YOU NEED A NEW BIKE

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9:52 AM
Page 1
ROAD BIKES
pg.4
MOUNTAIN
BIKES
pg.13
COMPONENTS
pg.24
2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
YOU NEED
A NEW BIKE
And whether you’re just getting into the sport, replacing an old ride,
or adding to your collection, we’ve got the right road or mountain
bike for you. How can we be so sure? Because for the past several
months, our team of 20 pro and amateur racers logged thousands
of test miles—from France and Spain to Arizona and Colorado.
In addition to the 30 standouts assembled here, you can read our
thoughts on every bike we tested at outsideonline.com/cycling.
Careful, though: Once you buy the perfect bike, there’s no excuse
not to ride. BY JOHN BRADLEY AND MARC PERUZZI
≥
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
Shana Novak
OUTSIDEONLINE.COM
Outside 1
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Page 2
GOOD QUESTION
GT GOLDEN
RACE SERIES
4/19
SEA OTTER CLASSIC
MONTEREY, CA
5/3
GHORBA BIG RING
CHALLENGE
COLDSPRING, TX
5/16
SPRING THAW
My wife already knew I loved bikes.
When she moved in with me, the
only furniture in my dining room
was two work stands and a shop
stool. But a few months ago—
after a summer in which I’d ridden
on our wedding day, raced in
Europe, and cracked my best
mountain-bike frame—she asked
me why.
I’d never thought about it that
way and didn’t have an answer
until this year’s round of Outside
bike testing. In January, correspondent Marc Peruzzi and I took 50
road and mountain bikes to Tucson, Arizona, where we hired 20
racers and mechanics and spent
eight days building, analyzing, and
riding from morning to night.
Blood was shed, egos were bruised, much
beer was consumed. At the end of it all,
I knew the answer.
Three reasons. Longer ago than I care
to admit, I flirted with a career in industrial design. The melding of form and
function in modern bikes speaks to that
part of me. Also, my father is a mechanic,
and I grew up tinkering in our garage.
O
Biking in
the Alps
I honestly enjoy working on bikes almost
as much as I do riding them. Almost.
Put me on a beautiful bike that I’ve
tuned to precision, at the start of a sixhour day with 4,000-foot climbs and 50mile-per-hour descents, surrounded by
fellow cyclists, and, well, if you ride, you
know what I’m getting at. If you don’t,
buy one of these bikes. —JOHN BRADLEY
ASHLAND, OR
6/7
MASSANUTTEN
HOO-HA!
SCENES FROM THE TEST CAMP
MASSANUTTEN, VA
7/4
FIRECRACKER 50
BRECKENRIDGE, CO
8/8
ORE TO SHORE
9/13
LANDMINE CLASSIC
HINGHAM, MA
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Testers filling out bike
evaluations, pro racer Emiliano Jordan flying the
Outside colors, the $200,000 test fleet
2 Outside
BRADLEY: PETER DRINKELL/RAPHA
MARQUETTE, MI
0509_Bikes_final.qxp_0325:Feature
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Page 4
BIKES
DREAM
CERVÉLO S3
O
Cervélo has been producing arguably
the most coveted race frames in the
world for a few years now, so we weren’t
surprised that the carbon S3, the Canadian company’s new flagship model,
was a standout. “If I had the money,”
said one tester, a pro who’d just finished
sprinting up a steep, short climb, “I don’t
think there’s any other bike I would buy.”
The S3 takes the stiff, aero front triangle
of the popular Soloist frame and
merges it with a rear triangle inspired
by Cervélo’s R3 comfort-performance
bike. The result is a frame that manages
to be both stiffer and more comfortable
than the Soloist. $4,500 (frameset
only); 15.5 lbs (56cm); cervelo.com
Olympic
Medalist
DREAM
RIDLEY NOAH
2009
BIKE
The Noah might not look like a traditional aero bike. But where the Cervélo
(above) and Felt (next page) rely on radically shaped tubes to cheat the wind,
the carbon Noah goes in a different direction. Vents in the fork and seatstays
pull slow air away from the wheels, while
rough patches on the head, seat, and
down tubes direct air around the frame,
much like the dimples on a golf ball. It
seems to work. Though a few testers
dinged the Noah for a slightly dead feel
under power, they had no gripes on the
way down—whoever was riding it would
generally be the fastest descender in the
group. $3,000 (frameset only); 16.4 lbs
(56cm); ridley-bikes.com
SPECIAL
DREAM
WILIER TRIESTINA
CENTO1
The Cento Uno shouldn’t have snuck up
on us like it did; it’s the same carbon bike
the first- and second-place finishers at
last year’s World Championships rode.
