Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

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Paddles
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Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Paddles » Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:54 am

Has anyone had any long term experience with the Microshift gear, in particular their 'Arsis' set? I'm looking to upgrade? my 7 year old Tiagra 3x9 to Arsis 2x10 on my trusty old Giant OCR2. The Tiagra gear is still working fine but it's time to replace chainrings/chain/cassette, and so I've been considering putting the money towards changing to 2x10 as I was given an unused 105 double crankset. Is there any real benefit or do I simply spend the $150 or so and refurbish what I've got. Thanx, John.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby clydesmcdale » Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:05 am

Check out the Microshift discussions here;

http://www.velobuild.com/velobuild-foru ... t-opinions

general consensus seems ok

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simonn
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby simonn » Thu Aug 21, 2014 10:44 am

Not sure if it will be cheaper than 105 at ribble.co.uk.

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MattyK
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby MattyK » Thu Aug 21, 2014 10:45 am

I have a Versa shifter for my hub gear bike - it's basically a modded, lower-level Microshift assembly.

Two things to dislike:
a) The release lever is in an awkward spot ergonomically - it's great from the hoods, OK if you are deep in the hooks, and almost impossible to reach from the drops.

b) the release button has a habit of occasionally dumping multiple gears at once. in the case of the hub gear this drops to a lower gear; for a derailluer it would upshift to a (much) higher gear. So you'd be less likely to land on your gentleman's area than I am.

Whether this relates at all to the Arsis gear I don't know. Point a) might.

Cables are external if appearance matters to you...

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Paddles
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Paddles » Thu Aug 21, 2014 11:30 am

Thanks Gents, all the reviews seem to place it up there in terms of quality, I think I might give it a crack. The price is right at $310 for 2 shifters and 2 derailleurs and I actually prefer the external cabling giving an easier line of action for gear changes.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby jacks1071 » Thu Aug 21, 2014 2:19 pm

I've got stock in different colours if you want a local supplier.

http://www.pro-liteoz.com/store/product ... upset.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby 2wheels_mond » Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:06 pm

Paddles wrote:Thanks Gents, all the reviews seem to place it up there in terms of quality, I think I might give it a crack. The price is right at $310 for 2 shifters and 2 derailleurs and I actually prefer the external cabling giving an easier line of action for gear changes.
Seriously, just get 105 11 speed. Seriously nice groupset by all accounts.

All the parts (minus crankset, which will work with the 11 speed group anyway) costs $405 on Ribble, minus 10% discount code BANK10 for this weekend gets you down to $365 (or $400 if you need new cables too). This includes the brakes, chain and cassette, which do not come with the Microshift groupset. You'll need to change the chain and cassette with the move up to 10 speed anyway.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby jacks1071 » Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:29 pm

2wheels_mond wrote:
Paddles wrote:Thanks Gents, all the reviews seem to place it up there in terms of quality, I think I might give it a crack. The price is right at $310 for 2 shifters and 2 derailleurs and I actually prefer the external cabling giving an easier line of action for gear changes.
Seriously, just get 105 11 speed. Seriously nice groupset by all accounts.

All the parts (minus crankset, which will work with the 11 speed group anyway) costs $405 on Ribble, minus 10% discount code BANK10 for this weekend gets you down to $365 (or $400 if you need new cables too). This includes the brakes, chain and cassette, which do not come with the Microshift groupset. You'll need to change the chain and cassette with the move up to 10 speed anyway.
The 105 gear is incredibly good value especially if purchased overseas.

In terms of comparison though, Microshift white/arsis is lighter than Ultegra which is what it should be compared to. Its nearly as light as dura-ace.

The shift mechanism is very good and is preferable to some riders over Shimano for different reasons. For junior riders and people with smaller hands I would and do choose Microshift over shimano. The shift action is a lot lighter than shimano (mostly due to the external cables) making it easier to operate for little hands and juniors that don't have a lot of hand strength.

To run with Microshift, the OP would only need in addition to the 3pc Microshift groupo, 10sp cassette, chain and pretty much any double ring crankset. The brakes they have can be retained. I presume cost is a factor so I'd be looking for a used crank which would probably be $100-$150 for something decent and brand-new cassette and chain.

