Setting up a new gravel bike or replacing a damaged lever on an existing GRX build usually comes down to sourcing one side at a time, which is exactly how Shimano packages the GRX ST-RX810 Dual Control Lever with Caliper. Each SKU pairs one 11-speed mechanical shift/brake lever with a BR-RX810 flat mount hydraulic caliper, pre-bled with the hose already installed—left/front ships with a 1000mm hose, right/rear ships with a 1700mm hose. That single-side packaging means you can replace one lever without buying a pair, or build up from scratch and match hose lengths to your frame's routing.

The lever body itself is what separates GRX from Shimano's road-focused Ultegra and 105 shifters. The brake pivot sits 18mm higher than on a standard road lever, which changes the leverage geometry when your hands are on the hoods and gripping harder over rough surfaces. The hood shape has a more pronounced slope forward, and the brake blade itself uses a curved profile with a textured anti-slip finish so wet or sweaty hands don't skate off during a rough descent. Reach is adjustable via a tooled adjuster, and free stroke adjustment lets you fine-tune where the pads engage in the lever pull.

Braking runs through Shimano's Servo Wave technology, which varies the mechanical advantage through the lever stroke. Initial pad travel happens fast to close the gap, then leverage increases at pad contact for modulation—useful on loose surfaces where grabbing too much brake causes a skid. The BR-RX810 caliper is a two-piston flat mount design with ceramic pistons and Ice Tech finned resin pads that shed heat on sustained descents. Front installations include the reversible adapter for 140mm or 160mm rotors.... Read More