We’ve known for some time that a mechanical version of Shimano’s 12-speed 105 groupset is on the way, but now it has been spotted after being displayed – in error– on a Corratec bike at Eurobike.
When Shimano launched the latest version of its super-popular 105 groupset last year, it left some longtime fans dismayed by abandoning mechanical shifting and rim brakes. There was also a considerable price hike to £1,730 for the complete groupset.
> New Shimano 105 R7100 groupset goes 12-speed, Di2 and disc brake only
The update left a big gap between Shimano Tiagra – 10-speed and mechanical shift-only – and new Shimano 105 R7100 – 12-speed and Di2-only. Shimano 105 7000 is still out there with mechanical shifting, but it’s 11-speed rather than 12-speed.
The obvious options for plugging the gap would be to update Tiagra to 11-speed – which will probably happen sooner or later – and/or release a mechanical version of 105 R7100.
We’ve been pretty certain that Shimano was planning the second option since January when details were leaked – again accidentally – on the KHS Bicycles website, and this has been confirmed by a new video shot at Eurobike by Shane Miller, known on YouTube as GPLama. Corratec displayed a bike fitted with the as-yet-unreleased groupset at the show, presumably in error. Oops!
> Is a MECHANICAL 12-speed Shimano 105 groupset coming in 2023 after all?
Obviously, with this groupset not yet having been officially announced, Shimano has given no details about specs, weights, or prices, so we can only rely on what we’ve seen.
The rear derailleur is far less angular than the Shimano 105 R7000 11-speed model. It also looks like Shimano is sticking with the direct-mount derailleur design found on 105 Di2 R7100, and the more expensive Ultegra and Dura-Ace Di2 systems.
Up front, the new shifters look very similar to the 105 R7000 design, although they’ll have been tweaked for 12-speed compatibility.
The chainset, cassette and brake callipers look the same as those from Shimano’s existing 105 Di2 R7100 groupset. There’s no reason for them to be any different.
We’re big fans of Shimano 105 R7100 Di2 (above) – the shift quality and speed are excellent and the braking is both powerful and reliable – but it’s not cheap. As mentioned, with 105 having jumped in price with the move to electronic shifting, there’s a big price gap down to fourth-tier Tiagra.
> Check out our review of the Shimano 105 R7100 Di2 Groupset
We’re expecting a new version of Tiagra (current 4700 version pictured below) fairly soon, although we couldn’t tell you when. The latest version was released for the 2019 model year and Dura-Ace, Ultegra and 105 have all been updated since then, so it’s about due an update.
Even so, it would seem to make commercial sense for Shimano also to plug the gap with a mechanical version of 105 R7100, giving bike brands and end consumers the option of saving money by foregoing Di2. Plus, although people who have tried electronic shifting tend to stick with it, others simply prefer mechanical shifting and like the fact that they don’t need to recharge a battery.
Shimano always used to boast that 105 was the most popular groupset in the world; adding an updated mechanical version would make for an easier defence of that position. For all these reasons, the confirmation that a mechanical version of 105 12-speed is on the way is no surprise at all – so it’s now a question of when rather than if.
We couldn’t give you an exact date although the fact that Corratec has displayed a bike equipped with the new components, albeit prematurely, suggests that Shimano is into the production phase and intends to have it out there for the 2024 product year. We’d expect a launch sometime in the next few weeks.
Go to Shane Miller’s YouTube channel.
23 thoughts on “Shimano 105 12-speed mechanical groupset breaks cover”
Added to that, 12 speed GRX
Added to that, 12 speed GRX launches as mechanical only in late July/early August, but I guess that is under embargo!
Interesting. No GRX 12 speed
Interesting. No GRX 12 speed DI2 version?
I would imagine that would
I would imagine that would not need testing, as GRX Di2 would be almost identical in mechanical operation to either Ultegra or 105 DI2. The 11 speed 2x GRX rear derailleur had the same large tooth capacity as its road counterparts, owing to the bigger gap in the front chainring. The main focus for 12sp GRX would be to get the cable pull right.
Common criticisms of Campagnolo’s 13 speed Ekar, and some of the mechanical 12 speed groupsets out there from Chinese brands, who have the same issue of the indexing needing to be extremely precise in order to shift. You can get away with the barrel adjuster being one or two turns off perfect and still get reliable shifting on 11 speed, but you don’t have as much leway with 12.
I may have misunderstood, but
I may have misunderstood, but Shimano does not have a 12 speed XTR DI2 either. All current MTB groupsets are mechanical shifting only. People are asking for it now SRAM have gone all in with AXS (I think there are 3 Eagle AXS options avaiable at least) but Shimano’s first XTR DI2 (11 speed) did not get taken up as much as it would have liked, so probably initially shelved. They may have done the same with GRX.
