Rotor Uno: Exciting: New groupset for gravel and MTB presented
The Spanish manufacturer Rotor Bike Components already made an exclamation mark at Eurobike in 2018. While twelve gears had just become standard at Sram, the Spaniards presented their first 13-speed drivetrain. However, the sophisticated groupset with hydraulic control is still a rarity today. This could now change, as Rotor is presenting its new electronic and wireless shifting groupsets at the Sea Otter Europe in Girona.
Electronic circuit with Bluetooth and ANT+
Under the name Rotor Uno, which the company already used for earlier hydraulic groupsets, the manufacturer is now presenting wireless electronic components for gravel and mountain bikes. Rotor is now using modern digital technology to offer an alternative to existing electronic shifting groupsets. The new Rotor Uno components are designed to be particularly precise, fast and light. A key feature is the high flexibility of the system, which is said to be compatible with cassettes from 10 to 13 gears from different manufacturers and can be easily converted to different configurations.
MTB version with minimal weight
The mountain bike version of Rotor Uno consists of a rear derailleur and a handlebar shifter with a total weight of just 453 grams including battery. The system offers wireless connectivity via Bluetooth and ANT+. The rear derailleur can be configured for cassettes from 10 to 13 gears and is therefore suitable for various mountain bike disciplines. The housing is made of high-strength aluminium and glass fibre-reinforced nylon. The parallelogram construction was designed for an optimum weight/stiffness ratio. The anodised aluminium body is visually reminiscent of its hydraulic predecessor. The electronic control system uses an encoder and microprocessor to ensure maximum shifting precision. According to the manufacturer, the internal 600 mAh battery enables up to 15,000 gear changes. The shifting speed is said to be 150 milliseconds per gear. The rear derailleur has a 93 millimetre long aluminium cage with a 12-tooth pulley, which is designed for cassettes with up to 52 teeth.
Lightweight switch with automatic start
The rear derailleur is complemented by a particularly lightweight, ergonomic and non-slip handlebar switch with indicator light. This is powered by a CR2032 battery and complies with the IP67 waterproof standard. Both the shifter and the rear derailleur have a motion-synchronised auto-start system. The Rotor Uno MTB system consists solely of the rear derailleur and the shifter, with the rear derailleur acting as the brain of the system and enabling future components and peripheral devices to be added.
Modular design against planned obsolescence
According to Rotor, it distances itself from the planned obsolescence and performance limitations of other manufacturers and offers a flexible, modular solution that is compatible with cassettes from different brands as well as with various aluminium or carbon cranksets with or without power meters. The components can be combined according to your needs and budget, from the medium to the highest level. As a top model, Rotor offers the combination of Rotor Uno with its own 12-speed cassette, which at 314 grams in the 11-52 version is said to be the lightest and most compact on the market, together with Kapic carbon cranks and an INspider power meter.
Smartphone app for configuration
The Rotor Uno app, which will be available for iOS and Android, allows you to link and configure the functions of the groupset and customise the options requested by the user. It allows the selection, configuration and adjustment of cassettes with 10 to 13 gears of different brands, as well as the display of the battery level of each component and the shifter. According to the manufacturer, the metrics and graphics of the already familiar Rotor Power App for Rotor power meters will not be integrated in the first version, but in a later one. At the same time, component updates will be managed directly via the app using OTA (Over The Air Updates) so that users can always enjoy the latest improvements and versions of their components.
ROTOR UNO MTB groupset - Info
- Components: rear derailleur and handlebar shifter
- Total weight: 453 grams (incl. battery)
- Connectivity: Bluetooth and ANT+
- Compatibility: 10- to 13-speed cassettes
- Battery capacity: 600 mAh
- Shifting speed: 150 ms/gear
- Maximum switching operations: 15,000
- Cage length: 93 mm (aluminium)
- Maximum cassette teeth: 52
- Water resistance: IP67
Prices have not yet been communicated by Rotor
Gravel version with hydraulic brakes
The gravel groupset uses the same electronic rear derailleur as the mountain bike version, with a 600 mAh battery and 15,000 gear changes. It has been designed to facilitate compatibility with Mullet models, where only the derailleur pulley cage changes. This is made of aluminium for the gravel bike, is lighter and smaller at 75 millimetres and has a more durable and lower-friction 12-tooth derailleur pulley. Rotor relies on a 1x approach for gravel bikes, without a front derailleur, as the wide gear range is guaranteed by the possibility of mounting 10- to 13-speed cassettes with up to 11-46 teeth, which makes the setup easier and simpler.
Optimised brake levers for all weather conditions
For the brake levers, ROTOR has optimised the composition of the silicone coating as well as the ergonomics and sensitivity of the carbon levers for use with gloves and in wet/rainy climates. Inside, a titanium clamp to reduce galvanic corrosion ensures a secure hold on the handlebars. An improved design makes it easier to adjust and fill the Rotor Uno mineral-based hydraulic brake circuit. The brake lever travel can be adjusted to the rider's preference, with a total adjustment travel of 26 millimetres. The set is completed by a CR1632 battery in each lever.
Brake components with standard compatibility
The brake discs have a diameter of 160 millimetres and are compatible with both the centre-lock system (pre-installed) and the 6-hole system. The brake callipers are flat-mount, but can be replaced with post-mount brake callipers using an appropriate adapter. They are designed with a monobloc design and ceramic pistons for improved heat dissipation and braking performance under load and use standard BH90 lines and Shimano-compatible brake pads, allowing users to choose the brake pad that best suits their needs. The system, consisting of rear derailleur, levers, brakes and cables, weighs similar to the closest competitors, according to the manufacturer, but surpasses them when the Rotor cassette is added.
ROTOR UNO Gravel groupset - Info
- Components: rear derailleur, brake lever, brake callipers
- Rear derailleur battery capacity: 600 mAh
- Maximum switching operations: 15,000
- Cage length: 75 mm (aluminium)
- Cassette compatibility: 10- to 13-speed, up to 11-46 teeth
- Brake lever material: Carbon with silicone coating
- Brake disc diameter: 160 mm
- Brake disc compatibility: centre-lock and 6-hole
- Brake calliper mounting: Flat-mount (post-mount with adapter)
- Brake lever adjustment travel: 26 mm
ROTOR components:
- 12-speed MTB cassette: 314 g (11-52)
- 12-speed gravel cassette: 294 g (11-46)
- Cranks: Kapic Carbon (MTB), Aldhu Carbon (Gravel)
- Power meter: INspider
