Today Shimano announced direct integration with Classified, the innovative alternative to a front derailleur.
You can now use any Shimano Di2 11- or 12-speed groupset with a Classified rear hub replacing your front derailleur. This brings all the advantages of Classified into a mainstream groupset.
The announcement also suddenly wipes away almost any differentiation that the recently released TRP Vistar groupset had.
What is a Classified rear hub?
For those who are unfamiliar with the system, a Classified rear hub replaces a front derailleur. Instead of a traditional 2x system, you run a single chainring in the front with no derailleur. At the rear of the bike your hub uses a system offering a 1:1 final gear ratio and a 1:0.686 final gear ratio.
If that’s confusing, just think of it as a 30% gear reduction. If you choose a 50 tooth chainring upfront then you can think of it as a virtual 50/35. You’ll then pair that with a Classified cassette with options for 11 speed 11 – 30 or 11 – 34 and 12 speed 11-34 or 11-40. There’s a thru axle system that powers the rear hub, for 10,00 shifts or approximately 3-6 months, and wirelessly connects to the controls.
The result is essentially a 2x system but with all the advantages of 1x. You can run a chainkeeper upfront to prevent chain drops and there’s no cross chaining possible. It’s also a better version of a front derailleur offering seamless shifting under full power plus the ability to shift the virtual front chainring while stopped.
The disadvantages are that it’s heavier than a traditional 2x system, you need special wheels, and in the past you needed both a bar-end transmitter and an extra shift button. Now that extra hardware is no longer needed and you can tap directly into Shimano’s shift buttons to control the Classified system.
TRP was the first to integrate a Classified hub
On June 11, TRP Vistar launched after a year of teasing. The groupset represented the first time that you could buy a fully integrated Classified groupset. Unlike standalone Classified systems, you didn’t need an extra button and a bike computer was able to connect like any other groupset. We posted a TRP Vistar review at launch that was positive but pointed out that you still needed a bar end unit that felt tacked on and required cutting some very expensive Enve one-piece bars for the review. It also acknowledged that the system lived or died on strength of the rear hub and that choosing TRP was a choice for something different. Now that Shimano integrates Classified, those negatives disappear.
Shimano integrates Classified better
Initial setup requires use of the Classified app to connect to Shimano. Once that connection is completed you’ll only need it for firmware updates while the rest of the setup will happen in the Shimano E-Tube project app. All 11- and 12-speed Di2 groupsets are compatible and, unlike TRP, there’s no need for a bar-end transmitter. A Shimano D-fly unit (EW-WU111B) is required for 11-speed. If you’d like to use additional buttons the Shimano satellite shifters work just as they would with any other Shimano groupset.
Shimano is missing one key feature compared to TRP
One of the headline features of TRP Vistar is that it’s a 1×16 system. There are 16-unique gear ratios and it’s possible to use TRP Quantum Shift to seamlessly move through the 16 ratios with only a simple up or down. It’s similar to Shimano Synchronized Shift mode but Classified allows the system to feel far smoother. Unfortunately, Synchronized Shift mode is not compatible with Classified’s Powershift technology as of now.
Pricing and availability
Today marks the availability but there’s no new hardware required. If you have a Classified system and a Di2 system the latest firmware allows them to communicate. If you are looking to purchase in the future then you will need:
- The Classified Powershift Hub + accessories (Torque Support Arm, Smart Thru-Axle, Threaded End)
- Classified Wheelsets or Powershift-ready wheel sets
- Classified 11-speed or 12-speed Shimano-compatible cassettes. Crankset and chainring will be optional and available at Classified.
- From Shimano, you will need a Di2 11-speed or 12-speed road or gravel groupset (including rear derailleur, battery, wires, shifters, chain, and front brake system). For Shimano 11-speed groupsets, a Shimano D-fly unit (EW-WU111B) is required.
Prices remain the same for both Shimano and Classified with Classified running $1,242 for a Classified Powershift Disc Rear Hub Drop Bar Kit. For more information visit the Classified website.