Still, “I didn’t expect that” was a common
refrain after test rides. The Campagnolo
Record components delivered flawless
performance, and the Ritchey Carbon
Pro bar offers one of the most comfortable perches around. “It’s perfect,” said
one tester. Indeed, the Cento1 wound
up with the highest average score of all
the bikes we tested. It was also the priciest. $4,500 (frame), $9,000 as tested;
15.8 lbs (56cm); wilier-usa.com
4 Outside
O
Best in
Show
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BIKES
RACE
2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
FELT AR4
The AR4 delivers the same race-proven
geometry and aerodynamics that the
Felt-sponsored riders of Garmin-Chipotle
used in last year’s Tour de France. It’s not
identical, of course—the frame is made
with slightly heavier (and less expensive)
carbon fiber, and it’s not spec’d with the
same elite component selection. Still,
the AR4 gets high marks for value. It’s a
radically aero carbon frame hung with
Shimano Ultegra SL components—more
than enough for almost any racer. Our
only minor grumble: Testers were almost
unanimous in dinging Felt’s in-house
bars for being too wide and unwieldy.
But that’s an easy fix. $3,800; 17.4 lbs
(56cm); feltbicycles.com
RACE
O
Sprinter’s
Dream
RACE
BH CONNECT
We don’t intentionally crash-test bikes,
but we’d be lying if we said we weren’t
surprised that this stiff, full-carbon
racer survived a high-speed wreck
completely unscathed, save for some
scratches on the Ultegra SL brake
levers. Even testers who found the
workhorse Mavic Ksyrium Equipe
wheels a bit too sluggish for racing
were amazed that they held their true.
Said one heavily bandaged pilot, “It’s a
very solid platform with only minimal
bottom-bracket flex.” The longish top
tube left a couple of testers feeling too
stretched out, but the BH was still a
unanimous “good value.” $3,800; 16.8
lbs (56 cm); bhbikes-us.com
6 Outside
BMC
RACEMASTER SLX01
Why are some of BMC’s sponsored pros
choosing the Racemaster over the company’s full-carbon, top-of-the-line Pro
Machine? Because the Racemaster’s
stiff, atavistic aluminum bottom half delivers off-the-charts efficiency, while the
carbon top half mutes the attendant vibrations. “I love this bike over all others!”
gushed one tester. “Great design,” said
another. “BMC has its own look, and it
stands out.” It’s not exactly cheap, but
the components—including full Ultegra
SL and fast-spinning Fulcrum Racing 5
wheels—are worthy of the price. $4,495;
17.4 lbs (56cm); bmc-racing.com
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Page 8
BIKES
COMFORT PERFORMANCE
GIANT
DEFY ADVANCED 3
The new Defy is a big part of Giant’s
re-energized 2009 road line. The frame
is available in three different versions:
aluminum, aluminum-carbon, or the
smooth full carbon-fiber frame that
caught riders off guard with its categoryleading pedaling performance. “Giant
has obviously worked on this,” said one
tester. Added another: “It almost seems
like more of a starter race bike.” The
Shimano Ultegra/105 shifters and derailleurs functioned without complaint,
and the compact FSA crankset helped
make quick work of the hills. $2,150;
18.5 lbs (56cm); giant-bicycles.com
COMFORT PERFORMANCE
LOOK 566 RIVAL
The radically shaped chainstays. A top
tube so flat it’s nearly invisible from the
side. You can tell simply by looking that
the 566 is designed with one thing in
mind: vertical compliance. Out on the
road, those tubes acted like leaf springs,
taming confidence- and energy-sapping road buzz. As with other bikes in
this category, the SRAM Rival–equipped
566 uses a taller head tube and longer
wheelbase for a more comfortable and
stable ride. Unlike many of them, it
doesn’t feel the least bit sluggish. “They
didn’t sacrifice much to make it comfortable,” said one tester after a mountainous ride north of Tucson. $2,699;
18.0 lbs (56cm); lookcycle-usa.com
COMFORT PERFORMANCE
SPECIALIZED S-WORKS
ROUBAIX SL2
When Specialized launched the original
Roubaix, in 2004, it legitimized “comfort
performance” as a viable category. With
the all-new Roubaix SL2, the company
stays ahead of the growing pack. Not
only did this carbon bike receive higher
marks for climbing and handling than
most of the race bikes we tested; it also
dominated the comfort category. “A
top-notch balance of damping and responsiveness,” said one tester. Don’t be
fooled by the word comfort, though.