Probably work out $200 less than Ultegra. A 105 groupset from ribble would be a cheaper alternative.
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Paddles
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Paddles » Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:10 pm

Thanx Jacks, what you have just described is my take on this. I wouldn't call going from Tiagra to 105 really an upgrade as for me they both perform almost identically (my wife's bike has 105 so I've ridden them back to back), however the Arsis seems to be somewhere between Ultegra and Dura Ace in terms of weight and quality yet is available for only a little more money than what 105 costs. Do you stock the Arsis gear set or only the White?

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby jacks1071 » Fri Aug 22, 2014 2:18 pm

Paddles wrote:Thanx Jacks, what you have just described is my take on this. I wouldn't call going from Tiagra to 105 really an upgrade as for me they both perform almost identically (my wife's bike has 105 so I've ridden them back to back), however the Arsis seems to be somewhere between Ultegra and Dura Ace in terms of weight and quality yet is available for only a little more money than what 105 costs. Do you stock the Arsis gear set or only the White?
When I get a shipment in, I do get Arsis (currently I'm out of stock on Arsis). The Arsis is mechanically exactly the same as the what they call the "white" version except it has carbon leavers and can be specified with some carbon wrap on the derailleurs. Its ever so slightly lighter.

I prefer the coloured ones because you can build a unique looking bike with them, colour code the bar tape and/or tyres for something that looks different to the cookie cutter bikes we get from shops these days.
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Paddles
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Paddles » Fri Aug 22, 2014 3:03 pm

Thanks for the info on the difference between the Arsis and the White Jacks, I'm more than happy to deal with a local supplier if the price isn't too far off the international suppliers.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Blakeylonger » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:24 pm

Paddles wrote: I wouldn't call going from Tiagra to 105 really an upgrade as for me they both perform almost identically
Yeah, nah.

7 year old 9sp tiagra to a brand new $400 complete groupset of 11sp 105? Completely different, and four generations of development later (9sp Tiagra ~ 9sp 5500 105 which then went to 10sp 5600 105, then 10sp 5700 105, then 11sp 5800 105). That's a huge upgrade.

Shimano 11sp rings shift better than shimano 10sp rings. Shimano 11sp front mechs shift better than shimano 10sp front mechs. Shimano coated cable sets that were introduced with 11sp shift better than the previous sets.

Want to do it on the cheap? keep your brakes and derailleurs, use that crankset you were given, get a wippermann 10sX chain and 5700 cassette, and the current 10sp tiagra levers, which is very similar to 7800 10sp dura ace, external gear cables for light action, pre super slr brake pull. Hotrod it with the new PTFE cable set for better shifting still.

If my experience with their versa shifters is anything to go by, the shimano will outlast microshift by a long way too.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby 2wheels_mond » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:34 pm

One thing I did forget though is that unless you've got Mavic wheels, you'll likely need a new wheelset for 11 speed as well.

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Paddles
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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby Paddles » Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:34 pm

Thanks Blakey and 2wheels. My wife has 105 10 speed and that's all i can compare my Tiagra to, but whilst there's a lot of development gone into the last 7 years of 105, we're really only keen recreational/fitness riders so probably can't pick up the minor shift differences that a serious cyclist would. You're right though, i've only got hubs suitable for 10 speed so i'll stick with that.

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Re: Microshift Road Shifters/Derailleurs

Postby nickobec » Fri Aug 22, 2014 11:38 pm

I have Arsis RD, FD & bar end shifters on my fake TT bike. Which was made up from what I had available (Arsis groupset) or got quickly and cheaply (TT shifters) while my real TT bike was out of action, for a few months - note don't buy a Kuota, spare parts like seat posts are unavailable, had to get it repaired.

I prefer the Arsis set up on my fake TT bike over the DA 7900 on my real TT bike, looking at swapping over microshift to the 7kg+ real TT bike when I decided I don't need a 6.5kg non aero fake TT bike.

So a thumbs up for Microshift and Arsis from me

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