It has been more than four years since FSA introduced its 11-speed K-Force WE (wireless electronic control) groupset, and less than two years since the release of the disc brake version. Today, however, the company announced that it is taking the step to 12-speed with the K-Force WE 12-disc-only groupset. Naturally, the company aims to build on its previous successes and compete directly with the 12-speed electronically controlled road bike groupset from the Big 3 (Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo).

But that's not all. The groupset will appear alongside a number of simultaneous product launches from road, mountain, gravel, and e-bike brands.

Described by FSA as a "revamped drivetrain," most of the components in the K-Force WE 12 are very similar to the current 11-speed, but there are some design and finishing tweaks have been made.

The WE groupset is equipped with a wireless shifter, which sends shifting instructions to a control module on top of the front derailleur. Since both derailleurs are physically connected to a battery mounted on the seat tube, this groupset is referred to as semi-wireless rather than fully wireless.

In keeping with the existing well-received ergonomics, the shifter bodies, twisted brake levers, and shift buttons have changed little in appearance, except for more subtle graphics. Disc calipers are similar, and the shifter inherits a compact master cylinder, composite lever blade reach adjustment, top-mounted bleed port, and a CR2032 coin-cell battery-operated wireless transmitter.

The shifter and caliper, including brake hose and oil, weigh 405 g, 33 g, and 47 g, respectively, heavier than the company claims for the right and left shifters of the 11-speed WE disc. The weights of the new calipers do not include brake pads, whereas the previous weights did.

The new rear derailleur appears to differ from the 11-speed version only in finish and weight, with new stealth graphics and 24 g of additional weight. With a maximum capacity of 32 tons, the FSA composite pulleys reduce weight by grams and presumably eliminate the return spring, making the rear derailleur act more like a robotic arm than a conventional parallelogram-shaped rear mech.

The front derailleur remains the brains of the operation in that it receives wireless signals from the shifter and controls the entire shifting element of the system.

It fits standard braze-on mountings, maintains auto-trimming capabilities, and has a claimed shifting time of 70 milliseconds, a change from the maximum chainring capacity of 16 teeth on 11-speed versions and 16 to 19 teeth on 12-speed models. The tall, oversized body looks the same except for the discreet "12" graphics, but the steel cage has been refined and the obvious screws in the rear end are no longer visible. The weight has been reduced from 162 g to 159 g.

Mated to the new WE 12-speed groupset is FSA's K-Force Team Edition BB386 Evo crankset. More aesthetically pleasing than the previous K-Force crankset, it features hollow 3K carbon fiber composite cranks and integrated direct mount CNC AL7075 chainrings.

FSA claims that the black anodized and bead-blasted chainrings are compatible with 11- and 12-speed Shimano, SRAM, and FSA drivetrains The BB386EVO axles are made of 30 mm diameter alloy and are compatible with various FSA bottom brackets wide compatibility.

Available crank lengths are 165mm, 167.5mm, 170mm, 172.5mm, and 175mm, with chainring combinations of 54/40, 50/34, and 46/30. 54/40 rings weigh 544g.

FSA's K-Force WE The single biggest visual change in the groupset is the addition of sprockets. The cassette still consists of a one-piece cast heat-treated carrier, and the largest sprocket is now electroless nickel plated. The smaller sprockets are made of titanium, and the cassettes are available in 11-25, 11-28, and 11-32 sizes. FSA lists the new 11-32 12-speed cassette as weighing 195 g, significantly lighter than the previous 11-speed 11-28 cassette, which weighed 257 g.

The new K-Force chain is a 114-link chain with a 5.6 mm wide, nickel-plated finish and hollow pins.

The K-Force chain is quieter and more efficient according to FSA, with hollow pins, 5.6mm wide, nickel-plated finish, and a 116-link chain weighing 250g compared to 246g for the previous 114-link chain.

K-Force WE rotors are a two-piece rotor design with forged aluminum carriers, polished stainless steel rings, and rounded edges, compatible with center-lock or 6-bolt hubs, and available in 160mm or 140mm diameters Weights range from 100g for 140mm and 160 mm from 120 g to 103 g and 125 g, respectively, a slight increase.

Otherwise, an 1100mAh battery built into the seat tube powers both derailleurs via linked wires, which should equal or improve usage time between charges. The original WE system had to be switched on via a button on the front derailleur before use and would go into standby mode after a certain period of inactivity. Charging was previously done by replacing the wires on the front derailleur with a charger. There appears to be no change to the battery and wiring, but there is currently no information on this process or the expected life of the battery.

Also announced today, FSA's new power meter is based on a cold forged AL6061/T6 aluminum crankset, with MegaExo 24mm or BB386 EVO axles; chainrings are pressed in AL7075 aluminum; Shimano, SRAM, and FSA drivetrains, with a wide variety of 10, 11, and 12-speed options available, but FSA says it is optimized for 11 and 12 speeds. [Crank lengths range from 145mm to 175mm in 5mm increments except 167.5mm and 172.5mm. Polished anodized black, weight is 46/30, 793g in 170mm configuration.

The power measurement system is truly international, using strain gauges made in Japan and calibrated with a German torque sensor. It has virtual left-right balance, Zwift compatibility via BLE 5.0, ANT communication, IPX7 waterproofing, and automatic temperature compensation. The battery life of the power meter is estimated at 450 hours on a single CR2450 coin cell battery, with an accuracy of ±1%. With all this, the expected retail price is only €385.

The new FSA System (E-System) is a rear hub electric assist motor with a total potential of 504wH, plus an integrated on-bike control unit and smartphone app. The FSA focuses on flexibility and integration, with a 252Wh battery designed for down tube mounting and an additional 252Wh battery that can be mounted in the bottle cage to double the range. A button on the top tube controls the system, and the charging port is located directly above the bottom bracket shell.

The battery drives a 43Nm hub motor, which FSA chose because it can be mounted on almost any frame regardless of size. It weighs 2.4 kg and is said to be very low friction at speeds above 25 km/h. It has a quick-response integrated torque sensor, remote dealer diagnostics, and FSA claims excellent water resistance, long bearing life, and easy maintenance. There are five levels of assistance, and the FSA app, compatible with iOS and Android devices, allows riders to record ride data, view battery status, and use turn-by-turn GPS navigation.

The hub motor shuts off at speeds above 25 km/h, or 32 km/h in the U.S., allowing the rider to continue pedaling with minimal residual friction, providing a natural ride feel FSA's E-System is also compatible with Garmin's E-bike Remote, Garmin Edge, and a possible third option connected to ANT+, in addition to remotely controlling the bike's assistance functions.