Bicycle Mechanics - deore or alivio

do i really need disc brakes and a deore drivetrain?? i'll be sticking to roads from now on.

i've been told not to buy alivio, but how is it different to deore, how is deore better?

i cant actually find any bikes with deore parts and v-brakes, instead of discs.

do i really need disc brakes and a deore drivetrain?? i'll be sticking to roads from now on.

i've been told not to buy alivio, but how is it different to deore, how is deore better?

i cant actually find any bikes with deore parts and v-brakes, instead of discs.

Alivio is pretty bottom end. Deore isn't the be-all end-all but is lighter and more durable. Deore V-Brakes you'll be hard pressed to find on a production bike.

Alivio is pretty bottom end. Deore isn't the be-all end-all but is lighter and more durable. Deore V-Brakes you'll be hard pressed to find on a production bike.

yeah ok.. the Alivio cranks and cogs i had on an earlier bike did wear down quite fast. im looking for durability more than anything.

im not narrowing it down to Deore V-brakes, i just think disc brakes might be unnecessary for the type of riding im doing, i'll be staying away from muddy trails.

do any brands put average to decent V-brakes on mid range bikes?

i want to spend over £400.. have rigid forks, a good quality drivetrain, and medium width tyres

i dont think such a bike exists

Isn't Deore a mid range V-Brake? You can get either black or silver ones for $20 here: http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BR408A00-Shimano+Deore+M530+V-Brake.aspx

I didn't even shop the web just the first place that popped up, you might be able to find them even cheaper if you did some research.

Do you want a road bike, a mountain style bike or a hybrid? You say you will be sticking to roads, but will you be going on trails or dirt paths?

From your spelling, I presume you are in Britain, so here is an example of a bike from http://www.evanscycles.com/, they are all over Britain.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-2009-hybrid-bike-ec016535

Isn't Deore a mid range V-Brake? You can get either black or silver ones for $20 here: http://www.jensonusa.com/store/product/BR408A00-Shimano+Deore+M530+V-Brake.aspx

I didn't even shop the web just the first place that popped up, you might be able to find them even cheaper if you did some research.

yeah buying V's seperately isn't a problem, but im looking for a whole bike, with quality components. it seems hard to find a new bike with good components without expensive discs. i mean i've seen so many great bikes for £600 that would be just as good for me if they had average V-brakes and as a result were £500


its like i'll have to pay a lot more for discs i won't need.

most the bikes in the £400-500 price range still have discs.. lower quality discs albeit, and lower quality components on the whole

it'd be nice if they could put V's on the £600 one and bring the price down

p.s. if i was working i wouldn't be so picky about all this :)

Do you want a road bike, a mountain style bike or a hybrid? You say you will be sticking to roads, but will you be going on trails or dirt paths?

From your spelling, I presume you are in Britain, so here is an example of a bike from http://www.evanscycles.com/, they are all over Britain.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/bad-boy-2009-hybrid-bike-ec016535

thats the sort of thing im looking for yeah
thanks!

more of a hybrid i think, i dont think i want suspension. its just another thing to break

Alivio isn't bad. IIRC, it's Shimano's level just below Deore. Acera is lower, Altus even lower, and once you get into Tourney, there's not much lower to go.

Alivio is fine. THe main difference is that the moving parts will wear out slightly faster than Deore. But bikes with Alivio parts can be had for little money so even if you have to replace the rear derailleur in two years you still come out on top.

However, a bike with deore derailleurs does not necessarily have all Deore parts. If you get a bike with deore derailleurs and shifters there are quite likely other parts of lower quality that most people do not consider when buying: hubs, bottom brackets, chains, cassettes (or *ugh* freewheels) are parts that are often chosen to save money for the manufacturer, not to add value for the consumer.

I also agree that mountain bikes are generally best used if you are riding on rough trails. A good quality hybrid, touring, or cyclocross bike is a better choice if you are staying on pavement or smooth trails.

LarDasse74 hit on a pretty good concept. Have you considered a cyclocross bike? No suspension, clearance for quite wide tires (tyres, if you prefer) and, since disc brakes aren't permitted in many cyclocross competitions, they almost all have cantilevers.

Alivio is fine. THe main difference is that the moving parts will wear out slightly faster than Deore.

I agree with the ''Alivio is fine" part of this statement. I am skeptical about the "moving parts will wear out faster" part of it.

Alivio rocks. Sorry, but it does. It just works, and works well. But it has no bling. None.

I agree, I've had no problems with Alivio parts. If the problem is getting low-end Shimano parts in the driveline in order to get a decent rim-brake bike, I'd say that there is no problem. Driveline parts are easy to replace when/if they wear out, and shifting quality with anything named Shimano is first rate.

...I also agree that mountain bikes are generally best used if you are riding on rough trails. A good quality hybrid, touring, or cyclocross bike is a better choice if you are staying on pavement or smooth trails.

You clearly haven't seen the pavement in Seattle... :)

I agree with the ''Alivio is fine" part of this statement. I am skeptical about the "moving parts will wear out faster" part of it.

Alivio rocks. Sorry, but it does. It just works, and works well. But it has no bling. None.

It works great! I would argue that Alivio works almost as well as XT when it is new... the difference comes when it is not new... a heavily used Alivio equipped bike will not shift as cleanly as an XT bike with the same use/maintenance.

I am only basing my statement on observing customers and the state of their bikes after one, two, three, four, and five years of heavy use. After year two or three stuff starts needing replacing on Alivio bikes - if it is not kept clean. Higher level parts do last a little longer.

It works great! I would argue that Alivio works almost as well as XT when it is new... the difference comes when it is not new... a heavily used Alivio equipped bike will not shift as cleanly as an XT bike with the same use/maintenance.

I am only basing my statement on observing customers and the state of their bikes after one, two, three, four, and five years of heavy use. After year two or three stuff starts needing replacing on Alivio bikes - if it is not kept clean. Higher level parts do last a little longer.

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-

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.

I've found anything from Shimano, regardless of line, to be servicable. Of course, as you move up the line from Alvio to Deore to XT, you will get smoother shifts and lighter componentry.