E-Grifn Shimano Ultegra DI2 2x12sp

The Ridley E-Grifn is Ridley’s lightweight electric take on the Grifn all-road platform, positioned between road endurance and gravel use rather than at the more motor-heavy end of the e-gravel category. This generation, introduced for model year 2025, uses a carbon frame built around the Mahle X20 rear-hub system and an integrated 350 Wh battery, with the same balanced geometry concept found across the broader Grifn family. Key frame details include UDH compatibility, a BB86 bottom bracket, flat-mount disc brakes, mudguard mounts, and a removable front-derailleur clamp, underscoring that this is a versatile mixed-surface chassis rather than a pure race gravel bike or a utility-focused e-bike.

What distinguishes the E-Grifn is its attempt to preserve conventional gravel-bike manners while adding restrained assistance. The rear-hub motor layout avoids the bulky silhouette and draggy ride feel often associated with mid-drive systems, and the frame keeps practical tire clearance at up to 42 mm in 1x form or 38 mm in 2x form. In the market, that places the E-Grifn squarely in the premium, performance-oriented e-all-road segment: a bike for riders who want help on long rides, rolling terrain, and sustained climbs, but still care about normal bike handling, fast road sections, and a clean non-obvious e-bike presentation.

Price TBD
Image pending
Build
Size
Stack563mm
Reach383mm
Top tube545mm
Headtube length140mm
Standover height790mm
Seat tube length500mm

Fit and geometry

The E-Grifn uses Ridley’s balanced all-road geometry, and the numbers support that description. In size M, the bike has a 587 mm stack, 396 mm reach, 72° head tube angle, 73.5° seat tube angle, 420 mm chainstays, and a 1,021 mm wheelbase. Those figures point to a fit that is more upright and less stretched than a pure race gravel bike, but still modern and efficient enough for fast road riding. Across the size range, reach stays moderate at 375 mm to 412 mm, while stack runs from 540 mm to 633 mm, reinforcing the bike’s middle-ground positioning between endurance road and aggressive gravel race geometries.

Handling should be stable and predictable rather than ultra-quick. The 72° head angle on most sizes, combined with 420 mm chainstays and a relatively long wheelbase, favors composure on mixed surfaces and at speed. The slightly slacker 71.5° head angle and 75 mm BB drop on the XS help keep smaller sizes stable, while the 71 to 73 mm BB drop elsewhere should give a planted cornering feel without making the bike sluggish. Overall, the geometry suggests a rider position suited to long mixed-surface days, with steering that should feel calm on gravel and confident on descents rather than razor sharp on tight race courses.

Full specs

Frameset

Frame

E-Grifn C 7E8/size M/EGC26D3s

Fork

4ZA AllRoad 7E7/EGC26D3s

Groupset

Shift levers

Shimano 105

Front derailleur

Shimano 105

Rear derailleur

Shimano 105 12sp

Cassette

Shimano 105, 12s , 11-34

Chain

null

Crankset

Shimano 105 , 50/34 , 170mm

Bottom bracket

null

Front brake

Shimano 105

Rear brake

Shimano 105

Front rotor

null

Rear rotor

null

Wheelset

Front wheel

4ZA Norte G F 28TL -X20- NO STI

Rear wheel

4ZA Norte G R 28TL - MAHLE X20 SHI - NO STI

Front tire

Zaffiro Evo V 700x30c/Fold/Full Black G2.0 OEM HP

Rear tire

Zaffiro Evo V 700x30c/Fold/Full Black G2.0 OEM HP

Cockpit

Stem

Deda Super Box , 110 mm , Polish On Black

Handlebars

Deda Superzero Alloy Gravel , 420mm (cc shifters) - 50mm (cc drops) , 16° flared , Drop 120mm , Reach 75mm

Saddle

Selle Italia Model X , Black

Seatpost

Forza Aero , Zero Offset , 350mm

Builds

Ridley offers the E-Grifn in a broad spread of builds, ranging from mechanical Shimano 105 2x12 and GRX600 2x12sp models through Shimano 105 Di2, GRX800 2x12sp, Ultegra Di2 2x12sp, and SRAM wireless options including Apex XPLR AXS 1x12, Rival XPLR 1x13, and Ultegra-level road-oriented builds. That mix reflects the bike’s all-road brief: some builds lean toward drop-bar road use with 2x gearing, while the XPLR options push it more clearly toward gravel with simpler 1x drivetrains.

The only explicit price provided here is the Shimano 105 Di2 2x12 model at $7,871, equipped with aluminum 700c wheels, hydraulic disc brakes, and 50/34 with an 11-34 cassette. That build gives buyers electronic shifting and a versatile road-biased gear range, but reviewers questioned the value at that price given the alloy wheelset. The wider build range is one of the E-Grifn’s strengths, though: riders can choose between lower-maintenance 1x gravel setups, traditional 2x mixed-surface gearing, and higher-end Di2 or AXS packages depending on whether they prioritize road speed, gravel simplicity, or electronic shifting.

Reviews

Reviewers consistently describe the E-Grifn as one of the more convincing "lightweight e-road" or e-gravel executions currently available. Opticycles remarked on how close it feels to a regular gravel bike, while Granfondo and other testers highlighted the Mahle X20 system’s smooth, drag-free behavior above the 25 km/h assistance limit. That natural ride character is a recurring theme: assistance is described less as a shove and more as a subtle tailwind, with smooth transitions and none of the jerky engagement that can upset handling. Rawcyclingmag also emphasized the bike’s composure, noting fast, stable gravel manners and strong confidence on descents.

That said, reviewers are clear about the trade-offs. The hub-motor system prioritizes subtlety over brute force, so the E-Grifn does not deliver the uphill punch of more powerful mid-drive bikes on very steep or sustained climbs, especially when starting from low speed on loose gradients. Value is another common criticism. Opticycles listed the Shimano 105 Di2 build at $7,871 and gave it an OptiScore of 5.8/10, with price-to-spec called into question given the aluminum wheels and mid-tier electronic groupset at that price. The consensus is that the E-Grifn makes the most sense for riders who specifically want low drag, low visual bulk, and analogue-like handling rather than maximum motor output per dollar.