Shimano Mountain Bike Groupsets

Shimano Mountain Bike Groupsets

www.blueskycycling.com

   The drivetrain of your mountain bike is a fairly small section of your bike, yet it is made up of the most hardworking components on your bike. For example, when you are climbing long rocky hills with your mountain bike, you are forced to keep shifting from gear to gear trying to keep a constant cadence. You grind over the long sections of grit, mud and sand, or on the snow, wheezing down the rock gardens towards your finish line, hoping and jumping over abrupt logs and roots on your cross country trail. All these translate to pressure and stresses on your bike which in turn leads to wear and tear. The components of the drivetrain are the ones that you will most likely replace more often.

Since there are several different types of groupsets available for your mountain bike, it can be very difficult to choose the correct set to use when replacing or upgrading your mountain bike. This article takes a closer look at the lineup of Shimano’s drivetrain group sets starting with the Deore groupset, the Shimano SLX groupset, the Shimano Deore XT groupset, the Shimano Zee groupset, the Shimano Saint groupset, the Shimano XT Di2 groupset, and the Shimano XTR groupset, with the aim of helping you identify the correct set for your mountain bike and your riding style.

Shimano Deore groupset

Although the Shimano Deore groupset may seem to be obsolete, it is still one of the best groupsets offered by Shimano. It may be perceived as an unsung icon in the mountain biking componentry. Nevertheless, the fact is that it mixes the right balance in performance and reliability. What you may not know is that over the years, Shimano has been tweaking and refining the Deore groupset until now it boasts of many of the features found in Shimano’s top models. In general, the Deore groupset is still the ideal choice for an entry level mountain bike trail riding.  

Shimano SLX groupset

The Shimano SLX groupset is a relatively new addition to the Shimano’s set of family. It is a universal group of components that you can easily tailor to your own riding style and preferences. The Shimano SLX groupset shifts smoothly and is long lasting. It is composed of Shimano’s high-quality components featuring the Shimano Shadow+ rear derailleur, the Shimano RapidFire plus shifter, and the Shimano Ice Technology disc brakes. All these accrue to the exceptional performance witnessed in this group set, not forgetting that all these come at a wallet-friendly price

Shimano Deore XT groupset

A whole new level of performance and reliability comes with the Shimano Deore XT groupset. Its components are lighter in weight and have high performances. The Shimano XT derives its features from a trickle of features from high-end models. Regardless of whether you are a cross-country cyclist, a trail rider, or you mix different riding styles, the Shimano Deore XT excels in providing you with crispier shifting, transfer, general refinement, and increased power.

Shimano Zee groupset

One of the latest groupsets by Shimano is the Shimano Zee groupset which is carefully engineered to meet the need of gravity riders who are usually on the lookout for the next big jump, and drop off. The components of this groupset have been meticulously tried, tested and designed to meet the riding needs of mostly the freeride and downhill riding styles. It is a mix of high technology, reliability, top value, and a fair price.

Shimano Saint groupset

The Shimano Saint groupset is manufactured in such a way that it is able to take that extra harsh treatment, and abuse. Surprisingly, it is still light enough. The Shimano Saint groupset  is manufactured with the top end downhill professional in mind. The rider can easily forget all about gentleness to the bike and concentrate on the technical aspects of the ride.

Shimano XT Di2 groupset

The cross-country and enduro riders have also not been forgotten. The Shimano XTDi groupset is specially designed and manufactured for them. This groupset blends high performance with seamless shifting and brings them to a new level. Their price is affordable and accessible.

Shimano XTR groupset

     Top of the list is the Shimano’s XTR groupset which is a collection of Shimano’s top cream components. Using this groupset, numerous high-speed racers and have won uncountable races and championships.  It is light in weight, yet strong and adorn with the latest technology which makes it crisp, efficient, and reliable.

Although the latest and the greatest mountain bike products and components catch the attention and stimulate conversations and debates about them, this need not mean that the earlier versions of the same products and components are rendered useless. We have taken a look at the major groupsets offered by Shimano such as the Deore groupset, the Shimano SLX groupset, the Shimano Deore XT groupset, the Shimano Zee groupset, the Shimano Saint groupset, the Shimano XT Di2 groupset, the Shimano XTR groupset. The Deore may not be celebrated much, but it is still a great way of starting mountain biking. While the SLX can easily be tailored to match your riding style and preferences, the Deore XT features characteristics of other high-end models. The Zee and the Saint are crafted to meet the needs of freeride cyclists and withstand harsh treatment respectively. The Shimano XT Di2 is best suited for high-speed cross-country cyclist, and the XTR groupset being a careful collection of the best of Shimano’s components. 

Blue Sky Cycling

2530 Randolph St.

Huntington Park, Ca 90255

(323) 585-3934

https://www.blueskycycling.com

info@blueskycycling.com