Hey all, I’ve a Norco Threshold A1 cyclo-cross bike, with a Shimano 105 5700 2×10 groupset and frankly rubbish Hayes CX5 mechanical brakes. They’ve never been good brakes and being cable pull my upgrade options are limited. I also weigh about 105kg (mostly muscle, honest) and I feel I need hydraulic braking like my other bikes.
I’ve looked at the compatibility chart and it looks like I could pick up GRX400 2×10 shifters and hydraulic calipers and swap out my existing shifters for them, maintaining the rest of the groupset. Can anyone think of any reason why this wouldn’t work?
TLDR can I mix GRX400 shifters and brakes with a 105 5700 groupset.
Cheers in advance for any replies.
by BossMacPhail
5 Comments
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Is that Ailsa Craig?
you have post mount brake mounts on the fork. Might also have them on the frame but I can’t say that for sure. Grx calipers are flat mount standard. You could get post mount hydraulic calipers like br rs 785 and just switch them in for the grx calipers. There are also post mount to flat mount adapters, but they don’t seem to fit every frame so you’d have to try that yourself. You could also try something like juintec or trp semi hydraulic brakes instead of going fully hydraulic. I hear they are better than most mechanical brakes but not quite as good as fully hydraulics.
Also there are old 10 speed and new 10 speed pull ratios with shimano. I’d need to check whether or not 5700 is the newer pull ratio, but I doubt it actually since I’m pretty sure that only the new tiagra 4700 and grx use the newer (11speed) pull ratio. So the shifters would probably not work with your current derailleurs.
In addition to the GRX 400 levers and hydraulic disc brake calipers compatible with your frame/fork’s disc brake mounts, you will also need new front and rear derailleurs that will work with the GRX levers (the 5700 derailleurs won’t work with GRX levers).
You will need the GRX RD-RX400 rear derailleur. And which front derailleur you need depends on your crankset. If you are using a standard road crankset, a road front derailleur like the Ultegra FD-R8000 will work very nice with the GRX 400 left lever. If you are using a gravel-specific crankset with a more outboard chainline, then you need a more outboard GRX front derailleur like the FD-RX400 (Tiagra level) or FD-RX810 (Ultegra level).
If braking is your main issue I would recommend upgrading to compressionless housing (spliced just before the end of the bar tape) and TRP Spyres or Avid BB7 Road callipers. These both come in flat and post mount options.
Another option to further dial the Hayes or the new calipers in would be to pick up some better pads with different compound and/or larger rotors (if your frame can take them – usually 160 is max for road but some older models might be 140). Tektro/TRP semi metallic (red) are pretty decent, Galfer E-Bike or Pro compound is a nice upgrade and easy to get for the TRP Spyres as they use B03S pad shape.
To answer the derailleur/shifter question – No GRX 10 speed does not work with any Dura Ace, Ultegra or 105 10 speed parts.