 11spd is already out-of-date with semi-wireless 12spd Shimano here, so I’m having a hard time following the logic in eschewing fully wireless 12spd for 11spd mechanical if future-proofness is an issue. We also already know that 13spd is possible within current design paramaters (i.e. frame spacing, hub body length), so it’s simply a matter of software updates on AXS hardware to make them 13spd compatible when SRAM moves to 13spd, which they almost certainly will given the history of drivetrain evolution.

FrankTuna

I'd argue that mech GRX can be considered somewhat future proof because it's still easy enough to find 10s speed Shimano stuff when we've been rolling on 11s for a while now. Future proof doesn't necessarily mean it's top of the line. I'm not trying to to be argumentative, just running through some of the thoughts I've been stewing on for a bit.

12s Shimano GRX hasnt been announced to my knowledge, and I want to go wide range 1x so Ultegra 8100 isn't really an option even when setting aside concerns of cost or availability.

mstateglfr 

You and I have very different definitions of what 'out of date' means. I view that as meaning old fashioned or expired. 11sp is still being made and Shimano has said they plan to continue to make it.
In a short 12-15 years from now, Claris will be 11sp, but it wont matter because we will finally have the hoverboards from Back to the Future and thats all anyone will want to ride.

FrankTuna

Hence my initial thoughts of it being somewhat future proof. It seems a stretch to call 11 speed old fashioned but to each his own.

chaadster

I’m not sure I follow the logic of calling replacement parts “future-proof”. I rather consider future-proof to mean, particularly in the context of bicycle drivetrains, that a given component will work with new systems in the future. For example, if I wanted to move from an 11spd system to a 13spd system, is my hub future-proofed and will accept the necessary freehub? Will my derailleur and shifter be adaptible to the 2 extra gears, or will I need to replace those if I want to upgrade? I mean, you can still get Shimano 7spd freehub bodies, but they’re not gonna run even 22 year old 8spd cassettes, let alone the 12spd Shimano is on now.

And in regards to Shimano 12, I was referring to the fact that it’s here in Dura Ace and Ultegra, which is exactly why 11spd GRX is already out-of-date. The new semi-wireless Di2– let’s call it Di2E, the E for evolved, to use Shimano’s lingo— has made the wired Di2 obselete, and I’d wager that within 2 years we’ll have 12spd Di2E GRX, and fully wireless Dura Ace 13spd, like AXS, within 4 years.

FrankTuna

I appreciate what you're saying and we're arguing over semantics. All I intended to say was 11 speed parts will be available into the foreseeable future. I appreciate the input!

chaadster

Shimano still make 7spd…old fashioned? Tourney has been 7 speed at least 23 years, maybe more.

chaadster

7 speed is just as current as 11spd in Shimano’s lineup, so what are we really talking about here?

FrankTuna

This has been fun. Cheers.

chaadster

II get that, but my point is that’s not saying much. 7, 8, 9, and 10 speed Shimano stuff continue to be available, up to many decades after they were introduced. It’s not the number of speeds which “future-proof” should refer to, because that practically has no meaning, IMO.

FrankTuna

This has been fun. Cheers.

Maybe I'll just hold out for 12354 speed.

FrankTuna

Everybody else who responded understood my meaning. Maybe we're just not as smart as you. Now I have to mute these notifications because this is getting absurd.

chaadster

As I said, I understood what you meant, and was pointing out that it was not much of a relevant basis for decision-making, IMO.

FrankTuna

It is for me, IMO. Are we done yet? And why am I still getting notifications?

chaadster

Go 7spd, bro. It’s got the track record.

FrankTuna

Another helpful comment.