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Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 coming soon? Wireless? 12-speed? New freehub standard?

Is this the year when we finally see 12-speed Dura-Ace? And what about wireless

Speculation is rife on the internet, and nowhere more so than when it comes to new bikes and tech equipment.  The big question mark for 2020 is will we see a brand spanking new Dura-Ace groupset? Here’s what we do and don’t know so far.

- Your complete guide to Shimano road bike groupsets

- Review: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2

Firstly, what will it be called? The timeline of Dura-Ace suggests R9200 is the most obvious because it follows R9100 launched in 2016 and R9000 in 2012. Before that, the 7000-series stretched from 7100 launched in 1977 which ran through 7200, 7300, 7400, 7700, 7800 and finally 7900 in 2008. So R9200 it most likely is.

Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 - rear mech.jpg

The current Dura-Ace R9100 groupset was unveiled at the 2016 Tour de France but took nearly a year before it was shipping on new road bikes. Shimano, like most bike and equipment manufacturers, works to a three of four-year product cycle, but in the case of Shimano, it errs on the side of caution when it comes to new releases. Better to do it right when it’s ready rather than rush it.

Current Dura-Ace is an 11-speed setup available in mechanical or electronic versions (Di2) with a choice of mechanical rim brakes or hydraulic disc brakes. There’s a power meter option too. We’d expect a new Dura-Ace R9200 if it’s to be called that, to follow SRAM and Campagnolo and make the leap to 12-speed.

But we don’t know if it’ll come out with a radical new approach as SRAM offered with smaller chainrings and a 10 tooth cassette sprocket, or be more conservative like Campagnolo and use the extra sprocket to fill in a gap in the cassette for smoother cadence changes.

Dura-Ace Cassette 11-30

The move to 12-speed will suit the increasing range of the latest Dura-Ace cassettes, with a previously unimaginable 11-30t now offered. It’s a far cry from the old corncob cassettes the pros had to make do with and shows how important consumers are to Dura-Ace design. It’s no longer a groupset only entirely at the pro peloton, and with that in mind, the 12th sprocket could help increase the range or just fill in a gap in these wider range cassettes.

If Shimano does go 12-speed, we expect it to use a version of the new  Micro Spline freehub that debut the mountain bike XTR 12-speed groupset. Shimano has been using its HG freehub since forever and it has stood the test of time very well, but its new 12-speed XTR groupset shrunk the 11t sprocket down to a 10t sprocket, as SRAM did with its groupset. It remains to be seen whether Shimano brings a 10t sprocket to Dura-Ace or if it sticks with an 11t. There are widely held concerns about the efficiency loss when the chain wraps around such a small sprocket.

Micro Spline also made from aluminium, a first for Shimano, and features 23 rectangular shaped splines (compared to 13 on HG), a design inspired by its Centre-Lock disc brake rotor interface. Since it was launched most wheel brands have embraced it so there should be no issue with choosing a wheelset to match the new Dura-Ace groupset. But yes it does mean your current wheels won’t work unless you can upgrade the freehub body.

All that said, it is entirely possible Shimano will continue to use the HG freehub design. Campagnolo proved it was possible to fit 12 sprockets into the same space as 11 without messing around with the freehub, you just make the sprockets and chain narrower! Doing that would ensure backward compatibility, and that would certainly keep many consumers with lots of wheels happy.

Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 - shifter 2.jpg

Will new Dura-Ace be wireless? That’s a question we’ve put to Shimano on several occasions, and the answer that has always come back is it would only consider wireless if it could match the shifting quality and speed of its wired Di2 groupset. Our experience with SRAM’s wireless groupset is that while shifting is excellent, it’s a tiny bit slower than Di2 if we’re splitting hairs.

There are advantages to wireless when it comes to building a bike for sure, and it does provide much cleaner lines, but with the level of integration, we’re now seeing on modern race bikes the benefits of wireless are probably not as substantial as they might be.

Will new Dura-Ace continue to be offered with mechanical and electronic shifting versions. We’ve no data to back this up, but we’re not seeing as many mechanical Dura-Ace bikes on sales as compared to Dura-Ace Di2.

Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 - front brake.jpg

The demand and popularity are definitely on the side of electronics. And is there any performance gain still to be had with mechanical? Given how conservative Shimano typically is, we’d expect them to continue to offer a mechanical Dura-Ace groupset.

Disc brakes have become hugely popular even since current Dura-Ace was launched in 2016. Now, most of the professional peloton is on disc brakes and consumer demand is certainly hitting the sales of rim brake bikes hard. Will Shimano continue to offer Dura-Ace with rim and disc brake versions or will rim brakes be confined to the history books?

Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Di2 - drivetrain.jpg

What else can we expect? Shimano recently acquired Pioneer so we could see something new on the power meter and computer front, possibly a more integrated approach to providing real-time data feedback for cyclists.

What would you like to see from new Dura-Ace?

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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20 comments

Avatar
srchar | 4 years ago
3 likes

10 teeth is a jockey wheel, not a sprocket.

Avatar
horrovac | 4 years ago
2 likes

I could swear I feel the inefficiency of smaller sprockets when riding. About 8 times out of 10 when I feel pedalling is more difficult than it should be, or I'm slower than I should be at the effort, I look down and notice I forgot to shift to big gear after the last climb. There is no need to do something as stupid as miniaturising the gears, that's for companies who have no clue about engineering (i.e. SRAM). They're pushing it down everyone's throat because they're too stupid to make a front derailleur that works and because they can sell cassettes at boutique prices. They got the MTBers with that crap, I hope roadies will resist.

