Market: Shimano is giving the Alivio, Acera and Altus MTB groupsets a facelift. Supplemented by numerous basic features, the inexpensive groupset should qualify for real mountain bike use. Numerous technologies from the higher-quality groups flowed in for this purpose. The entry-level groupsets in the off-road segment are also of higher quality in terms of design.
The revised Alivio, Acera and Altus MTB groupsets for beginners will be available in stores from June 2018. The new generation gets a robust facelift with numerous technologies from the higher quality groupsets. Equipped with new basic features, the components should also offer beginners real mountain bike performance and added user-friendliness. The revised Acera (FC-MT300-3) and Altus (FC-MT210-3/2) cranksets come with a black anodized look and easily replaceable chainrings. The new rear derailleurs and cassettes will have a high-quality MEGA-9 LITE drive and a smooth shifting system. You can choose between 3×9-speed with 44-32-22 or 40-30-22 teeth or 2×9-speed with 36-22 teeth. The new Alivio 2×9-speed front derailleur (FD-M4020) in SIDE SWING design leaves more room for wider tires.
As part of the revision, Shimano also lent a hand to the wheels. The range has been expanded to include hubs with Boost Standard (ALIVIO: HB-MT400-B/FH-MT400-B, ACERA: HB-MT200/FH-MT200-B). The larger installation width of 110 mm at the front and 148 mm at the rear promises greater rigidity and compatibility. When designing the Alivio brake levers (BL-MT400), Shimano drew on design features from the race groupset. For example, a 2-finger lever should ensure a better grip and more control. In the Acera version (BL-MT200/1), 3-finger brake levers made of steel or aluminum are also available. With a reach of only 75 millimeters, the levers were specially developed for smaller hands. The adjustment range of 25 millimeters ensures user-friendliness.