Best road bike groupsets 2019

https://ift.tt/2Joh8xx

Eleven-speed or 12-speed, disc or rim, electric or mechanical; there are more options for groupsets than ever.

Often listed as one of the main features of a bike, the groupset ultimately determines how you interact with your bike – how you’re shifting and braking.

Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo are the three leading players when it comes to groupsets, and while each has its nuanced differences in the way it works, they all ultimately perform the same duties. Here we've listed our top choices for performance road groupsets you can buy in 2019.

ADVERTISEMENT

• 10 best road bike helmets 2019
• Best road bike wheels 2019
• 10 best smart trainers 2019

What to look for in a road groupset

Your budget and the bike you're planning to bolt the groupset onto will be the most significant factors in determining what you may choose. It's possible to spend thousands on a groupset alone, and that doesn't take into account the other parts you'll need to complete a bike. It may seem obvious, but your bike will be designed around either rim or disc brakes, and no matter how skilled you are with a Dremel tool or a tig welder, you're not going to be able to swap.

The other consideration is whether you're after electronic or mechanical shifting. Each component company has a different name for its digital shifting, but all three use batteries and motors to move derailleurs, communicating with wires or a proprietary wireless protocol. The advantage to electronic shifting is there are no (shift) cables and housing to replace (which is handy if your bike has fully hidden or internally routed cables), that they have programmable shifting, including supplementary 'satellite' or 'sprint' shifters, and precise shifting that shouldn't degrade over time. The major downsides are that you have to remember to keep the battery or batteries charged, and the price.

Mechanical shifting, on the other hand, is cable driven, with no junction boxes or batteries to keep track of, providing a more traditional shifting feel. Usually a bit cheaper than their electronic counterparts at a similar performance level, mechanical shifting does require a bit more tuning and maintenance.

Shimano

Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 series

• Shifting: Electronic and mechanical
• Brakes: Disc and rim
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £1862 / US$2029 / AU$2100

At the top of Shimano's range is the Dura-Ace groupset, and you'll find the R9100 (mechanical), R9120 (mechanical with disc brakes), R9150 (Di2) or R9170 (Di2 with disc brakes) groupsets on 12 of the 18 WorldTour teams' bikes.

• Buy Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 in the UK
• Buy Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 in the USA
• Buy Shimano Dura-Ace  R9100 in Australia

Shimano Ultegra R8000 series

• Shifting: Electronic and mechanical
• Brakes: Disc and rim
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £935.99 / US$900 / AU$1130

• Buy Shimano Ultegra R8000 in the UK
• Buy Shimano Ultegra R8000 in the USA
• Buy Shimano Ultegra R8000 in Australia

Shimano 105 R7000 series

• Shifting: Mechanical
• Brakes: Disc and rim
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £570 / US$615 / AU$1024

Shimano 105 occupies the first step into Shimano's performance groupsets, and even though it sits on the lower end, it is a reliable performer and benefits significantly from trickle-down technology.

• Buy Shimano 105 R7000 in the UK
• Buy Shimano 105 R7000 in the USA
• Buy Shimano 105 R7000 in Australia

Shimano GRX

• Shifting: Electronic wireless, mechanical
• Brakes: Disc
• Front gearing: 1x, 2x
• Price: starting at £367/ US$762 / AU$TBC

• Buy Shimano GRX in the UK
• Buy Shimano GRX in the USA

SRAM

SRAM RED

• Shifting: Electronic wireless, mechanical
• Brakes: Rim, disc
• Front gearing: 1x, 2x
• Price: starting at £2120 / US$2618 / AU$3099

SRAM RED is the brand's flagship groupset and is available in three trims: eTap AXS, eTap and RED – the first two being wireless and electronic and the latter cable driven. Each is available in rim or disc brake varieties and uses plenty of carbon, high-end alloys and ceramic bearings to boot.

• Buy SRAM RED in the UK
• Buy SRAM RED in the USA
• Buy SRAM RED in Australia

SRAM Force

• Shifting: Electronic, mechanical
• Brakes: Rim, disc
• Front gearing: 1x, 2x
• Price: starting at £1240 / US$1321 / AU$1499

• Buy SRAM Force in the UK
• Buy SRAM Force in the USA
• Buy SRAM Force in Australia

Campagnolo

Campagnolo Super Record 12-speed

• Shifting: Mechanical, electronic
• Brakes: Rim, disc
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £2615 / US$2175 / AU$3480

Established in 1933, Campagnolo produces arguably the best looking drivetrain components of the major three, and the Super Record group is as ‘Gucci’ as they come. Available in mechanical, EPS (Electronic Power Shift), hydraulic disc brake (called H11) and rim brake varieties too, Campy was the first to make the jump to 12-speed out of the big three.

• Buy Campagnolo Super Record in the UK
• Buy Campagnolo Super Record in the USA
• Buy Campagnolo Super Record in Australia

Campagnolo Chorus 12-speed

• Shifting: Mechanical
• Brakes: rim, disc
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £1,120 / US$1,288 / AU$1930

Campagnolo has trickled the 12 sprockets down to its mid-level Chorus level group, available in mechanical shifting, and both rim and disc brakes. Borrowing many aesthetic cues from the Super Record group, the derailleurs trade carbon and titanium for steel and aluminium, saving money, but also adding a bit of weight.

• Buy Campagnolo Chorus in the UK
• Buy Campagnolo Chorus in the USA
• Buy Campagnolo Chorus in Australia

Campagnolo Potenza

• Shifting: mechanical
• Brakes: rim, disc
• Front gearing: 2x
• Price: starting at £900 / US$1050 / AU$1205

• Buy Campagnolo Potenza in the UK
• Buy Campagnolo Potenza in the USA
• Buy Campagnolo Potenza in Australia 

You can read more at Cyclingnews.com

via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/best-road-bike-groupsets-2019