I copied this from Tree Fort Bikes:
This morning we were invited to snap some of the very first public photos of the soon to be release 10spd Grip Shift that so many have been waiting for. While most of the technical details are under wraps for the time being, what we were shown is very exciting.
The shifter itself has been completely redesigned and has some features that have not been seen on previous iterations of grip shift. At first glance, the minimalistic design is a small departure from previous generations. The rubber flange portion is the tallest profile section and everything tapers down from there. Underneath the shifter, a separate locking collar has been used to secure the shifter to the bar. Again a slight departure from previous generations where the locking seciong was “more integrated†but requiring a larger profile.
After shifting through a few gears, a positive crisp shift was on par with what is to be expected from Sram. The front shifter eliminated the trim positions as Sram is encouraging proper setup of their front derailleurs, which when done correctly, should mean that the trim position is unnecessary. We can also speculate that with the introduction of the new Red group which also eliminated the trim from the front shifter to match the new front derailleur design which utilizes changes in the derailleurs yaw through it’s movement. We may be seeing a new front derailleur to match sometime this year.
UPDATE – We just spoke with our contact for Sram and they’ve given us the green light to list some of the tech information that we learned this morning. First up, the new shifters will feature a bearing system to increase performance on the shifter. This is something of a surprise but not totally unexpected given the previous history with the X0 and XX trigger shifters. The reason that I say it’s a slight surprise because adding a bearing could increase the weight which was one of the most beloved features of the 9spd version. Although final weights weren’t provided to us, by the looks of the shifter itself, we could see it being near the same weight as the original 9spd version. The bearings themselves will provide a smoother action that will last longer and should be more durable. No word on whether or not the bearings in the XX will be ceramic or not.
In addition, the shifters are designed with a keyed grip that interlocks into the shifter to create a stable solid shift/grip unit that won’t move. It uses a locking clamp on on the outermost portion of the grip. Although it’s been designed with the grip, we’re being told that you can still use it without.
MSRP for the shifters is going to be $225 for the X0 version which includes the locking grips and $295 for the carbon fiber XX version which is going to include Gore Ride-On cables, locking grips and carbon fiber covers. – UPDATE
The shifter shown is a production X0 which will also be available in the standard black and red scheme that we’ve come to expect from the X0 group. A carbon fiber XX version is also scheduled to be release. Expect to see these shifters shipping in mid-april and technical information to be release in early March.
As a WW that is building a FS 29er this looks promising and will replace the XX trigger shifters I had planned on. The timing couldn't be better my RDO frame is due about the same time these will be released mid April. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
Any thoughts?
This morning we were invited to snap some of the very first public photos of the soon to be release 10spd Grip Shift that so many have been waiting for. While most of the technical details are under wraps for the time being, what we were shown is very exciting.
The shifter itself has been completely redesigned and has some features that have not been seen on previous iterations of grip shift. At first glance, the minimalistic design is a small departure from previous generations. The rubber flange portion is the tallest profile section and everything tapers down from there. Underneath the shifter, a separate locking collar has been used to secure the shifter to the bar. Again a slight departure from previous generations where the locking seciong was “more integrated†but requiring a larger profile.
After shifting through a few gears, a positive crisp shift was on par with what is to be expected from Sram. The front shifter eliminated the trim positions as Sram is encouraging proper setup of their front derailleurs, which when done correctly, should mean that the trim position is unnecessary. We can also speculate that with the introduction of the new Red group which also eliminated the trim from the front shifter to match the new front derailleur design which utilizes changes in the derailleurs yaw through it’s movement. We may be seeing a new front derailleur to match sometime this year.
UPDATE – We just spoke with our contact for Sram and they’ve given us the green light to list some of the tech information that we learned this morning. First up, the new shifters will feature a bearing system to increase performance on the shifter. This is something of a surprise but not totally unexpected given the previous history with the X0 and XX trigger shifters. The reason that I say it’s a slight surprise because adding a bearing could increase the weight which was one of the most beloved features of the 9spd version. Although final weights weren’t provided to us, by the looks of the shifter itself, we could see it being near the same weight as the original 9spd version. The bearings themselves will provide a smoother action that will last longer and should be more durable. No word on whether or not the bearings in the XX will be ceramic or not.
In addition, the shifters are designed with a keyed grip that interlocks into the shifter to create a stable solid shift/grip unit that won’t move. It uses a locking clamp on on the outermost portion of the grip. Although it’s been designed with the grip, we’re being told that you can still use it without.
MSRP for the shifters is going to be $225 for the X0 version which includes the locking grips and $295 for the carbon fiber XX version which is going to include Gore Ride-On cables, locking grips and carbon fiber covers. – UPDATE
The shifter shown is a production X0 which will also be available in the standard black and red scheme that we’ve come to expect from the X0 group. A carbon fiber XX version is also scheduled to be release. Expect to see these shifters shipping in mid-april and technical information to be release in early March.
As a WW that is building a FS 29er this looks promising and will replace the XX trigger shifters I had planned on. The timing couldn't be better my RDO frame is due about the same time these will be released mid April. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif
Any thoughts?
