The introduction of the Shimano GRX group is a big event. Not only because that this is the first group in the industry designed specifically for gravel riding and racing, but also because This is the first time Shimano has offered a dedicated 1x crankset outside of its mountain bike range. For riders who want simplicity reliability and improved chain retention of a single ring drivetrain on a gravel or off-road bike Look no further than the GRX FC-RX600 1x cranks. As you may have guessed it is designed to work with the Shimano GRX 11-speed gravel group. It will work just as well though if you want to install it on your existing bike which is already equipped with 11-speed Shimano road components.

Shimano spent over two years getting feedback from gravel enthusiasts when developing the groupset which will eventually be used on dirt and gravel roads as well as on single-track, drop-beam vehicles. It turned out that the rider needs a choice of 1 or 2 settings wide gear range with gears low enough to handle challenging climbs and of course reliability. The GRX FC-RX600 gives you all of this and works seamlessly with the rest of the GRX 11-speed lineup. It also comes at a much more reasonable price than premium GRX RX810 cranks albeit with a modest weight of 100 g.

The connecting rod is made of durable light and rigid aluminum alloy and equipped with a 40-ton star which provides low gear necessary to overcome difficult climbs without sacrificing too much top speed on long descents. forward with a fair wind at your back. However, the real strength of the 1x drivetrain is its simplicity and improved chain retention which we mentioned above. This is achieved in part by a specially designed tooth profile which ensures smooth shifting without the risk of dropping the chain even in dirty and dusty conditions.