Classic & Vintage - Shimano Heirarchy

Is there a page somewhere that explains where different Shimano gruppos sit with reference to each other, or failing that, can anyone tell me?

As I understand it, Dura-Ace has always been top, and 600 and 105 are below that, but.....in what order? Is 600 higher than 105? And what about all the other stuff below that? And the fact that they all have silly names now?

It can be confusing. I think it goes like this (for Roadies):

Dura Ace
Ultegra (AKA "600" in olden times. "Sante" White enammelled special edition in '89)
105
Tiagra
Sora

I've been told by many that 105 is the best compromise for performance against price on bikes up to around £1500 (uk). Ultegra comes at an additional cost for, to some, barely any improved performance where as DuraAce is often seen as being excessive without the durability of 105 & Ultegra.

There are some non-series components which just carry a 4-digit name. I'm not sure wheer these fit in but I get the impression that they are previous-generation sets which are no linger designated as such. I may be wrong.

Check out their page on their website:
http://cycle.shimano-eu.com/catalog/cycle/products/category.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302040757&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395181426&bmUID=1161341890355

Thanks. I'm more than anything after understanding the parts on the many 70's/80's bikes I get. Interestingly, I seem to make more money on 105 bits than on 600, and had kinda decided that 105 was better. Ah well.

This German page deals with Shimano groupsets from 1990-1999. Maybe you can make an approximate idea of how things were before.
http://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Hersteller/Shimano/Gruppen.html

This German page deals with Shimano groupsets from 1990-1999. Maybe you can make an approximate idea of how things were before.
http://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Hersteller/Shimano/Gruppen.html

Too bad it doesn't go back to '85 or so (the beginning of the index era).
I'm still trying to figure out the difference between Exage 500 CX and 500 LX.........
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Perhaps you can draw a bit more of info from:
http://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Hersteller/Shimano/Gruppen90.html

I remeber reading that for the early 90's, Exage 500CX was closer to 200GS and 100GS, while Exage 500LX was just below DeoreLX.

Perhaps you can draw a bit more of info from:
http://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Hersteller/Shimano/Gruppen90.html

I remeber reading that for the early 90's, Exage 500CX was closer to 200GS and 100GS, while Exage 500LX was just below DeoreLX.

Been there, bro. Data does not always equal information.....
I can well beleive that the 500LX is just below the DeoreLX, as the 500LX FD I'm running is a high quality piece of goods.
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Thanks. I'm more than anything after understanding the parts on the many 70's/80's bikes I get. Interestingly, I seem to make more money on 105 bits than on 600, and had kinda decided that 105 was better. Ah well.

105 will probably sell better because it is a line that still exists. Many people label the 600 stuff as 600/Ultegra to makew sure that people aware of the current groups know where it belongs.

Plus, I suspect even for those who know the 600 line, newer 105 will outsell older 600 in many cases, unless someone is looking for a period correct item.

Perhaps you can draw a bit more of info from:
http://www.fa-technik.adfc.de/Hersteller/Shimano/Gruppen90.html

I remeber reading that for the early 90's, Exage 500CX was closer to 200GS and 100GS, while Exage 500LX was just below DeoreLX.
Go by the part numbers...

Exage 500CX was also known as the C500 group. Shimano snuck in variations on some of their MTB groups to turn them into "comfort" groups (CX). Thus in the MTB (which at that time meant all flatbar compatible groups) hierarchy/pecking order...

Early 1990s (1990-1992) Shimano lineup
XTR = M900
Deore XT = M735
Deore DX = M650
Deore LX = M550
Nexus = E700
Exage 500LX = M500
Exage 500CX = C500
Exage 400LX = M400
Exage 300LX = M300
200GS = M200
100GS = M100
Tourney = TY20, TY70, TY70-S (youth)
SIS = ????DeoreLX back in 1991 sat in the lineup where Deore sits today. After 1993, Shimano dropped DeoreDX and elevated DeoreLX in terms of market positioning and quality. It however never truly approached DeoreDX because in all honestly, DeoreDX was pretty close to DeoreXT and there was little differentiation between DX and XT aside from the fact that DX was slightly heavier. This was what prompted Shimano to eliminate DeoreDX.

Note - I'm only listing M-series groups but this includes the "mountain-comfort" groups designated MC which were later phased in as a new designation at the 400-level and below. Not all these groups coexisted with one another at all times. Also note that in the lower to mid entry groups, the ordering shifts about a little over time with some groups flip-flopping in precedence (STX-SE and STX for instance). You can sort of make out where they fall based on their numbering. I have ranked them by the highest level they've achieved.
XTR - M900, M910, M950
Deore XT - M735, M737, M738, M739, M750
Deore DX - M650
Deore LX - M550, M560, M567, M570
Deore - M540
Exage ES - M520
Exage 500LX - M500
STX-RC - MC33, MC36, MC40, MC41
Exage 400LX - M400
STX - MC30, MC32, MC34
Acera - M330
Exage LT -> STX-SE - MC31
Exage 300LX - M300
Acera-X - M290
200GS - M200
Alivio - MC10, MC11, MC12, MC14, MC16, MC18
100GS - M100Now if you sort of compare this to the road hierarchy, you get something like this...



Series Name Class
7800 Dura-Ace 10s
7700 Dura-Ace 9s
7400 Dura-Ace 8s
6600 Ultegra 10s
6500 Ultegra 9s
6400 Ultegra 600 8s
5500 105 9s
1050 105SC 8s
4400 Tiagra 9s
A550 RX100 8s
A400 RSX 7s?
...

M960 XTR/DCL 9s
M950 XTR 9s
M900 XTR 8s
M800 Saint 9s
M760 DeoreXT/DCL 9s
M750 DeoreXT 9s
M740 DeoreXT 8s
M700 DeoreXT 7s
M630 DeoreDX 7s
M580 DeoreLX/DCL 9s
M570 DeoreLX 9s
M560 DeoreLX 8s
M550 DeoreLX 7s
M520 Deore 9s
M510 Deore 8s
...

So 500LX and 500CX fall just below 1990's Deore and RX100 respectively.

THANK YOU!
Makes perfect sense.
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