What can we learn about Shimano's future road groupsets from its latest GRX component launch?

Shimano has made another addition to the GRX gravel range with the launch of new RX717 components.

GRX has seen multiple updates this year. In May, GRX went 12-speed in the form of the RX825 groupset, which saw a few other tweaks and changes rolled out, such as a lightly revised shifter shape.

Then at the end of June, Shimano launched a new rear derailleur and shifter that centred around a new wireless rear derailleur, which borrowed from the brand's latest MTB tech, as well as a new RX825 left-hand GRX shifter, which didn't have shifter paddles to suit 1X setups.

Now, in the latest instalment of the GRX chronicles, Shimano has launched new and more affordable 12-speed Di2 GRX components that carry the RX717 product code.

This latest release is centred around a new rear derailleur, which is 12-speed and wireless and new Di2 shifters, wireless again, that are the same shape as the company's road Di2 shifters, like 105, or Dura-Ace. Could this be an early indication of fully wireless rear derailleurs and tech in general for the road?

Shimano claims this release will help bring Di2 shifting to more riders, providing a more affordable 1x12 option.

To be clear, this latest release covers three new brake/shift levers and a rear derailleur.

The RX717 rear derailleur is wireless and shares batteries with the GRX RX827 unit that launched in the summer, as well as the latest wireless Shimano MTB componentry like XTR and Deore XT.

Shimano Shadow ES technology features on the rear derailleur, which aims to further protect it from the rough and tumble of gravel riding. It includes a slimmer design, braced linkage, higher chain tension, as well as the automatic impact recovery feature, which returns the unit to its original position after an impact. The unit has a long arm cage for use with 10-51T 12-speed cassettes.

Shimano also quotes a 700-100Km range for the unit's battery, depending on riding conditions.

There are also new RX715 Di2 dual control levers. The levers eschew the traditional GRX shape, instead sharing the same design as the current Shimano road levers, which have GRX branding on the lever blades.

Shimano has also created a simple single left-hand brake lever without shifter paddles for use with 1X systems for a more streamlined setup. This brake lever can also be used with 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace levers.

What can we glean about future launches from these components?

It's generally accepted that Shimano is working on a new Dura-Ace groupset, and the current iteration has been on the market for several years.

Shimano road groupsets currently use wireless shifters, but the derailleurs are still connected by Di2 wires to a battery. Given that we now have fully wireless XTR and GRX it isn't massively speculative to suggest that this tech will be ported over to the road-specific.

What is perhaps more shrouded in the mists is what level of inter-groupset compatibility will exist in Shimano's future. SRAM has really run away with the idea of having all of its components play nicely together, allowing its customers to create a true pick-n-mix setup, while Shimano users have been comparatively siloed. Changing the lower-tier GRX shifter hoods to match the road options may be a cost-saving exercise, but it also may point to – once everything is all wireless – everything finally singing from the same hymn sheet, perhaps allowing Shimano athletes to access a truly native, road 1x setup via the GRX back door.