Road bike groupsets - All the options from Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo and more

The choice of road bike groupset is huge, from the latest wireless electronic tech through to basic cable-actuated set-ups.

Electronic groupset options are getting more diverse too. Whereas they were once the domain of the best road bikes in the higher price brackets, increasingly you can find electronic options on mid-priced bikes. They'll never make it down to the best budget road bikes though. The tech is just too expensive.

Here, we'll run through all the groupset options available from the big three brands: Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo, as well as some more leftfield choices, with everything from 12 speeds down to eight-speed entry-level groupsets.

High-end groupsets increasingly include hydraulic disc brakes only. These give you better-stopping power, although there are still some high-end rim brake options available. At the lower tiers, conversely, hydraulic disc brakes are not an option.

If you're not sure what you're looking for yet we've put together a buyer's guide at the bottom to help guide you towards the best option for you.

Road Bike Groupsets by brand

Before we dive into the myriad options out there it's useful to get a primer on where each groupset in the list sits in the manufacturer's respective ranges, that way you'll be better equipped to compare Super Record with Dura-Ace, and will be less likely to waste your time trying to compare Tiagra with Red.

The big three, Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo, each have a series of groupsets arranged in tiers that are roughly equivalent to each other. 

At the top of the pyramid are the pro-level groupsets, namely Dura-Ace, Red AXS, and Super Record from Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo respectively. All are 12-speed and all three are now only available in electronic shifting guises

Below the pro-level gear, we find the upper echelons of race componentry, namely Ultegra, Force AXS, and Record. Again, all are 12-speed and the former two are electronic only, while the latter exists with cables only. At this level and above rim brake R&D has all but ceased, with all available resources spent on improving disc braking systems instead.

Things are slightly muddied by Campagnolo at this point, with its 12-speed Chorus groupset sitting between the 'Race' and 'Enthusiast' classifications. 

For the enthusiasts, Shimano offers 105 Di2 with 12-speed electronic shifting and 11-speed 105 mechanical and SRAM has 12-speed electronic Rival AXS and the latest Apex AXS, although the latter is only available as a single chainring One-by system. We'll talk more about One-by, usually designated 1x, later. 

Below this, the Italians cease to offer anything. but the Japanese continue to provide, with, in decreasing order of prestige, Tiagra, Sora, and Claris, effectively cornering the budget end of the market. 

SRAM has 12-speed Apex AXS 1x mechanical and also sells a range of 11-speed mechanical groupsets: Force and Rival with single or double chainrings and Apex 1x.

Finally, there are the minor players in the groupset market: FSA, Rotor and MicroShift.

As you can see, there are a lot of choices out there, so we've split things into electronic groupsets, mechanical groupsets, and budget groupsets, so depending on what you're aiming for you can skip to the section that's most relevant to you.

Electronic groupsets

Electronic groupsets are standard on WorldTour bikes now. In fact, it's now considered news if a pro rider doesn't use one.

The three major players all have electronic options, and while the switch to electronic shifting was big news a few years ago, the new frontier, led by SRAM, is to do away with shifting wires altogether for an even cleaner system that's easier to work on and more aero to boot. Electronic shifting is gradually trickling down the groupset hierarchy, with Shimano having three options and SRAM four, although Campagnolo currently only offers one.

Just do yourself a favour and don't forget to charge your batteries; electronic groupsets can go a long time on a single charge, but not indefinitely.

Improvement, rather than a total revolution, has been the name of the game from Shimano when it comes to upgrading Dura-Ace from the previous generation.

While Dura-Ace 9100 was an exceptional offering, Shimano has improved on some of its minor shortcomings; namely the braking and ergonomics, in addition to moving to 12-speed and a semi-wireless system.

As with Ultegra and offerings from SRAM, there is no option for cable shifting, it is a pure electronic setup, but if you want the very best in terms of shifting performance, that isn't going to come from cables in this day and age, so it's no great omission.

Check out our Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 first ride review to see how we got on with the system in the real world.

Launched at the beginning of 2019, RED eTap AXS is SRAM's top group. It's wireless and electronic and there are 12 gears at the back. It’s available in 1x or 2x versions and includes the option of a built-in Quarq power meter.

With the cassettes starting with a 10-tooth smallest sprocket, SRAM has removed a few teeth from the front chainring; the biggest commercially available double-ring option is now a 50/37T — though the pros have been riding 54/41T rings. However, there is no loss in gear range, which equates to smaller jumps between the cogs. 

The largest 10-36T cassette gives a wide range without resorting to front shifting, although it's only compatible with one of the two variants of the rear derailleur.

There's also the option to go 1x, when you can use the XPLR version of the rear derailleur to run a 10-44T cassette.

The chain has a striking design, using a flat top, it's also narrower and claimed to be stronger and quieter.

