Shimano Alivio Vs 2300? MTB Vs Triban 3

♠ChumBucket♠

Hi all.

I'm currently riding my Ridgeback MX6 mountain bike on the road (with appropriate tyres). I'm considering just going & getting a Btwin triban 3 for £300 smackers.

My question is- how do my Alivio gears compare with the 2300 that are on the Triban?

Are they similar, better, worse etc? I'm satisfied with the Alivio but would be hesitant to go down in quality I think.

P.s.- I've never even rode a road bike, I don't even know where the gear shifters are located on one!!

karlth

Hard to compare. The Triban has Shimano with Sora shifters - they're on the brake levers - push the brake lever in to go to a bigger cog, press the little lever on the hood to go to a smaller cog. The main thing you'll notice is how much higher a low gear of 30x25 is than the 22x32 you're used to. And that 30x25 is considered very low in road circles...

♠ChumBucket♠

Thanks.

I never use the smallest chain ring & very rarely use the middle one either.

karlth

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

Thanks.

I never use the smallest chain ring & very rarely use the middle one either.

You're about to start. The rings on the Triban are 50/39/30 and the cassette only goes up to 25. You can readily hit 18-19mph before needing to go onto the large ring, and you may need the small one when the hills get steep and you're creeping up at <6mph.

♠ChumBucket♠

I don't even know the gears on my bike! :oops:

Don't know what size any of the cogs are, I just get on & peddle!! :P

I would think I'd be OK if the triban has 3 front rings?

karlth

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

I don't even know the gears on my bike! :oops:

Don't know what size any of the cogs are, I just get on & peddle!! :P

I would think I'd be OK if the triban has 3 front rings?

If you're getting by with large and a bit of middle at the moment, you should be fine. Just be aware they're higher across the range.

night_porter

To answer your question Alivio and 2300 are both 8 speed groupsets made by Shimano and are of similar quality.

To put it simply you push the lever and the gear changes to the one you want, you can't really ask for more than that now can you?

♠ChumBucket♠

night_porter wrote:

To answer your question Alivio and 2300 are both 8 speed groupsets made by Shimano and are of similar quality.

To put it simply you push the lever and the gear changes to the one you want, you can't really ask for more than that now can you?

Mine's 9 speed.

night_porter

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

night_porter wrote:

To answer your question Alivio and 2300 are both 8 speed groupsets made by Shimano and are of similar quality.

To put it simply you push the lever and the gear changes to the one you want, you can't really ask for more than that now can you?

Mine's 9 speed.

So yours is a newer groupset, if you want to keep to 9 speed then Sora is what you are looking for.

Shimano change their groupsets most years and "shunt" them to the next one up each time, it's just a way of charging more for the new season.

♠ChumBucket♠

night_porter wrote:

♠ChumBucket♠ wrote:

night_porter wrote:

To answer your question Alivio and 2300 are both 8 speed groupsets made by Shimano and are of similar quality.

To put it simply you push the lever and the gear changes to the one you want, you can't really ask for more than that now can you?

Mine's 9 speed.

So yours is a newer groupset, if you want to keep to 9 speed then Sora is what you are looking for.

Shimano change their groupsets most years and "shunt" them to the next one up each time, it's just a way of charging more for the new season.

Thanks for the info I'm happy if they are of simlar quality.

simon_masterson

I really wouldn't worry. A bicycle transmission is a very basic thing, and it works more by the quality of maintenance than by how expensive it is (which also pays for it to be lighter; a concern you needn't dwell on). To be perfectly honest I would be most concerned with how comfortable you find the shifters - there are variations between 'brifter' designs, and some people get on with some better than others - and I'd worry about that after I'd decided that I liked the bike.

♠ChumBucket♠

Simon Masterson wrote:

I really wouldn't worry. A bicycle transmission is a very basic thing, and it works more by the quality of maintenance than by how expensive it is (which also pays for it to be lighter; a concern you needn't dwell on). To be perfectly honest I would be most concerned with how comfortable you find the shifters - there are variations between 'brifter' designs, and some people get on with some better than others - and I'd worry about that after I'd decided that I liked the bike.

Thanks Simon

I need to go to some bike shops I think & have a good fiddle about & sit on some different bikes etc. The rapid-fire shifters on my mtb work brilliantly.