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Exclusive: Retroshift Rebranded Gevenalle – Expands Lineup w/ Hydraulic Levers & The HOUP Cassette Spacer

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Gevenalle CX2 Hydraulic Shifter

The team at Retroshift is very passionate about cyclocross.  From day one, they have not been shy about saying so.  Their product lineup to this point, while it has many possible uses, was designed specifically for ‘cross racing.  We reviewed the original release of their CX 2 shifters and loved them.  Thanks to good innovation and passion, Retroshift has grown significantly as a company since its inception.  With that growth has come the need to re-brand, thus the name change to Gevenalle.  The new name is derived from two Dutch words and means “Give All.”  Very fitting given that one has to give all during a ‘cross race.

With the new name, comes new products.  The Gevenalle catalogue now includes hydraulic shift levers and a pretty neat cassette adapter called the HOUP (Halo of Ultimate Protection).

Hop the barrier to see our exclusive first look at the new product offerings from Gevenalle…

Gevenalle Hydro Levers On Bar

Gevenalle Hydro Lever Blades and Shifters

Gevenalle will maintain production of their already existing CX1 and CX2 levers for those running mechanical brakes.  With a major industry push to discs, the introduction of their CX1 and CX2 Hydraulic Shifters is a welcome one.  The CX Hydraulic Shifters start off life as a TRP Hylex hydraulic lever and caliper set.  Once at Gevenalle’s workshop, the levers are disassembled and the blades are sent out for laser engraving.  Then they’re drilled to accept the CNC adapter, and set up with shift levers custom made for Gevenalle by Microshift.  The CX1 Hydraulic’s are perfect for that 1 x 9/10/11 setup, and retail for $399.  For those of us with front gears too, the CX2 Hydraulic set runs $449.  Need a crash replacement?  Gevenalle will rebuild the levers for $75 a piece.

Gevenalle Hydro Lever DIsassembled with TRP Hylux Caliper

Gevenalle CX Hydraulic Shifter Band Clamp

The  CX1 and CX2 hydraulic levers work with any Shimano compatible road drive train with 9, 10, or 11 speed setups.  Either set ships with calipers and rotors (160/160 or 160/140).  Weight for the CX1, with hoses and calipers is 800g.  The CX2’ are only 850g.

Gevenalle Lock Ring and Spacer

Last season, then Retroshift launched their house brand derailleur (BURD) with the hopes of saving drivetrains, or at least making them cheaper to replace and rebuild.  Furthering that idea lead to the innovation that is the HOUP.  This product consists of a CNC lock ring and spacer that allow you to remove the 11t or 12t ring from your cassette to move the cassette body further away from the wheel and spokes.

gevenalle-HOUP-cassette-cluster-spacer

The idea here is that most of us never use the little cog in the rear during ‘cross, so removing it allows you to gain substantially more clearance between your rear derailleur and the spokes.  This will reduce the potential for catastrophic failure of the rear derailleur during very muddy cyclocross events.  The HOUP can be had in either 10 speed or 11 speed version for $20.

The 10 speed version of the HOUP is compatible with Shimano 5700 and 6700 cassettes.  The 11 speed version is compatible with Shimano 6800 cassettes, but is not yet tested with 5800 cassettes.

Gevenall Partial Cassette Body

If you like the idea of the HOUP, and you love to save the grams, take a look at Gevenalle’s titanium spider.  This partial cassette consists of a CNC aluminum center section with three titanium cogs (21-24-27).  Combine the HOUP with this cog cluster and it’ll run you $85 for the set.

Curious how much weight you’ll save? Here’s a handy list:

  • 5700 standard cassette 11-28 = 250g
  • 6700 standard cassette 11-28 = 234g
  • 5700 with HOUP = 237g
  • 6700 with HOUP = 229g
  • 5700 with HOUP Ti = 195g
  • 6700 with HOUP Ti = 192g

For reference, a Dura Ace 7900 10 Speed cassette is 188g. The 105 cassette plus HOUP Ti is just 7g off, far more affordable and will keep your derailleur safer!

gevenalle-cx1-shifter-hardware-colors

The original mechanical brake shifter hardware’s base platform can also be had in colors. Even purple.  At launch, the CX1 and CX2 Hydraulic levers will have the option of black or red.  The ti cassette cluster’s spider comes in blue or red.

Gevenalle Mechanical Levers Color Options

Colors here shown on standard CX mechanical brake levers.

gevenalle-cx2-hydraulic-disc-brake-cyclocross-shifter-levers

Gevenalle.com

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23 Comments
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spokejunky
spokejunky
9 years ago

Could a goat send in their 1 year old CX2 shifters to get the pretty anodized parts put on them? For a price of course.

uglyyeti
uglyyeti
9 years ago

Great progress. Next new product needs to be improved hoods for the Tektro-based shifters. Absolutely love the shifting, but those hoods are miserably uncomfortable. Does anyone know of a beefier aftermarket hood that fits these?

Dockboy
Dockboy
9 years ago

I just got these in the mail yesterday, and it’s a pretty nice setup. Braking action is light, and there’s plenty of power, based on first impressions.

Azonic
Azonic
9 years ago

Now, make SRAM compatible 10 speed thumb shifters like the old Shimano DX, and I’ll buy a set. Old school baby.

Dustin
Dustin
9 years ago

Dockboy, the bodies on the brake levers look really long. Having used them, do they feel like the brake levers are too far away from the bars?

Mike
Mike
9 years ago

I’d like to see this for SRAM XX1. Would be great for a 1×11 Ultra Cross setup.