What I would like to see are front chainwheel combinations with greater range - 36/53 or something like that. Big wheel in the front is noticeably more efficient than a comparable smaller chainwheel. Hell, I wouldn't be above using a triple either - 53/49/30 or something...

 

Avatar
srchar replied to horrovac | 4 years ago
1 like

Nothing to stop you making your own "wide-range" chainset.  I run 52/34 without issue on Campag Chorus, with a 12-29 cassette.

Avatar
horrovac replied to srchar | 4 years ago
0 likes

I thought of that - the shifting may be degraded (the pick-up ramps lift the chain at the wrong point so it wouldn't engage properly right away) but it would work. In the end I decided to switch to a semi-compact 52/36 with a 11-32 cassette - this gives a better range and a bit shorter low gear than a compact 50/34 with 11-28. Not ideal though - it's not like the gears were too far apart, but I do occasionally catch myself shifting up and then almost automatically back down again because the gear was too long. Also, the largest sprockets on the 11-32 cassette don't engage as quickly and smoothly as the 28. Not a big deal, but it does annoy me occasionally. I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to shifting.

I'd prefer a properly timed and tested front chainset combination by Shimano (or a competitor). That would make a great groupset for mountainous terain.

Avatar
srchar replied to horrovac | 4 years ago
0 likes

Honestly I don't notice the difference in the front shift. And I'm a picky bugger. You're talking about a difference in diameter of 4mm, so pickup ramps are 2mm "out".

Avatar
horrovac replied to srchar | 4 years ago
0 likes

No no, it's something more subtle. The point of these pickup ramps and pins is to catch and lift the chain at several specific points in the rotation, where the chain is going to engage in the teeth immediately. It is the point where the chain can be wrapped and engaged around the small and the big chainring at the same time. At other points you end up with the roller riding on the top of the tooth which may result in the chain dropping down again, or even damaging the tip of it. It does engage eventually of course, since riding on the tips of the teeth makes for a greater diametre which pulls the rollers forward into engagement, but it is not perfect. Also if your chain is very tight and this happens there is a slight chance that it might overstretch the chain and rip your mech off (not very likely though).

If you're using non-standard combinations, it means that the pickup ramps probably pick up the chain at the exactly wrong point in the rotation - which as I said is not a huge deal, but still requires some care. In this case it's even more important to ease off while shifting in front than otherwise (lest you bend or damage your teeth) and to "feel" whether it's resisting (lest you overstretch your chain). Also, when doing this I'd cut the chain to the larger option rather than smaller if I had the choice.

 

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werics | 4 years ago
3 likes

Are Shimano going to drop rim brakes or cancel cables?

Dude, they still make Dura-Ace bar-end shifters.

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AllegedlyAnthony | 4 years ago
2 likes

Bearing in mind the inefficiency of a 10t sprocket and a wide desire for a higher top gear, maybe the correct response to wide range 12 speed cassettes us to install 55-42 cranksets...

Avatar
ritxis | 4 years ago
1 like

I have had occasion to see certain Shimano patents........in some you see a very elaborate version, of Di2 Hydro shifters with wireless transmission, (retain 2 e-tube ports) the rumors point to wireless communication between shfiters and a common battery for derailleurs

in another patent an adapter, for HG cassettes in the Microspline freehub

Corona virus race cancelations may limit testing period time window

Avatar
reippuert replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

Sounds an awfull lot like FSA already has a patent for. Their electronic shifting is wireless levers and a shared wired brain and battery between derailures as what you describe.

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ritxis replied to reippuert | 4 years ago
0 likes

reippuert wrote:

Sounds an awfull lot like FSA already has a patent for. Their electronic shifting is wireless levers and a shared wired brain and battery between derailures as what you describe.

Semi-wireless solutions are seen in several Shimano patents........even a flat handlebar control (for Xtr Di2??)

pics shifter Di2/Hy patent

 

Avatar
ritxis replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

.

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bigbiker101 replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

I think wireless shifters and a shared battery for the derailleurs is absolutely the way to go, there really isn't any hassle having wires to the Front and Rear Mech and the SRAM's are damn ugly.  Different Hub would be a deal breaker for me, but it really only effects folk who don't buy full bikes.

And that 10speed option on SRAM is utterly stupid, close ratios is fair better, I hardly ever use the 11t even today, and there is no way in hell that they won't provide rim and mechanical options, although R9300 maybe disc and electic only, it is too early to bin them now... but lets see 

Avatar
Joe Totale | 4 years ago
0 likes

Given that Ineos are committed to rim brakes, I wonder if they'd switch to Campagnolo if there wasn't a rim brake option available with the new Dura Ace.

I hope Shimano don't go down the SRAM route of using a 10 tooth sprocket, it's so horribly inefficent mechanically. Look at the pro teams such as Trek Segafredo who use SRAM who are running large chainrings so they don't have to use the 10 tooth sprocket.

I'd be very surprised if there wasn't a mechanical version of Dura Ace with R9200. 

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ritxis replied to Joe Totale | 4 years ago
0 likes

error, sorry

 

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ritxis replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

.

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ritxis replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

 

 

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ritxis replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

.

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ritxis replied to ritxis | 4 years ago
0 likes

..

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cdamian | 4 years ago
0 likes

I hope they keep the mechanical option for a while longer. I really like the current mechanical ones and while they are pretty perfect, we said that about previous releases too.

My main worry is Micro Spline, as manufacturers have to license it from Shimano and you will have to upgrade your hubs and probably wheels if you want to use it.
For mountain biking choice was very limitted when they released it, but now it seems to have gotten a bit better.

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