An e-commerce listing on the Bike Discount site suggests Shimano’s much-anticipated 13-speed groupsets could require a new freehub standard.
The website posted a listing of the new DT G 1800 Classic wheels, launched last week, that included four freehub body standards.
Alongside SRAM XDR, Shimano HG 11s and Shimano MicroSpline, the listing included an unreleased Shimano 13-speed standard.
When will we see a 13-speed Shimano groupset?
Bike Discount’s leak follows speculation that Shimano will follow industry trends and move its GRX gravel groupset to 13 speeds.
The mechanical versions of Shimano GRX moved from 11 to 12 speeds in 2023, but the company only launched GRX 12-speed with electronic shifting in June last year.
So the listing could suggest we’re about to see a new 13-speed gravel groupset, but it could first happen for mechanical GRX and we’ll have to wait longer for an electronic 13-speed gravel groupset. After all, we had to wait seven years for Shimano to update its XTR groupset.
The other possibility is this unreleased freehub standard will be shared across Shimano’s gravel and road groupsets. So, although it has popped up on a DT Swiss gravel wheel listing, we could see it appear on the next Dura-Ace groupset, which is almost due an update.
The freehub standard isn’t the only clue we’ve had that Shimano 13-speed is coming. Two years ago, we reported on a Shimano patent that suggested fully wireless 13-speed electronic groupsets were coming.
Then, in March, we shared that an update to Shimano’s E-Tube Project app showed a new 13th cog on the ‘gear usage rate’ view. A Shimano spokesperson downplayed the app update, telling us it “does not mean Shimano commits to any release of such products in the foreseeable future”.
Shimano lags behind
With cassettes that have a maximum of 12 speeds, Shimano lags behind SRAM and Campagnolo.
The troubled Campagnolo has moved to 13-speed across the board and SRAM now offers 13-speed on its 1x XPLR AXS groupset.
Regardless of when it comes, the release of a Shimano 13-speed groupset will see the cycling giant catch up with its competitors.
It could also see Shimano fill a void in its line-up: a 1x drivetrain for road. All Shimano’s road groupsets currently come only with two chainrings, with pro teams such as Alpecin-Premier Tech relying on non-Shimano parts to run their Dura-Ace groupsets with a more aerodynamic single chainring.
Why do we need a new freehub body?
While Bike Discount’s listing suggests any Shimano 13-speed groupsets will feature a new freehub body, some might wonder why this is necessary.
Campagnolo and SRAM didn’t need to adopt new freehub bodies with their respective moves to 13-speed.
Meanwhile, Shimano already has its MicroSpline freehub body, which can accommodate a 9-tooth sprocket – and there’s even a 9-45t XTR cassette.
Let us know in the comments if you have a theory behind why Shimano would adopt a 13-speed freehub body, or whether you think this is likely at all.
Shimano did not respond to our request for comment at the time of publication.
