A brief overview of bicycle groupset
Whether you’re buying a brand new bike, or trying to create one from scratch, it’s sensible to understand what your choices are. The high end groupsets are usually lighter with smoother gear shifting and superior braking performance. It is mostly used with 10 speed gears or more.
A bicycle groupset, refers to any mechanical or electronic parts that are involved in braking, changing gear, or the running of the drivetrain. That means the shifters, brake levers, front and rear brake calipers, front and rear derailleurs, crankset, bottom bracket, chain, and cassette.
If you’re looking to purchase a bicycle, the first considerations would always be the frame’s quality, and then next would be the groupset that you should look at. It is a key determinant, whether or not the bike is worth the value for its price tag.
There are four main makers of groupsets and bike generate parts and components. Shimano is that the largest and well known, whereas the other 3 established ones are the rising popularity of Sensah group set, Campagnolo and SRAM. All 3 makers provide a variety of groupsets at competitive value points.
SHIMANO, SRAM AND SENSAH HIERARCHY
| ROAD / MINI VELO / FOLDING BIKES | |||
| SKILL LEVEL | SHIMANO | SRAM | SENSAH |
| ENTRY | Claris | RX412 3speed RX412 5 speed | |
| RECREATIONAL | Sora | Apex | MX8 MX9 MX9 short cage |
| ENTHUSIAST | Tiagra 1O5 | Apex 1 Rival | RX 10 ion MISSION RX11 |
| RACE | Ultegra ultegra D12 Dura-Ace | Rival 1 force Force 1 Red | Ignite ReflexEmpire |
| PRO | Dura- Ace D12 | Red eTAP | |
Source: ProcyclingUK
What is the bicycle Groupset hierarchies about?
The level of constant research and development of bicycle groupsets obviously comes at a cost. Precision machinery, endless testing, super-light materials, and expert engineering at the top end of the groupset market can be expensive, but there is good news for those at the entry level.
To ensure cycling remains affordable, each of the main manufactures uses a groupset ‘hierarchy’ system, with suites of components assembled at differing levels of quality and price.
And while the elite components offer the latest weight-saving and speed-shifting advances of the day, lower groupsets continue to be updated with many of the breakthroughs made at the higher tiers, creating a ‘trickle down technology’ effect.
This means even entry-level gruppos are packed with features and top tech contributed from the advancements in the drivetrain engineering.
When trying to choose components or a full groupset, the hierarchy system makes it easy to know instantly which components are the most advanced, use the best materials at the highest quality, and represent the best value for you.
SHIMANO and SRAM HIERARCHY for Mountain bikes
| MOUNTAIN BIKES | ||
| SKILL LEVEL | SHIMANO | SRAM |
| BASIC | Tourney TX-55 TX-35 Altus | |
| ENTRY | Acera 8 speed Acera 9 speed | X-3 X-4 |
| RECREATIONAL | Alivo Deore 9 speed | x-5 X-7 |
| ENTHUSIAST | Deore 10 speed SLX 10 speed | NX GX |
| RACE | SLX 11 speed XT XT DI 2 XTR | X1 X01 XX1 |
| PRO | XTR DI 2 | |
Source: ProcyclingUK
What are the differences between Shimano, Sensah, SRAM and Campagnolo?
You must be wondering what are the difference between each brand as each company has been aggressively improving with new innovations and refinements. In the global economy, experience and expertise are shared with one another either through talent/company acquisition and constant learning. When its come upon deciding which brands to choose from SRAM, Campagnolo, Sensah or Shimano, it all depends on your personal choice as all 4 are closely comparable in term of performance, durability and quality. Therefore, your choice should based on the features, price, testdrive experience, customer product reviews or the aesthetics.
The lifespan of all brands of bicycle groupsets.
Most bike frames will outlive the life of a groupset, especially if the owner races and/or clocks up big distances (>20,000km) every year. Harsh weather and/or riding conditions will also reduce the lifespan of a groupset. Whatever the cause, there will always come a time when the components start to exhibit significant wear and tear, both in terms of cosmetic and functional damage. At this point, a new groupset can do a lot to resurrect an otherwise tired and aging bike.
It’s also worth pointing out that there are times when the maintenance costs for an aging groupset can approach the expense of new groupset. For instance, the cost of replacing all of the consumable parts of a groupset — chainrings, chain, cassette, jockey wheels, and cables — can amount to half the cost of a new entry- or mid-level groupset. When combined with advances in the industry, there can be more value in replacing a groupset rather than overhauling it.
Of course, some cyclists will use the physical, functional and/or technological demise of their current groupset as an opportunity to replace the entire bike. For those that cannot afford this extravagance, a groupset can be replaced at a fraction of the cost of a new bike.
Replacing a groupset requires a major overhaul for the bike so shoppers should remember to budget for installation. At face value, a couple hours of a professional mechanic’s time might seem exorbitant, especially for an entry-level groupset, but if the new groupset is installed as part of an annual overhaul for the bike, then the extra expense remains relatively small in terms of the annual running costs of the bike.
The popular Shimano & the rise of Sensah
Japanese company Shimano is the most popular groupset manufacturer due to its aggressive advertising efforts and has been in the industry for over a decade. It’s constantly updating the groupsets with the newest features. More information on its upcoming rivals, the rising popularity of sensah groupset and SRAM will be discuss on the next blog. Below are some reference of the sought-after sensah groupset.