ULTIMATE GUIDE: SHIMANO DRIVETRAIN

The perfect groupset for ballers on a budget

Intended use: XC, Trail, Enduro

Shimano SLX is aimed squarely at the rider who wants a great performance drivetrain that will deliver season after season of reliability, without a hefty price tag. This groupset meets the needs of the widest range of riders, matching impressive performance to a stellar price. While it is considered the lower rung of the “holy trinity” of Shimano’s MTB groupsets, the brand-new SLX 12-speed M7100 series group offers many of the same benefits of XT and XTR with just a bit of weight gain, and slightly less fancy materials and finish. We highly recommend this group but would opt for upgrading to an XT level shifter for the added function of Shimano's INSTANT RELEASE and MULTI RELEASE technologies which allows you shift two gears in one stroke in upshifts and makes shifts in either direction lightning fast. These are small features, but ones we think are well worth the few extra dollars. 

FEATURES

• 40mm travel for gravel grinding provides predictable cornering and descending
• FIT-4 three-position damper Open, Medium, and Firm settings for when the trail becomes unpredictable
• Float Evol air spring provides smooth and reliable action
• Easily fits 700x40c tires making it a great option for your favorite tires
• 100x15mm Kabolt axle is sturdy and light

SHOP: 32 AX  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Intended use: XC, Trail, Enduro

Shimano’s XT groupset offers the ultimate price-to-performance ratio in the Shimano MTB drivetrain lineup. The jump to XT gives you the closest feel to XTR, and gains many of the weight-saving benefits and fine-tuning adjustment options of its higher-end sibling while retaining a price tag closer to SLX.

FEATURES

• 32 mm upper tubes and ample bushing overlap for a quality ride and the hollowed out lower legs provide even more weight savings.
• Step-Cast design Narrower stance and lower weight with room for spokes and rotors
• Float air spring Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
• Redesigned crown Increases stiffness to the same level as the Trail-proven 34.

SHOP: 32 STEP-CAST  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Intended use: XC, Trail, Enduro

This is it – the jewel in Shimano’s crown. Shimano XTR is the professional’s choice, built simply to win. It’s been torture-tested by pro riders and has been ridden to the top of many a podium of incredibly demanding races many times over. Unquestionably, this is the pinnacle of Shimano’s MTB groups. Originally created in 1992 as the world’s first MTB-specific groupset, it has continued to lead the pace on introducing new dynamic technologies that shape mountain biking.

FEATURES

• INSTANT RELEASE Narrower stance and lower weight with room for spokes and rotors.
• MULTI RELEASE Same one used in the 32 Step-Cast fork.
• 2-WAY RELEASE Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
• RAPIDEFIRE PLUS Specific for this travel range, with a lighter tune at mid and higher velocities.
• I-SPEC EV

SHOP: 34 STEP-CAST  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Intended use: XC, Trail, Enduro

Shimano Di2 (which stands for Digital Integrated Intelligence) revolutionized the world of cycling when it first exploded onto the scene in 2009. The electronic groupset shifts using servomotor-equipped derailleurs and relies on sophisticated electronics to deliver perfect shifts at the push of a button, every time. Since Di2’s release, it has changed the way component makers and frame designers think about componentry and bike design and has ushered in a new wave of innovation to create the perfect bicycle drivetrain.

FEATURES

• Black anodized finish
• Float air spring automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction
• FIT GRIP 3-position lever with an open, medium, and firm setting

SHOP: 32 FLOAT  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Intended use: Enduro, Freeride, DH

Shimano Zee was developed to serve the needs of Downhill and Freeride riders needing the performance of a downhill-specific groupset, without the hefty price tag of Saint. Zee is a great choice for riders needing huge stopping power of 4-piston brakes, a quiet, simple 1x10 speed drivetrain with a burly rear derailleur, tied together with super-strong forged cranks. Zee delivers on all fronts, and doesn’t flinch when it’s thrown over unforgiving terrain. The primary difference between Zee and Saint is primarily the weight and finish. Zee forgoes the flashy anodized and machined bits found on Saint and offers a great value for riders that know will thrash their components instead of baby them.

FEATURES

• Kashima Coat Low friction coating that provides additional durability.
• Float air spring Automatically equalizes the positive and negative air chambers for increased sensitivity and traction.
• GRIP 2 Damper High and low speed rebound and compression adjustments provide more sensitivity while maintaining support during aggressive riding.

SHOP: 34 FLOAT  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Intended use: Freeride, DH

Shimano Saint is the Downhill racer’s group of choice. Saint tackles descents unflinchingly, and has a highly precise, refined feel that is engineered to perform with exceptional stability in rough circumstances. The brakes are some of the strongest on the planet, and are the go-to for many a rider truly taking their riding to the extreme.

