Shimano Gear Ranking

SpannerMonkey

sorry i know this question has prob been asked before and its a total noob question , but i cant find any posts on it:o and im finding it a bit confusing

what is the ranking of shimano gears from worst to best on road and mountain bikes ??

Joey Joe-Joe Jr

Road is from bottom -

2300
Sora
Tiagra
105
Ultegra
Dura ace

Roger Hassenforder

campag< SRAM<Shimano


I'll get me coat

Sarz91

MTB:

LEVEL 1 (entry level)
SIS-5 speed/6 speed/7 speed.
ALTUS-7 speed.
ACERA-7 speed/8 speed.
The above (3) are mainly used on bikes that are used on weekends,bike path riding and some commuting bikes.

LEVEL 2
ALIVO-7 speed/8 speed.
DEORE-9 speed.
These (2) are used a lot by people who commute most days as well as for bikes which are ridden on weekends. This componentry is suitable for off road use and is generally a good starting point for racing components.
LEVEL 3
DEORE LX-9 speed.
LX is a very good quality component which is well weighted and designed. LX is mainly used for serious recreation and racing. As well as for those people who want a very stable and strong commuting bike.

LEVEL 4
DEORE XT-9 speed.
XT is once again a very smooth and reliable group set, used on many racebikes as well as top end town bikes. XT is remarkably strong and very durable as well as being a delight to use.2004 saw a big change in LX when the hollow tech 2 crank set was introduced, as well as the introduction of the rapid shift levers

LEVEL 5
DEORE XTR-9 speed.
XTR is predominately used on top end race bikes. It is very light and smooth, however it does require some maintenance as it is such a precision made component.XTR also has the Hollow tech 2 crank set with an awesome disc brake and wheel set being available.
The above groupsets are how the bicycle industry group the qualities of parts, meaning the parts on the bike such as gears, brakes, hubs, cranks etc., to a bike. For example a bicycle with an Alloy frame and ALIVO components will vary in price from $500-$700 depending on the other components such as rims, handle bars, seats and forks.

ROAD BIKE PARTS.

LEVEL 1 (entry level)
SIS.
SORA.
SIS is not found on many road bikes now. However Sora is extremely popular. Many general commuting and entry level road bikes will be Sora equipped. Sora has STI levers and a very reliable gear and braking system, without being too pricey. Sora is a 8 speed group set and will come on bicyles ranged between $700-$1200.

LEVEL 2
Tiagra.
Tiagra is the first road group set that is 9 speed. Tiagra is used a lot by road cyclists that want the reliablity and smoothness of 9 speed without the price tag.

LEVEL 3
105.
This is a very commonly used component set a lot of top road bikes and training bikes will be equipped with 105 as it is exceptionally smooth in its changes and a very durable and reliable group set. 105 is also a 9 speed group set and its body predominantly made of alloy, thus making it very light. People who want good stuff that will last this is it.

LEVEL 4
ULTEGRA.
Once again used a lot for top end racing. Not often used for training bikes, however it is durable enough to do so. Very smooth and very light on its actions. This means changes with little effort.

LEVEL 5
DURA ACE.
The top of the line. Fairly expensive for the general rider.Dura Ace has been converted into a 10 speed system, with massive changes to the levers and crank sets, both so much smoother and lighter to use.

It's old but it gives you an idea. I'd save money and get some Campag instead.

Chips Lovell

Sora's 9 speed now.

Sarz91

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Sora's 9 speed now.

What part of old was misunderstood? I know Sora is 9 speed. Dura Ace is 11 speed not 10 speed. Its a general idea on each components purpose. Thank you for the oh so helpful input.

smacl

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Sora's 9 speed now.

Mistakes happen when you cut&paste old articles...

Sora is a 8 speed group set and will come on bicyles ranged between $700-$1200.

And we don't use Australian dollars in this neck of the woods either :rolleyes:

Roger Hassenforder

@Sarz91: Thats a tad rude.

wouldnt touch campag

youtheman

Went from Alu bike with Triple Tiagra to Carbon bike with Sram Red Compact. What a difference!. I love the SRAM 'Double Tap', would never go back to the Shimano crap again!.

smacl

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

wouldnt touch campag

I find it fine, but then it's all I'm used to. Only downside is when buying spares, the default is usually Shimano, so the range is often better and prices slightly lower. (e.g. wheels, cassettes, etc...). I'd bet interested in trying SRAM to see how I got on with the double tap thing.

