Mountain Biking - In your real-world experience, do lower-level components really suck?

We often see postings from people advising new riders to "stay away from Alivio, it is junk."

This poll is an extension of an earlier thread. I'm curious to hear from those who have actually ridden Alivio/Altus/Acera/X.4.

see poll

thanks

There are riders out there that would look down on LX or X.7 components. Honestly, that's the lowest I will go.

Now, below that and especially alivio/altus/acera/ and x.4 stuff...doesn't shift as well, isn't as robust, get what you pay for basically. HEAVIER by a long shot.

If you want to do some trail riding from time to time then I'd say it is ok but for HD use, I'd stay away like the plague. Never seen an ad from shimano touting how awesome their alivio line is. Come see our alivio with big giant ugly derailer with ugly 13 tooth pulleys.

Honestly, if you want square taper and 8 speed only, alivio baby or just buy some NOS 8 speed XT stuff or STX-RC on ebay.

Personally, the alivio/acera shifters alone would be enough for me to stay away from them. Especially the ones with the integrated v brake levers.


We often see postings from people advising new riders to "stay away from Alivio, it is junk."

This poll is an extension of an earlier thread. I'm curious to hear from those who have actually ridden Alivio/Altus/Acera/X.4.

see poll

thanks

I recently bought a road bike with Sora (comparable to lower end mountain bits) components and was suprised at how nice it shifts for a "crappy" group.

Honestly they are a world apart from what the person is used to on their X-mart bikes...at least it was for me. My bottom of the barrel bicycle still has its stock Altus on it, over 500 miles and not a single missed shift or overthrow. It hasn't even been tuned once. I don't know if my case would be the rule or the exception. Granted I don't take my bike XC, its not worthy for that task and hence I ride it within the limitations of the bike, daily commuting and puttering around the neighborhood.

Take the components for what they are, use them within their limits and they will be more than sufficient for a new rider.

For the purpose they are designed for, they work well.

For me, they stink. Than again, I am a mid level component person. Simple facts

a) all parts break
b) mid level to high level have similar breaking points (in my experience)
c) replacing high level parts costs more

I buy mid to mid high (x.7 or lx/xt) never higher and never lower. For me, thats the perfect balance between replacement cost and efficiency. And in this town, I go through deraileurs and sometimes shifters by the bunch.

cheers

I recently rented a road bike with Sora (mine has Ultegra) and I was very surprised at how poorly it shifted. My last road bike had 105 components (1 group down from Ultergra) and there wasn't that much diffence. Dropping down 2 or more groups is clearly noticeable.

actually, I put together a bike with ultegra derailers (9 speed), 10 speed ultegra crank and SORA shifters. Those shifters just work.

Personally, I think the quality of the Sora road group is much better than the equivalent MTB group. I've ridden a complete sora group. Thought the quality was pretty good and I've owned ultegra and dura ace 9 speed and have campy centaur and 2 ultegra level 10 speed bikes.

pound for pound, I think the road components are much closer than the MTB. Below Deore, things become less MTB and more just ride on the road and pray they don't break.

Then again my race MTB is 9 speed and my Ala Carte is still 8 speed XT with a XTR 8 speed cassette. To me, 8 speed MTB still makes sense for a low maint fun trail bike but that doesn't mean that I'll ride alivio to get it.



I recently rented a road bike with Sora (mine has Ultegra) and I was very surprised at how poorly it shifted. My last road bike had 105 components (1 group down from Ultergra) and there wasn't that much diffence. Dropping down 2 or more groups is clearly noticeable.

I think lower-end components are fine for new riders. I had all-alivio components on my first real mtb, and they worked great for 3 years, when the front shifter broke. By then, I was ready to upgrade and notice the difference. I still use the other components on my commuter (4 years so far without problems) because they work fine and I won't be out $1000 if it disappears someday.

I have had a bike for some time now with SXT derailers and these babies have held up well and in my opionion shift as good as the XT or XTR units I have ridden. I am not sure but I think these are close to the Alivio units you are talking about.

Done!

you don't have a 'really suck' option

I got a Alivio shifter/Acera dérailleur on my bike. I find it adequate for what I do. I like it, and it is a BIG step up from my previous bike. I want to go SS though.

in my experience the more you pay for something the easier it is to break. Plus who wants to burn through a 100 buck cassette a year.

yes you do get what you pay for...

i have alivio 8 speed on one mtb (but its in parts right now) and it shifts super slick and smooth, but i wouldnt go bash it around on nasty singletrack either. My real mtb has almost all LX (M570 era, looking at brakes to complete the group on ebay at the moment....) and the LX has taken quite a beating through technical singletrack and just plain rough off roading....shifts like it did on day one after my build up! Personally I wont buy lower than LX. in fact ill probably only ever buy LX for mountain! maybe x.7 because i love SRAM shifting, but not untill my current LX group wears out (many many moons left).

for road im running SORA group (tiagra rear der.) and shifting is good, but i want to upgrade to campy veloce (105 level) or maybe even 105. I mainly want the 10 speed so i have more gear choices on the road.

then again for years i rode bottom of the barrel shimano on department store bikes, so anything that goes into gear and stays there makes me happy :D

probably me considering I just spent $700 for a new front fork.

You get what you pay for and no, I don't change cassettes every year. Chains maybe but not cassettes.



in my experience the more you pay for something the easier it is to break. Plus who wants to burn through a 100 buck cassette a year.

They suck.

You get what you pay for. Lower-end stuff tends to be heavier, yet somehow easier to break. That said, things like low-end brakes [especially Avid Single Digits or Shimano road calipers], headsets, bottom brackets, pedals, rims, front hubs, chainrings, seatposts, handlebars, quick releases and seats can be had on the cheap and will work pretty darn well for XC riding or just tootling around. The worst thing is the heavier weight.