This is an elite racer, too, already proven
in Europe’s grueling cobbled classics.
$7,400; 15.2 lbs (56cm); specialized.com
8 Outside
O
Perfect
Balance
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Page 9
ENTHUSIAST
PINARELLO FP3 105
If you’re more likely to ride the occasional century than hammer hill repeats
by yourself in the rain, the full-carbon
Pinarello FP3 is for you. A gentler version of the much lauded (and superstiff) Pinarello Prince race frame, the
FP3 offers far more vibration-eating
comfort without sacrificing much in the
way of handling. Or put it this way: It’s
comfortable but responsive, relaxed
but fast. Even our mellowest testers
noted that the lack of stiffness makes it
a little hard to feel the road when you’re
sprinting. Of course, there is an upside
to the damp feel: Even the worst of
bumps won’t jar you out of your seat.
$3,000; 18.6 lbs (56cm); pinarello.com
ENTHUSIAST
GT GTR CARBON SPORT
2009
BIKE
ENTHUSIAST
VAN DESSEL HELLAFASTER ULTEGRA SL
Consider the Hellafaster if you’re thinking of entering your first criterium. This
stiff aluminum frame is built for pure
speed. It’s not ideal if you put in big
mileage on bad roads—“On chip-sealed
pavement this bike would nearly go into
spasms,” said one tester—but on the
smooth stuff the Hellafaster lives up to
its name. Stand up to sprint, and the
stiff, compact rear triangle and burly
Easton EA50 SL wheels practically
leave rubber on the ground. Without a
doubt one of this year’s most affordable
race-ready machines. $2,749; 17.9 lbs
(56cm); vandesselsports.com
Rough mountain roads? Achy back? If
you experience either on a regular
basis, consider the GTR. This full-carbon frame muted high-frequency
vibrations and bigger hits, and took the
sting out of descents that normally
would’ve had us cringing. But because
it comes equipped with a compact
crank (low gears for climbing) and
tough Shimano 105 wheelset, the GTR
is no slouch on the ups either. “It stays
quiet and turned safely on rough pavement,” said one tester. “It’s a little
heavier than the pricier models, but
it’s great for the money.” $2,299; 18.8
lbs (56cm); gtbicycles.com
SPECIAL
O
Bargain
Racer
OUTSIDEONLINE.COM
Outside 9
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BIKES
STARTER
ORBEA FLECHE
A race-worthy bike for less than a
grand? Believe it. The Fleche pounces
under the lightest pedal pressure and is
nimble enough to move through a peloton. Like all aluminum bikes, it can be jarring on rough roads. (One tester quipped
that it vibrated “like Jenna Jameson’s
purse.”) But for short, hard efforts, the
Fleche transfers tons of energy to the
wheels and excels on climbs. As with
most bikes in this price range, the lowend (and heavy) house-brand wheels
rob the frame of some of its spark. If
you can swing it, upgrade them immediately—Shimano 105’s are an affordable
option—for a dramatic improvement.
