Microshift? Opinions?
09-04-11, 01:13 AM
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LBKA (formerly punkncat)
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Microshift? Opinions?
I was at the LBS today to pick up some tubes and my son started looking around at a couple of the road bikes. He found one that had a mix of 105 and Microshift. I am unfamiliar with them aside from looking at them. I feel like they are a re-designed Sora brifter with the "thumb" button moved to the other side.
Are they any better or worse that the Sora brifters? I was thinking of at least going Tiagra 9sp for the brifters, but this Micro setup uses the 105 10sp, which I see as an improvement at least to some degree, and the price difference is not huge.
Are they any better or worse that the Sora brifters? I was thinking of at least going Tiagra 9sp for the brifters, but this Micro setup uses the 105 10sp, which I see as an improvement at least to some degree, and the price difference is not huge.
09-04-11, 01:57 AM
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there was at least one team doing the US Pro Cycling Challenge running Microshift components so i don't think performance would be an issue
09-04-11, 04:15 AM
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Uh huh.
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09-04-11, 04:56 AM
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Felt Z6? The 10 speed Microshift shifters are lighter than 105, at least per published data. Look at reviews for them on Nashbar. I own the 9 speed version, and ran it with a 105 RD for a bit, and it worked fine.
09-04-11, 07:21 AM
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I have a set on one of my bikes they work fine. My other bike has rival shifters, and there just isn`t a huge difference. They work differently, but both shift your gears.
09-04-11, 07:24 AM
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Interesting that they have Shimano compatible cable pull... wonder if Microshift had to pay for the privelege?
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09-04-11, 07:47 AM
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Shimano sued and LOST a while back. I have microshift brifters running ultegra cranks, fd and rd. Works great, shifts are quick and precise, throws on the big lever can be a bit long but not terrible. Unlike sora, you csn shift from the drops. Biggest drawback is you can't hide the shift cables like the latest and greatest 105 and ultegra. But for $120 a pair, they are a great option. You could save a lot of money buying a felt with them up front then upgrade later to some used Shimano brifters.
09-04-11, 07:48 AM
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I find they're the clunkiest of all road shifters, but they work fine and are reliable in what they do. Just not as smooth. Shimano is the smoothest, but that doesn't make Shimano what I prefer. I don't prefer Shimano's road shifting.
09-04-11, 08:00 AM
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Like most threads in the Road forum, you will find wildly differing opinions. The throw on 105 was too much for me, and Microshift was the cure for that. I currently run 8 and 9 speed MS. Microshift is my preferred shifter.
09-04-11, 08:23 AM
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https://velonews.competitor.com/2011/...felt-f1_189330
Ive read a lot of reviews and most of them good.
Last edited by Mike F; 09-04-11 at 08:35 AM.
09-04-11, 09:02 AM
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The local bike shop recieved some bikes with Microshift on them from the factory. The shop had so many problems with them, they refused to take more, and exchanged some of them for shimano.
09-04-11, 09:05 AM
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ever work on new 8 speed shimano stuff? it is terrible terrible quality. horrible fd, ugly shifting.
the 8 speed fd for microshift is garbage too, but their 8 sp shifters are nicer quality.
09-04-11, 10:15 AM
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Nine and ten speed Microshift is what you want; as far as I know the eight speed stuff was pretty bad. I ran nine speed Microshift brifters with 7700 derailleurs, cassette, and chain, and it worked perfectly well. The hood shape is similar to older Shimano shifters, but the brake lever is rigid in place and that was a huge selling point for me.
I'd put most of the Microshift shifters against 105 quality.. but I've only tried 5600. Perhaps 105 made a huge leap with 5700 (by all accounts it did) and so now maybe it's closer to 10 speed Tiagra. I will say that in feel and ergonomics it's loads better than Sora. Try it out with an open mind and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
I'd put most of the Microshift shifters against 105 quality.. but I've only tried 5600. Perhaps 105 made a huge leap with 5700 (by all accounts it did) and so now maybe it's closer to 10 speed Tiagra. I will say that in feel and ergonomics it's loads better than Sora. Try it out with an open mind and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!
09-04-11, 01:57 PM
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robncircus had the best review of them I've read so far on here:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=forte
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=forte
09-04-11, 04:39 PM
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8 speed
9 speed
09-04-11, 04:52 PM
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When I was shopping for a new bike, I test rode a Felt Z6 with the Microshift shifters and hated them. They felt cheap and they were noisy as hell. They did seem to work fine but I couldn't get past the noise and cheap plastic feel. It appears Felt is no longer using these on the Z6 for 2012.
09-04-11, 04:59 PM
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robncircus had the best review of them I've read so far on here:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=forte
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ighlight=forte
FWIW I ran them through November 2010 without issues. That bike was stolen, but I've been running the Nashbar Microshift with DA7800 on my new bike since December 2010 again without issue. It works fine. I agree it's probably 105 quality. Ironically, the Nashbar shifters are lighter than 7800 shifters. Go figure. My bike is an absurd mix of components and I get looks at the LBS on the shifters but properly tuned I'm sure you'll find they are ok.
09-04-11, 05:30 PM
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My brother used a 9 speed set matched up with a mix of older higher end shimano 9 speed stuff (7700, 6500, 5500). I've ridden the bike and thought the shifters worked quite well. The smaller shift lever is a bit unusual but I do prefer having the shift controls completely separate from the brake's. The hood position felt similar to older shimano. These are the first and only brifters my brother has ever installed and he had them adjusted perfectly. The shifters didn't take away from the over all shimano smoothness at all.