AstraMonti

Roger Hassenforder wrote: »

wouldnt touch campag

that's why Tullio spins around his grave. Roger Hassenforder wouldn't touch campag.

langdang

MTB stuff is hard to follow, with some groupsets on a kinda parallel branch eg SLX (formerly Hone? is it LX or Deore equivalent?) and Saint.

Lumen

youtheman wrote: »

Went from Alu bike with Triple Tiagra to Carbon bike with Sram Red Compact. What a difference!. I love the SRAM 'Double Tap', would never go back to the Shimano crap again!.

Whatever about personal preferences, Shimano isn't crap.

Sarz91

smacl wrote: »

Mistakes happen when you cut&paste old articles...



And we don't use Australian dollars in this neck of the woods either :rolleyes:

Ok. I just won't bother trying to help someone out next time. It's kind of annoying that you'd rather make fun of someone who actually went out of his way to answer a question than try help out in any way, shape or form. I wasn't about to sit down and edit the entire article when it gives a decent description of each groupset. Good job.

ednwireland

youtheman wrote: »

Went from Alu bike with Triple Tiagra to Carbon bike with Sram Red Compact. What a difference!. I love the SRAM 'Double Tap', would never go back to the Shimano crap again!.

wow another " i jumped from low end in one manufacturer to high end in another and its better story "

Chips Lovell

Please, spare me the tantrums.

You posted out of date information. Yes, you said it was out of date but didn't say what bits were. I corrected one inaccuracy, for the OP's benefit, not to make fun of you.

I like the way you edited your post to make it more abusive. Just in case I didn't get the message the first time.

Sarz91

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Please, spare me the tantrums.

You posted out of date information. Yes, you said it was out of date but didn't say what bits were. I corrected one inaccuracy, for the OP's benefit, not to make fun of you.

I like the way you edited your post to make it more abusive. Just in case I didn't get the message the first time.

I never said YOU were making fun of anyone. How is "Thank you for the oh so helpful input" abusive?

Road: From worst to best.

2200
2300
Sora
Tiagra
105
Ultegra 6700
Ultegra Di2
Dura Ace

MTB: Worst to best.

Alivio 9-speed
Deore
SLX
SLX with Dyna-sys
Deore XT
ZEE
Saint
XTR

Cyclocross:

CX70

petethedrummer

My lower end groupset was giving me awful trouble; random gear changes, chain slipping, grinding noise from the front derailler. And yeah I never cleaned it or tuned it properly but never mind that. I bought a more expensive groupset and BOOM it was like night and day. Would never go back.

langdang

ZEE???
Ah FFS, they've lost the run of themselves in the MTB groupsets altogether.

ednwireland

petethedrummer wrote: »

My lower end groupset was giving me awful trouble; random gear changes, chain slipping, grinding noise from the front derailler. And yeah I never cleaned it or tuned it properly but never mind that. I bought a more expensive groupset and BOOM it was like night and day. Would never go back.

7 speed sora on my commuter rarely any problems

oh yeh that one slipped through the net

langdang

ednwireland wrote: »

7 speed sora on my commuter rarely any problems

REboot your sarcasm detector . Unless you were being sarcastic there, in which case I need to upgrade my sarcasm detector to XTR maybe...

Seweryn

smacl wrote: »

I'd bet interested in trying SRAM to see how I got on with the double tap thing.

No comparison, Sram wins in my eyes by a huge margin. And I tried both - Shimano and Sram.

Every single detail in the comparable Sram groupset is designed beter, works better, looks better (like higher quality stuff and so it is) and feels much better when it comes to using it. I especially like the Double Tap shifters.

petethedrummer

langdang wrote: »

REboot your sarcasm detector . Unless you were being sarcastic there, in which case I need to upgrade my sarcasm detector to XTR maybe...

I think Ed got my point.

Seweryn

youtheman wrote: »

Went from Alu bike with Triple Tiagra to Carbon bike with Sram Red Compact. What a difference!. I love the SRAM 'Double Tap', would never go back to the Shimano crap again!.

That is not really a valid point. You need to compare it like with like, i.e. Shimano 105 with Sram Rival or Dura-Ace with Red. Otherwise you get into conclusion like you did...

petethedrummer

Seweryn wrote: »

No comparison, Sram wins in my eyes by a huge margin. And I tried both - Shimano and Sram.

Every single detail in the comparable Sram groupset is designed beter, works better, looks better (like higher quality stuff and so it is) and feels much better when it comes to using it. I especially like the Double Tap shifters.

