This new Shimano GRX Di2 RX717 is what would happen if 105 Di2 road & Deore Di2 mountain had a baby that grew up to rebel against its parents and only ride gravel roads! So now, wireless electronic Shimano Di2 1x 12-speed gravel bike shifting gets 35% cheaper by combining and rebranding two products that were already in their catalog. Plus, it also adds a new brake-only left-hand lever to save with simplicity, and even a non-series option if you want to build a 1x road setup, too.
Shimano GRX Di2 RX717 drops electronic gravel shifting price
Yes, Shimano’s gravel groupset options just got even more complicated with the addition of a second wireless electronic tier under the GRX name. But for Shimano lovers on gravel bikes, it’s for a really good cause. Now you can get all the latest and greatest Shimano Di2 goodies, including one of those new ultra-fast wireless MTB-based derailleurs that can withstand any abuse you can dish out and handle a 1x 12-speed 10-51T cassette. Just like XTR, but with a steel cage to save a bunch of cash.
This new set of GRX Di2 dropbar controls and GRX-branded Di2 derailleur simply expands Shimano’s latest 12-speed wireless Di2 family, opening up more options to mix-and-match across road, gravel & MTB, as well as for flat bar or drop bar setups. Gravel bikes are all about making each adventure your own. So, now you get more Di2 setup options to play with, too.
And compared to the original GRX Di2 RX827, this new GRX Di2 RX717 setup will save you an extra 415€.
Wait, how many different GRXes are there now?
Whether you want your GRX-equipped gravel bike to get an electronic or a mechanical shift drivetrain, Shimano has you covered with single-ring and classic double chainring options from 10-speed up to 12-speed.
You can now build up a gravel bike with 10sp RX400, 11sp RX600 or RX810, or 12sp RX610 or RX820 mechanical; PLUS 11sp RX815 Di2, 12sp RX825 Di2 or RX827 Di2, and now RX717 Di2 electronic groupsets – all with the same GRX labels on them. That’s now 9 different sets of GRX dual control levers, and somewhat confusingly, 11 different GRX rear derailleurs in the family when you factor in 10-12-speeds, 1x or 2x builds, and the size of your rear cassette.
We’re super nerdy about bike tech, and I still almost felt like I should build a flowchart to figure out how many GRX combinations there were now. Pay special attention if you are building up your own GRX build from scratch.
But, suffice it to say, GRX is all about options. Mix-and-match to your heart’s desires (being careful with compatibility)!
Tech specs & comparisons
- low-profile 12sp RX717 Di2 Shadow ES derailleur, with steel SGS long cage & solid pulley wheels (for 10-51T cassettes)
- Automatic Impact Recovery
- external skid plate keeps it looking good, no matter how you abuse it
- removable rechargeable Di2 wireless battery is protected inside the derailleur, 700-1000km battery life
- 494g* for the new GRX RX717 long cage SGS rear derailleur
(exact same as claimed for Deore Di2 M6250 mountain bike derailleur)
- dual & single control levers feature proven dropbar ergonomics, with gravel-refined hoods
- brake lever reach adjust
- Di2 lever powered by two CR1632 button cell batteries for 3.5-4 years of shifting
- wireless compatibility with Shimano E-Tube Project app for shift button & feature customization
- 212g for the new GRX RX715 right-hand dual control Di2 shifter & hydraulic brake lever
(exact same as claimed for 105 Di2 R7170 road bike controls) - 188g for the new RS717 left-hand single control hydraulic brake lever – available with ‘GRX’ or non-series ‘Shimano’ graphics
*all weights claimed by Shimano
Shimano GRX Di2 RX717 – Pricing, options & availability
The new lower-tier Shimano GRX Di2 RX717 1x setup only includes two separate elements – a single rear derailleur effectively relabeled from Deore Di2 mountain bike, and two brake levers/shifter adapted from 105 Di2 road groupsets.
The new GRX Di2 RX717 derailleur retails for $435 / 380€ vs. 460€ for GRX Di2 RX827.
The new GRX Di2 RX715 right-hand dual control lever sells for $230 / 210€ vs. 350€ for the RX825 left or right controls, both of which include Di2 shift internals. And the new brake-only RS717 left-hand lever sells for $205 / 175€, either with GRX or Shimano written on the brake lever blade, to pair with gravel or road 1x Di2 builds.
For those parts directly relabeled from Deore & 105, pricing is unsurprisingly the same. That makes the new GRX Di2 RX717 the most affordable wireless electronic gravel build option from Shimano, but it’s still much more expensive than any of GRX’s mechanical shift alternatives, so not all that affordable. Plus, both 12sp Apex AXS and newer 13sp Rival AXS XPLR are cheaper too, if you are drivetrain brand agnostic, and not simply trying to update a current mechanical Shimano GRX 1x setup.
For sure, if you already have a Shimano 1x gravel bike and were holding off on giving it a wireless electronic GRX Di2 upgrade, now is the time.
