Shimano best to worst list

[bbu...@fcgov.com]

Do I have this list right in order from best to worst?
Road:
Dura Ace 7800
Dura Ace 7800 Triple
Dura Ace Track
Ultegra 6600 or 600
105 Silver
105 Black
Flat Bar
Tiagra
Sora
RX-100
RSX
C-Series
2203

Mountain:
Deore XTR
Deore XT
Deore LX /DX
100GS
STX /500GS
Saint135
Saint150
Hone
Deore
Alivio /400GS /Exage
Acera /300GS
Altus / 200GS
Tourney
Nexus

[Brian Huntley]

bbu...@fcgov.com wrote:
> Do I have this list right in order from best to worst?
> Road:

> [snip]
>
> Mountain:
[snip]
> Tourney
> Nexus

I don't think Nexus should be the bottom of the MTB line -it's more
like its own classification.

[bryanska]

I sure like that someone wrote this all down. It's damn hard to figure
out.

[Brian Huntley]

bryanska wrote:
> I sure like that someone wrote this all down. It's damn hard to figure
> out.

Oh, I agree with that part. Especially the MTB "A"s - where my bikes
tend to live. I've always been unclear on the
Alivio/Acera/Altus/Acura/Amiga heirarchy.

[buckyllama]

"Best and worst" are subjective to being with. The "Best" for an
application may fall in the middle of the range if a user values
durability and future parts-compatability over light weight for
example.

Having said that the lines fall as follows (things on the same line are
positioned equally in shimano's lineup) (I think this is right, doing
it from memory)

Road/Track:
all Dura Ace
all Ultegra, 600
all 105
Tiagra, RX-100, I think the "Flat bar" stuff is compareable at this
level
Sora, RSX, 2200

MTB:
XTR
XT, Saint
LX, Hone (Saint and hone are more freeride, Lx/XT are more xc)
Deore, STX-RC
STX (note that stx-rc and stx used to occupy the positions in the
lineup now occupied singularly by Deore)
Alivio, Exage
Acera
Altus
Tourney, 100GS

Nexus is a whole different category for internal-hub components. If
you were to compare them to the other lines in terms of quality they'd
fall anywhere from the altus/sora range through the lx/105 range.

The C-series is designed for hybrid/comfort bikes.

DX is shimano's BMX designation.

I'd also note that there seems to be less variability in the road
lineup than mountain. Tourney is crap. Sora is actually quite good.

[bbu...@fcgov.com]

So, based on your feedback, here is the new list.
Anyone disagree?
Where should 100GS go?

Road:
Dura Ace 7800
Dura Ace 7800 Triple
Dura Ace Track
Ultegra 6600 or 600
105 Silver
105 Black

Flat Bar, Tiagra, RX-100
Sora, RSX, 2203

Mountain:
Deore XTR
Deore XT, Saint
Deore LX /DX, Hone
100GS??

STX /500GS
Saint135
Saint150
Hone

Deore, STX-RC
Alivio, 400GS, Exage
Acera, 300GS
Altus, 200GS
Tourney, 100GS??

[bfd]

Why would DA triple or track be "lower" than DA 7800? Would they all
pretty much be the same, except for the different use, e.g., DA 7800 is
for road, DA 7800 is for road with lots of hills/mts, DA track is for
uh, track use.

Similarly, why is 105 silver "higher" than 105 black?

[Paul Hobson]

buckyllama wrote:
[snip]

>
> The C-series is designed for hybrid/comfort bikes.
>
> DX is shimano's BMX designation.
>
> I'd also note that there seems to be less variability in the road
> lineup than mountain. Tourney is crap. Sora is actually quite good.
>

My "entry-level" road bike has Sora components on it. I still think
it's great! It shifts quickly, accurately and precisely. While it's
true that I can't reach the thumb lever from the drops, I still like it.
I really can't imagine how the cost difference between any other group
would be worth it to a casual rider.

--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
.:change the words to numbers
if you want to reply to me:.

[bbu...@fcgov.com]

Good points. I'll cange it.
Thanks!

[Bill Henry]

Paul Hobson wrote:
> buckyllama wrote:
> [snip]
>
>>
>> The C-series is designed for hybrid/comfort bikes.
>>
>> DX is shimano's BMX designation.
>>
>> I'd also note that there seems to be less variability in the road
>> lineup than mountain. Tourney is crap. Sora is actually quite good.
>>
>
> My "entry-level" road bike has Sora components on it. I still think
> it's great! It shifts quickly, accurately and precisely. While it's
> true that I can't reach the thumb lever from the drops, I still like it.
> I really can't imagine how the cost difference between any other group
> would be worth it to a casual rider.
>

Yeah, I'm in the market for an entry-level road bike and I'll probably
end up with Sora, too. Wouldn't mind 105, but don't have the $ to plunk
down for it.

[catzz66]

Paul Hobson wrote:
>
>
> My "entry-level" road bike has Sora components on it. I still think
> it's great! It shifts quickly, accurately and precisely. While it's
> true that I can't reach the thumb lever from the drops, I still like it.
> I really can't imagine how the cost difference between any other group
> would be worth it to a casual rider.
>

My backup bike is RX100 equipped and works just fine. If that is down
on Shimano's list, I am doing all right. Does anybody recall when RX100
was discontinued? I think my older bike was from about 1999. The
shifters were upgraded to Ultegra at some point, which probably makes a
lot of difference.

[buckyllama]

-You've got Hone on there twice.
-100GS is definately at the bottom (works fine but not high-zoot ).
-Saint is really one group. the only difference between 135 and 150 is
the rear drouput spacing. some newer DH bikes use 150mm rear spacing.
This is not better or worse in the line, merely different.
-STX-RC was higher in the lineup than STX (rc was supposably for "race"
IIRC).
-There is no Deore preceding the XTR name.
-All dura-ace and 105 are the same. There is no percieved or actual
quality or lineup difference between different finishes (black v/s
silver) or gear arrangements (double, triple, track)
-The Deore position is approximately equal to both STX and STX-RC.
Though really (since I have parts from all of these groups sitting in
my basement) I'd say that Deore is closer to STX-rc and newer alivio is
somewhere between old alivio and STX. The newer alivio parts are nicer
than they were 10 years ago imho.

[sunder...@yahoo.com]

Saint and Hone are a different line than XTR/XT/etc. You should add a
third category - in addition to "Road" and "Mountain", add "Freeride"
or whatever. Saint is roughly XTR level and Hone is roughly LX level,
but they are totally different in construction and meant for a totally
different customer base. (They won't even attach to a normal mountain
bike, the derailleur attachment doesn't use a traditional hanger).

[Jasper Janssen]

On 8 Sep 2005 12:52:01 -0700, "Brian Huntley" <brian_...@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Oh, I agree with that part. Especially the MTB "A"s - where my bikes
>tend to live. I've always been unclear on the
>Alivio/Acera/Altus/Acura/Amiga heirarchy.

Just for that, I prefer Deore myself. At least that's pretty clear.

Jasper

[Jasper Janssen]

On 8 Sep 2005 13:03:05 -0700, "buckyllama" <tim....@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'd also note that there seems to be less variability in the road
>lineup than mountain. Tourney is crap. Sora is actually quite good.

Sora also costs more than Deore[1], so meh. Tourney is <$50 for an entire
group at OEM prices -- there are plenty of completely shimano equipped
MTBs at the 100-150 retail level.

Jasper

[1] A Sora group, no hubs, is 250 euros and a Deore group 200 at a
localish mail order place.

[aer...@rossvalleycharter.org]

ur wrong