Wheeltop EDS GeX Review: Fully wireless shifting, 3-14 speeds programmable, 46T max cog, with mineral oil hydraulic disc brakes, and less than $US 600.
Wheeltop EDS GeX Wireless 3-14 Speed 1x Groupset for Gravel:
“Compared to a mechanical derailleur, the Wheeltop Electronic Derailleur allows you to switch speeds easily.” The system provides compatibility for any cassette, from 3 speed, to 14 speed. Learn more about this system at Wheeltop’s Website.
EDS GeX has two cage lengths: 75mm (11-46T) and 93mm (11-51T), and is available with shifters featuring carbon lever blades, or alloy lever blades.
Wheeltop EDS GeX Review Video
Alternative Video Link for those reading via email subscription
In this video, JOM of Gravel Cyclist covers the technical features of Wheeltop EDS Gex in great detail, along with the real-world riding experience. Adding to that, he tests the system for 12-speed, 11-speed, 10-speed, 9-speed, and 3-speed!
Continued from Above:
Wheeltop’s rear derailleur for GeX features an internal damping system, for chain retention. “The damping system provides precise shock absorption and enhanced stability. It adapts quickly to road conditions and allows for flexible adjustments by increasing friction.”
IP67 Waterproof and Extended Battery Life; “With IP67 rating, the system performs reliably in all weather conditions. The battery provides approximately 20,000 shifts per charge and can be recharged up to 800 times for rear derailleur, minimizing the need for frequent recharges.”
Written Ride Experience (or see the video)
Wheeltop EDS GeX may not be a household name yet, but with its incredibly low price, and ability to work with virtually any cassette no matter its speed or cassette spline in a 1x capacity, this groupset should be on your radar, even if for a Plan B bike, rainy day bike, etc.
Wheeltop isn’t offering a complete groupset at this time, but with the company’s recent purchase of a controlling stake in Rotor components of Spain, that should tell you cranksets, power meters, bottom brackets, and other components may be joining the Wheeltop lineup.
Functionally, the system is easy to configure out of the box provided you have a little technical acumen. Failing that, most competent bicycle mechanics can easily install this drivetrain with a minimum of fuss. The shifters pair sans hassle to the rear derailleur, and their wireless design saves running a cable inside the frame. All you need to do is route hydraulic brake housings, bleed the brakes if needed, and away you go.
Like other electronic shifting systems on the market, EDS GeX has a sleep mode, so a tap or two of the shifters wakes it up, primed and ready for use. At no time during any of my riding did the system put itself to sleep, no worries there. Shifting speed is good, not quite as fast as the big S companies, but easily within a few milliseconds of these brands. There’s also a multishift mode, if you’re so inclined to slam the derailleur up and down the cassette.
The rear derailleur with its integrated battery is a solid bit of gear, and has performed reliably without any hesitation, no matter where I’ve ridden it. The damping system contained inside the derailleur, aka chain tension management is excellent. I haven’t experienced a single chain drop on any of the cassettes I tested, but be certain to use an appropriate length chain, and a chainring, FSA in my case, with drop stop tooth profile to keep everything together. I mentioned earlier (in the video above) my concerns about the charging port, that definitely needs to be addressed, along with better protection from the elements of that port. You need to ensure the derailleur is shifted far enough away to allow room for the charge cable to fit, or physically fight the cage spring, to reposition the cage to allow charging.
There is no LED on the rear derailleur indicating battery life as say with Wheeltop’s EDS TX rear derailleur, but the Wheeltop app has that covered. Still, a battery LED would be a nice addition to this rear derailleur.
Reminder: ALWAYS BE A STEWARD FOR GRAVEL CYCLING: Respect the roads, respect the locals, respect the land, respect your fellow cyclists.
The shift levers are simple in operation and nature, and can probably take a good amount of abuse as the lever blade offers good protection from the paddles sitting behind. Wheeltop need to address the overly stiff rubber compound of the brake lever hoods, but that trait may assist with longevity. Check back in five years! I can understand why Wheeltop cut a corner or two not producing a dedicated right side 1x shifter, but that trait is overshadowed by how comfortable the lever shape felt to me, and the convenient CR2023 batteries inside. Shifter battery life is indicated by handy LED’s on each shifter.
The Wheeltop app isn’t perfect, I mentioned that earlier (in the video above), but it is stable, at least the Android version, and needs a few tweaks and polishing to make it a little more user friendly. Hopefully the developers will continue improving the user experience.
Overall, Wheeltop EDS GeX isn’t as polished or well executed as the first big S company to develop wireless shifting for the masses, which has several higher price points, and with proprietary a cassette, cassette body, and sometimes chain, assuming you stick 100% to their architecture. But, that would be stating the obvious. EDS’s GeX’s price cannot be beat, and it seemingly works with anything, after a little tinkering.
Something else to consider, Wheeltop has effectively beaten the big Japanese S company to the punch, with a truly legitimate 1x gravel-specific electronic groupset on the market. The Big S Japanese 1x electronic shifting drivetrain is still in development, so who knows how that will play out.
If you’ve ever been on the fence to give 1x electronic shifting a try, Wheeltop’s ground break EDS GeX system may be for you. This is an unbelievable first effort from a company relatively unknown in the cycling world. I’m already looking forward to what we’ll see in a future development of this drivetrain!
Learn more at the Wheeltop Website
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Links of Interest:
- Wheeltop Website
- Wheeltop EDS GeX Gravel Build Party
- UDH Gravel Bikes: What is UDH?
- $600 SRAM Red XPLR 13 Speed Cassette
- Brickyard Bike Co. Website
- How to Create Amazing & Fun Gravel Routes!
- Gravel Cyclist’s Route Library
- Gravel Bike Tire / Tyre Pressure Recommendations
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