In Gear

[halfmedley]

More bike than ebike this one: Does anyone know of the relative merits of the various Shimano derailleurs? I mean, given the price differences, what benefits does, for example, a Deore offer over an Alivio? Or, maybe more pertinently, an Alivio over an Acera?

 

[john]

More bike than ebike this one: Does anyone know of the relative merits of the various Shimano derailleurs? I mean, given the price differences, what benefits does, for example, a Deore offer over an Alivio? Or, maybe more pertinently, an Alivio over an Acera?

That's a good question, and one I've been wondering for some time. I know that if you pay more you get lighter weight but I'm more concerned about durability and I wonder if that goes down. I know the bottom end ones are a bit clunky and flimsy, but which one give most miles/£ ? I've not been able to work that out yet.

 

[flecc]

There are differences in quality of manufacture, design strength and style.

At the bottom end their basic SIS and Cadet ranges are rather crudely stamped out and finished, and as the ranges improve the implementation and finish gets better all the time. As ever though, the slope of price increase is much steeper than the slope of gain, the usual law of diminishing returns on expenditure.

Many of their design differences are common though, the low rise sprocket teeth profile to give slick changes are common to all ranges. Strengths aren't common throughout though, and obvious example being in their multi sprocket freewheels, the Cadets having only the inboard bearing and being the weaker for that, the HG50 freewheel having an additional outboard bearing.
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