$929; 21.3 lbs (54cm); orbea-usa.com
STARTER
FELT F95 TEAM ISSUE
O
Gateway
Drug
2009
BIKE
STARTER
GIANT TCR ALLIANCE 1
If you are truly looking to start racing,
and think it might stick, this bike can
grow with you. As with the BMC, an aluminum bottom half stiffens the frame
for better handling and efficiency, and a
carbon-fiber top quiets road buzz. That
mix, plus a trustworthy Shimano 105
build and Mavic wheels, delivers the
lightest weight in this category. With the
compact FSA crankset plugged into that
aluminum spine, spinning up long climbs
is a joy. “If you don’t want to pay for a
high-end race bike right now,” said one
tester, “you could gradually upgrade this
and get something pretty close.” $1,725;
18.9 lbs (56cm); giant-bicycles.com
10 Outside
SPECIAL
With its stiff aluminum frame and
eight-speed rear cassette—as opposed
to the broader gearing options of the
ten-speed standard—the F95 is best
suited to buttery smooth pavement
and relatively flat country. But this is a
ton of bike for the money—suitably stiff
for sprinting and predictable on descents and through twisty and rolling
terrain. It doesn’t have the suppleness
most people would want in a bigmileage bike, but the ride quality was
forgiving enough that we never suffered
during the hammerfests that our test
outings generally became. And the
Garmin team paint job is a nice touch.
$849; 21.6 lbs (56cm); feltracing.com
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2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
BIKES
12 Outside
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BIKES
DREAM
TREK FUEL EX 9.9
The problem with 30-pound trail bikes
is that riders on more sprightly crosscountry rigs drop you on climbs like a
flatlander in loafers. Not so with the
bantam-weight, full-carbon EX 9.9. It
hangs with the weight weenies on the
way up and drops them on the descents.
“I’d love to get this bike out on the
steeps of Crested Butte,” drooled one
tester. A laterally stiff front provides precise handling on rough terrain, but the
truly impressive tech resides in the rear:
A unique pivot on the axle keeps the five
inches of rear travel active under braking,
so the rear end doesn’t bounce off the
ground when the terrain turns dicey.
$7,150; 24.5 lbs (17.5"); trekbikes.com
DREAM
MOOTS GRISTLE
Yup, that’s a 29-inch front wheel paired
with a traditional 26-inch back wheel. It
might look weird, but, as advertised,
this four-inch-travel bike really does roll
over small obstacles with ease while
still accelerating quickly. The titanium
Gristle floated up rock steps effortlessly
and was easier to get up to speed than
a full 29-inch bike. As with standard
29ers, it had slightly delayed handling
(bigger wheels are slower to steer) and
shined best on fast-rolling, desert
terrain, which is why one Tucson-based
tester didn’t want to give it up. “It
makes small rocks disappear,” he said.
$3,350 (frame only), $6,355 as tested;
25.8 lbs (19"); moots.com
DREAM
SCOTT GENIUS 10
The lightest all-mountain bike we
tested, the full-carbon Genius 10 was
designed with off-road marathons in
mind. True to form, it arrived with barmounted suspension lockouts, which
instantly convert this six-inch-travel
bike into something we could stand and
hammer on. We loved it on anything shy
of super-technical terrain, though the
setup on the complicated rear shock
left our tech team grumbling: “Felt like
I needed a degree in engineering,” said
one on-site mechanic. Still, once it’s
dialed in, the Genius accelerates beautifully for a long-travel bike and conserves serious energy for all-day epics.
$7,000; 24.7 lbs (large); scottusa.com
14 Outside
O
Enduro
Hero
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Page 15
2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
XC RACE
GARY FISHER
PROCALIBER
The drivetrain is a top-flight mix of
lightweight Shimano XTR and SRAM
X.0. A Fox RP23 shock takes care of the
rear suspension, while the Fox RP24
fork uses a custom crown to incorporate Fisher’s unique G2 geometry. Add it
all up and you’ve got one of the besthandling bikes we tested. Or, as one
tester put it: “Superhero moves were
possible.” In all honesty, as light and
nimble as this 3.5-inch-travel purebred
performed, we could just as easily
have put the aluminum-and-carbon
ProCaliber up against our hardtails.
