Shimano AXS equivalent... when?!?!

unclezz

unclezz

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Hi, I was reading a while bacl on some posts about an upcoming Shimano AXS alternative. But I cannot find anywhere significant news that this is really happening.
Do you guys have anything to share?

I am a Shimano enthusiast and I prefer this brand over Sram when it comes to drivetrains (mainly for the 12s cassette gear ratios).
 
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unclezz said:
Hi, I was reading a while bacl on some posts about an upcoming Shimano AXS alternative. But I cannot find anywhere significant news that this is really happening.
Do you guys have anything to share?

I am a Shimano enthusiast and I prefer this brand over Sram when it comes to drivetrains (mainly for the 12s cassette gear ratios).
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All the new Shimano stuff will be released at Sea otter including the new wireless XT/XTR setups. Some teaser pics for you.

IMG_6623.png IMG_6622.jpeg IMG_6621.jpeg IMG_6620.png
 
Let’s see if Shimano presents the new products at the Sea Otter event… it starts tomorrow!
 
I’ve been using the AXS SRAM derailer with the Shimano XT cassette for 4 years now. E-thirteen chainring, 8100 Shimano chain. Fast, smooth, quiet. No problem so far.
 
Stihldog said:
I’ve been using the AXS SRAM derailer with the Shimano XT cassette for 4 years now. E-thirteen chainring, 8100 Shimano chain. Fast, smooth, quiet. No problem so far.
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No doubt about that.

But I would love to see a Shimano derailleur on a Shimano cassette 🙂
 
Nothing in the news. I think Shimano did not present new products at the Otter Classsic 2025 :|
 
This is most probably going to be lresented on 5th of June!!
 
It's dropping June 5th, I've seen the product when our Orbea rep was showing us the upcoming product including the new Rallon.
 
timo2824 said:
What else does a derailleur need to do besides shift gears?
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Are you serious?

The discussion is about "how the gear shifting" is happening. Di2 and axs, although being both part of the electronic shifting, are designed differently. For example you can't really install di2 on every bike, but axs you can.

I cannot believe I need to explain such a simple and obvious topic.
 
Magura has made an attempt at a wireless dropper. The AXS Reverb dropper was my choice though . Probably because I was already in the SRAM AXS ecosystem system. Having two batteries onboard also made sense for me. (Dropper and Derailer)

IMO there is only a small benefit with wireless systems…but I like that the number of cables can be reduced. But once the AXS GX derailer is properly setup, with either a sram or shimano cassette, it works fairly well.
 
unclezz said:
Are you serious?

The discussion is about "how the gear shifting" is happening. Di2 and axs, although being both part of the electronic shifting, are designed differently. For example you can't really install di2 on every bike, but axs you can.

I cannot believe I need to explain such a simple and obvious topic.
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I wasn't aware Di2 couldn't be installed on any bike. I believe any microspline cassette is compatible, and there's 11 or 12 speed with multiple gear range options. I would think it would be compatible with any 12 speed cassette though because the cog spacing seems pretty standard between brands. The hanger also seems pretty standard.
 
timo2824 said:
I wasn't aware Di2 couldn't be installed on any bike. I believe any microspline cassette is compatible, and there's 11 or 12 speed with multiple gear range options. I would think it would be compatible with any 12 speed cassette though because the cog spacing seems pretty standard between brands. The hanger also seems pretty standard.
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Some Specialized bikes and I believe Santa Cruz do not have any cable options on the drive side, only designed for a wireless derailleur. On those frames you wouldn't want to use a Di2 drivetrain.
 
timo2824 said:
I wasn't aware Di2 couldn't be installed on any bike. I believe any microspline cassette is compatible, and there's 11 or 12 speed with multiple gear range options. I would think it would be compatible with any 12 speed cassette though because the cog spacing seems pretty standard between brands. The hanger also seems pretty standard.
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The initial version of the di2 was using a battery connected to the derailleur with a cable. You needed to find a place in the frame to store the battery and then have the cable somehow routed. Not all bike frames were easy to setup, if possible at all :)
jbrown15 said:
Some Specialized bikes and I believe Santa Cruz do not have any cable options on the drive side, only designed for a wireless derailleur. On those frames you wouldn't want to use a Di2 drivetrain.
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Indeed. But not only... the very latest version of Di2 was only compatible with Shimano motors:
 
CarolinaCrawler said:
I thought the Di2 was electronic shifting?
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Currently on an EMTB, Shimano Di2 Derailleurs only work with a Shimano Motor. So you cannot have Shimano electronic shifting on an EMTB with any other motor.

Lots of people with EMTBs love Shimano Transmissions. But many end up with EMTBs that don't have a Shimano motor, but still want electronic shifting. The only way to do that now, is to fit SRAM electronic shifting.

I am hoping that Shimano is addressing this, as I love the Shimano Linkglide 11 speed XT Di2 system. It's so much cheaper than SRAM Eagle Transmission, and really hard wearing. But I cannot fit it to my DJI motor.
 
I am waiting with great interest to see what Shimano comes up with for a new electronic deraileur, my wish listfor it would be as follows:-

Compatible with a wide range of cassettes (both manufactures and number of gears, but at least 10-12).
Powered from the E-bike battery.
Compatible with the Bosch and other motor manufactures auto shifting systems.
Costing no more than €500.