The rear derailleur is clutched using a fluid-based damper, which SRAM says doesn't add shifting resistance like a roller-bearing clutch system, while also significantly reducing chain bounce and allowing for 1x or 2x setups with the same components. 

Campagnolo was fashionably late to the disc brake party, but this tardiness allowed the Italian manufacturer to avoid the performance and aesthetic growing pains SRAM and Shimano experienced. Using flat-mount callipers, the front brake comes with fittings for 160mm and 140mm rotors.

The latest Super Record Wireless groupset is disc brake only and, as its name says, fully wireless, with a battery attached to each derailleur. It's also dispensed with Campagnolo's thumb shifter which has been a feature of all its groupsets since combined shift/brake levers first emerged. The new shifters place one shift button above the other, behind the brake lever.

Another change is that Campagnolo has followed SRAM, with its cassettes now starting with a 10-tooth smallest sprocket, which has allowed it to shrink the chainrings and the largest cassette sprocket, while still offering the same extended range. 

As the most expensive drivetrain you can buy, Super Record is heavy on carbon fibre, titanium, and ceramic bearings which drives the price up. 

Unlike the brand's gravel groupset, Ekar, which is 13-speed, Super Record Wireless has stuck at 12 speeds at the rear, although like Ekar the cassette needs a Campagnolo N3W freehub on the wheel for it to fit.

FSA has updated its K-Force WE electronic groupset, with the new model now being 12-speed. The brand has the presence in components such as cranksets to back up its move into complete groupsets and the K-Force WE 12s groupset is also Shimano compatible.

As with Shimano electronic groupsets, it's semi-wireless, with the shifters communicating wirelessly with derailleurs powered by a central internal battery, although FSA's battery has twice the capacity of Shimano's. 

It's also hydraulic disc brake only. Whilst a rocker switch on the rear edge of the carbon brake levers operates the derailleurs.

There are 54/40T, 50/34T and 46/30T chainring options with a one-piece design, which cater for everything from road racing to gravel. These are paired with 11-25T, 11-28T and 11-32T cassettes, which give a narrower range than the alternatives, but still a sub-1:1 ratio for gravel riders.

The entire groupset weighs 2,423g, which is lighter than any of the groupsets from the big-name brands. There are still deficiencies, like the absence of a companion app, but the K-Force WE 12s looks like a real alternative.

Our FSA K-Force WE 12s review should give you some more details on the system if you're curious.

Shimano Ultegra offers nearly the same performance as the flagship Dura-Ace, with only a small weight penalty and a substantially lower price tag. 

With 12 speeds at the back, Ultegra is available with hydraulic disc or standard rim brakes. When it comes to shifting quality and speed the difference between Ultegra and Dura-Ace is negligible and the second-tier group also offers Syncro and semi-Syncro shifting options. 

Like Dura-Ace, the hollow cranks are only available in one bolt-circle diameter, meaning they will work with chainrings from 34 teeth all the way up to 55. There's also a dual-sided power meter option. 

For fans of decent brakes however, it is heartening to see the second-tier option benefit from the Servo Wave system brought in previously at the Dura-Ace level, whereby the pads are spaced further apart for less chance of rubbing, but with an increased pad take-up in the early part of the lever stroke to account for the space, and also provide better fine level modulation.

To see how we got on with the groupset take a look at our Shimano Ultegra Di2 8100 review.

Much the same as Ultegra is to Dura-Ace, so SRAM Force group is to Red. It's recently had an upgrade and the new Force AXS looks more akin to Red, with a single-piece double chainring with an integrated power meter option, while the lever hoods have shrunk.

It's 12-speed, sees the same motors and highspeed chipset in the wireless derailleurs, and the Orbit fluid-based damper too, however, there's a bit less carbon, no ceramic bearings to be found and a small weight penalty over Red.

While the Force AXS chainset is a few grams heavier than the Red version, for the consumer we would argue it's a better option. Force AXS also uses a flat top chain which some friction testing has shown to actually be about half a watt faster than its Red-branded compatriot. 

There are a huge number of options, including both 1x and 2x, wide range cassettes and Wide chainsets to give more tyre clearance for gravel.

Read our report on the new SRAM Force AXS launch for more.

Shimano 105 Di2 brings 12-speed electronic shifting to Shimano's third-tier groupset. It works similarly to Dura-Ace and Ultegra, but dispenses with some of their functionality, using Hyperglide shifting in the cassettes rather than the faster-shifting Hyperglide+. There's also less functionality to the levers, but 105 Di2 is still semi-wireless and configurable via the Shimano E-Tube phone app. It's also disc brake only.

There's only one chainset option, a compact 50/34T, but the two cassette options run out to 11-36T to give a lower gear than Ultegra or Dura-Ace. That makes 105 Di2 a good option for all-rounder bikes, rather than the race/performance end of the spectrum targeted more by Shimano's two higher tiers.