FEATURES

• Optimized for 150-160mm of travel Fox took the award-winning, EWS favorite and made it even better.
• Float EVOL technology increases negative air spring volume.
• Bleeders on the lower legs allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button.

SHOP: 36 FLOAT  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

Suspension is evolving at a rapid rate and becoming much smoother, stiffer, and more tunable. Modern suspension is more capable than ever before and lets riders conquer the terrain with ease. The Fox 38 Float series forks are hard-hitting, long-travel enduro specialists. It carries over all of the new features of the redesigned 36 and pairs them with the stiffer 38mm to cope with the hardest hits. You'll find the floating axle to match the exact width of your hubs, the lower leg bleeders and the air channels to further perfect your suspension feel. A feature not found on the 36 is the elliptical steer tube that adds material where it's needed, but not where it isn't, to increase strength and stiffness.

FEATURES

• Optimized for 160-180mm of travel Packing the same revolutionary feature set as the new 36, the category defining 38 is ready for the big time.
• Float EVOL technology increases negative air spring volume
• Bleeders on the lower legs allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button
• Elliptical steerer optimizes the stiffness-to-weight ratio, placing more material only where it is needed, and eliminating every ounce of it where it’s not.

SHOP: 38 FLOAT  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

DOWNHILL: FOX 40

Completely redesigned for 2021, the line of Fox 40 forks are built for the most demanding riding conditions from DH racing to park laps to remote freeride. It features a floating axle offers a distinct performance advantage due to their unique ability to match the exact width of the fork's wheel mounting surface precisely to the front hub flange spacing. This creates a perfect chassis alignment that eliminates unwanted friction between the upper and lower fork legs. The lower legs have bleeders that allow for atmospheric pressure equalization at the press of a button. With the lower leg arch, you'll have enhanced stiffness without the extra weight. These forks feature Fox's legendary Kashima coating that provides a buttery smooth feel paired with a GRIP2 damper that provides high and low-speed compression adjustments and high and low-speed rebound adjustments.

SHOP: 40 FLOAT  |  FOX FORK LINEUP

FACTORY VS PERFORMANCE  |  FINISH OPTIONS  |  FLOAT EVOL AIR SPRING  |  DAMPER OPTIONS  |  AXLE OPTIONS  |  STEP-CAST  |  AIR CHANNELS  |  BLEEDERS  |  LOWER LEG ARCH

FOX SERIES LEVELS

FACTORY

"Factory" says it all. The best-of-the-best technology Fox has to offer is available in their Factory Series models with the buttery smooth, and ultra durable Genuine Kashima Coat. These products are World Cup proven. You'll find the latest Grip2 damper paired with Factory forks for maximum tuneability.

PERFORMANCE ELITE

Performance Elite forks retain the same adjustments, features, dampers, weight, and 7000 series aluminum upper tubes as Factory Series, but have black anodized stanchions instead of Genuine Kashima Coat; a killer option for those who love a subtle look or are looking to save a few bucks.

PERFORMANCE

Performance Series forks retain the same black anodized 7000 series aluminum upper tubes as Performance Elite, except paired with a GRIP damper making this the most affordable option out of the Fox lineup, but lacking some of the top-end bells and whistles.

KASHIMA VS BLACK ANODIZED STANCHIONS

Beyond the looks, there is one key aspect that sets Kashima apart from it's black anodized counterpart; durability. The friction performance of the two finishes are nearly identical (slight nod to Kashima) and would be hard for most riders to notice. So, why would you want Kashima? That all lies in it's durability. Kashima provides that same low-friction feel for longer with less wear on the stanchion surface. This means less maintenance and better feel for longer. 

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DAMPER OPTIONS

GRIP2 DAMPER - UPDATED FOR 2021

The GRIP2 damper is the benchmark for unparalleled ride quality and ultra-precise on-the-fly adjustability. For 2021, Fox has taken the GRIP2 to the next level by adding their patented VVC technology to the high-speed compression circuit. VVC is a proprietary variable valve control system that allows for external fine-tuning of suspension performance. GRIP2 achieves with the twist of a knob what typically requires the time consuming and complicated task of completely disassembling and reassembling the fork.

FIT4

In its fourth generation, Fox's patented FIT4 closed cartridge system provides three on-the-fly compression damping positions—Open, Medium, and Firm—to adapt to varying trail conditions. Factory Series forks feature an additional 22 clicks of low-speed compression adjust in the Open mode, allowing riders to fine-tune their exact damping preferences.

GRIP DAMPER

Inspired from moto, the GRIP damper uses the FIT sealed cartridge technology combined with a coil-sprung, independent floating piston. GRIP allows excess oil to purge through specially designed ports at the top of the damper to maintain consistent damping and increase durability. Performance Series forks provide Open, Medium, and Firm modes with additional micro-adjust between settings.

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