$5,500; 23.2 lbs (17.5"); fisherbikes.com
O
Singletrack
Scorcher
XC RACE
TOMAC AUTOMATIC
100 2
At half the price of other bikes in this
category, the Tomac wowed us with its
descending prowess. The slightly raised
bottom bracket and four active inches of
suspension made quick work of rocky
sections that bounced comparable bikes.
On fast, smooth sections, the suspension bob was a bit much for our more
race-oriented riders. But as one satisfied
tester pointed out, with a utilitarian mix
of mid-tier SRAM, Shimano, and Avid
components; straightforward RockShox
Recon XC fork; and all-aluminum frame,
“this bike could hold up to a lot of abuse.”
$2,199; 28.1 lbs (large); tomac.com
XC RACE
NINER RIP 9
One of the most forgiving bikes we rode
this year, the big-wheeled RIP 9 gobbled up obstacles that tripped up lesser
bikes, making its 4.5 inches of travel
feel more like six. Our testers were also
unanimous in heaping praise on the
Fox F29 RLC fork, which delivered predictable steering even on tricky offcamber sections. Of course, those
bigger wheels take longer to get up to
speed, so it’s no surprise that the Niner
was a bit slow to accelerate. “Full-suspension 29ers are not gonna be superresponsive,” wrote one tester. But once
you get the Rip 9 rolling . . . whoo, boy.
$1,799 (frame only), $4,000 as tested;
28.3 lbs (large); ninerbikes.com
OUTSIDEONLINE.COM
Outside 15
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BIKES
XC RACE
IBIS TRANNY XT
As the name implies, this gorgeous
frame is capable of transformation. (No,
nothing to do with women’s clothes.)
It’s a lightweight race bike for riders who
want pure speed without the weight or
maintenance penalties of rear suspension. For those who want even less mechanical worry, the hinged rear triangle
can be elongated to tension the chain
for a single-speed conversion (hence
Tranny). Our testers also loved the updated, race-specific RockShox Sid Team
fork, which offered much more predictable steering than earlier versions of
the Sid. Bonus: The rear triangle can be
completely removed for easy bike packing. $3,860; 23.3 lbs (17"); ibiscycles.com
O
Innovative
Traveler
XC RACE
ELLSWORTH EVOLVE
2009
BIKE
XC RACE
RALEIGH XXIX PRO
Yes, yes; 29-inch wheels are slower to
accelerate. But once you get them
rolling, they’re so good at soaking up
obstacles, it’s like having an extra two
inches of travel. That means this
tricked-out steel hardtail—unencumbered by the weight or sag of rear
suspension—held its momentum
beautifully. It’s not for bombing tricky
3,000-foot descents. But for rolling terrain with occasional technical sections,
the smooth steel tubing and Mavic
Crossmax wheels are hard to beat.
“Love the ride quality of the Reynolds
steel,” said one tester. “This made me
understand the allure of 29ers.” $4,000;
26.1 lbs (medium); raleighusa.com
16 Outside
SPECIAL
Take Ellsworth’s time-tested Truth—an
especially popular bike with 24-hour
cross-country racers—and merge it with
terrain-smoothing 29-inch wheels, and
you get the Evolve. “I was actually
breathing easier out on the trails,” proclaimed one tester. The slightly high
riding position, while great for climbs,
wasn’t to everyone’s liking on descents.
But our testers again agreed that the
Fox F29 RLC fork improves just about
any bike. Bonus: Ellsworth will donate
5 percent of sales from Evolves with the
company’s Rainforest Green paint job to
environmental causes. $2,195; 27.3 lbs
(medium); ellsworthbikes.com
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2:29 PM
Page 18
BIKES
TRAIL
CANNONDALE RIZE 3
When hammering through tight corners, it was tough to believe the feathery aluminum Rize was sporting five
inches of travel. “Accelerates like my
XC racer,” said one tester, “but with allmountain suspension.” “A trail bike for
people who climb,” echoed another.
