Fit

29ers are often better suited to taller riders.

The larger 29 in. wheels affect the overall geometry of a bike frame more
drastically than 27.5 in. wheels. This can make it difficult for shorter riders
(especially those shorter than 5 ft. 6 in.) to find a 29er that fits well. Test
ride both wheel sizes if you can.

Taller riders, especially those over 6 ft. tall, may prefer the feel of a bike
with 29 in. wheels. However, a bike with 27.5 in. wheels can also fit tall
riders well, so decide where your priorities are related to acceleration,
traction, attack angle and weight first.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/mountain-bike-wheel-size.html

Mountain Bike Groupsets Explained

THE BIKEEXCHANGE TEAM FEBRUARY 09, 2018

 
What’s a modern day mountain bike without a groupset? Well, it’s a frame, suspension fork, wheels and
control items, but it’s not a bike. Thought of as the bike’s engine room, a groupset comprises of brakes
and the drivetrain. The drivetrain consists of the cranks, chainring/s (front cogs), chain, cassette (rear
cogs), derailleurs and shifters. Simply put,it's a closed circuit that propels the bike forwards.
As you spend more money, the efficiency, durability and shifting performance increases while the
weight decreases. In this article you’ll learn what you need to know when it comes to mountain bike
groupsets including what each part does, the key difference between various price points and other
information you’ll need to make an educated decision on which groupset is best for you.

COMPONENTS OF A GROUPSET

Crankset
The crankset is what the bicycle pedals attach to and are what your legs spin in circles as you pedal.
On modern mountain bikes, the crankset consists of the crank arms, chainrings (the front cogs) and the
axle that connects the two crank arms together.
The crankset and its number of chainrings dictate how many front gears a bike has. Modern mountain
bikes have one, two or three, with the latest trend being the fewer the better.
The length of crank arms does vary, but not as much as seen with road bikes. Crank length in
mountain biking is typically more standard to help with leverage at an average lower riding speed. With
this, smaller bikes will often use 170mm crank arms, with medium-sized bikes and up using a 175mm
crank length. Downhill bikes and similar will use shorter 165mm cranks for improved ground clearance.
Bottom bracket
The crankset spins on a set of bearings, these are known as the bottom bracket. The bottom bracket
attaches within the frame and so there is a large array of options to suit various frame designs. The two
key types include ones that thread into place (threaded) and ones that are pressed into place and rely
on tight tolerances, these are known as ‘press-fit’ bottom brackets.

Cassette

The cassette is the rear cogs that connect to the rear wheel. These rear cogs dictate how many gears
a bike has at the back, with most modern mountain bikes typically offering between eight to twelve
gears.
Chain

The chain is what connects the front crankset to the rear cassette. Without the chain, the bike has no
drive. A chain is usually made of steel and features a series of interconnected links that rotate smoothly,
but are difficult to twist laterally.
Derailleurs

Derailleurs are the components that guide the chain between the cogs. These usually work by having
a cable, or hydraulic fluid pull them in one direction, and then relying on spring tension within the
derailleur to pull opposite direction.
With the rear derailleur made of a series of springs, rough terrain in mountain biking can see this
component slap around, often leading to lots of noise and the potential of a dropped chain. In recent
years ‘clutch’ equipped rear derailleurs have become the standard for intermediate and better mountain
bike derailleurs. This clutch creates friction in the cage that the chain runs through, and offers a quieter
ride with a greatly reduced chance of a dropped chain.

New electronic technology sees small servomotors added to some derailleurs, which control the
movement, this is known as electronic shifting. Such technology comes at a premium price, but removes
risk of mud, water or general wear affecting shift performance. This is because a cable-operated
(mechanical) system relies on precise cable tension and cable condition to accurately move the
derailleur between gears.

Shifters

Sitting at the handlebars within easy reach, the shifters are your controls for enacting a gear change.
The shifters are linked directly to the derailleurs, typically by way of mechanic cable.
The most common type of shifter on a mountain bike is the ‘trigger’ shifter. Here, either your thumb or
fore finger is used to actuate a shift. A less common design is that of grip shift, which works by twisting
the grip to make a shift. Each brand offers a different style of shifting; we’ll explain this later.
Brakes

Traditionally part of a groupset, mountain bike brakes have broken free into their own category in
recent years. In many cases, you’ll still be able to match your brakes to your desired groupset, but it’s far
more common to mix-and-match in this regard. This is due to disc brakes becoming the standard choice
in mountain bikes. Where over a decade ago rim brakes were still popular, disc brakes now are featured
on just about any mountain bike selling for over AU$500.

