Shimano bike components: the latest reviews, news and buying advice
Shimano is one of the world's biggest component manufacturers and has been producing bike components for almost a century. As one of the ‘big three’ drivetrain component manufacturers (the other two being SRAM and Campagnolo), Shimano groupsets and parts are always well-made, usually well-regarded and often well-priced.
If you’re looking for the latest news and reviews of Shimano products, this is where you need to look.
A brief history of Shimano
Shimano was founded in Japan in 1921. The brand began life as Shimano Iron Works, producing innovative components that helped shape bikes into the machines that we know and love today.
It’s directly contributed to some of cycling’s biggest innovations, including indexed shifting, dual-pivot brakes and integrated shifting, among many others.
Latest Shimano news and reviews
Shimano 2019 component range
While Shimano also manufactures a multitude of other components, including handlebars, stems and seatposts (primarily under its PRO sub-brand), as well as clothing, eyewear, bags and footwear, Shimano is best known for its road and mountain bike groupsets.
- Road bike groupsets: everything you need to know
- Mountain bike groupsets: everything you need to know
Shimano now offers electronic Di2 shifting in its top-end road (Dura-Ace/Ultegra) and mountain bike (XTR and XT) groupsets, and in the past few years has also added hydraulic disc brakes to its higher-end road groupsets.
The company produces a wide range of groupsets across all disciplines.
Every Shimano road groupset explained
Dura-Ace R9100 is Shimano's flagship road groupset
Shimano produces six distinct groupsets for road cycling:
Shimano also produces a clutch-equipped version of its Ultegra drivetrain for use on gravel, adventure and cyclocross bikes.
Every Shimano mountain bike groupset explained
XTR M9100 is the Shimano's next-generation 12-speed mountain bike groupset
- Mountain bike groupsets: everything you need to know
- Best mountain bike: how to choose the right one for you
Shimano produces four distinct mountain bike groupsets for XC and trail riders:
It also produces two groupsets that are dedicated to downhill racing:
And finally, there are five 'recreational' mountain bike groupsets. These are also known as 'touring' or 'trekking' groupsets, but it's not uncommon to see these parts on budget mountain bikes:
Where can you buy Shimano bike components?
Shimano bike components, accessories and clothing can be found in pretty much any bike shop or anywhere online. They are also far and away the most common spec choice for the big bike brands.
More Shimano news and reviews
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