It’s Electric! Fairwheel Bikes’ Custom Di2/XTR 1×11 Gravel Grinder

it makes me cringe when i hear “gravel grinder”

XTR brakes? Looks like RS785 brakes to me.

Come on, that thing is sick! I didn’t even know I had a dream bike till I saw this. I want.

I was planning on building up a similar drivetrain build for CX, because Force CX1 groupsets cost a lot more than a Di2 1×11 setup and Rival1 just isn’t available. Plus, Shimano hydraulic maintenance is a lot easier than SRAM. I am not sure what a gravel grinder is, but that Parlee frame can only fit 28s and doesn’t have enough clearance to deal with stones getting caught between the tire and frame. The Ti seatpost looks pretty swank though.

“Why would you want to turn your Shimano bike into a SRAM bike?”

That’s fine with a 1x. My problem with the SRAM electronic shifting is that it can’t change front/rear derailleurs at the same time (the way you would, for example, shift up two or three smaller cogs while shifting down to the small chainring). But for winter riding on a 1x with heavy gloves, yeah, maybe.

“Okay I get this a specific bike for a specific need. Like the idea of the 11-40 cassette. With road triples disappearing why not a 50-34 with a 11-40 cassette?”

I don’t think you can shift a 50-34 front derailleur with a wide-range cassette like the 11-40. Shimano specs the 11-32, max. You could possibly get away with an 11-36, but not an 11-40.

@Evan, @anthony

142mm wide rear, Thru Axles, MTB Gearing, Full MTB Brakes, MTB Hubs etc. This is clearly not a bloody road bike.

Whatever it is, it is beautiful.

I love it. Call it evolution of road bikes or whatever but I see this as a ‘road’ bike many people would actually love riding, if they can get over their hang ups that they *need* to ride the latest peloton bike the last magazine told them they should.

OK, the ‘murdered out black think bores the *word that will delete this comment* out of me but the rest of it is a hell yes.

So close to what I plan on building soon it’s not funny.

@Antipodean_eleven Uhm I think you’re confused. Most people probably wouldn’t enjoy riding an all carbon saddle, questionably functional performing titanium rotors, and the limited gear options a 1×11 offers on the road.

What’s that you say? This is a gravel bike? Oh, I was confused because that only fitting a 28c tire makes the gravel you’d enjoy riding pretty damn limited.

This is a dumb bike. This is a bike that is really light, really expensive and not well suited for anything. Aesthetically it’s not even well done. That FairWheel Bikes sticker sticker pops out like a pimple on a pasty forehead. The titanium stem, bars, and seatpost just don’t work with the matte scheme.

Title of article should read; Dentist orders custom bike that will never be ridden.

Not seeing how this is newsworthy. However, “practical durability” made me laugh so I guess this article wasn’t a complete waste if time.

To sum up the comments regarding why not run a double – could be wrong on this but you can’t run a double Di2 dura ace / ultegra front der with an XTR rear using 785 levers. And conversely you can’t run an XTR 2X front der using 785 levers. The systems won’t allow it, so to run the XTR di2 rear der – if you want the super big cassette range – you’re stuck with a 1X drive train. Until Shimano introduces an update, I think these are the options.

@pamountainbiker: It IS possible to run 2x with XTR Di2. However, given E-Tube limitations, you have to run the same series front der. as your rear der. So that means you can set up a 2x road XTR system as long as you use an XTR front der.

Furthermore, the system is smart enough to (more realistically, not designed for) prevent chain issues that usually come with pairing an MTB cassette with road chainrings by preventing gross cross-chaining — it literally stops shifting 3 gears on either end when you combine small-small or large-large.

You essentially end up with a high end 2×11 system that only has like 16 gear combinations. But you can technically have a 34×40!

I’m interested in that handlebar but there seems to be little info about it out on the web.

“Pretty sure that frame is made in Asia?!”

It’s possible to hand-build something in Asia. I find it funny that they must describe these bikes as ‘gravel’ bikes. Marketing I guess. I mean, I only have one bike right now and it’s a cyclocross bike with discs, 28s and fenders on it. It’s what they used to call a ‘bike’. I ride it year round, in all weather. I’d buy a bike like this. It’s very similar to the GT Grade that I’d also buy. If you’re not racing and you just like to commute and go for rides and aren’t concerned about Strava segments, it’s perfect. Sure, maybe more clearance for tires would be cool, but there are options out there if you want to run wider than 28. If I bought this bike I’d probably swap the seat and take the white stickers off. And put fenders on.