To learn more, read our Shimano 105 Di2 launch story.

SRAM has progressively trickled down its wireless electronic shifting to lower tiers of its groupset hierarchy and Rival AXS has the same functionality and wide range of configurations as its higher spec groupsets, just with slightly heavier materials and a lower price tag.

There is some functionality that hasn't trickled down from Red AXS, like bite point adjustment for the hydraulic brakes, but it's nothing that can't be lived with. In fact, the second-generation Force AXS has also lost bite point adjustability in favour of smaller lever bodies. The clutch in the Rival rear derailleur is also sprung rather than using the fluid damper of Red and Force.

There are 1x and 2x options, both with a single-sided power meter as an option and both are available with wide as well as standard bottom bracket spacing.

The onward march of SRAM AXS 12-speed electronic shifting continues with Apex AXS, but with a twist. The groupset is single chainring only, with Wide bottom bracket spacing and, in XPLR configuration, offers an 11-44T cassette as well as 10-36T and 10-44T options. The 11T starter makes it compatible with standard 11-speed Shimano freehubs, rather than needing a SRAM XDR version. There's even a single-sided power meter available.

It gets even more interesting, as SRAM also has Apex Eagle AXS. This works with an Eagle 12-speed cassette and really wide-range cassettes with 10-50T or 10-52T gearing. There's also an 11-52T cassette, again compatible with a standard freehub. 

The Eagle version needs a different chain from the Flattop chain that's standard on SRAM 12-speed road groupsets, but it does open up very low gears for climbing, although it's particularly aimed at off-road riding rather than the road.

Plus, as we'll see below, there are 12-speed mechanical options for both the standard-range XPLR and the wide-range Eagle groupsets.

Read our full SRAM Apex AXS launch story for more details.

Mechanical Groupsets

While electronic shifting is definitely where the future of groupset tech lies, mechanical shifting is still as good as ever and will always have its fanbase thanks to its simplicity and ease of repair. Yes, you will have to replace a gear cable or housing every so often but it will never run out of battery when you are miles from home. 

Campagnolo Super Record was the first groupset to make the jump to a 12-speed cassette. Utilising a newly designed direct-mount rear mech, new front derailleur and four-arm carbon crank, the group also has improved shifter ergonomics and flat-mount disc brakes with fittings for up to a 160mm rotor. 

Don't worry Campy fans, the venerable thumb shifter is still here, and so is the Ultra-Shift tech which allows for three downshifts and five upshifts with a full swing of the respective lever. 

A single rear derailleur accommodates all the available cassettes including the wide range 11-34T, and the new four-arm crank allows for the same compatibility with chainrings. You don't get an in-series power meter though.

Rotor is always a brand to think outside the box, and its 13-speed hydraulic Uno groupset is the perfect example. While everyone else was faffing over batteries and motors to move the chain, Rotor opted for hydraulic fluid. The thinking here is the same as with hydraulic brakes; once you get a set properly bled they will work perfectly for years with little to no maintenance. So why couldn't it work for a groupset?

It's an astonishing piece of engineering, using all of Rotor's CNC machining expertise. The lever bodies are very compact, as they only need to incorporate two hydraulic pistons: one for the shifting and one for the brakes.

It's available as a 1x13 speed option, the rear mech has a clutch to keep the chain from swinging around too much and the cassettes are compatible with any standard HG freehub so you can keep using your current wheelset. 

11-speed Force mechanical uses the DoubleTap shifting mechanism and features the YAW front mech, which avoids the need to trim as you move up and down the cassette, along with both WiFLi and standard versions of the rear derailleur. It's available in both rim and hydraulic disc brake versions and uses a two-piece arm and spider design. 

Gearing comes in the form of a 46/36T up to a 55/42T at the front which can be paired to cassettes ranging from 11-25T up to 11-36T.

There is also a 1x version of Force (previously known as CX1), using many of the same components as its road-faring stablemate. The main differences are in the rear derailleur with a rolling bearing clutch, X-Sync wide narrow chainrings and the wide range cassette — which requires an XD driver. 

11-speed Force 1 is still found on some bikes, but Force 22 is a rare sight now, having been superseded by AXS 12-speed electronic options, which are very much the future for SRAM.

The only difference between Record and Super Record is that the former features slightly less titanium and carbon fibre used throughout. Most importantly it still functions the same (including the thumb shifter), has 12 speeds at the back, a four-arm crank, comes in the rim and disc brake flavours and the derailleurs are based around the same exact design. 

All of this adds up to a groupset that's around 200g heavier but with a noticeably lighter price tag.

Chorus takes another step down in Campagnolo's pricing hierarchy but it still offers 12 speeds, the thumb shifter and carbon crank arms.