I tend not to cheap out on tires, chains, hydraulic brakes, stems and shifters. Shifters are critical IMHO, moreso than derailleurs. A crappy shifter will make XTR shift like, well, crap. I tend not to go below XT/Ultegra/Chorus for shifters, but I would go lower for a derailleur or crank.

You get what you pay for. Alivio will always suck compared to XTR, but if you look at the price, it won't suck any more. If you pay a lot, you get a lot. If you pay little, you can still get something which has an excellent price/performance ratio, even if it doesn't perform superbly.

Interesting. I just spent $700 on a new rear fork.

Hmmmmmmm,pics?

probably me considering I just spent $700 for a new front fork.

You get what you pay for and no, I don't change cassettes every year. Chains maybe but not cassettes.

This always gets me...I must be "Super Quad-guy" or "fatman" or something b/c when I ride alot, I go through a chain a month. Lately a chain every 2-3 months. 1 set of rings per year. 2 cassettes per year.

What's the dealio???

I lube like a hooker and clean even more.

This always gets me...I must be "Super Quad-guy" or "fatman" or something b/c when I ride alot, I go through a chain a month. Lately a chain every 2-3 months. 1 set of rings per year. 2 cassettes per year.

What's the dealio???

I lube like a hooker and clean even more.

ok, are we talkin' 6'4" 250 big?

i really don;t mind lower end components, they may not work as well or a s smoothly as the higher end ones but they do work, and as long as you are not racing it shouldn't matter.

get mid level, i have LX and i think they are great. Def not XT or XTR, but still nice for just a weekend warrior like myself

I had an STX-RC rear derailleur that lasted more seasons DHing than it had a right to. Last year I ran a Sora road derailleur for part of a season and it did fine. For what I do, they need to shift adequately and be somewhat expendable.

It appears to me that what you give up at the lower end is some weight, some stamped pieces instead of forged aluminum and pivot points that are not as precisely toleranced and more prone to balkiness by wear.

......I lube like a hooker and clean even more.


Ooooooooo....TMI

ok, are we talkin' 6'4" 250 big?

Nope...like 6'1.5" / 190

I didn't think I was all that big, but my drivetrain tends to disagree, I guess.

Its not the size...its the wattage you are laying down.

you need the toughest, most advanced drivetrain available

I've had my Rockhopper for a month and about 150 miles now. I didn't notice something when I test drove it. But living with it I noticed that the chain doesn't mesh very well between the large chain ring and the smallest cogs. It feels kind of rough. The wrench at the bike shop said to bring it in and he'd adjust it.

He adjusted it and its still not very good. I pointed it out to him and he said that's as good as it's going to get. I usually don't use those last two gears, but even so it still made me feel like I just bought a Walmart bike. Its an Alivio reat derailer.

Nope...like 6'1.5" / 190

I didn't think I was all that big, but my drivetrain tends to disagree, I guess.

lots of torque, doesn't really matter on size. My uncle in law, one of the best xc riders in bc for the last 20 years, used to destroy cheap hubs. At 6' and 160...lots O' power.

I've had my Rockhopper for a month and about 150 miles now. I didn't notice something when I test drove it. But living with it I noticed that the chain doesn't mesh very well between the large chain ring and the smallest cogs. It feels kind of rough. The wrench at the bike shop said to bring it in and he'd adjust it.

He adjusted it and its still not very good. I pointed it out to him and he said that's as good as it's going to get. I usually don't use those last two gears, but even so it still made me feel like I just bought a Walmart bike. Its an Alivio reat derailer.

I have a problem with my new rockhopper, the chain rubs against the front derailer when using the large and the small cog in the rear, it
s an acera front derailer. I tried the whole adjusting thing and got the same answer from the mechanic. It did not start until a couple of miles ago and it annoys the hell outta me when i need to use it.

I have a problem with my new rockhopper, the chain rubs against the front derailer when using the large and the small cog in the rear, it
s an acera front derailer. I tried the whole adjusting thing and got the same answer from the mechanic. It did not start until a couple of miles ago and it annoys the hell outta me when i need to use it.

i think yours cross chaining.

i think yours cross chaining.

On what planet is "large chain ring and the smallest cogs" cross chaining?

On what planet is "large chain ring and the smallest cogs" cross chaining?

oh holy crap.

I've had my Rockhopper for a month and about 150 miles now. I didn't notice something when I test drove it. But living with it I noticed that the chain doesn't mesh very well between the large chain ring and the smallest cogs. It feels kind of rough. The wrench at the bike shop said to bring it in and he'd adjust it.

He adjusted it and its still not very good. I pointed it out to him and he said that's as good as it's going to get. I usually don't use those last two gears, but even so it still made me feel like I just bought a Walmart bike. Its an Alivio reat derailer.

A day after the tune up and the gearing seems much smoother. The roughness between the large ring and the small cogs seems to be gone. Even cross relations between ring and cogs are amazingly smooth. Allowing the lube to gell overnight seemed to make all the difference. I have to apologize to my bicycle for comparing it to a Walmart bike!

My uncle in law

ummm...congratulations on the marriage?

I have a SRAM X-9 rear derailleur and 9.0SL shifters and an XTR front derailleur. My wife's bike is mostly stock and came with a Shimano C050 front and Alivio rear derailleur. Her cheapy Shimano shifts every bit as smoothly as my XTR, and her Alivio shifts worlds better than my SRAM (yes, I've fiddled with the thing to make sure it's at its best).

The only thing I can say about the front derailleurs is hers weighs 175 grams vs. 113 grams for mine, so at least I win in that regard.

As for low-price forks, they're mostly junk from what I've seen. Seat posts, stems, handle bars, etc... most perform just fine but weigh a lot more.