Beyond the big three brands in the drivetrain space, there are a handful of other smaller brands looking to give riders other options. Wheeltop is one of those with their wireless EDS drivetrains that are programmable between 3 and 14 speeds. With their new EDS TT Carbon wireless groupset, they now have groups for road, mountain, gravel, and triathlon/time trials.
If you don’t know, Wheeltop is a brand based in China that offers fully wireless drivetrains. They started with their 1x EDS OX mountain and 2x EDS TX road groupsets and expanded into a dedicated 1x EDS GeX gravel groupset. More recently, Wheeltop purchased a majority stake in Spanish brand Rotor and collaborated in revamping their Uno drivetrain into a wireless groupset.
The one hole in their lineup was a Triathlon/Time Trial groupset. That is, until now. The new EDS TT Carbon groupset is made up of dedicated shifters for the extensions, hydraulic brake levers with shifters for the base bars, front and rear derailleurs, and disc brake calipers. Really, it is just the shifters and levers that are new, while the derailleurs and calipers are from the latest EDS TX groupset.
While groupsets are usually tied to a specific speed with a very small amount of cross-compatibility, Wheeltop allows you to program their drivetrains through a dedicated app to work with anything from 3 to 14 speeds. During setup, you select the number of speeds and dial the shifting in from there.
Beyond the challenges of routing mechanical shift cables through a time trial setup, you could only shift from the extensions. With electronic drivetrains, you can now shift from the extensions AND at the brakes, which is much more convenient and safer while riding. All six of the shift buttons (one on each brake lever, and two on each extension shifter) can be programmed to let you completely customize your setup. EDS takes the convenience a step further by being wireless, which means you only have to route the hydraulic brake lines.
Here is a rundown of the components.
Shifters
- Buttons – 4 pcs
- Material – Composite material +Aluminum alloy
- Average weight – 70±3g/1pcs
Levers
- Buttons – 2 pcs,
- Left-right interchangeable
- Adjustable reach – 70-100mm
- Material – Carbon fiber+Aluminum alloy
- Average weight – 165±3g/1pcs
Caliper
- Brake Fluid – Mineral Oil
- Caliper Mounting Type – For Flat-Mount, Not Compatible with Post-Mount
- Brake Disc Compatibility – 140mm/160mm
- Weight – F:135±10g, R:170±10g
- Brake Pads Type – Compatible with Shimano L04C,L05A, L04A, BR-RX810, IIPRO-GLYS
- Oil Hoses Length – F: 900mm R:1550mm
Front Derailleur
- Speed Compatibility – 1/2s
- Chainring Compatibility – 53T
- Total Range of Gear Change – 16T
- Weight – 191±5g
- Angle of Chain – 61°-66°
- Installation Type – Band-On/Braze-On
- Battery Capacity – 500 mAh
Rear Derailleur
- Speed Compatibility – 3-14s
- Minimum Sprocket – 10-11T
- Maximum Sprocket – 30-36T
- Total Range of Gear Change – 36T
- Weight – 336±5g
- Battery Capacity – 800 mAh
- Compatible with the TX
Currently, Wheeltop does not offer any cranks with their groupsets, so you have the option to run whatever you would like. I’m currently running TX on my road bike with an Ultegra crank, and the GeX groupset on my gravel bike with a Force CX1 crank.
The new EDS TT groupset is on pre-order at a discount of $759. Groupsets are expected to ship in about a month. After the presale, the regular price will be $899.
I’ve been riding the GeX group for about a year, and just swapped from Shimano Ultegra to TX on my road bike. So far, both have been very solid. Setup can take a little longer than some of the groups from the big brands, but the Wheeltop groups offer more precise setup for each gear, along with the flexibility to upgrade from 10, 11, 12, or even 13 speeds by changing your cassette, chain, and chainrings, instead of replacing the whole groupset. We’ll have full reviews coming later this Spring.
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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