True, we did find ourselves locking out
the rear shock to eliminate bob on
smooth sections. But that’s a small
price for a bike that’s not a liability on
big climbs or big descents. And what
of Cannondale’s unique Lefty Max
front shock? Scary as it looks, it rode
as well as any fork we tested. $3,199;
27.3 lbs (medium); cannondale.com
O
Jack Of
All Trails
2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
TRAIL
COMMENÇAL
META 5.5.2
The white-and-lime graphics—which
practically scream “I’m from the Continent!”—were not a big hit with most of
our Arizona test crew. But paint doesn’t
affect performance, and this aluminum,
5.5-inch-travel sled scored well for comfort and stability. On the other side of
the ledger, it’s simply not as fast as other
bikes here, and testers found themselves
falling behind on the flats. “Felt sluggish,”
wrote one. Takeaway: With its steep,
stable front end and active travel, this
bike is intended for all-day bashers looking for the best route downhill. $3,499;
30.4 lbs (medium); commencal.com
TRAIL
PIVOT MACH 429 XT
We know what you’re thinking: With
full suspension and heavier 29-inch
wheels, this must be a beast going uphill. Amazingly, it isn’t. The Mach 429
eliminates bob with a design that uses
linkage geometry to push the rear
wheel down—the harder you pedal,
the firmer it gets. And the low front
end moves rider weight forward for a
more efficient pedaling position. For
the rolling Arizona trails where we
tested, it was the perfect choice. “The
tires stayed glued to the ground on
climbs, and it handled the drops with
ease,” said one tester. “It’s the best fullsuspension 29er I’ve been on.” $4,579;
27.8 lbs (medium); pivotcycles.com
18 Outside
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BIKES
ALL-MOUNTAIN
ROCKY MOUNTAIN
ALTITUDE 70
“Less travel would make it a little faster,”
remarked one tester, “but that’s not the
point of this bike.” He’s right: The point is
a 5.5-inch-travel bike that can actually
be ridden up the mountain. Testers were
quick to praise the Altitude’s climbing
prowess, due in large part to a steep
seat angle that delivers more of a crosscountry, rider-forward position for efficient pedaling. Of course, when it comes
to technical descending, the farther
back the better, and some testers did
knock the Altitude’s “jittery” downhill
handling relative to similar bikes. $3,999;
28.0 lbs (18"); bikes.com
ALL-MOUNTAIN
SANTA CRUZ BLUR LT
O
All-Day
Bliss
2009
BIKE
SPECIAL
ALL-MOUNTAIN
GARY FISHER ROSCOE 1
As part of the Trek family, Gary Fisher
enjoys the R&D muscle of the world’s
biggest bike brand. To wit: The secret
behind the smooth, responsive 5.5
inches of rear travel in the all-new
Roscoe line is the DRCV shock, a Fisher
exclusive that Trek spent the past year
developing in conjunction with Fox. Up
front, a custom-tuned Fox Float 140 RL
matches the rear in both travel and feel.
Given its weight and long travel, the
Roscoe is a capable climber, but it’s on
technical descents that the predictable
suspension and precise Fisher steering
come alive. It led its category for handling and comfort, with one tester
calling it a “smooth-riding Cadillac.”
$2,969; 29.7 lbs (17.5"); fisherbikes.com
20 Outside
Santa Cruz’s updated version of its
bestseller was the clear winner in our
all-mountain category, earning top
marks for pedaling, climbing, and descending. “Very little bob even on outof-the-saddle climbs,” said one tester,
“but it still soaked up just about every
rock I hit.” Credit the LT’s refined VPP
(virtual pivot-point) suspension design, which resists pedal bob while still
soaking up the bumps. As for descending, the Blur LT inspired actual hoots
from our testers as they flew over the
drops and obstacles of Tucson’s
famed Chutes trail. The standout
yellow was also a hit. $4,535; 29.3 lbs
(large); santacruzbicycles.com
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Page 24
GUIDE
GROUP DYNAMICS
Can’t tell Ultegra from Rival from Chorus? Then you’re going to leave the shop with more—or less—
than you need. Our component guide will help you navigate the options. BY JAMES HUANG
The Big Three
SHIMANO, CAMPAGNOLO, AND SRAM DOMINATE BICYCLE COMPONENTRY. A LOOK AT HOW THEIR TOP GROUPS COMPARE.
