When Shimano announced its new 105 R7100 Di2 groupset for June 2022, it took some time to accept the fact that, at least on paper, a wall was standing in the way of Shimano mechanical groupset at the 105 level and above.

Shimano 105 has long been an affordable groupset that offers great value for money, but the switch to electronic meant a significant price increase, which discouraged some cyclists. as we discussed in our review of the Sram Rival AXS eTap groupset As noted in our review of the Sram Rival AXS eTap groupset, the mechanical groupset still offers excellent performance.

The Bicycling (open in new tab) team was the first eagle-eyed of tech geeks to browse the catalog, discovering the new groupset on the website of KHS, an American bicycle brand founded in 1974.

KHS lists the Flite 700 model for sale, along with several eye-catching Shimano equipment specs. Namely, the Flite 700 is listed as having a 12-speed mechanical 105 groupset. However, this groupset consists of existing 12-speed parts and parts that have not yet been released or do not strictly exist.

The key component that indicates that a new groupset will be available is the shifter, which is listed as a Shimano 105 Hydraulics ST-R7120. This is not the currently released Shimano model number. Is this a new 105 hydraulic 12-speed shifter?

The current 105 Di2 groupset has Shimano code R7100 while the shifter is R7170 and the derailleurs are RD and FD 7150 respectively. The older 105 11-speed mechanical groupset was R7000.

These may be the new front and rear derailleurs, or they may simply be a generic term for the 11-speed Di2 groupset, but there is no way to know at this time.

The chainsets are non-series models, but importantly, they are 12-speed compatible units. Non-series components do not belong to a specific groupset band, but are compatible with most other equipment. The Shimano model number is Shimano FC-RS520, which specifies a 12-speed M7100 chain, but this is for the MTB series and is also compatible with the Shimano non-series CS-HG710 12-speed 11-36t cassette.

This specification is a very specific and odd typo. This could be a sign that a new 12-speed 105 mechanical groupset is indeed on the way. The biggest clue is the "ST-R7120" shifter, which has a currently unreleased model code.

The current price jump from mechanical Shimano Tiagra to 105 Di2 is significant, and this could be a sign that Shimano is looking to fill a fairly obvious price gap in its groupset lineup in the near future. This would balance the overall cost of certain bikes, meaning that more riders could enjoy better performance at a more affordable price.

In addition, Shimano has indicated that it will reorganize its current groupset hierarchy in the future. Perhaps the 105, Tiagra, and Sora options will be updated and possibly renamed.

Don't hold your breath, but if you've been mourning the loss of the mechanical 105 groupset, your prayers may have been answered.