Before the Campagnolo Ekar gravel groupset was introduced in 2020, Chorus was seen as the brand's off-road offering, thanks to its slightly different gearing combinations. Instead of the standard 53/39T chainset, Chorus is available in a more mountain-friendly 48/32T, while still offering three cassettes.  

The group is available in both rim and disc brake guises, however, the latter loses the ability to adjust the bite point though you can still tailor the lever reach. 

Alongside the electronic 12-speed Apex AXS single chainring groupset, SRAM launched equivalent cable-actuated versions.

As with the AXS groupsets, there's an XPLR version that uses road-going tech including a flattop chain and provides either a 10-44T or an 11-44T cassette. 

There's also an Apex Eagle wide-range option with 10-50T, 10-52T or 11-52T cassettes available, which uses an MTB-style Eagle chain.

You can add a single-sided power meter to both configurations.

Read our full SRAM Apex AXS launch story for more details.

Budget Groupsets

Groupsets have come along way from downtube shifters, and even the lower end of the pricing spectrum performs extremely well. 

Don't expect to find much carbon, titanium or ceramic here, but these groups will be hard-wearing, easy to maintain, and perhaps most importantly of all, cheap when it comes to parts replacement.

The Shimano 105 groupset has always been the workhorse in the range, relatively inexpensive but still performing really well and with a similar aesthetic to Shimano's 12-speed offerings.

The Dual Control levers have received an ergonomic update, and thankfully, the introduction of the hydro-disc levers has killed the non-series RS505 lever — the ugliest thing Shimano has ever made. 

Throughout the groupset, Shimano has utilised aluminium and steel in lieu of carbon and titanium, a compromise needed to hit the lower price point. You'll still find the four-arm cranks which will accept rings ranging from 53T down to 34T and a wide range of cassettes including the turn-a-mountain-into-a-molehill 11-34T.

Tiagra is Shimano's 10-speed beginner road groupset, although it's creeping up the price range on new bikes. It drops a cog at the back, but is a significant beneficiary of trickle-down tech from Shimano's higher-end groupsets, offering designs seen at the Dura-Ace level not all that many years ago but at a budget price.

For many years, Tiagra used older-style externally routed STI levers. However, Shimano has trickled the internally routed Dual Control levers down to Tiagra and there are also flat bar levers available. You'll find the four-arm hollow cranksets and chainrings that all utilised the same bolt circle diameter — Shimano makes these in triples for a massive gear range. 

At the front, shifting borrows the design from the Dura-Ace 9000 derailleur, and at the back, there is the option for a short or medium-cage derailleur to suit narrower or wider-range cassettes. 

The biggest drawback here is when it does come time to upgrade, Shimano's 10-speed components aren't compatible with the 11-speed kit, so it's an all-or-nothing upgrade.

Rival borrows heavily from 11-speed Force; there are both 1x11 and 2x11 options with DoubleTap shifting and the YAW front derailleur that allows for trim-free cross-chaining. 

At first glance, the levers look more or less identical to their Force cousins; however, the carbon is replaced by aluminium. The discernible performance difference is limited and really amounts to a different number on the scale. 

With up to a 32t cog at the back, Rival has standard and WiFLi rear mech options, though, at this price point, the largest chainring combo you're going to get is a 52/36.

SRAM also produces a 1x version but it's only compatible with hydraulic disc brakes. To keep the chain from bouncing off the front chainring, it has narrow-wide teeth, paired with a roller-bearing clutch in the rear derailleur. 

Apex is SRAM's entry-level road groupset, which offers 1x shifting and sometimes appears on entry-level gravel bikes. It recently got a 12speed and electronic option upgrade.  Whilst the rear mech has a roller bearing clutch and there is a wide-narrow chainring at the front and even hydraulic brakes.

The new Apex groupsets are compatible with eagle MTB range equipment and there are flat bar shifter options and more gear range choices than ever before. 

Shimano Sora is a step up from its entry-level 8-speed Claris, offering nine speeds. Like Tiagra, its trickle-down tech includes under-bar tape brake and shifter cables and a similar look to its chainset.

There are also double and triple chainring configurations, although there's only a 50/34T double. Cassettes go out as far as an 11-32T, so gear ratios are a little higher than more modern groupsets. There's no disc brake option, so any disc brake bike needs to use third-party or out-of-series Shimano mechanical disc brakes.

Claris is Shimano's entry-level eight-speed groupset, which you'll find on the lowest-priced models of many brand's ranges. Like Sora, it benefits from a similar look to Shimano's pricier mechanical road bike groupsets, with cables under the bar tape for a neat appearance. There are flat bar shifters and it even offers down tube shifters as an option.

It's rim brake only and, with only eight ratios, although it provides an adequate gear spread for many road riders, jumps between gears can be large with the wider range cassettes.

How to choose the best road groupset for you