Do you not want wireless shifting for your drop bar road, gravel or cyclocross bike? Because, YUP, it’s now available for any brand derailleur, any drivetrain. Well, assuming you don’t mind swapping to TRP’s stellar Hylex hydraulic disc brakes, that is.
Archer Components’ DBR kit has just launched a conversion hack that puts a two-button wireless shifter pod inside the TRP Hylex brake lever body. That’ll send a signal to a chainstay-mounted shifter, which moves the cable leading to any standard mechanical derailleur.
The D1x shifter unit is the same as used for their Trail kit, which uses an under-bar mounted wireless shift controller for flat bars. We’ve tried it on a mountain bike and it works great, and it can be custom tuned via there app for any number of rear cogs.
So, whether you’re building up a retro 8-speed or modern 12- or 13-speed adventure bike, Archer’s app will let you set individual cable pull/release settings for every cog. There’s even a micro-adjust button on the remote so you can fine tune once you’re out riding.
Even better, the DBR remote can be charged directly on the bike with a standard Micro USB port…and, hopefully, a very long cable. The D1x motor unit has rechargeable batteries that you pull out and recharge.
The Archer D1x Trail Shifter with DBR (Drop Bar Remote) kit will retail for $399, with pre-orders opening on December 21, 2020. The kit includes the Archer parts shown directly above, which integrates directly into the TRP Hylex lever, but not the brakes themselves.
If you already have the D1x shifting unit, the DBR remote will sell separately for $119. The first batches should start shipping mid-February, and eventually they’ll offer kits that do include the brakes, too.