Shimano often wait and develop products until they are certain they perform as best as possible, so having to restart the fire on that could take time.
I wonder why there is a lack
I wonder why there is a lack of take up? Personally, I’d be worried about twatting a very expensive rear mech on a rock and ruining it whilst off-road, which is much more likely that me doing the same on a road going Di2 setup.
Bowks wrote:
Back in the day (30 years ago), mountain bikes quite often came with a metal bracket to protect the derailleur. Don’t tend to see them any more, I guess because they’re fugly.
Like spoke reflectors, dork
Like spoke reflectors, dork discs and bar ends, these brackets are ugly and ruin your trail credibility. But the strength of modern derailleurs and the use of a seperate hangar meant they were no longer required. Back then, didn’t most derailleurs mount onto the frame itself?
I also seem to like crashing
I also seem to like crashing drive side down, yet most damage I have caused is cosmetic. But modern off road derailleurs are pretty sturdy. SRAM’s Eagle AXS is pretty popular, but it also came just a little later. It may be down to the fact that the DI2 system was wired, so you still had to thread electric cables through frames. Just as faffy to set up but if you damaged a cable (which was much easier to do than it is on mechanical, especially when routing around rear suspension onto the rear triangle). AXS negated that by being wireless, so setup was much easier. Considering a lot of road based teams are dipping into XC are Shimano sponsored, they are probably crying out for its return. But to reopen development means they have missed out on an iteration of R&D so will probably take longer to resurface.
But outside of XC and possibly Enduro racing, I don’t see how electronic shifting is a game changer for MTB, as a reliable mechanical setup is much more convenient for regular maintenance or in the (slighlty more likely) event that something breaks, is more easily fixable.
I have never had the pleasure of riding an electronic groupset yet, but I would be more likely to try it out on road than off.
Having done extensive
Having done extensive gravelling on my DI2 set up I’d say the likelyhood of a quick emergency shift means that Off road benefits more from Electronic shifting rather than less.
Although my experience of binning my gravel bike on the road and suspiciously losing the £300 Di2 rear mech 1 week later makes your second point valid.
Is it just me, or do these
Is it just me, or do these ‘slip-up’ sneak peeks occur too often to be accidental? E.g. Super Record
Cynic…
Cynic…
Dura Ace 12 sp leak, previous
Dura Ace 12 sp leak, previous 105 leak by KHS bikes, I’m sure there are others. Maybe it’s easy accidentally to publish your updated website before embargo ends, but displaying an unreleased groupset at a major international bike fair…?
Of cause it’s not a mistake
Of cause it’s not a mistake if Shimano didn’t want it shown/teased they wouldn’t send them out.
Judging by Shimano’s reported
Judging by Shimano’s reported reaction when Shane asked them about it, it sounds more like a screw-up by Corratec.
Not sure that really tells
Not sure that really tells you much. If it’s a deliberate ploy to build hype through ‘leaks’, I wouldn’t expect them to admit it.
I don’t think we are going to
I don’t think we are going to see a new Tiagra or a new 11 speed road specific groupset from Shimano, ever.
Shimano have streamlined their 9, 10 and 11 speed MTB, urban and trekking groupsets under the new CUES system, slowly phasing out Acera, Alivio, Altus and Deore. There was also an announcement that there will be road series following next year yet nothing else has been announced.
I expect that Claris, Sora and Tiagra will be phased out and replaced with CUES Road 9, 10 and 11 interchangeable speed systems. Whether any rim brake options are still produced is anyone’s guess. Most entry level frames come with Tektro mechanical discs now.
Doesn’t this look lik the
Doesn’t this look like the dreaded bonded cranks?
wtjs wrote:
I hope not. 105 is the currently the best crank that they produce.
The 105 cranks are full
The 105 cranks are full aluminium like previous models, they are not like the carbon/alloy bonded Ultegra cranks that failed spectacularly from the last series.
Matthew Acton-Varian wrote:
Shimano don’t make any carbon cranksets.
Looks very tasty and might
Looks very tasty and might tempt me to replace the 10 speed Tiagra on my commuter. Will the direct-mount rear derailleur work on a “standard” frame?
Yes. I had no issues mounting
Yes. I had no issues mounting the last 105 iteration onto a hangar. The “direct mount” is a bit of a misnomer but allows for a shallow profile design that keeps the mech directly under the chainstay even in the smallest sprocket, instead of the traditional outboard position.
There is a small piece (that looks lke a hangar extender) that you remove to mount directly onto a frame.
“Corratec displayed a bike
“Corratec displayed a bike fitted with the as-yet-unreleased groupset at the show, presumably in error. Oops!”
Yeah, right. It’s so easy to accidentally build-up a bike with an unreleased groupset from the largest manufacturer in the world, and stick it on a stand at one of the largest bike shows in the world. Oops!