I'd be too afraid of lassoing a passerby with the rear derailler cable to switch to SRAM.

langdang

petethedrummer wrote: »

I think Ed got my point.

Ah yes, I see what he did there. I think. I'll get me coat.

ashleey

petethedrummer wrote: »

I'd be too afraid of lassoing a passerby with the rear derailler cable to switch to SRAM.

I now know what you mean. I've just built up a bike with SRAM rival ( as I prefer SRAM double tap to shimano and swinging the brake lever inwards). The rear cable has to enter the derailleur straight or indexing is messed up. Tricky but rewarding in setting it all up. Shimano is less sensitive.

Seweryn

ashleey wrote: »

The rear cable has to enter the derailleur straight or indexing is messed up. Tricky but rewarding in setting it all up.

Hmm, that is interesting, didn't know that. I never had any issues with that and after approx. 14,000km covered, my cable or the rear Derailleur never needed any attention or adjustments, although the groupset was once moved from one bike to another completly with the old cables and all setup.

ednwireland

Seweryn wrote: »

Hmm, that is interesting, didn't know that. I never had any issues with that and after approx. 14,000km covered, my cable or the rear Derailleur never needed any attention or adjustments, although the groupset was once moved from one bike to another completly with the old cables and all setup.

knew a rider from a certain pro team with irish riders on it who got his bike from the team and the mechanic couldnt get the gears right- until the guy in our local shop put a big loop on the gear cable !

ashleey

Once set up firstly it should be perfect. It's the initial set up that can be tricky. Any stick of cable in housings anywhere along the length can be a problem. Loads of people blame the SRAM cables and just put different ones in. Even though the SRAM ones come pre installed in the shifters. I'm starting with the SRAM ones and see how I get on. You also need to fiddle with the indexing for the first week or so due to 'bedding in'. Must be due to the 'exact actuation'!

AstraMonti

Next thing we 'll hear in this thread is that Sram front shifting works perfectly :pac:

DirkVoodoo

ashleey wrote: »

Must be due to the 'exact actuation'!

I think if anything, 1:1 actuation should mean it is less likely to suffer the effects of cable stretch.

I had Shimano 105 there for the last few months, seemed to require constant adjusting. Internally routed cables are a pain in the backside too.

ashleey

I have put SRAM rival on a ribble evo pro carbon frame so luckily no internal cable routing. It's set up fine now but I had a heart attack when I cut the rear gear cable to length without fully testing and retesting the shifting. Luckily I got away with it but it's definitely more sensitive to set up than shimano tiagra. Still, that's the 'fun' in building up your own bike from bits.

Idleater

AstraMonti wrote: »

Next thing we 'll hear in this thread is that Sram front shifting works perfectly :pac:

It does, it just doesn't trim the best at the small/small combination

As an aside, I was chatting to a fellow commuter the other day, who was commuting a Storck with the new Red.

The new brakes look nice, the front mech is lovely, wasn't gone on the new cranks but they are a lot nicer than the new Duraace and the rear mech and shifters are just a little chunkier.

Darkglasses

Idleater wrote: »

It does, it just doesn't trim the best at the small/small combination

As an aside, I was chatting to a fellow commuter the other day, who was commuting a Storck with the new Red.

The new brakes look nice, the front mech is lovely, wasn't gone on the new cranks but they are a lot nicer than the new Duraace and the rear mech and shifters are just a little chunkier.

That's an absurdly fancy commuter bike :eek:

Seweryn

Darkglasses wrote: »

That's an absurdly fancy commuter bike :eek:

I can't see much wrong with that to be honest. I know more people that wasted their money by buying an awfully expensive car just to get to work every day.

smacl

ashleey wrote: »

I have put SRAM rival on a ribble evo pro carbon frame so luckily no internal cable routing. It's set up fine now but I had a heart attack when I cut the rear gear cable to length without fully testing and retesting the shifting. Luckily I got away with it but it's definitely more sensitive to set up than shimano tiagra. Still, that's the 'fun' in building up your own bike from bits.

Pictures and write up please. Still thinking of getting this frame myself. Have you had it out on the road yet?

ashleey

Just waiting to put the brake on. Will put a write up together. The black finish looks good and hopefully should finish it this week. Just off to get soaked in the Get Back cycle from UL. Planning to stay upright. Bringing down Greg Lemond in the rain could be embarrassing.

Raam

Does anyone know the source of inspiration for groupset names?