Group Sets

nigeve
nigeve Posts: 82
edited August 2009 in Commuting chat
Guys, this might sound a bit tedious but would really help me out… In the old days when I rode mountain bikes you had…
Shimano LX,
DX
and XT (correct me if I’m wrong).
That was the order of bestness (made up word). Having just returned to cycling I was wondering what the new hierarchy for group sets was..? This would help me when choosing my next bike. In my dream world I buy a frame and group set separately and wouldn’t buy Shimano, but it’s a useful benchmark (and I don’t live in my dream world…lol)
And I'll be buying a road bike...
Many thanks
Why are you laughing..? I'm not laughing...

14 year old Rocky Mountain Hammer S, still going strong, now on slicks...

Comments

  • Jamey
    Jamey Posts: 2,152
    Look here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimano
    Road bicycle groupsets

    For 2009, road bicycle groupsets include:

    * Dura-Ace 7900 (10 speed)
    * Dura-Ace Track
    * Ultegra SL (10 speed)
    * Ultegra (10 speed)
    * 105 (10 speed)
    * Tiagra (9 speed)
    * Sora (9 speed)
    * 2200 (8 speed)

    [edit] Mountain bike groupsets

    Current mountain bike groupsets include:

    Cross country component

    * XTR (9 speed) - Top of the range for cross-country mountain bikes
    * Deore XT (9 speed)
    * SLX (9 speed) New in 2008, replaces Hone and LX
    * Deore (9 speed) Entry level cross-country mountain bikes

    Downhill/Freeride component

    * Saint (9 speed) - Top of the range for downhill and freeride bikes, and many components are based on the XT groupset
    * Hone (9 speed) - discontinued in 2008, replaced with SLX

    Recreational mountain bikes component

    * Alivio (8 speed)
    * Acera (8 speed)
    * Altus (8 speed)
    * Tourney (7 speed) - Includes several different levels of quality, and can be found on department-store bicycles

    [edit] Other groupsets

    Other current groupsets include:

    * Capreo - This is a groupset designed for small wheeled bikes such as folders and features a cassette with a 9-tooth sprocket
    * Nexave - This consists of several sub-groupsets designed for comfort and commuting bikes some of which feature internal hub gears and roller brakes.
    * DXR - Performance BMX racing component
    * STX - Mountain bike groupset - between Deore and Altus/Acera/Alivio groups. For a limited time mid 1990s.
    * Deore LX, formerly MTB groupset, now is designed for cross country and trekking.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Rooad Bike Groupsets - in order of 'bestness', from Shimano (worstest to bestest):

    2200
    Sora
    Tiagra
    105
    Ultegra 6700
    Ultegra SL
    Dura Ace
    Dura Ace Di2 (electronic shifting).


    Sram:

    Rival
    Force
    Red


    Campag:

    Veloce
    Centaur
    Chorus
    Record
    Super Record


    A lot of bikes will mix and match a few bits from different groupsets (e.g. You might get some Ultegra bits and 105 bits on the same bike), but a top-end groupset (Dura Ace) is usually ALL Dura Ace.

    As for which is best between the different manufacturers - that's a personal preference and a long-standing debate between all roadies.
  • nigeve
    nigeve Posts: 82
    Jamey, that was an impressively quick and thorough answer… Much appreciated…
    When it says Dura-Ace 7900 (10 speed) am I right in thinking it has 10 cogs then you fit one or two rings on your front crank set to give you 10 or 20 gear choices…?
    Why are you laughing..? I'm not laughing...

    14 year old Rocky Mountain Hammer S, still going strong, now on slicks...
  • nigeve
    nigeve Posts: 82
    Pokerface, thanks for your quick and equally thorough answer as well :)
    Why are you laughing..? I'm not laughing...

    14 year old Rocky Mountain Hammer S, still going strong, now on slicks...
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    nigeve wrote:
    Jamey, that was an impressively quick and thorough answer… Much appreciated…
    When it says Dura-Ace 7900 (10 speed) am I right in thinking it has 10 cogs then you fit one or two rings on your front crank set to give you 10 or 20 gear choices…?
    Correct.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    nigeve wrote:
    Jamey, that was an impressively quick and thorough answer… Much appreciated…
    When it says Dura-Ace 7900 (10 speed) am I right in thinking it has 10 cogs then you fit one or two rings on your front crank set to give you 10 or 20 gear choices…?

    In theory you can fit ONE ring on the front - but standard choice is 2 or 3 rings on the front. For standard road bikes - it is 2 rings on the front. Then you have a choice of regular (or double) gearing, and compact. Compact usually is 50-34 for the 2 rings and a regular double is 53-39.

    The compact gearing will make it easier going up hills. Big hills.


    And Campagnolo even do an 11-speed (Super Record) set, effectively giving you 22 speeds!
  • 22? 20, really, just as a 20 speed gives you 18 in reality.

    Running the chain crossed - on the small rings at the front and back, or the large rings front and back - will increase chain and chainset wear a lot, and is not recommended.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

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  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    Greg66 wrote:
    22? 20, really, just as a 20 speed gives you 18 in reality.

    Running the chain crossed - on the small rings at the front and back, or the large rings front and back - will increase chain and chainset wear a lot, and is not recommended.

    yeah but it makes a pretty noise :D
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
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  • gb155
    gb155 Posts: 2,048
    prawny wrote:
    Greg66 wrote:
    22? 20, really, just as a 20 speed gives you 18 in reality.

    Running the chain crossed - on the small rings at the front and back, or the large rings front and back - will increase chain and chainset wear a lot, and is not recommended.

    yeah but it makes a pretty noise :D

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