The most important part of a bicycle’s transmission is gearshifters and shifters. It is the presence of a large number of gears that mainly distinguishes all modern bikes from bikes of the last century. Let's take a brief look at the devices of the Shimano group, and also dwell in more detail on the front switches of Shimano Deore.
Shimano body kit
The Shimano Deore group is presented as a set of middle-class spare parts. All components are of excellent quality, have a stylish design, advanced functionality, suitable for most types of unprofessional bicycles. Unlike previous groups, pretty good hydraulic brakes appear.
There are no complaints about the reliability of this group. There were almost no steel elements, with the exception of the mounting bolts, stoppers and axles. Everything is made of high-quality aluminum using new technologies. In the system, the stars can be replaced, depending on the degree of wear, which means that the system can be updated until the connecting rods themselves crack, which is indispensable for miners.
The main disadvantage of Deore class equipment is its weight. In the older Shimano Deore XT lineup, this drawback is partially eliminated, but the group is not perfect anyway. However, any Shimano group has more weight than Sram components of the same level.
Front derailleur
Oddly enough, the front derailleur is the cheapest part of the transmission, not counting the chain. This is true, since it performs few functions, and the production technology does not include excessively complex stages and the presence of several dozen high-tech spare parts. In modern racing transmissions, the front derailleur is not used at all.
Some systems require special types of hops designed to control only two speeds. Shimano Deore front derailleurs already support this technology. At the moment, on advanced models of bicycles, there are more and more common systems with two stars in front. Probably, in a few years, the triple systems will completely disappear from the shelves.
Do you need to change the switch?
If you seriously approached this question, then you understand the principle of operation of a modern bicycle. It is important to understand that if you replace only one switch, besides the front one, the bicycle will not go faster, it will not be significantly easier, its appearance will not change in any way, and it will not go into the class above. Replacement will be justified only if you often use the front switch and your switch is worn out / broken / you want less noise and more stable operation. Inexperienced users will find it difficult to feel the difference between the Shimano Deore front derailleur, for example, from the Asera or the more expensive Santour models.
Changing the front derailleur alone from Alivio to Deore makes no sense. You won’t get a gain in productivity, and the weight will not change much. But here a complete upgrade of the lower groups on Deore will certainly please. If you have already tried all the initial Shimano groups, remember that if you bought the Deore group set, there will be no turning back. After some time, you decide to try out the SLX, then the Shimano Deore XT group, and after a few years, ask the seller to pack a set of XTR spare parts.
"Tourists" in the world of Deore
Like the entire Shimano line, Deore has its own subcategories, only for touring bikes :
- Deore - middle class equipment.
- Deore LX - spare parts for amateur touring bicycles intended for active use.
- Shimano Deore XT– group for avid riders. The quality is almost the same XTR, but weighs more. Perfect for active races, races, long and difficult trips.
In these classes, only the equipment of the original group differs from the mountain Deore - V-Break brakes, hybrid pedals or types of mounts can be included. For example, the Shimano Deore LX M570 Type-E front derailleur can be mounted on a carriage cup.
How to choose?
If you still decide to update this spare part, you should pay attention to the parameters of your old switch, so as not to make a mistake in the characteristics.
The entire Deore line is designed exclusively for off-road or mixed riding. When choosing a switch, it is important to pay special attention to this. So, if you have a road bike, you need to consider road groups to upgrade and vice versa.
Most hardtails will fit the classic Deore M610. It works with 3 × 10 systems, with a maximum star of 42-40T. It has a universal cable liner and is suitable for installation on pipes of different diameters when using adapters.
It is the version of the front switch Shimano Deore M610-6 (IFDM611D6L) that has a special mount that is suitable for a specific segment of the frames. There is no universal clamp here. This type of installation has long been time to put into circulation for other models of switches of the middle class, and, accordingly, frames. This would once and for all relieve the incompatibility of the front derailleur due to inconsistencies in the size of the clamps, and also made it easier for inexperienced users several times. Of course, this would lead to a clear standardization of all the frameworks without exception, and many are not ready for this.