FSA K-Force WE 12s review: Can FSA finally take it to the ‘big three’?

Anyone looking for the best road bike groupset will have options from Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo in mind. For most people, that’s it. The consumer perception is that those are the only brands that have the distribution and resources to offer a product worth considering.

Those names aren’t the only choices that exist though. There is actually a rich tapestry of options if you look. Small boutique bike builders, and discerning customers, could consider something from Ingrid or Rene Herse. Neither brand is ever going to be a mainstream option but both offer beautiful and totally unique products. Alternatively, if you prefer to go a little more mainstream but still stick to something unusual, you might find yourself looking at Rotor. While still very small, Rotor is larger and the brand has spent a few years refining and reinventing the groupset that claims the title of “world’s first 13-speed groupset.” Still, none of these options are ever going to challenge the big three and that leaves an open question. Is there a brand that has what it takes to make a real dent in the upper echelons of cycling groupsets?

FSA would like to answer that question with a resounding yes. Unlike the smaller brands discussed above, FSA has the infrastructure and distribution that it takes to deliver a full groupset at scale. Do they have the product though? I took the brand new FSA K-Force WE 12s groupset on an adventure through central California to answer that. Keep reading to learn about the details and see what it feels like to actually ride the latest offering from FSA.

Design and aesthetics