SHIMANO
CAMPAGNOLO
Italy’s quintessential race gear, redesigned
from top down for 2009. Arguably the sexiest and most coveted of the three brands.
SRAM
The veritable new kid, in terms of road
components, but with years of experience
to draw from in the mountain-bike world.
RANK
The perennial cycling powerhouse from
Osaka, with Japanese levels of precision,
fit, and finish.
1
Super Record
$3,145; 1,964g
PROS: Great ergonomics; can shift multiple gears in both directions; industryfirst 11-speed cassette; ceramic
bearings and titanium hardware
CONS: Plan on eating in for a while
2
3
Dura-Ace 7900
$2,700; 2,044g
PROS: All new this year with lighter
weight, superb braking, and industryleading front shifts CONS: Upshifts
only one gear at a time; relatively long
lever throws; contamination-prone
internals can degrade performance
4
5
6
7
8
$2,705; 2,014g
PROS: Virtually indistinguishable from
Super Record, save for finish and 50
more grams CONS: Still pricey
$2,065; 2,155g
PROS: Super Record shifting and braking
performance at a more reasonable
price CONS: None
$1,365; 2,359g
PROS: Almost identical to previous-generation Dura-Ace in function and feel;
beautiful finish CONS: Shifter parts too
exposed to the elements; heavy
$1,585; 2,259g (carbon) / $1,255; 2,429g
(aluminum)
PROS: Same lever shape and basic mechanics as Super Record; smooth-spinning cranks; carbon option CONS: Older
ten-speed drivetrain; heavier (aluminum) and pricier (carbon) than competitors’ comparable offerings
Ultegra
Veloce
Ultegra SL
$1,165; 2,448g
PROS: With Ultegra SL now on the market, there aren’t many, unless they update it CONS: Not the best performance
for the money
$2,099; 1,928g
PROS: The lightest group on the market;
superb ergonomics and shifter feel; ceramic bearings and titanium hardware
CONS: Shifts aren’t quite as smooth as
other top-end groups; bottom-bracket
bearings susceptible to weather damage
Chorus
Centaur
$1,050; 2,482g
PROS: Record-like shifting and braking;
durable; easy to service; best-looking
group in this price range CONS: Ten-speed
only; a full pound heavier than Record
Force
$1,399; 2,052g
PROS: Near-Red performance and feel at
two-thirds the cost CONS: Lots of bottombracket friction; no triple-chainring
option
Rival
$919; 2,129g
PROS: Differs from Force only in materials (more aluminum, less carbon) CONS:
Same so-so bottom bracket as Force;
not as much street cred
JAMES HUANG IS THE TECHNICAL EDITOR AT
CYCLINGNEWS.COM AND BIKERADAR.COM.
105
$1,083; 2,524g
PROS: Shimano shifting precision and
build quality; lots of trickle-down tech
from higher groups CONS: Weight
9
Record
Red
Tiagra
Rarely sold separately; no pricing or weight info
PROS: Slim levers and adjustable reach
for smaller hands; built-in gear indicators for novices CONS: Solid aluminum
cranks feel heavy; slightly vague feel to
the shift levers
24 Outside
WHAT ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKES?
The off-road world is both simpler and much more complex—simpler in that only Shimano offers full groups (brakes and drivetrains) but more complex in that there are
countless niche companies specializing in various parts (brakes, cranks, etc.). Campy
is road-only, so Shimano’s biggest competitor here is SRAM, which offers shifters and
derailleurs on par with anything out of Japan and has several subsidiaries—such as
Avid and Truvativ—through which it manufactures excellent brakes and cranks.
From top down, Shimano’s cross-country/trail packages are XTR, Deore XT, SLX,
and Deore LX. The hierarchy for SRAM is X.0, X.9, and X.7. Shimano also offers two
additional groups, Saint and Hone, for heavy-duty downhill/freeride applications.
The upshot of all this is that you can address your specific needs on a part-by-part
basis. You can often arrange a trade or upgrade with the shop when you buy your bike.