Mountain Biking - Alivio Rear Derailleur

Hello again -

I'm in the process of getting the specs from my brand new 2002 Specialized Expedtion Sport.

It appears that my front derailleur system is Allivio.

My rear derailleur system also appears to be Allivio because it has the Allivio logo on it (Shimano with an uppercase "A" transposed). However, my rear derailleur also says "8SIS".

What is 8SIS?

I've seen Huffy bikes with Shimano SIS stamped on the rear derailleur but I have a feeling that my Specialized bike has a better quality rear derailleur system.

Can anyone help a Newbie out?

Thanks again!

I believe SIS stands for "Shimano integration system"


8 = number of speeds, so 8 speed shimano integration system. I think Shimano's "Integration" system is their way of monopolizing the mountain bike industry, which lately they're failing at.

Thanks Jim311!

So SIS can be stamped on any Shimano derailleur system - even the newest XTR?

I got feaked out when I went to a Sports Authority and was looking at their Huffy mountain bikes - then saw that they had Shimano rear derailleur systems with SIS stamped on them.

I would like to think that my LBS sells bikes with better components than a Sports Authority Huffy.

:)

XTR is better than SIS. Sis is usually a generic store brand title to sell nice and cheap. They work but are a little less than alivio and Acera (maybe even equal to acera)

No Acrea is better than Huffy crap

Don't be too bothered at your Acera derailleurs just now. Save up for a pair of nice light off-road racing tires and a shock upgrade perhaps.

S.I.S. was appearing on the New Dura Ace and New 600 grouppos back in 1984 if I recall correctly. It stands for Shimano Index System, where the shift lever has detents or ratchets that position the derailleur in gear, as opposed to the infinitely-adjustable "friction shifting" of days gone by. All Shimano derailleurs currently made, including XTR, are S.I.S. in this respect.

The derailleurs that say nothing BUT SIS on them are stamped-steel Shimano Tourney derailleurs commonly found on bikes under $250. They can actually work well and last a long time, and are certainly a better thing to have than a Falcon or Sunrace knockoff of the real Shimano Tourney.

At the last shop I worked at, we had a bit of a running joke about the SIS-marked Tourneys, because customers would sometimes read it "five-one-five," thinking that the SIS was 515. So once in a while I'd try to bust up the other guys by selling a customer a new "five-one-five" rear derailleur.

"Yeah, sounds like a five-one-five would be a good buy for your Magna. Lemme see if I have the long-arm five-one-five in stock. Oh hey, I've got a couple of the five-one-fives..." (done with a deadpan, of course) ;)

Tell me if I'm wrong but is this a good order for quality of shimano parts

1. XTR (Best)
2. XT
3. LX
4. plain old Deore ??
5. Alivio
6. Acera
7. SIS
8. is there lower??

Originally posted by Ganja
Tell me if I'm wrong but is this a good order for quality of shimano parts

1. XTR (Best)
2. XT
3. LX
4. plain old Deore ??
5. Alivio
6. Acera
7. SIS
8. is there lower?? Yup pretty much it except I prefer XT over XTR XTR is for racing and sacrifices stength for weight savings in way too many incidences. XT for me is the shizz

Originally posted by Raiyn
Yup pretty much it except I prefer XT over XTR XTR is for racing and sacrifices stength for wieght savings in wat too many incidences. XT for me is the shizz

Gotta agree here...:)

So let me get this right....

According to the markings on my rear derailleur which are a Shimano with a capital "A" underneath..my rear derailleur is Allivio.

The fact that it's also marked "8SIS" simply means 8 gears - Shimano Indexing System.

This 8SIS can be marked on any of Shimanos derailleurs including the XTR system.

Derailleurs marked simply SIS and nothing else are Tourney systems and are usually found on lower-end bikes priced under $250.00.

Am I correct on all these points?

Thanks guys for helping a newbie out!

Yes, correct on all points including your rating system.

XTR is better than XT if your definition of "better" is lighter and more expensive.

It is usually the premier and which usually gets all the new technology. i.e. splined hubs for discs and integrated shift/brake levers.

I looked it up.

1. XTR
2. XT
3. LX
4. Deore
5. Alivio
6. Acera
7. Altus
8. SIS / Tourney

Deore is usually the lowest a "serious" MTB'r will go as far as componetry. Alivio is serviceable and cheap - Typically found on hybrids and comfort bikes or base level MTB's I've got an Alivio group on my commuter bike (ex trail-bike) and it works just fine. Acera is more common on the comfort bikes in the $300 ballpark. Anything below that and your playing in the Sports Authority / X-mart sandbox you get what you pay for - not much.

I just got a Diamondback Topanga Comp Disc ($475), it comes with Deore LX front/rear derailleurs. The crank is a Shimano FC-440, but I can't find it on Shimano's website. Where does it rank in terms of quality? The LBS told me it was generic. I'm thinking of upgrading to a LX or XT crank, $59 or $99 respectively (I understand one also has to buy a corresponding BB). With all the talk of 2004 XT sucking (?), should I go with an older Shimano crank or change crank mfrs? Would another crank mfr be compatible with a Shimano front derailleur, or should I stick with Shimano?

Is it worth paying the extra for an XT crank, over the LX crank?

Originally posted by byen00


Is it worth paying the extra for an XT crank, over the LX crank?

it just depends on whether or not you're a real wieght nazi. I dont think there any stiffer, regardless of what shimano says. I have XTs on 2 bikes, but i got them cheap, else id be on something else.

Truvativ usually gets my nod.

You can switch manuf. w/o any conflicts with your front derailleur.

Personally, I just don't like the looks of the Shimano cranks. I like Race Face products for the quality, precision AND looks! (Colors too!)

I'm running a set of Profile Racing's Chromoly cranks with Race Face Rings on one of my bikes.

Race Face on the other.

L8R