Shimano released two apps in late January, WY7-3GK1 for a rear derailleur and WY7-927A for a wireless module (shift lever). Unfortunately, the juiciest parts of the apps, including images of the components being approved, are hidden behind a confidentiality agreement between the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and Shimano, but there are still many things we can do. extract from the news.
What we already know
To date, Shimano has never launched a group of wireless groups for on-road or off-road use. Shimano made the first foray of the mountain bike into the electronic gearbox with Di2, a cable system that was first launched at the XTR level in February 2015, with the XT version followed 22 months later, in November 2016. The system never took off en masse and, although it was being run by XC World Cup riders, you don’t often see it on the bikes of many bettors. This is backed up by the fact that we have more than two years in the life of the current XTR and that it remains only mechanical.
The next big shake-up occurred in February 2019 when SRAM launched its AXS wireless system. SRAM had been supplying wireless eTap transmission to road bikes for a few years now, but it was the first time that a completely wireless switch was made to mountain bikes.
With SRAM very advanced on the wireless front, it seems very likely that Shimano has been working on a project for a few years now and we are increasingly convinced that Shimano is likely to leave some sort of wireless transmission this year. This is backed by patents for both a Dura Ace (road) wireless group and an electronic post counter filed by Shimano in the last three months.
What can we say about the application?
As we said above, the confidentiality agreement between Shimano and the FCC prevents us from seeing exactly what’s going on here, but there are still some clues scattered everywhere. First, the only things that are approved are a diverter and a module. This basically means that there is no front derailleur and suggests the possibility that it is a wireless version of XTR and not a group of roads. Yes, there are now some road bikes that follow the 1x transmission route, but the professional riders have only complicated the setup and have had limited success. We can’t see Shimano launching what would be a high-end product without the pilots showing it at the highest level.
Other aspects to note are that both components operate at the same frequency (2,478 Mhz), so they are likely to be part of the same product range. They also work with Bluetooth, which will likely be used for software updates and configuration control, and ANT + for communication between devices.
When can we expect more news?
Well, the soonest we know for sure is 180 days (July 26), when the confidentiality agreement between Shimano and the FCC ends. However, cycling tips also speculate that something might come sooner. Shimano is celebrating its 100th anniversary in March 2021 and has been building it with a series of videos and a mini-site, with a countdown to … something. What better way to celebrate this anniversary with a product that takes you from the mechanical age to the wireless network?
Alternatively, if a new group of wireless XTR groups enters, we have no doubt that Shimano-compatible runners will try it out in the racing season. We’ll be keeping a close eye on professional bikes by the start of the season to see if we can spot anything out of the ordinary. We contacted Shimano for more information, but were told that “rumors and suggestions followed.” We will update you with more information as you enter.