Dockboy
Dockboy
9 years ago

Dustin,
I know what you mean there. I did a front disc conversion with a mechanical rear, and somehow, the levers feel pretty similar. It is a bit of a reach, but there is an adjuster on the lever for that, on the master cylinder push rod. I think a lot of the length is in how they shaped the lever body, and I think it’s an optical illusion. It goes pretty far back on the bar, and the underside is left fairly open. I’ll measure it later today and report back with the relative differences.
A Sram 1X system would be rad.

Ck
Ck
9 years ago

I’m in the same camp as Azonic. I want a SRAM indexed thumb shifter and i’ll find a reason to buy one of these setups, as i’ve always been a fan of this company.

Dockboy
Dockboy
9 years ago

Here’s the deal: from the back of the drop to the front of the brake lever, there’s about 5mm difference in reach between hydraulic and mechanical. The scoop up to the lever peaks is in about the same place, and the front of the levers at the top is pretty similar. The oddest part of the mix-matched setup is that the aluminum bits that Gevenalle makes, and therefore the shifters, end up at different angles. It’s not so different that it would bother someone if they’re okay with a mixed-media brake system.
They Hylex hoods are long, and meant to be run high on the bar, creating a nice, flat perch on top. We’re often used to brake levers meant to be run lower down, or closer to the bar to facilitate in-the-drops shifting. The Hylex, and Gevenalle CXH, don’t have that issue.

s
s
9 years ago

Retroshift was a better name.

How do you pronounce Gevenalle? I hope the products don’t suffer from the new lame name. I really like my Retroshift shifters…

The Goats
9 years ago

s – You can pronounce it ANY way you like!
It is a created word at the dawn of its life so you can set the agenda.

‘Geven all’ works or ‘Geven allez’ if you are feeling Euro 🙂

XOXO

Goats

The Goats
9 years ago

Azonic, Ck – It could happen but is not as easy as just throwing a SRAM bar end unit on our system. The SRAM (and Shimano MTB) systems utilize more cable pull than the Shimano road version we work with now and so the shifters have to be bigger and might not fit…

This MIGHT all change later this year when a version for Shimano MTB cable pull MIGHT arrive.

The Goats (of Gevenalle)

1.21 Jigawatts
1.21 Jigawatts
9 years ago

This is going on my bikepacking setup. It will be nice to have hood based shifting without having to worry about my bar mounted bags interfering. I would put this on my race bike tomorrow if a XX1 option was available.

CX for life
CX for life
9 years ago

Good stuff. Exclusive? Not really. CXMagazine.com has more detailed information and rationale on the HOUP http://www.cxmagazine.com/retroshift-gevenalle-cyclocross-cx1-cx2-hydraulic-shifter-houp-cassette-spacer

Topmounter
Topmounter
9 years ago

+1 on the SRAM compatible 10spd Thumbies.

My XX shifters are falling apart and I’d love to go back to Thumbies on my 10SPD rig. I still have several sets of Sun-Tour XC-Pro thumbies for a bike with an 8SPD drivetrain, but they don’t align well with modern disc brake levers.

I’ve already seen microSHIFT’s Shimano Compatible SL-M10 10SPD Thumbies on fat bikes at my LBS, but I don’t have a 10SPD Shimano MTB drivetrain at the moment.

Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
9 years ago

@uglyyeti have you considered petitioning ODI to make Hudz for Tektro levers? I think there are now enough bikes out there with Tektro levers that they would consider tooling up.

The Goats
9 years ago

CX for life – Love your devotion to CX! (no secret of our love for the sport also).

We are thrilled to have coverage from both sites. Nick from Bikerumor took an exclusive look at the new shifters and HOUP project by taking the time to visit our HQ and play with the stuff first hand. Andrew from CX Magazine took multiple slots of time to write and call us to get the info he was after. Both did a great job and we benefit greatly from it. Thx guys!

XOXO

Goats

Oz Jimmy
Oz Jimmy
9 years ago

I am running CX2 setups on my cross bike from when Retroshift first started – justified a whole new bike built around the Retroshift. Now you guys (Goats) bring out hydro’s? Now I’m gunna have to build a whole new complete bike, justified by the new equip… And I’ll use problem solvers and put the CX2’s onto my drop-bar fat bike (Surly Krampus)

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

I’d like to +1 for a 1×10 or 1×11 set up. I know others are making 36 and 40t inner cogs but it would be nice to see a CX1 shifter lever, HOUP, 36 or 40 big cog and alloy/ti 3 cog/spider combo offered as a kit.

jooo
jooo
9 years ago

@ Azonic/Ck – SRAM 10sp cable pull is exactly the same for Road/MTB so SRAM 10sp thumbies have already been an option for years using a Paul mount: http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com/2010/03/09/2/paul_sram_thumbshifter_600.jpg

@ The Goats – It is ‘as easy as just throwing a SRAM bar end unit on our system’ – The mount just needs a bit of modification.

DorkDisk
DorkDisk
9 years ago

@jooo. I am happy Pual thumbies exist, but I will be happier with a true thumbshifter with proper lever throw and better compatibility with modern hydraulics

Oli
Oli
9 years ago

Not CX, but how about an Alfine8 setup. Pretty sure there’s a market out there amongst the touring crowd.

Enrico
Enrico
8 years ago

Hi, I’m from Italy and actually I would like to “convert” an hold mtb in a gravel one
I’ve an XT/Xtr SHIMANO 9 or 10 gears and brakes and I would like to retrieve them

My issue is that I cannot find on web if it’s possibile to buy only bracke/gears levers and how much it would cost

Thanks for any tips

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