Microshift groupsets

[thelawnet]

Microshift have had a bit of attention on here for their use on various 'good value' bikes.

They appear to have a half decent website.

They offer:

Cassettes
8sp all-steel non-spider 11-32, 12-32, 11-34, 12-42
9sp 11-32, 11-34, 11-36, 11-42 (steel), 11-42 (steel with alu 42t cog)
10sp 11-32, 11-34, 11-36 (steel), 11-40, 11-42 (steel with aluminium 40/42 cog, also available in black)
10sp with alloy spider for 5 large cogs 11-36 (steel), 11-40, 11-42 (steel with aluminium 40/42 cog)
11sp 11-40, 11-42, 11-46 (steel for smaller cogs, 40, 42, 46 in Alu)
11sp with alloy spider for 5 large cogs 11-40, 11-42- 46 (steel for smaller cogs 40t+ in alu)

Mezzo is an Altus style 3x8 (or possible 3x6 or 3x7 using their other levers). The shift levers appear to be designed to ape the clunkier ezfire rather than rapidfire.

Marvo LT shifters/derailleurs which is a conventional 2x/3x9 groupset similar to Shimano's Alivio, and compatible with Shimano stuff.

XLE 10 is the Deore competitor with 1*10, 2*10 or 3*10. Optional clutch on the rear derailleur. Compatible with Shimano 10 speed. Interesting option is the 1x drop bar levers which would work with Shimano 10 speed 1x mtb drivetrain.

XLE 11 is the SLX competitor, with 1x11, 2x11 or 1x11 drop bar levers. Rear derailleur has a clutch.

XCD is the XT competitor with 1*11 only. The rd seems to be identical to RLE 11, just uses more aluminium so is lighter. The front shifter looks the same as the XLE, but it uses bearings. Obviously the intended cassette is the lightest of their offerings.

Advent is a new 1x9 groupset and is an attempt to offer something Shimano/SRAM don't want to - a higher quality, light 9 speed system.

There are four rear derailleur variants, with 2x or 1x and clutch or non clutch. The shifter has two options, a multibearing one like the XCD, or a standard one like the XLE. There are also 1x drop bar shifters as well as 1x drop bar shifters with a dropper post lever in the left lever.

The Advent 1x8 uses the same rear derailleur but with an 8sp front shifter.

There are no Advent front shifters or derailleurs so you'd have to mix in a different group if you wanted that. In addition, unlike the other Microshift options, it's not compatible with anything else - you need Advent shifter and derailleur, for reasons unexplained. This is disappointing if you want a 9-speed clutch derailleur for your Shimano setup, as it won't work.

Apparently Advent works well, certainly better than the overpriced 12sp trash SRAM sell https://pinkbike.com/news/review-micros ... train.html Whether it's worth it over a 1x10 Deore setup seems doubtful to me however, because of the incompatibility

Separately, there are bar end and thumb shifters for all of 1x12, 2/3x11/10/9/8 which work with Shimano stuff (SRAM for the 1x12). And twist shifters for 3*6/7/8/9

They also make fairly generic 6/7/8 speed front and rear derailleurs.

On the road side R8, R9, R10 are the 8/9/10 speed stuff. Compatible with Shimano (not 4700). There are drop bar 2x, 3x, in standard and short reach, and flat bar trigger shifters as well as bar end shifters. R8 and R9 are similar, while R10 is generally lighter. R9 and R10 have a choice of derailleurs for either up to 11-34 or 11-28 but R8 just has the 11-28.

The drop bar levers can shift up three at a time.

Centos 10 is confusing in that it's not compatible with R10, but instead with Shimano 4700. The drop shifters are 2x10 with internal cable routing. The rear derailleur is up to 11-32. The flat bar shifters use bearings. It adds brake reach adjust, using a screw mechanism, and the multishift is four up and three down.

Centos 11 is the same stuff but for all Shimano 11x road.

Arsis 11 is the lightest version with carbon fibre etc. The rear derailleur gets sealed bearings, unlike their other offerings.

Their shifters have two trim clicks instead of one.

