WHEELTOP EDS GEX 1x Review: The Best Brakes I’ve Ever Used? | Setup Tips & Performance

A few months ago, WHEELTOP reached out to me about testing their GEX 1x gravel groupset. After riding it for a couple of months, I’ve had a journey that was equal parts frustrating and impressive. To be honest, this groupset sat in a box in my garage for three months because the initial setup was such a headache.

The unboxing experience was great—the components feel premium and 'posh.' However, I hit a wall during step three of the installation: the jockey wheels just wouldn't align with the smallest cog, no matter how much I adjusted the limit screws. I was so frustrated that I even asked for a return label! It wasn't until months later that I discovered a 'hidden' solution in the app's micro-adjustment section. By essentially tricking the system, I finally got it perfectly indexed. Speaking of the app, it feels a bit intrusive and the translation (like 'equipment debugging') can be vague, but the functionality is brilliant—you can program this thing for anything from 3 to 14 speeds.

On the road, the ergonomics are fantastic. The rubber hood quality is actually better than SRAM Force, and it feels great in the hands. The shifting is deliberate and feels more like a high-end mechanical system than the 'silky' electronic feel of Dura-Ace. I’ve had a few missed shifts or overshifts, but nothing that ruined my ride. But the real star of the show? The brakes. These hydraulic brakes are among the best I’ve ever used, offering incredible modulation and rock-solid stopping power that outperforms many premium competitors. If you can get past the setup hurdles, there's a lot of value here.