Shimano Groupset Buying Guide
This post looks at Shimano Mountain Bike Groupsets, which exclude downhill groupsets. These groupsets have been excluded from this article, as they provide downhill performance, not cross-country performance! We look at the groupsets Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore, SLX, Deore XT and XTR - all manufactured by Shimano.
Shimano Altus
The Shimano Altus is the groupset found on entry-level mountain bikes. This group set provides reliable performance. It’s made from Steel, so it’s not a lightweight groupset by any stretch! No weight-saving tech is found within it, and there’s also no corrosion resistance. It’s available with a 2x or 3x crankset and a nine-speed cassette.
Shimano Acera
Unusually, Acera is pitched at the teenage mountain biker. It’s stated that it can stand up to ‘teenage trail riding’ and performs with only minimal maintenance required. This means that it should not break, and if it does - it should be easy enough to repair. The Acera is lighter than the Altus, using a hollow axle. There’s also a wider variety of materials used within this groupset.
Shimano Alivio
The Shimano Alivio groupset raises the bar compared to the previous models. It provides crisper shifts compared to the Acera and the Altus. There’s a 9-speed, 2x or 3x drivetrain. The steel cassette options range from 11-28t to 11-36t, and all use Hyperglide technology to maximise the smoothness of the shifts.
Shimano Deore
The Deore represents a good step up compared to the previous groupsets. The Deore is fitted to decent-level mountain bikes and is split between a Deore M6000 and the Deore M6100. The M6000 is only available with 2 or 3 x groups and uses Hollowtech II technology, providing significant weight savings over other versions. Other design features include a bottom bracket integrated with the right crank arm - providing increased stiffness levels and better power transfer. The cassette is constructed from steel and has a rear derailleur clutch that can be turned off and on.
The M6100 provides a 12-speed 1 x groupset. It’s also available in 1x11 and 1x10. The 12-speed cassette is made from steel and uses Hyperglide+ technology, providing smooth shifting. M6100 is also fitted with Rapidfire plus and 2-way release, trickle-down technology, meaning high specification technology is fitted to cheaper models.
Shimano SLX
The Shimano SLX is found across mid-range mountain bikes. It’s lighter than the Deore groupset and uses an alloy cassette. The SLX has many variants, with 1x12 or 2x12 options. There’s also a 36-26t chainring, which can be fitted with either a 10-45t cassette or a 12-speed 10-51t cassette. The chainring uses Shimano’s Dynamic Chain Engagement which helps keep the chain in place across uneven terrain. There’s plenty of customisation available, allowing the rider to tweak this groupset to their requirements.
Shimano Deore XT
The Deore XT is very similar to the SLX - but it’s lighter, with 18g of savings. It’s very similar to the SLX, so the main upgrade here is the weight savings. Although many riders have reported smoother gear changes, the Deore XT required the Shimano Micro Spline Freehub - which is required if you are to switch. The Deore XT can also work with the Di2 electronic groupset.
Shimano XTR
The XTR is the flagship groupset and one of the best groupsets you can purchase for mountain bikes. It’s very similar to the XT - with an extra R, which stands for racing. This groupset has been lightened over the XT, without losing any of the reliability or feeling of the gear changes. The cranks are two pieces of alloy, that are bonded together. The chain is directional and also has a slight curve within it to ensure that the teeth of the cassette are engaged properly. There’s a shifter which provides 20% quicker changes. You can double upshift, and riders can shift with their index finger or thumb. The XTR is compatible with the Di2 electronic shifting system, but only in the 11-speed version.