They also make 1/2/3x7 brifters also with short reach option and the three upshifts at a time. There are also 2/3x8/9/10/10 (4700) down tube shifters and thumb shifters, and 2/3x11 thumb shifters

They also make various shifters for Shimano Alfine/Nexus including 11sp and 8sp drop bar shifters

[Spinners]

Good to know. I had no idea their range was so wide.

[zenitb]

some interesting stuff there lawnet. I tend to dismiss non-Shimano brand stuff but there is quite a lot of interest in your handy summary ...

[thelawnet]

some bits about why the Advent 9-speed is pulling more cable (but how much? don't expect bike reviewers to tell you) - in order to shift well with a big cassette:


"Sadly, ADVENT isn't compatible with Shimano 9-speed stuff. Those shifters don't pull enough cable to get the rear derailleur up an 11-42 cassette. We tried it and the shifting effort was way too high. Long story short, ADVENT has its own proprietary cable pull.

" the overall throw is in the same ballpark as other systems that work with 42-51T cassettes. "

"When you use Altus with the SunRace 11-40 cassette, the guide pulley does not stay that close to the smallest cogs in the range, because it's designed to follow the angles of an 11-32 or 11-36 cassette. In my testing that setup doesn't shift very well under load in the smaller cogs.

If you look closely at how our parallelogram moves versus Altus, you'll notice that ours moves more vertical distance -- that keeps the guide pulley close to the cogs through the whole gear range. To do that smoothly, we need a longer overall cable pull than existing Shimano 9-speed shifters and derailleurs are designed for. "


So it's a specialist 1x9 or 2x9 cassette because 9 speed is more durable and easier to adjust blah blah blah, but um on that basis why not a nice 3x9 system?

[gregoryoftours]

I'd be interested to see their better stuff, I've only experience of what's fitted to cheap decathlon tribans and that's not great. The sides of the cage on the front mechs always seem to be way off vertical so you get more chain rub than you would otherwise.

[Grumpyoldbiker]

Thanks for this, it is really useful!

So looking at your superb summary, it looks like I can convert my drop bar Shimano Tiagra 4603 10x3 setup to flat bar using Microsoft SL-R760-3 10 Speed Triple Xpress Road Flat Bar Shifters.

Your post seems to confirm the sellers claim that these are Shimano Road compatible?

Thanks

Peter

[zenitb]

Thorough and informative post as usual thelawnet - lots of good work in there - I am still trying to digest it all!! In my opinion this could go in the "Too Good to Lose" section as a reference article for Microshift groupsets in 2023. It would certainly help getting compatible spares for Microshift AND Shimano equipped bikes in the future...given Shimanos propensity to phase out stuff.

Many thanks for posting.

George

[Cyckelgalen]

And they are big on bar end shifters, happily, because there are not many options out there.

[thelawnet]

Thorough and informative post as usual thelawnet - lots of good work in there - I am still trying to digest it all!! In my opinion this could go in the "Too Good to Lose" section as a reference article for Microshift groupsets in 2023. It would certainly help getting compatible spares for Microshift AND Shimano equipped bikes in the future...given Shimanos propensity to phase out stuff.

Many thanks for posting.

George

That was from 2019. Not too much has changed. But they have added children's groupsets.

These are:

* short-reach Advent 1x9 shifter
* short cage (for 20" wheels) 11-34 and 11-38 Advent 9-speed rear derailleur
* an entire children (focused) 'Acolyte' 1x8 groupset, either with the short cage (20") 12-38, or standard 12-42 and 12-46.

All derailleurs have option of clutch.

They also added 'Advent X', which is 1x10 with a 11-48t cassette, either in lightweight G104 (424g, £35 from Wiggle) or H104 (£25 from Wiggle).

[Winders]

Couple of notes:

Acolyte’s cassettes start at 12, not 11 teeth.

Advent (but not Advent X) has the widest range of shifting options, including thumb shifters and bar end shifters.

It appears that the super short derailleurs are compatible with the standard shifters. In theory, it should be possible to use the Advent 11-38T cassette, super short derailleur and full-size brifters together for a drop bar, high clearance, small wheeled bike.

[Cowsham]

Thanks Lawnet -- looking at an electric conversion to a 3x9 with integrated brakes on shifters on straight bars but intending to use the supplied brake levers with motor cut switches. Microshift seems to be the answer.