If it turns out to be a Shimano only or an otherwise limited compatibility add-on it will bomb bearing in mind that Wheel Top already have a product that ticks at least a couple of my wish lists boxes for under €400!
 
Joecrow said:
I am waiting with great interest to see what Shimano comes up with for a new electronic deraileur, my wish listfor it would be as follows:-

Compatible with a wide range of cassettes (both manufactures and number of gears, but at least 10-12).
Powered from the E-bike battery.
Compatible with the Bosch and other motor manufactures auto shifting systems.
Costing no more than €500.

If it turns out to be a Shimano only or an otherwise limited compatibility add-on it will bomb bearing in mind that Wheel Top already have a product that ticks at least a couple of my wish lists boxes for under €400!
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Powered from ebike battery... Is there a standard between vendors to support such feature? Like, power output socket or similar?

Having Shimamo also their motors, I doubt they will open to bosch auto shifting.

I just hope they release a good product for its reliability and quality. If the price is right they will be hard to beat.

The WheelTop system, although interesting, leaves to mamy questions unanswered for reliability and most importantly battery life span... The fact that battery is integrated and closed in the derailleur is far from beong ideal 🙂
 
unclezz said:
The WheelTop system, although interesting, leaves to mamy questions unanswered for reliability and most importantly battery life span... The fact that battery is integrated and closed in the derailleur is far from beong ideal 🙂
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Agreed the intergrated battery worries me too since I have no garage so my bikes stay outside (undercover) in winter, however there is a removable battery version available on AliExpress that comes with 2 batteries and a USB charger, also under €400, not sure why Wheel Top don't market it on their European website but that is what I would go for!
Not sure about a standard between bike vendors to support an electronic shifter but lighting add-ons seem to be compatible across many systems and it is not that difficult these days to make something that can operate on a wide variety of different input voltages.
 
Joecrow said:
Agreed the intergrated battery worries me too since I have no garage so my bikes stay outside (undercover) in winter, however there is a removable battery version available on AliExpress that comes with 2 batteries and a USB charger, also under €400, not sure why Wheel Top don't market it on their European website but that is what I would go for!
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So...
You should check if the version sold on AE is the latest one. Their first iteration of the shifter had removable battery.the newer version does not.

From what I understood, the reason why they went for internal battery is because Sram has a patent on external batteries for derailluers 🤬 In fact I am even more curious to know how Shimano will handle that.
 
unclezz said:
So...
You should check if the version sold on AE is the latest one. Their first iteration of the shifter had removable battery.the newer version does not.

From what I understood, the reason why they went for internal battery is because Sram has a patent on external batteries for derailluers 🤬 In fact I am even more curious to know how Shimano will handle that.
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It says 2025 version on AE, I suspect you are right about the patent (also heard the same elsewhere) which maybe why the removable battery version is marketed under the Wheel Peak brand and not internationally! Curious to know though how anyone could get a patent on a removable battery on any device?o_O
 
Well from this early review the new Shimano derailleur looks very impressive the engineering changes to give it more ground clearance and tuck it in look very positive. It also ticks my first 2 boxes with the E-bike version being at least compatible with the reasonable priced and much used 11 gear LG 700 cassette and hopefully others of this ilk and they say it is powered from the E-bike battery though no details of which make. I remains to be seen what other features it has but the really big open question question is or will be the price!
 
Well that's a bit of a let down. Only XTR available. The average EMTB rider doesn't need the expense of XTR. It also appears Di2 Linkglide is still only Shimano Motored EMTB compatible.

Disappointing.

 
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Interesting to note that the non E-bike version is powered with a removable battery, so much for the Sram patent.:p
 
Astro66 said:
Well that's a bit of a let down. Only XTR available. The average EMTB rider doesn't need the expense of XTR. It also appears Di2 Linkglide is still only Shimano Motored EMTB compatible.

Disappointing.

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I am sure it will trickle down to XT and probably SLX. If they are to compete with SRAM it will have to as they have 4 levels of wireless transmission now and are eating up the OEM market.
 
DylanJM said:
I am sure it will trickle down to XT and probably SLX. If they are to compete with SRAM it will have to as they have 4 levels of wireless transmission now and are eating up the OEM market.
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I'm really after the 11 speed XT Di2 Linkglide. I had this on my Shimano EP6 Merida. Really hard wearing and clean shifting. Yet so cost effective. But I want it on my DJI Amflow.

I needs what they just released in 12 speed XTR wireless, but for Linkglide. EMTBs are taking over Mountain biking. I cannot believe they aren't releasing the EMTB wireless transmission first. I really want to get rid of my SRAM system. Shimano is just so much better supported, and hence cost effective, in Australia.

Compared with the SRAM Eagle Transmission. Chains are half price. Cassettes and derailleurs about one third.
 
Astro66 said:
Well that's a bit of a let down. Only XTR available. The average EMTB rider doesn't need the expense of XTR. It also appears Di2 Linkglide is still only Shimano Motored EMTB compatible.

Disappointing.

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Every company starts with the flagship release first, this is common, XT will absolutely come. Look how long it took SRAM to release the mechanical T-Types… I’m sure Shimano will be a much quicker follow than that, but you get the idea, probably a closer timeline to Spesh dropping the Carbon Gen 4 models first and then waiting a bit for the alloy.
 
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