Originally Posted by
well biked
All I can say is I have a well used Alivio group on my wife's bike (most of the parts were transferred from an old bike of mine, and were already heavily used), and I've got three bikes with nine speed XT. I like the XT because it's lighter and better looking IMO, but if it works any better I can't tell it. The Alivio stuff has simply been rock solid in every way.
As for the OP's question in regard to Alivio vs. Deore, in terms of durability and performance you could switch the decals and you'd never know the difference. I do like the look of Deore a little better on some of the parts-
I had an Alivio RD on my hardtail MTB and it worked fine most of the time. If you are primarily riding on smooth paths and pavement, then Alivio will work just fine for many years if you keep it clean and lubed. However, when you are trying to downshift in extreme situations, such as when the hill you are going up just keeps getting longer and steeper and your gassed; you don't have the option of easing off the drvetrain as you try to get into those lower gears. With the Alivio, I could feel and hear the chain scrapping from one cog to the next. More wear on the cassette, more wear on the chain. I upgraded to a Deore and noticed a BIG improvement. The Deore can handle the extra pressure and more precise when shifting. I think the Deore is a better value. If you don't foresee riding up many steep hills, the Alivio would be fine IMHO.
As far as disc vs. V brakes. You are starting to see discs on all but the lowest end MTBs and more and more on hybrids. I think it is a marketing ploy. People want the latest and greatest new components, even if they don't need it. Disc brakes are more expensive to maintain; the disc is easily bent and has to be trued or replaced and the pads are trickier and more expensive to replace. However; if you are riding in wet and muddy conditions, discs have more stopping power and the braking surface stays cleaner and dryer.
IMO, the first question you should ask yourself is whether you want a 26" or a 700 wheel size. It sounds to me like, for your riding situation, you are looking for a hybrid type bike which is that broad range of bikes between MTB and road bikes. I wouldn't think that it would be hard to find an Alivio or SRAM x7 equiped bike with V brakes in your price range.