From BikeRadar an interesting piece of news reaches us that could change the landscape of drivetrain groups in cycling. A recent update to the application E-Tube Project from Shimano has revealed the possible arrival of 13-speed drivetrains, affecting both road and gravel groupsets.
The key to this leak is that the app now shows a thirteenth cog in the 'Gear usage rate' view. Although Shimano has stated that its current portfolio does not include 13-speed options and that the app is designed with "future compatibility in mind," this appearance is a strong indication of what's to come.
The adoption of 13 speeds would allow Shimano to catch up with its competitors, such as Campagnolo Super Record 13 and the SRAM XPLR AXS 1x groupsets. Furthermore, it could be the solution to offer a native 1x road drivetrain option, something that Shimano has avoided until now, despite its growing popularity in the professional peloton and in time trials. An additional cog would provide greater range or closer steps between gears.
For gravel, several reports and patents already suggest a Shimano 13-speed groupset with a clutch-equipped and potentially wireless rear derailleur, aiming to compete with the SRAM XPLR, range. There is also speculation about the adoption of a direct-mount derailleur standard, similar to SRAM's UDH, which would facilitate the integration of an extra cog without needing a narrower chain.
Although the 13-speed reference was seen in the configuration of a Ultegra R8100 Di2 current groupset, backward compatibility with existing Di2 groupsets is unlikely given Shimano's history. For mountain bike, a shift to 13 speeds does not seem imminent, as Shimano updated its MTB groupsets last year and SRAM has also not adopted this configuration in its mountain models.
Source: BikeRadar