Disc brakes can be easily segmented into two categories: Hydraulic and mechanical. Hydraulic borrows
its technology from the automotive world and uses a fluid system to transfer force from the brake lever
to the brake pads. Being a sealed system, it’s incredibly low maintenance and easy to operate.
Mechanical disc brakes remain the common choice for lower-end mountain bikes where the hydraulic
systems are too expensive. Here, a wire cable is used to transfer the force at the brake lever to the
brake pads. This system is not sealed and is susceptible to dirt, rust, cable stretch and other wear
factors. As the brake pads wear, simple manual adjustment will be needed; whereas with hydraulic
systems, such adjustments are generally automated.

Gears, ratios and numbers

Much the engine and gears found in a car, bicycle gears are used to allow your motor (legs) to efficiently
cover a range of speeds and gradients. Here, different gear ratios change how far the rear wheel spins in
relation to crank at the front. Easier (lower) gears result in a rear wheel that turns less in relation to the
crank, while harder (higher) gears will see the rear wheel travel further for a single revolution of the
crank.

Mountain biking often involves low gearing to scale steep hills and overcome loose terrain. Due to this,
mountain bikes use specific gear ratios that are best suited to the rugged terrain, and generally lower
average speeds compared to other cycling forms. Bigger wheel diameters effectively make the gearing
harder, and so as mountain bike wheels have increased in size, the gearing has become relatively easier.
The important thing to know is that the available gear range and number of gears are not the same
thing. The gear range refers to the span from the very hardest (high) to the easiest (low) gear. A bike
with only 11 gears can potentially have the same high and low span as a bike with 30 gears.
The number of gears is calculated by multiplying the number of cogs at the back wheel (cassette), with
the number of cogs (chainrings) at front crank. So for example: a bike with nine gears at the cassette,
and three at the crankset is a 27-speed. And a bike with ten gears at the cassette, and two at the
crankset is a 20-speed.

Understanding gear range is becoming increasingly important in mountain biking as it’s how and why
many modern bikes are moving away from three chainrings on the front, and moving to two or even just
one. This new approach comes from new cassettes that offer a greatly increased range.

There are multiple reasons to have fewer front gears on a mountain bike, but the main reasons include
greater simplicity, easier operation and improved reliability. Additionally, where two or three chainrings
are involved, there are always going to be overlapping/redundant gears, so for example, a 27-speed
drivetrain may only offer 18 truly unique ratios. Reducing the number of chainrings reduces this overlap.

The number of teeth on the individual chainrings and rear cogs calculate the exact gear ratios of a bike.
The smaller (fewer teeth) a chainring has, the lower the gear is. Out back, it’s reverse of this, and the
lowest gear will be biggest (with the most teeth) cassette cog.

Reverse this, and you have the highest gear. This is the biggest front chainring matched with the
smallest rear cog.

It can be confusing to get your head around, but generally speaking, chainrings are smaller and cassettes
are bigger on mountain bikes when compared to other popular bike types.

The Brands
 In mountain biking, there are two key brands that control the vast share of the market – Shimano and
SRAM. Below we outline the hierarchy available from each brand.
Shimano
The market leader in all cycling categories, Shimano has the biggest range of mountain specific
groupsets.

Most of Shimano's groupsets are designed to work together (as long as they share the same number of
gears), making it possible to mix componentry, although for optimal performance it's best to keep
uniformity.

Shimano’s mountain bike shifters use ‘Rapid Fire’ technology, where your thumb operates one shift
lever to move the derailleur in one direction, and your forefinger operates the other to send the
derailleur the opposite direction. From Alivio-level and up, that forefinger lever can also be operated
with your thumb. Rapid Fire allows multiple gearshifts to be made with the large thumb lever and and
on more expensive models, both levers can shift multiple gears in a single push.

Below is a brief breakdown of Shimano's mountain bike groupsets.

Tourney: Shimano's most budget groupset, often seen on basic recreational and even kids bikes.
With basic stamped steel and plastic components, it’s not designed for the rigors of off-road riding.
Expect a plastic grip shifter and 3x7 gears at this level.

Altus: Altus is Shimano’s entry-level groupset and is occasionally seen on budget mountain bikes.
Again, it’s not designed for mountain biking, but light off-road use is applicable. Shimano RapidFire
trigger shifters are found here, and a 3x7 or 3x8 gear setup is typical.

Acera: Acera appears on many entry-level bikes and offers either 8 or 9-speed gears at back, and
three at the front. More aluminium is starting to be seen at this price, with greater rust resistance
compared to models below.