Rotor has revealed the Uno, a new wireless electronic groupset for mountain and gravel bikes that promises fast shifting speeds, low weights and “maximum modularity”.
First spotted by BikeRadar at Eurobike, this is the first groupset Rotor has released in nearly ten years, since the previous Uno groupset, which had a novel hydraulic shifting design.
But while the previous Uno groupset was an outlier in a field of cable-actuated and electronic drivetrains, the new Uno groupset could signal where drivetrain tech is headed.
The groupset is offered with different components for mountain biking and gravel riding, with hydraulic disc brakes also being part of the package for the latter.
In terms of pricing, the MTB upgrade kit (derailleur and shifter) will be under €700, according to Rotor. The gravel kit (derailleur, levers and brake calipers) is expected to be around €800.
In a growing and increasingly crowded market of challenger brands, Rotor believes the new Uno components "will be among the most competitive on the market" and "a reliable alternative" to Shimano and SRAM.
Wheeltop’s shifting technology meets Rotor’s components
Last year, Chinese manufacturer Lanxi Wheeltop Cycle Industries LTD acquired a majority stake in Rotor.
Now, the new Uno groupset combines Rotor’s expertise in power meters and brakes with the electronic shifting technology from Wheeltop’s EDS groupsets.
Rotor says the main advantage of the Uno groupset is its “versatility and modularity”.
The Spanish brand says that the groupset’s components are interchangeable, allowing riders to build the drivetrain they require to meet their needs and budget.
The shifter and derailleur can also be programmed to work with any 10, 11, 12, or 13-speed cassettes.
15,000 shifts per charge
The Uno groupset’s electronic system is controlled by a microprocessor powered by an internal 600mAh battery. Rotor says this guarantees 15,000 shifts before needing recharging.
The shifting speed is claimed to be 150 milliseconds, and the shifter and mech are connected by Bluetooth and ANT+.
MTB derailleur and shifter
Rotor claims the MTB rear derailleur and MTB shifter will weigh in at under 453g, with the batteries.
As the rear derailleur is configurable for compatibility with 10 to 13-speed cassettes, this offers myriad opportunities for using different manufacturers' cassettes and chains.
Using a 12t pulley and 93mm-long aluminium cage, the mech can accommodate cassettes with up to 52 teeth, like the largest SRAM cassettes.
The mech is constructed from aluminium and fibreglass-reinforced nylon, featuring a parallelogram designed to optimise, Rotor says, the stiffness-to-weight ratio.
The shifter is powered by a CR2032 battery, is IP67 waterproof-rated and has what Rotor describes as a 'non-slip' finish, with an indicator light to note activity.
Rotor intriguingly hints that the CPU (central processing unit) is in the mech, so the system will be “expandable to new and future additions of components and peripherals”.
Anyone buying the mountain bike groupset will have to add brakes from elsewhere. Rotor says it's “leaving this choice up to the user” because of the wide range of mountain bike brakes available. This also means you can choose your brakes depending on your riding discipline.
Hydraulic brakes, but only with the gravel groupset
The gravel-specific Uno will come with hydraulic disc brakes included.
The brakes use carbon lever blades and titanium clamps. They use mineral oil and are actuated by a horizontal brake master cylinder. Lever travel can be adjusted up to 26mm.
The 160mm brake rotors are available in either centrelock or 6-bolt configuration. The flat-mount calipers have ceramic pistons for improved heat dissipation, according to Rotor. They use Shimano BH90 hoses and Shimano-compatible brake pads, allowing you to choose a brake compound that suits your needs.
The gravel groupset uses the same electronic rear derailleur body as the MTB version, but with a shorter cage, and it can accommodate cassettes with up to 46 teeth.
Rotor claims that the system, comprising rear derailleur, levers, brakes and cables, is similar in weight to competitor offerings. However, Rotor says if you add its own 12-speed, 11-46t cassette (with a claimed weight of 294g), that could make the whole package one of the lightest available.
The gravel version of the Uno system is also designed to be used with Rotor’s Aldhu carbon crankset, (which Rotor claims is the lightest on the market), along with the brand's INspider chainrings and power meter.
Rotor Uno app
Rotor’s Uno groupset will be programmable with an app – for example, to establish whether it's running as a 10, 11, 12 or 13-speed drivetrain. The Rotor Uno app will be available for both iOS and Android devices.
Users will be able to view the battery level of each component in the app. Metrics and graphs from Rotor’s Power app (used for the brand's power meters) will not be integrated into the initial version of the app but will be included in future updates.
Any software updates to components will be managed through the app using OTA (Over The Air) updates.
Electronic challengers
The groupset market is dominated by Shimano and SRAM, but there are now several manufacturers setting out their stall as challengers, with Rotor back in the mix.
Some of the front-runners include TRP Vistar Powershift, Microshift’s new (and currently prototype) groupset, L-Twoo eGR, Magene’s QES and PED groupsets, and the Wheeltop EDS groupsets.
Rotor is positive that there is a place for its new Uno groupset in this growing market.
“In terms of weight, reliability and price, [this groupset] will be among the most competitive on the market, so we are confident that we will be a reliable alternative in the field of groupsets,” Rotor told BikeRadar.
Pricing
Rotor says the retail price for the MTB upgrade kit (derailleur and shifter) will be under €700, while the gravel kit (derailleur, levers, and brake calipers) is expected to be around €800.
