If you happened to buy a bicycle sometime in the past 10–20 years, there’s a huge chance you’ve come across Microshift and Shimano. As the two leading manufacturers in the industry, they’ve been the talk of the town for quite some time.
Comparing the two companies without taking into consideration Shimano’s global fame wouldn’t give Microshift justice. As the most eminent manufacturer in the industry, it wouldn’t be fair to compare it to its Taiwanese counterpart without considering the fame factors.
That’s why I’ll be shedding light on the unsung name of Microshift by comparing its parts and ways of operation to those of Shimano.
Microshift – Since 1999
Microshift launched into the market in 1999, which is an insignificant period of time, considering Shimano has been around since 1921. Let’s take a look at its specifications and strong suits.
Components
One of Microshift’s best suits is its rear derailleur. For starters, it’s hard to match its lightweight.
The Advent’s derailleur weight stands at only 378 grams, which is pretty good for city rides.
That’s not the only thing to love about the rear derailleur. Despite that Microshift is nearly the only company on the market that makes 9-speed derailleurs at this price range, it equips its rear one with a clutch mechanism.
If you’re a mountain rider, you’d know how useful a clutch mechanism can be. It’s vital for preventing chain drops and chain slaps. You’d be in dire need of it if you ride a gravel bike.
Although most clutch mechanisms operate by friction sleeves and bearings that go one way, Microshift’s mechanism makes use of a ratchet/pawl design. Freewheels utilize the exact same means.
What’s even better is that you can adjust the clutch using only Torx keys and screwdrivers.
Shifters
Competing with Shimano in shifters is just going out of your depth. Let’s get real; can you go to Apple and compete with their iPhones? Some companies are unrivaled; that’s how the market goes. All that being said, I’d say Microshift did a pretty good job giving Shimano a run for their money.
Most Microshift derailleurs feature precise kinematics. In other words, this means that the shifting response stays stable throughout all gears. While this sounds kind of impossible, it isn’t. If you tried Advent’s derailleurs, you’d know what I’m talking about.
The Microshift shifting system will make you able to go through gear changes with nearly half the effort you’d use with other brands. It’s so light you wouldn’t believe it!
Operation
Having tried the Microshift Advent for quite some time now, I can comfortably say it fulfills most of the market claims, if not all. For starters, when running on the lowest gear, you ought to expect some noise, especially if your bike is getting old and cranky. Once you try the Microshift drivetrain, you’ll notice you’re getting a significantly smoother ride.
It won’t entirely eliminate the issue, but it’ll make it much better.
Furthermore, after finishing a ride with the Microshift, you’ll notice no discomfort whatsoever in your shifting hand. We have the shifters to thank for that.
The one thing you may notice is the gaps between the small cogs. I would’ve liked them to be tighter, especially for city rides. However, they shouldn’t pose a problem when riding gravel.
Shimano – The Industry’s Giant
Having been in the market for nearly 80 years, it’s no wonder Shimano’s name echoes out in the bike riding world. Although the company is best known for its shifters, there are a lot of other things that contributed to worldwide fame.
Components
Shimano has been making 2x drivetrains since forever. They were hesitant about moving to 1x ones, but their side-swing design for front derailleurs made it a necessity. In fact, the design is ingenious; it eliminates almost all performance issues you normally face, including chain drops and vague shifting.
The side-swing design utilizes a reverse cable pull mechanism that significantly improves the overall performance. Despite that, the company faced hardship trying to market their 1x drivetrains since the 2x ones were already a lot of client’s favorites.
A lot of customers thought using the 1x drivetrains on 11 speed reduced the gear range, which is true in a way, but it shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Shifters
Shimano is well-known among bike riders for the STI shifters. These shifters work by separating the control of downshifts and upshifts, so they’re on two different levers. If you’re wondering about the mechanism, it’s quite easy to understand and use.
The brake lever is responsible for acting as the up and downshift lever; it pivots inward to create the desired effect. Meanwhile, the shifters feature another lever that comes in the shape of a paddle; it sits right behind the brake lever, and it’s responsible for shifting in the other direction.
Operation
The XTR trigger shifters, which Shimano is well-known for, work in both directions. Meaning, you can activate the bottom lever in either direction. You’ll find two levers towards the handlebar’s underside; they come in a pod. If you’ve ridden mountain bikes before, you’d probably be familiar with these characteristics. Most trigger-style shifters come with them.
The two-way release of Shimano trigger shifters means that you can push the lever using your thumb or pull it using your index finger. I like this feature because it leaves the matter to the rider’s freedom. Besides, if you use your thumb for up and downshifts, you’ll go through the transitions as smoothly as possible, which is a bonus.
Final Thoughts
Although I’m a big fan of Shimano, no one can deny Microshift’s amazing capabilities. If you don’t mind the 9-speed, you’re in for a treat. If you want to get to the top of the list, I recommend going right for the Advent group. It’s the most elite production of Microshift. You won’t believe how smooth your rides will get.
On top of that, Microshift won’t burn a hole through your pocket. Their products are mostly budget-friendly.
That being said, if you don’t mind paying a little extra, and you prefer 10 and 11 speeds, Shimano is the way to go.