TRP and Classified team up to make the VISTAR // Powershift Group

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Starting today there’s a new TRP and Classified groupset called VISTAR // Powershift. It makes a lot of sense, but will this be the one that breaks the three-way tie between the big groupset manufacturers?

For as long as anyone can remember there’s been three groupsets available. You can argue all you want about the relative performance of SRAM, Shimano, and Campagnolo but those are your choices. FSA tried to compete, Microshift has a mechanical option, but no one has made any real progress.

Then there’s Classified. Classified has become a serious contender in place of a front derailleur but so far it’s been an uphill battle because of packaging and pricing issues. There are a few bikes that package it into the system but mostly it’s a very expensive replacement for a system that works pretty well.

Now it’s time for TRP and Classified to partner up and bring the whole system together. TRP has been manufacturing brakes for 35 years and the brand already has a flat bar 12-speed groupset that’s well regarded. Adding Classified lets TRP enter the drop bar market with learned experience and innovative features.

What Classified brings to the party

For those who aren’t familiar with Classified, you can think of it as a next generation front derailleur. The function of a front derailleur is to extend the usable range of a single cassette by changing the ratio with the front chainring. A Classified Hub does the same thing, just better.

Instead of chainrings, the system uses planetary gears and a unique cassette. Pair it with a 1x chainring and the first position leaves everything alone. For example in a road setup you might have an 11-34 cassette with a 52-tooth chainring making your best climbing gear a 52/34T. Change the Classified system to the secondary gear ratio and you get a 30% reduction. It will feel roughly like a 36-tooth front chainring paired with an 11-34t rear cassette. Pretty standard right? So why bother?

The most obvious advantage is just the removal of a front derailleur. Instead of a chunky shifter hanging in the wind, you can smooth the area with aero tubing and a single aero dinner plate chainring. On a gravel bike that also translates to more tire clearance.

The Classified Hub isn’t just a packaging solution though. A Classified Hub shifts instantly and smoothly under full load with no risk of dropping the chain. You can shift the front regardless of where the chain is on the cassette and you can do it at the peak of your most powerful sprint or while standing still. There’s no need to worry about chain angle either. It fundamentally changes the way you ride a bike.

The system works great. Except that until now, Classified required the addition of a bar end transmitter and a button that you’ll need to arrange somewhere on your handlebar. There’s been no integration with your groupset. The technology was always solid but it still felt like an expensive add-on to fix something that wasn’t really broken.

TRP VISTAR // PowerShift completes the system

By partnering with TRP, Classified is bringing the hub into the fold of a full-featured premium groupset. TRP VISTAR // PowerShift is an electronic and wireless groupset with hydraulic braking. The front controls communicate to the rear with something called the CMD protocol while the rear derailleur houses a removable battery similar to SRAM. As with other systems, the left hand controls the “front derailleur” while the right hand shifts through 12-gears on the cassette. But wait, there’s more.

What’s been described so far is fairly standard. It brings the Classified hub into a full groupset, along with the advantages inherent to the hub system, but it’s also familiar.  Where things get even more interesting is when you look at what TRP is calling QuantumShift.

QuantumShift is a system that takes what most people would recognize as Shimano Synchronized Shift and makes it usable in a whole new way. What Shimano Synchronized Shift does is handle shifting of the front derailleur in response to the rear cassette. You shift up and down and the electronics handle what that looks like.

If you’ve ever used the system on a Shimano bike, or the equivalent from SRAM or Campagnolo, you’ll know that it’s a nice theory but there’s one drawback. Because the shifting of a traditional front derailleur is somewhat dramatic, it can upset a frame when you aren’t expecting it. If both derailleurs shift at the same time it’s an even bigger issue.

The Classified Hub fixes this issue. When the Classified Hub shifts it’s so fast and smooth, it’s virtually undetectable. Because of this quality, TRP is advertising the VISTAR QuantumShift system as a 1×16 (or 1×15 with gravel gearing) based on the number of unique gear ratios available. With QuantumShift engaged you simply shift up or down as needed and it will feel like a smooth progression of 16-gears on a cassette. If you ever need to jump up, or down, the ratios then the other lever is there to shift the hub on demand.

The unknowns 

The TRP VISTAR // PowerShift system could be revolutionary. There’s no need for a unique frame design and clear benefits for both racing and recreational use. That is a big if though. There are still a number of unknowns that could render the whole system a non-starter.

Today isn’t release day. There is no website where you can purchase a TRP VISTAR // PowerShift groupset and there are very few details. What’s happening now is that the two brands are publicly acknowledging a system that’s been in development for a very long time. It’s already seen race time at Unbound but now there’s an expected launch date in Q3 of 2024.

You might notice, that’s not a hard date. Along with no specific launch date, there’s also no pricing or weight information. As transformative as the technology might be, if it’s a boat anchor that will sink it. Price will also be important as right now Classified is a premium offering. Will that continue and will consumers be willing to pay a premium over existing groupsets for new technology? Or maybe this will be a budget offering? Will that make it more attractive or reduce consumer trust?

For now, enjoy the idea of something new. Details are coming soon.

For information about the Classified hub system visit Classified-cycling.cc

For information about existing TRP groupsets and brake technology visit TRPcycling.com