By Oscar Huckle

Published: Wednesday, 01 June 2022 at 12:00 am

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Shimano’s new GRX WH-RX870-TL wheels have arrived as the brand’s first carbon gravel hoops, with a 32mm-deep, 25mm-wide tubeless rim.

Shimano claims the new wheels weigh in at 1,461g for the pair (639g for the front and 822g for the rear). The wheels are currently only available in a 700c size option.

Shimano has launched the wheelset alongside the GRX Limited groupset and, by further expanding the GRX line-up with a set of carbon hoops, reaffirms the brand’s commitment to gravel.

That’s no surprise, given the ever-growing popularity of gravel bikes, while Shimano’s competitors have also launched new gravel wheelsets of their own in the form of Campagnolo’s carbon Levante wheels and the Zipp 101 XPLR from the SRAM stable.

Carbon wheels for gravel

The new wheelset complements the brand’s existing GRX WH-RX570-TL alloy wheelset, which is available in 700c or 650b wheel sizes for gravel riding.

The wheelset’s naming convention suggests they are part of the brand’s GRX RX870 Di2 groupset series, although you can, of course, use the wheels with any Shimano 11- or 12-speed gravel or road groupset.

It features a 32mm rim depth, for “faster acceleration and climbing whether on steady mountain climbs or endlessly rolling terrain”. The rim design also allows for better rider control against strong crosswinds, according to Shimano.

As one would expect, the wheels are tubeless-compatible, as denoted by the ‘TL’ moniker.

Tried and tested

In typical Shimano fashion, the hubs run on cup-and-cone bearings. Virtually all premium brands have moved to sealed cartridge bearings, but Shimano (and some wheels from Campagnolo and its subsidiary brand Fulcrum) are notable holdouts.

Shimano says the hubs deliver “quick engagement and rapid acceleration [across] all riding surfaces”.

The wheels also stick to tradition with the use of a hooked rim design, where many of Shimano’s competitors are now moving to hookless rims.

Shimano

Broader appeal

The rim features a 30mm external and 25mm internal rim width, which is considerably wider than the 21.6mm (internal) alloy GRX WH-RX570-TL.

The WH-RX870 can accept up to 700x50mm gravel tyres, while the minimum tyre size recommended is 700x32mm.

The stealth black carbon rims are laced to the hub with 24 straight-pull bladed spokes front and rear. The spoke nipples are external to ease maintenance.

Shimano

Pricing and availability

The wheels will retail for $1,399 and are said to be available in the US from September.

UK and international pricing and availability is to be confirmed.

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